Last updated: September 27, 2022

In the Weeds

In the spirit of Italian American Heritage Month this past October — and with so many Italian concepts emerging in Charlotte (Crepe Cellar is transforming into Ever Andalo as I write this) — I had to get a taste of Osteria LuCa. My ancestors hail from Sicily and Naples, so I know al dente when I bite it, season just about everything with parsley and parm, and have been Salute-ing since I was five years old. My mother taught me the two important F-words in any Italian household: “food” and “family.”

Ken and Trish Martino appear to know these words as well. The “LuCa” in the couple’s family business represents their children’s names combined, and their pizzaiolos (pizza makers) use seasonal, locally sourced ingredients to craft fresh, authentic Italian cuisine from mussels to homemade ravioli. The staff personify the restaurant’s motto of “work hard, be kind,” and it is palpable that this husband-and-wife team wants everyone from newcomers to regulars to feel at home.

Trish introduced herself to my husband and me when she greeted us from behind the hostess stand, not realizing I was there on assignment. She also did not hesitate to engage us in an in-depth conversation about the brick oven contraptions on the market right now — my husband wants to add one for outdoor cooking — even though she and the rest of the staff were plenty busy that Friday evening. Later in our meal, her husband and co-owner Ken stopped by to introduce himself and share more about the brick ovens he overheard us discussing earlier. He returned a few minutes later with a complimentary white pizza to try, since the brick oven pizzas are their specialty. There was no way we could eat everything we’d ordered, plus an entire pizza, but Ken insisted. He just wanted us to eat, enjoy, and taste one of their off-menu items that night: a white pizza with capicola, pistachios, and pesto. It was every bit as good as it sounds with a delicate, flavorful ricotta base and just the right hints of salt and crunch. 

Whether it’s a guest’s first or 100th visit, the Martinos notice. In fact, they dedicated their fall menu to a couple who had visited more than 100 times since January 2020 when the restaurant opened in Charlotte Cafe’s old Park Road Shopping Center space.

The Osteria LuCa menu takes some inspiration from the Martinos’ original fast casual Italian concept, TRUE Crafted Pizza, with TRUE pizzas and meatballs making a cameo on Osteria’s menu. The white pie options (six in total) are as interesting and abundant as the seven red ones. Those pizzas, ranging from a puttanesca red to a spicy cacio e pepe white, are the stars of Osteria’s lunch menu. I did enjoy what appeared on the menu to be a simple salad for lunch on my first visit. Simple it is not: the red wine vinaigrette and Calabrian chilis wowed me with their tang and flavor. 

The versatility of dining at this venue for a relaxed lunch or upscale dinner is one of its biggest pluses. The lunch atmosphere, however, is mixed: al fresco feels like a bustling sidewalk cafe experience, while dining inside is relatively quiet and sparse. This makes me wonder, is Osteria LuCa still flying under the radar as a prime lunch spot due to opening right as the pandemic struck? 

Osteria’s lunch menu features soups, salads, and sandwiches. The Italian sub is hearty with a soft roll and butcher shop quality meats and provolone, but the soup too reminiscent of canned tomato sauce in both texture and taste. I am as Southern as I am Italian, though, so when I politely showed the soup grace by dipping into it some grilled bread leftover from the burrata and fig appetizer (as pretty as it was tasty), the dish found redemption, with the combination bringing out the flavors in both.

Evening at the restaurant, especially on a weekend, is quite a different experience. A wine-lined wall, expansive windows, posh light fixtures, and sleek marble tables play foil to white-washed brick and a wood-planked ceiling. Together, these elements combine for an intimate and vibrant setting. The seating options are varied, with cozy booths and two-tops or large tables to comfortably accommodate large groups. You can even sit and watch from stools while the pizza is being made or unwind at the bar for a drink and bite to eat. The bartenders have a good rapport with customers and can provide recommendations from a lengthy list of sparkling, white, and red Italian wines. There are also plenty of local craft beers on tap.

I opted to try a cocktail on two visits with mixed results. The Tuscan Mule has the peppery ginger bite I craved but lacked the blood orange punch I desired; on the other hand, the Whole Lotta Rosie is refreshing and bright with charred lemon juice and rosemary syrup. 

The pastas arrive in satisfying but not wasteful, unhealthy portions. The lamb sausage’s fennel is intense but not overwhelming, while the wild mushroom ravioli has umami flavor well balanced by a delicate Marsala sauce. While the restaurant presents many traditional sweets for dessert, there is one deficit: no cannoli. With a pastry chef on staff, I’ll hold out hope for this to be added. 

Any time of day, the service is reliable, with courteous professionalism and a prompt, attentive waitstaff. Orders are delivered in a timely manner at the right temperature, and courses aren’t rushed — even with a Friday evening packed house. On one visit, my husband and I did ask for our pastas to be split for sharing, which was overlooked; however, we still found a way to exchange plenty of bites when our waiter returned with extra plates and an unnecessary apology. When we ran behind almost ten minutes for our reservation due to a late babysitter, they did not release our table but rather texted an inquiry as to whether we’d still be dining with them that night. We appreciated the courtesy, being that nights out are rarer these days. For those who want to amble about Park Road Shopping Center and score a table on a whim, management does set aside a certain number of tables where no reservation is required. Still, I recommend reservations to avoid a wait on weekends. 

The next time Mom is in town, I’m bringing her to Osteria LuCa. Being a nutritionist, I’d really like to try the Anson Mills farro and root vegetable salad, and I know she’d choose the eggplant parm. Since we have the same “Food and Family” values as the Martinos, we may even have to share Grandma Fusco’s cannoli recipe with them.