By Cameron Lee
May 5, 2026
Photo: Szechuan Mansion
NC Asian Eats Restaurant Week returns May 1-10 with more than 30 local businesses participating in the Charlotte area and 26 in the Triangle. The concept, conceived last year by the popular Facebook group-turned-social club CLT Asian Eats, continues to shine a spotlight on local Asian-owned businesses, and this year’s lineup is strong.
With the growing popularity of Asian food and culture in North Carolina and new establishments frequently opening across the state, the week offers a great opportunity to try something new or revisit a local favorite. The program is entirely grassroots, and participating restaurants simply offer discounts or complimentary items to take part. To receive the perks, guests only need to follow CLT Asian Eats on Facebook or Instagram.
Charlotte staples Le’s Sandwiches & Café is offering 10% off for the week, Curry Gate (South Blvd location) is giving CLT Asian Eats followers 20% off for dine-in, the new hot pot spot Szechuan Mansion at the Arboretum is including an appetizer with a $50 purchase, and MOA Korean BBQ & Bar in Uptown is serving up a bul galbi starter (marinated beef short ribs, valued at $40).
Southwest Charlotte favorite Nguyen’s Noodles & Tea is offering 20% off dine-in orders, while University City’s Banh Mi Brothers is featuring its viral “Dac Biet Special” for $10 (a traditional banh mi, medium drink, and cream puffs). East Charlotte’s Southeast Asian fusion eatery Sen Mee Noodle House is giving 15% off dine-in (excluding drinks), and South Boulevard pho favorite Doan’s will knock 10% off for diners.
Dessert and boba spots are also participating, with TSAOCAA Tea Cafe and Sharetea CLT offering 10% off, while Moji Teahouse will run a special that includes a large drink with one topping plus their popular mochi donuts for $8.
New this year, they’ve expanded to Asian grocery stores and markets, as New Asia Market is offering 5% off select items in the meat, grocery, and restaurant sections (excluding seafood, produce, and bakery), while Central Fish Market will give you a free appetizer (fries, hush puppies, sweet potato fries, okra, or egg rolls) with any purchase of an entree.
Diners who participate through May 10 also have a chance to win gift cards to select restaurants simply by supporting local businesses. To enter, participants can post a story tagging CLT Asian Eats or RDU Asian Eats and the restaurant, or directly message a receipt. Each post, tag, or receipt counts as an entry toward gift cards of up to $150.
The CLT Asian Eats Facebook group has grown to more than 14,200 members since its launch in 2022 by Jennie Nguyen, who started the group after a curiosity to try the then-viral yangnyeom gejang (Korean spicy raw crab) and connecting with others through Facebook to find it.
“We’d love to keep growing this into something people across North Carolina look forward to every year and continue bringing more visibility to these businesses,” said Jennifer Phan, who played an integral role in the early growth of CLT Asian Eats and founded RDU Asian Eats. “We hope more restaurants and cities across the state will join in, and that more of the community gets involved each year.”
Over the years, the group has added multiple admins and volunteers and now hosts monthly meet-ups to explore new restaurants and build community connections. They also recently hosted their first-ever CLT Asian Eats Pickleball Tournament to celebrate the three-year anniversary in October, drawing a strong turnout.
View this post on Instagram
“It’s been such a fun way for people to meet new friends (and reconnect with old ones) while supporting local spots,” said Colette Lam, a Charlotte-based admin. “At the end of the day, food really is a universal language, and we’re excited to keep building a welcoming, free community around it.”
View this post on Instagram
A full list of participating restaurants in Charlotte and the Raleigh-Durham area are available below, and more information can be found on the CLT Asian Eats Facebook page and Instagram.
Read next:
