Provisions (Or Where to Find Mozzarella)

There's no shortage of food shopping choices in Charlotte. There are still some specific items that aren't available, or not of the same quality we were used to, but for the most part you can find what you need.

The supermarket scene is dominated by Harris Teeter ("the Teeter"). Down on the south side, between Ballantyne and Matthews, it seems like there's a Teeter every few blocks. Personally, I think they are solid stores, with good prices and selection. Some (like the one on Providence at Ardrey Kell) are open 24 hours a day. The one downside, for us, is the meat and fish selection. This is just personal opinion, but the beef isn't very good. Oddly, their house brand roast beef in the deli section is very good.

Lowe's Foods is another nice supermarket in the area. It's slightly more upscale compared to the Teeter, and has an excellent wine selection. They also seem to have a better seafood selection than the Teeter. They aren't as common however, and are a bit more pricey.

Other choices are Food Lion and Bi Lo, depending on where you are located. Both are fine, with a smaller selection and cheaper prices.As for smaller, specialty markets, there are a number in the area worth checking out. I'm sure there are others that we haven't discovered yet, but these can be vouched for!

The Fresh Market has a few locations in Charlotte including the one we visit on Pineville-Matthews Road. They have a good bakery section, as well as sandwiches, meats and seafood. They carry some harder-to-get items like Spainish chorizo, an array of cheeses and coffee beans. It's not cheap, but everything is of a high quality.

EarthFare has a more organic bent to it, but is a full-size market in the Ballantyne area on Johnston Rd., just north of 485.

Trader Joe's just opened two stores in Charlotte, including a store on Rea Rd., just south of Highway 51. It's been a madhouse there with long lines on the weekends, but if you like their stuff you know why! The chocolate ganache cake is great, as are their chocolate covered pretzels. Their frozen foods are quite tasty considering they are, well, frozen. There is parking in the back that no one seems to no about.

Dean and Deluca has two shops in Charlotte. One in Stonecrest and the other at Phillips Place.

Ferrucci's Italian Market is an oasis for those on the north side of town. Located off Exit 28 on I-77 in the Shops on the Green. It is a bit of a drive, but well worth it. They have a fresh meat section, prepared Italian delicacies, fresh mozzarella, sausages, pasta and cannoli, among other items. They also make excellent sandwiches and cater.

Pasta & Provisions on Providence Road has fresh pasta and deli meats, along with prepared meals and other Italian type fare. The food is good, but it has a reputation as being snooty and expensive. It's a place where the ritzy Dilworth crowd seem to go.

For the more adventurous types, some of the best meat we've found in the area is at a gas station. Seriously. Well, okay, it's a market attached to a gas station. The Peach Stand, in Fort Mill, SC, just over the state line on Highway 160, has an excellent butcher counter, along with fresh produce, pies and preserves. Until we found the place mentioned below, this is where we would go to get steaks to cook on the grill. Ask them to season them for you before they wrap 'em up. As they name implies, they also sell fresh peaches, preserves and pies too.

For the really adventurous meat-lover, there is a wholesale butcher shop in Waxhaw where you can get anything you want. Except veal cutlets, which are apparently not a very southern thing to eat because they are really hard to find here. (The Teeter recently started carrying them, but, they don't look too good and are often stringy.) Anyway, Frontier Meats is at 8303 Lancaster Highway. They're closed Sundays and Mondays, and cut meat from 7AM to 2PM on all other days. You can pick up strange cuts of meats here, such as ox tail, rabbit and tongue along with the usual stuff. The NY strip steaks are good, and the filet mignon is buttery and only $11 per pound. Everything here is very cheap, but quality. It doesn't hurt if you can speak some Spanish, as all the meat cutters are hispanic and very friendly. It gets very busy on Saturday, but is definitely worth a trip out in the country.

Bring a cooler and some ice and stock up!

Bon appetite!