Panko, a Peruvian-Japanese restaurant, now open in NoDa
Now open in NoDa, Panko will be Charlotte’s newest Peruvian Nikkei eatery.
The restaurant, which blends Peruvian flavors with Japanese techniques, opens its doors Wednesday, Nov. 12, according to a recent Instagram post.
“Months perfecting recipes,” the restaurant wrote. “Weeks testing ingredients. Days without sleep. Because when you blend Peru, Latin America, Japan, and the heart of NoDa, you can’t rush it.”
Owner Luis Miguel Soleno told CharlotteFive last week the restaurant team was busy putting finishing touches on the 1,780 square-foot space. Its debut has been years in the making.
“When I got here, I saw a city that was ready for something new,” Soleno, who moved to Charlotte in 2021, said in a news release. “With Panko, every detail was done with purpose to create a space that truly transports people.”
The eatery, adorned with Nazca-inspired artwork from local artist Sally Ann Merriman, seats roughly 60 guests indoors and an additional 20 on a covered patio, according to the release.
Soft lighting, curated playlists and live music from Afro-House DJs help tie the “transportive” experience together.
What’s on the menu?
Customers can look forward to ceviches, sushi, nigiri and other seafood offerings. Main dishes are also available including lomo saltado, a traditional Peruvian stir-fry dish made with beef sirloin, vegetables, balsamic vinegar and served with french fries or rice.
Other menu highlights include:
- Causa Panko: Traditional Peruvian causa in squid ink, avocado carpaccio and prawn topin.
- Shells on Fire: Shrimp and octopus sautéed in Japanese butter and finished with tobiko.
- Niko Roll: Crispy prawn, avocado and togarashi topped with semi-spicy blue crab cream, gratin Parmesan cheese, lemon drops, chives and eel sauce.
“Before I moved to Charlotte, Peruvian cuisine was becoming popular back home,” Soleno said. “Its simplicity, authenticity and soul really connected with me.”
The Colombia native, 29, teamed up with his longtime friend and business partner Efraín Aguirre to bring the restaurant’s concept to life, according to the release. The pair tapped Peruvian Chef Gustavo Muñoz to craft Panko’s seafood-forward menu.
Laura Peñaranda, a Colombian mixologist, is in charge of the restaurant’s beverage program featuring signature cocktails alongside flavored sodas and other non-alcoholic drink options.
“The bar menu will also feature sake and Latin-inspired spirits, rounding out a program that balances refinement with creativity,” according to the release.
What is Nikkei cuisine?
Panko is just the latest Nikkei restaurant to join the city’s food scene.
Sushi Rosé, a sushi and cocktail bar specializing in Japanese and Latin cuisines, is expanding from downtown Winston-Salem to Charlotte’s Uptown neighborhood with plans to open in the spring, CharlotteFive previously reported.
Yunta, which opened in Charlotte in 2022, is also wildly popular. The South End restaurant offers ceviche and sushi alongside stirfrys and grilled items.
Nikkei food has continued to grow in popularity — but what is it?
“Broadly, Nikkei cuisine uses Peruvian ingredients prepared through a Japanese lens,” Food & Wine magazine reported in 2022.
“Nikkei” is the Japanese word “for emigrants and their descendants,” some of whom arrived in Peru in the late 19th century with the hope for a better life, according to the outlet. Japanese immigrants instead found themselves relegated to lowly, or strenuous jobs while living in less-than-desirable neighborhoods.
“But within a generation the Japanese-Peruvian community was embedded in the economic and social fabric of the nation,” Food & Wine reported. “And in their kitchens, of course, they were cooking up what would become undercurrent of Peruvian food everywhere.”
Panko Peruvian
Location: 730 E 36th St, Unit 103, Charlotte, NC
Cuisine: Peruvian-Japanese fusion, Nikkei
Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 5-11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 12 p.m.-12 a.m.; Sunday from noon-10:30 p.m. Closed Tuesdays.
Instagram: @pankoperuvian
This story was originally published November 6, 2025 at 5:15 AM.