Scoop: Highly anticipated Italian restaurant to open in Uptown next month
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Spgahett in Uptown's Fourth Ward. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios
Spaghett will open in Uptown's Fourth Ward on Friday, July 11, chef-owner Sam Hart shared exclusively with Axios.
Why it matters: First announced in 2023, the new pasta and cocktail house is one of Charlotte's most anticipated restaurants. Reservations open today.
Dig in: Located in the former Poplar Tapas & Wine spot, Spaghett will specialize in classic Italian dishes and handmade pastas.
- Mainstays include cacio e pepe and tiramisu, according to Unpretentious Palate. Local produce is central to the restaurant's mission, so expect a rotating menu crafted by chef Kendall Moore. Top Charlotte mixologist Amanda Britton will use local ingredients, including spirits, for the cocktail menu.
- Small plates will range between $14-$15, pastas will be $20 or cheaper and entrees will be priced in the mid-$20s to upper-$30s.
- "At the end of the day, it's going to be a neighborhood restaurant first, and we want to make sure that we are accessible to everyone that is in the neighborhood around us," Hart tells Axios.
Zoom out: Hart, a James Beard Award finalist, also owns Counter-, an immersive tasting menu restaurant in Wesley Heights.
- Eventually, Hart hopes to offer a fixed-price tasting menu option at Speghett. To start, everything will be à la carte.
- Counter- sommelier Michael Myers will be Spaghett's beverage manager. The restaurant will offer Italian wines and other Italian varietals from U.S. winemakers.
The vibe: The home/restaurant comprises three dining rooms, one of which can be closed and converted into a private dining room for 12-14 guests. Each room has a distinct wallpaper and feel.
- The bar, which is in its own room to the left of the entrance, has a cool, old-school vibe. When the restaurant opens, you can expect to hear Italian House music through the speakers, Britton said.
- Eventually, a private dining room upstairs will open, seating up to 14 people.
- Once temperatures cool off, the restaurant's patio will open for reservations.
Flashback: Spaghett is located inside a 1900 Queen Anne-style home once owned by descendants of Davidson College's founding president, Robert Hall Morrison, according to The Observer.
- In 2022, four members of the Friends of Fourth Ward neighborhood association purchased the 124-year-old home, The Observer reported at the time.
Between the lines: In addition to repairs, Hart and his team had to adhere to the historical house code.
- "We had to do a massive overhaul of the electrical ... completely redo the crawl space and basement to prevent flooding ... even the hot water heater had to be changed," they said.
What's next: Spaghett will open Thursday through Monday from 5-10pm. Eventually, it'll serve brunch on Saturday and Sunday.
- Next year, Hart hopes to make the home a wedding venue option and open it to other larger private events.
- Hart will also open another highly anticipated restaurant later this year: Maneki, a robatayaki food stand, at the Alley at Latta Arcade in Uptown.