NEWS
Summertime is the Perfect Time to Explore Davidson’s Food Scene
In the 1980s The Soda Shop was the only restaurant on Main Street. The only other restaurant in town was The Peregrine House. (Jane Campbell photo)
If you talk to Davidson’s long-time residents, they can recount a time when Davidson had fewer than a handful of restaurants to choose from. These days, Davidson has an incredible abundance of dining options. However, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut and forget to try new places, or to revisit places you haven’t thought of in a while.
Something magical happens in the summertime in Davidson. It gets quiet. Main Street can be so empty that you may even find yourself alone during certain times of day. That doesn’t happen in the bustle of the busy school year. That space, that reprieve, is a great opportunity to explore restaurants that may be overbooked, overcrowded, or just plain intimidating during the busier fall, winter, and spring months.
That’s why News of Davidson wanted to put together a strictly local Restaurant Guide to encourage our readers to explore the fun dining scene in town. The toughest thing about compiling a local restaurant list is trying to make it complete, so we may have left something off. Let us know at [email protected]. Also, menus change, locations change, ownership changes, so the second a list is made, it may be inaccurate. 
This summer, challenge yourself to visit at least one restaurant in Davidson you’ve never tried. Find a restaurant with outdoor dining and sit outside for lunch or dinner. Try a new breakfast place. Sample the cuisine of a country you have never visited. Try that restaurant where it is often difficult to get a reservation, as it may be less busy this time of year. Pick up the phone or use a restaurant’s online ordering option to order takeout and dine on your back patio, or at a park in town.
Davidson has brand new restaurants that are fantastic additions and some classics that are worth visiting again and again. Beware the July lull, as some restaurants shut down and take a few weeks off during the very slowest weeks of the summer. We will continue to update this list during the summer if we have missed any places or need to update information, so check back often.
Enjoy!
Lyn Batty
Lyn Batty, a Charlotte native, practiced law in North Carolina for 15 years before transitioning to academic librarianship and teaching. Lyn and her husband David have lived in Davidson since 2009. Lyn previously co-authored the “Common Laws” legal column for DavidsonNews.net.