While we have a lot of breweries in Charlotte, we only have a few bottle shops. I remember my first time in Salud NoDa. I had likely drove Danny crazy making sure we got there as they were sampling Mikkeller Brewing bottles and the obsession was real (still is). Salud was a quaint space that grew very quickly. There is an abundance of retail shelves and coolers that are not necessarily organized, which I think exposes me to some beers I may otherwise not look for. You are welcome to drink those on site, or check out their bad ass tap list with 16 offerings. If you have the Untappd app, you can browse it to make your selections prior to arriving.

As us regulars did as we do, coming far too often in high frequency, this demanded more room for activities. The space next door was acquired and before we knew it, we had FuD at Salud! Unique sandwiches, including waffle-wiches, were a big hit. Eventually, FuD went on to be featured on Diners, Drive ins, and Dives. After selling nearly 12,000 chicken & waffles, Jeff with FuD was ready for something new. (You can now find him at Queen City Grounds!) A few months went by and instead of being presented more food, Salud Beer Shop announced the beginning stages of their very own brewery would be taking place upstairs.

Salud Cerveceria became accessible to us via its own entry, or through a wildy artsy hallway leading up a funky set of stairs connecting the brewery and bottle shop. Upstairs is absolutely gorgeous, and the beers are definitely not your average! Not too long ago, they began canning some of their heavy hitters, which we are very grateful for. Now that it was basically two bars in one (how do you visit one without the other?), the food cravings were intense y’all. SO much beer, so little snacking. Then we were blessed with some of the best pizzas and wings I have had!

The food is as innovative as the beers they offer and are brewing themselves. Just like everything else Salud, the menu has certainly expanded. Now there are even more 10″ wood-fired pizza options in addition to ‘starters & greens’ and sandwiches. We have yet to be able to deter from the ‘za and wings, but we will get there. Keep your eye on the specialty menu, I cannot stress that enough. You never know when their time is up!

As wildly apparent as it likely is, we are HUGE fans of Salud. We are fortunate enough to rub elbows with the two lovely humans who run the spot, Jason and Dairelyn. (And their gorgeous daughter Jade!) These guys could not be more passionate about what they have created for us. They have many connections with breweries all over, have ran their very own sour beer festivals, pour at multiple beer fests across the US, have adapted wine Wednesday’s, hold a latin night one Saturday a month.. talk about embracing something for everyone. And not only in Charlotte. Salud has definitely been written about before, won awards, etc.. but being deemed as the Top Beer Bar in America by 10Best with USA Today is a rather MAJOR achievement! And they were nominated by a craft beer traveler, which is even cooler.

If you ever want to meet at Salud.. between Monday’s having $3.50 beers of pints normally $7 and under, the awesome tap takeovers through the week, getting our weekend started there but never actually making it anywhere else maybe other than Heist, or drinking seltzers out of the paron on the patio… we are likely already there. Hope to boomerang a beer here with you soon, Salud!