Highlights: Essex - butter chicken, Press Box - pork chops, Merts - banana pudding, Sunflower Baking Company - desert bars.
Not impressed by the Taste of Charlotte but its hard because I have a baseline expectation coming from Taste of Chicago, Boston, etc. Seemed like there were more non-food merchants there than food. I would have loved to experience more local restaurants and where were our top rated food trucks??? Honestly trucks like Papi Queso, Tin Kitchen, Ooohweee BBQ are amazing ways to tell the Charlotte taste story.
Yes, its the south so if you complain about heat & crowds stay away. If you are cool with it, go enjoy the experience. Friday night is probably the best time.