Dilworth - Charlotte, NC

The neighborhood of Dilworth was created by Edward Latta and his partner F.B. McDowell in 1876. With the industrial growth of the area, especially in the textile industry, the two decided to create a suburb to house the Charlotte area industrial work force. They bought 442 flat, treeless acres of land and began to construct the grid of the town’s streets. The Charlotte area took off, and the value of the houses and lots within Dilworth did the same. The area of Dilworth still houses some of the oldest and most expensive homes in all of Charlotte.

To experience a bit of the area's history, residents and visitors can go to the Charlotte Nature Museum, which is a close drive away from Dilworth. The Museum contains interactive nature exhibits, including live animal displays, educational programs and summer camps for kids.

Dilworth also hosts an annual chili cook-off every November and the annual Dilworth Criterium Bicycle Race, which features amateur and professional bikers from all over the country.

The main hub for Dilworth's many options for food and entertainment lies on East Boulevard. Lebowski's Neighborhood Grill serves classic American favorites and over 70 craft and imported beers. Known for creating delicious burgers, Lebowski's cooks create the popular jerk style with certified Angus beef and top it with a jerk and teriyaki glaze, pineapple salsa and pepper-jack cheese. The jerk burger was voted the "Best of the Best Winner" by Charlotte Magazine.

Greek Isles Restaurant on East Bland Street serves authentic Greek food using family recipes passed down for generations. Greek Isles has all kinds of traditional Greek favorites, including the Gyro Piato, which features seasoned lamb and beef topped with feta cheese, tomatoes and tzatziki on a freshly made pita.

131 Main has a popular location in Dilworth, offering steak, ribs and seafood. The signature dish here features fresh North Carolina rainbow trout grilled over hickory wood, seasoned and served with herb aioli and chicken quinoa salad.

Nightlife in Dilworth sits north and south of the city center, with one cluster of bars around East Boulevard and Scott Avenue. Hit The Summit Room for good, old-fashioned Southern fun. West of this area sits Ed's Tavern on Park Road, boasting a late-night food menu, 75 different beers with 26 on tap, several pool tables and 13 TVs. The venue was voted by Charlotte Magazine as the "Best Place to Chill." Ed's Tavern has an open mic night every Tuesday as well as hosting Wednesday and Thursday music and team trivia nights. Dharma Charlotte, with a nightclub feel, live DJs and dancing, provides a popular spot for your night out as well, offering a great outdoor patio spot with fire pits and a bar.

For traveling around the Dilworth area, many residents walk and bike using the paved sidewalks and bike lanes on the roads. For travel outside of the neighborhood or to Uptown Charlotte, several public buses serve the area, and the Woodlawn Road LYNX light-rail station sits less than three miles away. Both Uber and Lyft service Dilworth, and people can always call a cab if necessary. People can park in Dilworth on residential streets, and in the uptown area over 1,100 parking meters line the streets. Also, Charlotte has almost 38,000 hourly-parking garage spots, meaning you'll never be without a spot, so long as you don't mind paying. Interstate 77 runs less than two miles from Dilworth, making the commute to the 485 loop or getting out of the city a breeze.

Dilworth houses two free parks within its borders, Latta Park and Pearle Street Park. Latta Park was originally constructed over 100 years ago by the neighborhood's founder, Edward Latta, and sits on 32 acres of land. The park provides a basketball court, volleyball court, two soccer fields, playground, walking trails throughout and two multi-purpose fields.

The Pearle Street Park covers just over eight acres and also features a basketball court, multi-purpose field and walking trails. Both parks allow dogs to play on the multi-use field.

Rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the area typically costs just over $900 per month, slightly above the Charlotte area median of $870 and the North Carolina median of $760.

Cost of items in Dilworth, as with the cost of living, ranks slightly higher than many other areas of suburban Charlotte due to the neighborhood being less than a mile from Uptown. Gas prices in Dilworth usually sit around 2 percent below the national average, and grabbing a beer in an area pub costs between $4 and $6 unless you purchase a Charlotte brewed beer, which often costs a little less.

South Park Mall and several stores on East Boulevard delineate the main areas near Dilworth for shopping. The South Park Mall sits less than five miles from the neighborhood and houses over 100 stores, including many high-end favorites such as Coach, Louis Vuitton and Armani.

The East Boulevard area has many boutique and specialty shops, including Ladies of Lineage and the Cottage Chic. Ladies of Lineage specializes in dresses and bridal gowns from famous designers such as Rosa Clara, Sassi Holford London, Aire Barcelona and the Theia White Collection. Cottage Chic sells home decor items, including handmade furniture, upholstery, fabric, linens, original artwork and many other difficult-to-find pieces.

Reid's Fine Foods operates one of the most popular groceries, selling gourmet and organic foods, meats and produce. The area also includes supermarkets such as Food Lion, Harris Teeter, Aldi and Trader Joe's. Kings Drive Farmers Market serves the locals with fresh-grown North Carolina produce from April to October and sells Christmas trees in December.