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Hop off the Blue Line at East/West Boulevard Station, and you’re right in the heart of South End! This station drops you into a vibrant stretch of the Rail Trail surrounded by breweries, restaurants, boutiques, and street art. With just a quick 3-minute walk from the station, you can also check out the shops at Atherton Mills for a variety of restaurant and shopping options!

Eat & Drink:

  • Sabor: Authentic street food from El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia.
  • Leroy Fox: Southern inspired and gourmet driven food in the heart of South End!
  • Indaco: Modern rustic Italian cuisine, located at Atherton Mill with a large outdoor patio.
  • Two Scoops Creamery: Two Scoops is a local ice cream shop with a rotating flavor list in addition to their staple menu. Don't forget to grab an ice cream cake to celebrate your special occasions!
  • Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams: Jeni's ice creams have a uniquely smooth texture and buttercream body, with bright flavor and clean finish, they don’t use synthetic flavorings, dyes, or off-the-shelf mixes.
  • Barcelona Wine Bar: Barcelona is a Spanish, Mediterranean, and South American inspired tapas restaurant with nearly 400 wines featured on the menu.
  • Canopy Cocktails & Garden: Elevated cocktail lounge serving creative drinks in a chill, cute space with outdoor seating.
  • Hawkers Asian Street Food: Delicious and authentic Asian street food made from generational recipes.
  • Leroy Fox: Southern inspired and gourmet driven food in the heart of South End!
  • QC Pourhouse: Pub grub, cocktails, craft beer & TV sports are the draw at this jumping, industrial-style bar.
  • Salted Melon: Trendy counter-serve spot offering breakfast, lunch, brunch, dinner, and a grocery store.
  • Superica: Trendy chain serving a Tex-Mex menu including fajitas alongside margaritas and other cocktails.
  • Sycamore Brewing: Bustling taproom & beer garden offering in-house sandwiches & international food-truck fare.
  • Trolley Barn Fermentory: Laid-back bar offering American food such as smoked brisket grilled cheese, plus cocktails and brunch, in the Atherton Mill.
  • Blaze Pizza: Hip counter-serve pizzeria dishing up crispy, thin-crust pies made with creative toppings & sauces.
  • Sullivan’s Steakhouse: Steakhouse chain serving beef, seafood & cocktails in swanky surrounds with live music.
  • O-Ku: A chic option for sushi & unique Japanese dishes, plus sake, beer & cocktails.
  • Yamazaru Sushi and Sake: Stylish restaurant offering a Japanese menu of noodles, ramen & sushi plus cocktails, sake & beer.
  • Not Just Coffee: Not Just Coffee is a locally owned coffee shop that celebrates all things espresso! They also offer breakfast and lunch options, as well as non-coffee beverages.
  • Chipotle Mexican Grill: Fast-food chain offering Mexican fare, including design-your-own burritos, tacos & bowls.
  • Clean Eatz: Casual chain restaurant whipping up health-minded bowls, flatbreads, and other fast fare
  • Indaco: Modern rustic Italian cuisine, located at Atherton Mill with a large outdoor patio.
  • Common Market South End: The Common Market is an uncommon convenience store, deli and bar. They are your local spot for an uncommonly good time.
  • PARA Charlotte: Trendy restaurant offering small plates, wines, beer, and cocktails, plus some late-night food.
  • Tremont Kitchen + Bar: Casual restaurant in the Atherton Mill featuring a full bar, burgers, and a patio, plus live music and trivia nights.
  • Vin Master: Vin Master is a wine bar and shop that focuses on small production, natural, boutique wines from all over the world.
  • Velvet Taco: A one-of-a-kind taco concept serving unique taco combinations in a unique & funky fast-casual setting.
  • Shake Shack: Hip, counter-serve chain for gourmet takes on fast-food classics like burgers & frozen custard.
  • Bitty & Beau’s Coffee: Coffee shop run by employees with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Bitty & Beau’s Coffee creates a path for people with disabilities to become more valued, accepted and included in every community.
  • Pop the Top Craft Beer Shop: Pop the Top offers and highlights amazing handpicked craft beer of North and South Carolina as well as local kombucha, cider and a delicious variety of wine.
  • Milk Cha-Cha: Cozy boba tea shop specializing in creative flavors made with fresh fruits.
  • Tutti Gelato: Italian gelateria offering flavors such as pistachio hazelnut, espresso, and tiramisu in a cute space.
  • Clean Juice: Juice bar offering certified organic drinks, including cold-pressed juice, smoothies, and acai bowls.
  • Elsewhere: Craft cocktail bar located in Historic South End tucked under the Design Center water tower.
  • Mamaka Bowls: Smoothie bowls, smoothies, breakfast tacos, and coffees

