See inside: Hand-roll sushi restaurant Sharigato to open soon in Optimist Park
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The bar is split across the space, with a smaller counter on the left and a larger one on the right. In total, it seats 24 people. Photo: McKenzie Rankin/Axios
Sharigato, a hand-roll sushi restaurant, will open in The Joinery at Optimist Park this spring.
Why it matters: This isn't your typical sushi spot. Instead of loaded specialty rolls or all-you-can-eat buffet spreads, Sharigato centers on a small menu of made-to-order hand rolls, prepared one at a time at a counter where guests can watch each step.
Catch up quick: The restaurant built a following through pop-ups over the past year and is now in the final stages of opening its permanent spot at The Joinery, an apartment community on North Brevard Street in Optimist Park.
What to expect: You'll be greeted by a hand-washing station upon walking in (fair — you're eating with your hands here).
- The main draw is the restaurant's 24-seat counter, where guests can watch each roll prepared in front of them.
- The rolls, the team tells us, are meant to be eaten immediately, while the seaweed is still crispy and the rice is warm.
If you go: Seating is first-come, first-served, with some standing room, too.
- There's also a separate takeout window dubbed "Shariboto," where a sushi robot will help make maki-style rolls designed to travel better.
Best bites: Hand rolls range from blue crab and toro to scallops and salmon, plus veggie options like roasted eggplant and mushrooms.
- There are also snacks, like blistered shishitos and tempura ube fries with Japanese curry aioli.
Sip on this: Drinks include green tea, sake, beer and a small cocktail list, including a sakura spritz with rosewater and lychee.
The vibe: Simple, fast and interactive. As chef-owner Shari Lynne Robins puts it, it's that mix of crunchy nori, warm rice and fresh fish that "just makes you keep craving it."
Between the lines: Sharigato is inspired by Los Angeles- and NYC-based KazuNori, which serves hand rolls one at a time.
- It's the kind of place Robins says she missed and wanted to bring to Charlotte.
Flashback: A New York native, Robins moved to Charlotte from L.A. about eight years ago. She previously worked as a senior director of culinary innovation, developing products for brands like Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and Costco.
Zoom out: Sharigato joins a growing lineup at The Joinery, alongside local spots like BK Pilates and Nightswim Coffee, and more on the way.
Stop by: 402 E. 22nd St., next to Starlight on 22nd.
- Sharigato is aiming for a spring opening, pending final inspections.
