New World Olive Oil (Charlotte, North Carolina)

Overall                          * * * * *
Flavor                           * * * * *
Uniqueness                   * * * * *
Price                             $ (Free as an attraction, but about $10 for a decent sized bottle of oil)
Comfort/Convenience  * * * * -


First out of town review and you're looking at something for olive oil and probably thinking I'm out of my mind.  But, I assure you, this is indeed a food mecca.  If you're traveling through the area or stopped in Charlotte for the night, you need to make a stop over at New World.


NWOO is a little shop located along a tiny little strip of shops in a nice, upper class neighborhood of Charlotte.  You might, from the street, think it's a candle store (I did) because it just sort of has that vibe with the rustic decor and the artfully arranged glass bottles.


But if you turn away, you'll be missing out on a great experience and a great product.  Right in the door you can expect to be greeted warmly by the shop owner or one of his assistants.  They'll show you their tasting table (a bar height table with all their flavors of oils and vinegars and breads to dip them in) and walk you through trying them.  All of them.  And combinations of them.  And the dips and sauces they have to.  Did you already eat?  I hope not, because this is a fairly sizable snack event.  (If he served a glass of wine, my day would be complete)

Selections include everything from "plain" olive oil (of which there are no less than 3 varieties) to infused (lemon, lime, garlic, rosemary, basil, etc) to balsamics both "plain" and fancy and occasionally a rice wine vinegar.  Some of the selections are seasonal (I visited one spring and got a strawberry balsamic I adored that wasn't there the next time I went) so keep in mind when purchasing anything you really truly love.

Three different sizes of each of the olive oil bottles are available: a tiny bottle (perfect for samples or gifts), a medium kind of every day use bottle, and a real whopper "I'm afraid I'll run out" size.  He also ships if you call and they have a website, but it doesn't work particularly well.  You're really best off just calling.

In the back there are also a few sundries to try like the caramelized garlic (I have standing orders from my mother and husband to pick these up whenever in the area), apple horseradish sauce, blue cheese sauce, and flavored salts.  Almost everything you can try and everything is so good!

Word to the wise: Stop in with no less than an hour to spend.  Between sampling and deciding what you want, it will take time!

New World Olive Oil
2904 Selwyn Avenue, Charlotte, NC
704-375-8433