Shopping & Things to Do:

  • Shops at Atherton Mills: Atherton was once one of Charlotte's first textile mills. Today, it is a premier retail and restaurant destination perfect for the shoppers and the foodies alike. Stroll through the historic brick building to discover fresh coffee, hand-cut flowers, cocktail classes, and more, or hangout on the patio and watch the light rail pass as the sun sets over the skyline.
  • Dilworth Artisan Station: A hub for artists, creatives, and innovators, with 30+ artists’ studios and businesses under one roof
  • Girl Tribe CO.: Girl Tribe is a Charlotte-based, women-owned fashion boutique celebrating women-owned clothing, accessory, and décor businesses.
  • Paddywax Candle Bar: Paddywax's candle pouring workshop offers a hands-on, relaxing experience perfect for birthdays, bachelorette parties, date nights, or a fun outing with friends.
  • Willmore Centennial Park: The park features a large open lawn area facing uptown, areas for art displays, sitting areas, natural play area, and variety of outdoor spaces for gathering and leisure activities.
  • The Shoedio: Retailer offering one-of-a-kind handmade sneakers, plus custom designs and painting workshops.
  • Rowan: Piercing studio in the heart of South End, offering device and needle piercing services completed by registered nurses.
  • Bonobos: Menswear founded on fit, built on service, and focused on style. However you fit, Bonobos fits you.
  • Drybar Atherton Mill: Hair salon specializing in blowouts in a variety of styles.
  • Uniquities: Women’s designer boutique started in Chapel Hill, NC in 1992.
  • Boem: Local boho chic boutique in Charlotte offering women’s clothing, accessories, and shoes
  • Arrow: NC’s go-to for guaranteed shorter hair
  • Tecovas: Tecovas is well-known for their fine leather goods and hand-made western inspired boots
  • Madewell: Simply put, Madewell make great jeans. They also focus on all the things you wear with denim, like effortless tees, keep-forever bags, cool jewelry and compliment-worthy shoes.
  • Lululemon: High-end yoga-focused chain featuring stylish athletic wear & accessories.
  • Las Olas Charlotte: Retail shop at Atherton Mill specializing in swimwear
  • Golden Carrot: A carefully curated selection of unique treasures and jewelry, handmade by independent designers, that are easy to wear today and can continue to be loved generation after generation.
  • Puttery: Lively venue featuring modern mini-golf courses with auto-scoring technology, and a bar.
  • Pins Mechanical: A social destination featuring duckpin bowling, 40+ pinball machines, old school entertainment, craft beers and classic cocktails
  • Anthropologie: Chain selling boho-chic womenswear, shoes, accessories & home decor (some feature wedding attire).
  • Warby Parker: Glasses starting at US $95 including Rx, sunglasses, contacts, and eye exams, too. For every pair sold, a pair is distributed to someone in need.
  • Bookout Blooms: Located in the heart of South End Charlotte inside the Historic 'Atherton Mill' building, selling fresh cut flowers and custom designs 5 days a week.
  • SEPHORA: Beauty, cosmetic, and personal care store located in Atherton Mill.
  • Interior Define: Showroom for custom-made sofas, tables, and rugs, plus design consultations.
  • Vow’d Bridal Shop: Wedding-gown retailer with energetic stylists offering exclusive designs.
  • Lilbelle: Women's clothing boutique stocking contemporary apparel and accessories.
  • OMJ Clothing: Men's wear boutique offering classic sport coats, button down shirts, ties & leather goods.
  • Marine Layer: Casual retail store with a beachy vibe
  • Free People: Women's clothing chain with a bohemian-inspired collection of dresses, jackets, shoes & accessories.
  • West Elm: Chain retailer offering a huge selection of modern furniture, home accessories & kitchen items.
  • South End Farmer’s Market: Follow the sweet scent of fresh bread to the Rail Trail, where you can discover everything from the greenest produce, to humanely-raised poultry, to handmade pasta at the South End Farmers Market.