Casa de Montecristo Cigar Lounge & Bar

Ask anyone in Mooresville who knows their way around a good cigar, and Casa de Montecristo Cigar Lounge & Bar comes up fast. This is a cigar lover's kind of place, and locals will tell you the humidor is something else. People who have walked into a lot of shops still call this one of the biggest they have ever seen, stocked with just about anything you could think to look for. The names on the shelves speak for themselves: Montecristo, Padron, Arturo Fuente, Davidoff, Cohiba, Oliva, Rocky Patel, Perdomo, Romeo y Julieta, and Drew Estate among them.

What keeps regulars coming back is as much the room as the smokes. There's plenty of seating indoors and out, a big patio, TVs, and music kept at a level where you can actually talk. The word around town is that the full bar holds its own too, with rotating craft beers on tap and a solid bourbon selection, and yes, even cold bottles of Mexican Coke for those who skip the alcohol. The vibe is laid back, the kind of spot where you settle in with a couple of sticks and a drink after a long day.

The staff get named a lot, and that tells you something. Dave behind the bar comes up again and again as polite and professional, and folks point newcomers toward Jason as well. Andy, Regina, and Rob know their cigars and can pair a smoke with the right pour, Maggie mixes a good drink, and Joanna keeps the place running as store manager. Anyone who wanders in unsure where to start gets pointed in the right direction without any pressure.

One regular summed it up by calling it the best place in the Carolinas to smoke and drink, and plenty around here would agree. If you're a cigar person in Mooresville, or just passing through and near the hotels nearby, this tobacco shop is worth the stop. Parking is easy and the welcome is genuine.