You’ve seen this pasta on Food Network. Now, it’s arriving in Charlotte

Freshly made pasta, arancini and polpette will be coming onto the food scene at Charlotte’s Optimist Hall on Aug. 8 as ESO Artisanal Pasta moves into the space next to Schreiber’s on Rye and Zukku Sushi.

The name may ring a bell for Food Network fans — married chefs AJ Sankofa and Kristina Gambarian once took their Italian cuisine on the road with “The Great Food Truck Race.” And Sankofa also made an appearance on “Chopped.” 

In fact, you might even see them on an upcoming episode of “The Great Food Truck Race,” which was recently filming in South Carolina and is debuting a new season this week. 

“We are beyond ecstatic for this next chapter of ESO and to return to the city of Charlotte, where I spent some of my childhood,” Sankofa said in a previous news release. 

ESO Artisanal Pasta — which got its start in Morristown, New Jersey — will aim for the feel of an Italian trattoria, with an edited menu focused on freshly made food. 

At Optimist Hall, you can expect a curated menu of Italian and American pastas, available in small portion sizes for $9 or larger ones for $15. You can make any pasta gluten-free for $2 more (thanks to a local assist from The Accidental Baker) or add extra cheese for $2. You can also make some items vegan by asking to remove the cheese.

Among ESO’s options are the squid bolognese, which grew out of a “fisherman’s stew” sort of meal he and a few former restaurant co-workers would make on Mondays after fishing together. It’s everything you’d expect from a traditional bolognese, with the addition of squid, anchovies and Calabrian chilis, bringing a pleasant level of salt and heat.

There’s also a spaghetti pomodoro, with fresh basil, tomato and Parmiganiano-Reggiano. 

And among the standout options is also the cacio e pepe with bucatini, made with 100 cracks of black pepper per portion — and a hint of butter that increases the creaminess.

In slower times, you might be offered a snack of charcuterie and cheese while you wait for your pasta — a feature that might just end up as one of Optimist Hall’s secret menu items. 

The shop also features focaccia from Wheatberry Bakeshop, which worked with ESO to develop a recipe that’s more traditionally Italian than some of the other sourdough options found around Charlotte.

Sankofa studied and lived in Italy, and has worked at the Michelin-starred Ristorante Larossa in Torino, along with New York City’s Legacy Records in Hudson Yards. It was there he met Gambarian, who’s from Ukraine and brings Eastern European influences to the party.

ESO Artisanal Pasta will join 26 other tenants at the food hall.

“Our mission at Optimist Hall is to bring the community together through food, and AJ and Kristina are doing just that through their concept ESO Artisanal Pasta,” Merritt Lancaster, Optimist Hall partner, said in the release. 

“With the wildly popular following they have built, we’re excited to see how they continue to grow at Optimist Hall, as Charlotteans are introduced to AJ and Kristina’s talent and high-quality offerings.”

Optimist Hall

Location: 1115 N Brevard St, Charlotte, NC 28206

Instagram: @optimisthallclt

This story was originally published March 25, 2024 at 10:31 AM.

Heidi Finley

The Charlotte Observer

Heidi Finley is a writer and editor for CharlotteFive and the Charlotte Observer. Outside of work, you will most likely find her in the suburbs driving kids around, volunteering and indulging in foodie pursuits. Support my work with a digital subscription