Spend a day in Concord: More than 20 things to eat, drink, see and do

Concord, Charlotte's northern neighbor, is growing rapidly, and that expansion is bringing new businesses and life to the area.

Driving the news: Concord is about 25 miles north of Charlotte and is North Carolina’s 10th largest city, with a population of 109,896 (July 2022). The population of Cabarrus County, which Concord is part of, grew at a faster rate in the 2020 census than that of Mecklenburg County.

Why it matters: The majority of the Charlotte region’s population lives outside of the city limits. Charlotte’s development is fueling demand for new homes and businesses in the region as a whole.

Here are some ways to eat, drink and play through Concord:

Caffeinate:

First things first, coffee. Concord has plenty of cozy coffee shops. A few worthy of a stop include:

Allegiance Coffee: A locally owned coffee shop with a drive-thru option. The shop partners with Charlotte-based Haervest Coffee for its custom blends.

• 1115 Old Charlotte Road SW

Press & Porter Coffee: A downtown craft coffee shop that also serves beer, wine, kombucha and grab-and-go eats.

• 8 Union St S.

Verb Coffee: A trendy cafe located off Concord Parkway a few miles from downtown. Open until 9pm most nights, it’s a good option for an evening caffeine boost.

• 1592 Concord Pkwy N.

Provided Coffee Concord: A hand-crafted espresso bar located inside a renovated mill building that also houses Nothing New Quality Threads and Southern Strain Brewing.

• 165 Brumley Ave NE
• Of note: Provided has another location in Uptown that's just under 200 square feet.

Eat and drink:

From barbecue platters to authentic Cuban cuisine, these restaurants earned a place in our hearts (and stomach) for some of Concord's best eats and drinks.

The Smoke Pit: In a state where barbecue causes vigorous debate, The Smoke Pit is arguably one of the most famous joints in the area.

• Order a platter and choose from several different meat and side options.
• 796 Concord Pkwy N

Havana Carolina: This restaurant serves up a taste of Cuba and is located inside an old Belk store downtown. It’s the brainchild of the family who also owns El Puro in south Charlotte and Muraya, a Colombian tapas restaurant in South End.

• Pro tip: Whatever you order, tack on a Cuban coffee to go.
• 11 Union St S Suite, 108

BIRRITaco: A popular taco restaurant that specializes in all things birria — yes, even birria pizza. You can’t miss the hot pink exterior.

• 226 Cabarrus Ave W

Sabaidee: A sushi and Thai restaurant that Axios’ Alexis Clinton says is a personal favorite.

• 1048 Copperfield Blvd NE

Now, let’s talk about adult beverages. Concord has plenty, including breweries, cocktail bars and bottle shops.

Cabarrus Brewing Company and High Branch Brewing: Two separate craft breweries and taprooms, both located inside Gibson Mill.

• Cabarrus: 329 McGill Ave NW
• High Branch: 305 McGill Ave NW

Southern Strain Brewing: A popular taproom and brewery with an in-house kitchen called The Eatery. Southern Strain shares a roof with aforementioned businesses, Provided Coffee and Nothing New Quality Threads.

• 165 Brumley Ave NE Suite 3001

Buzzed Viking Brewery Co.: A brewery and meadery (honey wine) with a stacked food menu inside Copperfield Market (also close to Sabaidee Thai).

• 1048 Copperfield Blvd NE

Kodiak: A cocktail lounge in downtown with live music.

• Order The Concordian, their best-seller, with vodka, pineapple, ginger, lemon and grenadine.
• 42 Union St S.

Bottle and Can: A woman-owned bottle shop in downtown selling craft beer by the can, bottle and on draft.

• 9 Union St N Suite 110

Things to do:

Between a bustling shopping mall, a charming downtown and the bustling Charlotte Motor Speedway, you’ll find many, many ways to keep busy in Concord. Here are a handful of ideas:

Stroll around downtown: Downtown Concord features historic buildings, street art (including a mural of the homegrown band the Avett Brothers), galleries and plenty of window shopping. One of the most notable landmarks is a historic courthouse that has been converted into the home of the Cabarrus Arts Council, featuring four galleries on the first floor.

• Shops include independent bookstore Goldberry Books, Mac Tabby Cat Café, chocolate shop Chocolatier Barrucand (take our word and order the Oreo cheesecake) and flower shop, Cut at an Angle.

Spend a day at Gibson Mill: The former textile mill has been converted into a food hall with shops, breweries and other entertainment. You could easily spend a whole day shopping, drinking beer, throwing axes, playing board games and more.

• Entertainment: Play over 1,000 board games at Luck Factory Games, go axe throwing at Iron Axe Society or find your way out of The Valcarol Missions Escape Room.
• Shopping: Hunt for antique treasures at The Depot at Gibson Mill, which claims to be the largest antique mall in the South.
• Food Hall: Called The Market, Gibson Mill’s food hall has a range of options, including Cara’s Cookie Co., Livy’s Neapolitan Pizza and Johnny Rogers BBQ and Burgers.

Browse for vintage clothing at Nothing New: The locally-owned business claims to be the largest vintage clothing in the Southeast.

• 165 Brumley Ave NE.

Go indoor skydiving at iFly: Ticket prices start at $89.99 for two flights.

• 7840 Lyles Lane NW

Shop ’til you drop at Concord Mills Mall: A few recent additions to the indoor outlet mall include Cotton On, The North Face, Gilly Hicks and popular UK-based retailer, Primark, which opened in November 2023.

Visit the Charlotte Motor Speedway: The motorsports complex is a destination for events year-round, including the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 (Memorial Day weekend 2024), Breakaway Music Festival (May 3-4, 2024) and Speedway Christmas, a four-mile holiday lights display that runs November through January.

• 5555 Concord Pkwy S.