What to expect from this new Italian take-and-bake market in south Charlotte, from desserts to main dishes
As an Italian girl from New Jersey, I will admit that hearing people from the South say that their favorite Italian restaurant is Olive Garden is painful to my ears.
It turns out I’m not the only one who feels this way. Owners of DeSarno’s, the new Italian take and bake market near Trader Joe’s in Piper Glen, (6420 Rea Road, Suite 4b) were sick of settling for the South’s mediocre Italian food and decided it was time to make some of their own.
Kit Caren from Ocean Township, New Jersey, and her business partner, Karen DiMezzo, opened DeSarno’s on April 17 with the tagline, “our kitchen, our mess — to your table, no stress.”
Upon entering their cute little shop with take-and-bake Italian items, you immediately feel right at home. DeSarno’s is filled with homemade desserts, breads, deli offerings and prepared salads, as well as fresh pastas and sauces, and, of course, wine.
From the fresh scents of cooking spices, to the welcoming atmosphere and decor.
The name DeSarno’s actually comes from Caren’s maiden name, DeSarno. Her grandfather came to the United States from Compania, Italy in 1920.
Caren and DiMezzo work to offer authentic dishes by using recipes that have been passed down to them.
How the take and bake concept works: Caren and DiMezzo prepare about 15-16 different main courses in single-serve sizes, small batches (serves 2-3 people) and large batches (serves 4-6 people) that they keep in freezers for customers to take home.
“Essentially what we want to do is be able to provide people with an opportunity to have dinner at home,” Caren said. “We do all the cooking here and all they have to go is take it home and heat it up.”
Along with frozen entrees, DeSarno’s also offers desserts, such as tiramisu (single $7.24/ large $14.50), cannolis (small $1.95/ large $2.95) and pignoli cookies ($7.95), fresh pastas, sauces such as marinara ($4.95), vodka ($7.25) and bolognese ($9.50), breads such as focaccia and meat bread, and a selection of wines.
The company also offers catering services for offices, parties and other events.
Oh, and to all you Italians who are used to good bakeries, they have THE rainbow cookies. It is rare to find a place in Charlotte that serves them.
Since opening, Caren and DiMezzo have been very pleased with their customer turnout.
“We have people that come back every week and load up,” DiMezzo said.
According to the co-owners, their must-try items on their summer menu include their Tuscan Lasagna, which Caren actually learned to make in Tuscany (single is $6.35, small is $18.85, large is $31.95), their Chicken Rustic Dish (single is $6.25, small is $18.85, large is $31.95), their Chicken Parmesan (single is $5.25, small is $15.25, large is $25.75) and their Chicken Enchiladas (single is $4.85, small is $14.95, large is $24.50).
So the next time you’re craving some easy comfort food, embrace that challenging Piper Glen parking lot and grab some no-stress Italian to take home. (And maybe one of those rainbow cookies.)
Photos by: Deanna Drogan
This story was originally published June 22, 2018 at 12:00 AM with the headline "What to expect from this new Italian take-and-bake market in south Charlotte, from desserts to main dishes."