Lang Van

A lot of restaurants claim they’ll make you feel like family (you know who we’re talking about), but Lang Van, a Vietnamese spot in East Charlotte, is one of the few restaurants that actually succeeds. “Hello, my love!” the owner shouts to everyone who walks in, and after just one visit, she’ll probably have your order memorized. This is the kind of restaurant you run to after a long, exhausting day when you don’t want to cook or go out anywhere too stuffy. It’s always busy but the wait’s never too long, you don’t need to dress up, and every element (food, people, and the simple, living-room-sized dining room) is comforting. When you’re properly stuffed with bánh xèo, stir-fried vermicelli with lemongrass-curried chicken, and Vietnamese iced coffee, the staff will send you off with a peanut butter confection, a fortune cookie, a tamarind-flavored candy, and a “See you tomorrow!”