What’s up with all the new Italian restaurants in Charlotte?
Have you heard murmurs of the brand-new Volo?
Maybe you’ve had a memorable glass of Sangiovese at Cicchetti?
Or snagged a San Lorenzo pizza from Capishe?
With the recent opening of a number of Italian restaurants in the Charlotte area, it’s safe to say Charlotte is having its moment in the Tuscan sun.
From Capishe’s fast-casual approach to Cicchetti’s curated wine bar experience, these new joints are ready to whet the appetite of Charlotte residents — and their owners are confident there’s space for it all.
And while these new Italian spots differ in concept, they are similar in one commitment: Quality.
Enjoy a Venetian snack
Pierre Bader, owner of Sonoma Restaurant Group — which includes newcomer Cicchetti, as well as standby Aria and Founders Hall Catering — said handmade ingredients and curated experiences help achieve that.
Everything is made in-house at Aria, something the restaurant is known for, Bader said. At the new Cicchetti — a Venetian bacaro-inspired wine bar and tapas restaurant in uptown — guests can experience a more curated and high-quality Italian experience with a top-tier wine bar.
“Cicchetti is a little more unique,” Bader said. “We curated the wine list — we have more than 500 labels on the shelf, and that number keeps going up almost every week. We wanted to do something unique and spend a lot of time and effort creating something that’s just not duplicated anywhere.”
Italian fare doesn’t have to be pricey
Fast-casual Italian spot Capishe, which opened in October 2018, is expanding into SouthPark. Capishe’s fast-casual and low-cost approach helps the restaurant stand out from other Italian spots in the area, owner Bruce Willette told CharlotteFive. Capishe, too, prioritizes quality and, as such, makes everything in-house (except the gelato). Willette said Capishe achieves a balance between low-cost and high-quality by keeping the menu limited.
The positive effect of Capishe’s low-cost approach is palpable, Willette said.
“When customers get the bill, I see their faces and how they react to seeing a smaller number,” Willette said. “If someone can come to our place with high quality at half the price, that’s a good thing.”
Other additions to Charlotte’s blooming Italian market include Volo, a small-scale restaurant that just opened on Monday in Myers Park, as well as heavyweights North Italia and Indaco. Charlotte residents can experience an intimate small-plate setting at Volo and indulge in handmade pastas and sauces at North Italia. Charleston-based Indaco offers wood-fired pizza, housemade pastas and wine in an open setting. Paul Verica, James Beard-nominated chef and owner of The Stanley, is planning to open an Italian spot in NoDa called Orto next year, Unpretentious Palate reported on Wednesday.
Feeling the heart and the passion at Volo
At Volo, quality and customer experience are key, managing partner Marco Antenucci said. Antenucci added that Volo stands out with its deep understanding and love of authentic Italian food and its commitment to giving guests a stellar experience.
“At Volo, we have the heart and the passion which will make a difference,” Antenucci said. “You feel that difference right away. Caring for a guest from the moment they step in to the 10 minutes after they leave — when they’ll hopefully still be talking about us — is important.”
Along with partners Domenico Marsocci and Matthew Porillo, Antenucci will use his 20-plus years of experience in the industry to create a high-end Italian experience that he’s hoping will leave a lasting impact on guests.
Plenty of room for everyone
Cicchetti’s Bader says it’s clear that the market for Italian food has grown in Charlotte, but he said he isn’t concerned about the competition.
“I welcome competition,” Bader said. “I think it’s awesome for everyone. The area is growing a lot. It’s just part of the growth of Charlotte. And it’s going to continue. I’m definitely not concerned — I’m actually happy for the growth.”
Bader said the growth in Italian food in the area is connected to the broader development in Charlotte.
“I think Charlotte stayed dormant for a very long time,” Bader said. “The quality of life in Charlotte is better than the quality of life in other cities. You still get more bang for your buck in Charlotte, and Charlotte has seen this growth because of it. … With this growth, people will have ideas and they’ll open businesses, and with that comes jobs, and the growth continues.”
Data show there has in fact been job growth in the food industry in the Charlotte area. There has been a 14% increase in full-service restaurants in the Charlotte region since 2010, according to data from the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance. Food preparation, service and waiting are among the largest occupations in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metropolitan area, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In May 2018, there were roughly 38,000 workers in food preparation or service and 23,000 waiters and waitresses in the Charlotte metro area, both up from 2016.
Even as the Italian market grows more crowded in Charlotte, Willette and Bader see room for growth. And beyond the demographic and economic factors behind this expansion, it might come down to something even simpler, Bader said.
“There’s the old saying that goes, ‘Who doesn’t like Italian food?’” Bader said. “It’s just one of those things — I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like Italian food. People will always love it.”
Salute to that.
This story was originally published November 21, 2019 at 5:46 AM.
