It has called Elizabeth home for 15 years. Customshop’s recipe for success in Charlotte
Just steps off the light rail line stop on Elizabeth Avenue is a restaurant that has called Charlotte home for 15 years in March — no small feat in a time when the restaurant industry has seen tremendous change.
Customshop Handcrafted Food was started by chef Trey Wilson as a modern trattoria with a neighborhood feel in 2007. A decade and a half later, not much has changed — and that is by design.
Influenced by the availability of local fare, the menu at Cutomshop is always in flux, yet the consistency of the creative plates remains steady. Fresh handmade pastas, ribeye deckle, the octopus small plate and breads made in-house have consistently remained customer favorites.
“We have always been committed to the art of handcrafted food and support of local vendors and purveyors. We’ve stayed true to what we believe in from the start, even when prices are going up and it is the hard thing to do,” Wilson said.
The restaurant seats about 60 guests and includes a bar that is currently undergoing renovation, allowing it to double in size and seat up to 14 people.
Rent the restaurant
One thing the community may not know? The entire space can be reserved. “We’ve hosted rehearsal dinners, parties – there is no rental fee, you can just reserve the whole restaurant,” general manager Chip Townsend said.
In addition to hosting private events, Customshop is also bringing back its in-house events, which were put on hold due to COVID-19.
First up is a wine dinner on Feb. 22 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. It will feature guest speaker Massimo Ponte of the family-owned Fratelli Ponte winery in Italy. Burrata di bufala, tuna crudo and beef carpaccio are a few of the dishes on the menu to be paired with a variety of Fratelli Ponte wines. Tickets are $75 and are available on OpenTable. When making a reservation, include “wine dinner” in the notes.
Customshop
Location: 1601 Elizabeth Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204
Neighborhood: Elizabeth
Cuisine: European-inspired American
Instagram: @customshophandcrafted
