Sheffield Park - Charlotte, NC

Built in the 1950s, Sheffield Park has since undergone renovations to sidewalks and drainage systems that modernized the neighborhood, but it still retains its mid-century charm. A strong neighborhood association hosts monthly meetings, along with picnics and nights out at local restaurants, creating a sense of community among residents.

Centrally located, Sheffield Park offers easy access to Charlotte’s many museums. Residents interested in local history can visit the Charlotte Museum of History, 3 miles north of Sheffield Park. Open Tuesday through Saturday, the museum features local artifacts and stories, as well as a preserved Revolutionary War era home on the museum grounds. Art aficionados can spend hours exploring the Mint Museum, featuring collections ranging from Art of the Ancient Americas to Modern & Contemporary Art.

Sheffield Park features a large number of unique local restaurants throughout the neighborhood, with many concentrated along Central Avenue.

Once featured on The Food Network’s "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," The Landmark Diner provides a quintessential Southern diner. The extensive menu includes a large selection of traditional American diner foods alongside Greek and Italian dishes. While this menu may seem overwhelming to first-time guests, staff and regular customers happily offer recommendations. Customers rave about the roast sirloin sandwiches, fried filet of flounder, Greek salad and chocolate mousse layer cake. Open Sunday for brunch and from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Thursday and 6 a.m. to 4 a.m. Friday and Saturday, customers can find a homestyle meal almost any time of day.

Ben Thanh Restaurant brings high-end authentic Vietnamese cuisine to Sheffield Park. Customers praise their pho, but with a wide selection of dishes made with fresh ingredients, diners must also try dishes such as pineapple fried rice and chicken lemon grass. With calming décor and a welcoming atmosphere, Ben Thanh creates the ideal environment to savor a meal.

For fresh, authentic Mexican food, try Tres Pesos Bar & Grill. Meals begin with complimentary chips and a choice of freshly made salsas, including traditional red salsa, pico de gallo and a hot green salsa. The restaurant features a standard menu of traditional Mexican fare, byt customers especially favor the burritos, chicken fajitas and sopapillas.

With over 100 televisions and NFL Sunday Ticket, Steamer’s Sports Pub can show any and every game on the air. Also featuring darts, foosball, pool tables and poker, the pub hosts league nights for each sport as well as open play for all patrons. Wednesday nights open with music trivia, followed by the week’s first karaoke night, which are hosted every Wednesday through Saturday. With this wide variety of entertainment options, Steamer’s draws a diverse crowd from throughout the neighborhood.

Sheffield Park features bike lanes throughout the neighborhood, including lanes along the Central Avenue, making it an friendly area for cyclists. Although it ranked as Charlotte’s 20th most walkable neighborhood, most residents still find a car necessary to get around. Fortunately, free parking can be easily found in all residential and commercial areas.

The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) operates Express buses from Sheffield into the city center. Commuters preferring to travel by car can reach the city center via a 5-mile drive up US-74, or they can avoid the highway by taking Center Avenue, which is approximately the same distance but will add about 5 minutes to the commute.

When it comes to getting a cab, you won't have much luck trying to hail one, but a number of taxi services exist throughout the area, so simply call ahead to schedule a ride. Uber and Lyft both operate in the area as well.

Sheffield Park, the park with which the neighborhood shares its name, encompasses both the Winterfield Park and the Evergreen Nature Preserve. The 8-acre Winterfield Park offers basic park amenities, including two basketball courts, a tennis courts and picnic shelters.

The Evergreen Nature Preserve consists of 77 acres of urban forest with 2 miles of walking and hiking trails. The preserve welcomes dogs on leashes, though mountain biking is prohibited to prevent disturbing the serene atmosphere. Home to 129 species of birds, the Mecklenburg Audobon Society has adopted the preserve, hosting birdwatching trips as well as volunteer opportunities.

Residents seeking a more sport-centric park find nearby Kilborne District Park accommodating. Featuring two tennis courts, a softball field, a multipurpose field and an 18-hole disc golf course, athletes of all ages flock to this 51-acre park.

The cost of living in Sheffield Park runs 3 percent lower than the Charlotte average, with housing costs being the largest contributing factor. A typical one-bedroom apartment rents for $602.06 per month, compared to the average Charlotte price of $868.

Riding the Express CATS bus into city center costs $3 each way, or commuters can purchase monthly unlimited passes for $121. Commuters traveling by car find gas prices 1 percent higher than the national average.

Craft beers at local pubs range from $4-6, while domestics can be had for $2-4.

Sheffield Park features a variety of shopping options, many located at the large Coliseum and Eastway Shopping Centers, which include both chain stores and local boutiques.

"N"TimeMusic.com, primarily an online retailer, operates its large brick-and-mortar store in Sheffield Park. Specializing in gospel music, the store offers everything from CDs and DVDs of popular gospel singers to sheet music, hymnals and instructions materials for aspiring artists. Woodcycle Refinishing brings old world craftsmanship and cutting edge technique to revive wood furniture. Woodcycle works closely with customers to create wood finishes that perfectly suit the customer's personal style. Specializing in antiques and cabinetry, Woodcycle's artisans can skillfully refinish any piece of furniture or interior woodwork.

Food Lion and Walmart serve as the neighborhood's primary supermarkets, while a large variety of stores such as Lucky Oriental Grocery and Halal Market offer specialty groceries. While no farmers markets operate in the neighborhood, Simpson's Produce lies approximately 6 miles away via US-74 and sells a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as Christmas trees.