Lady Funari, an upcoming pasta bar and caffé in Charlotte’s South End, is aiming to secure its conditional occupancy permit within two weeks, a step that could set the stage for an October opening, according to Kamal Patel, partner at B-Side Group. The Charlotte-based hospitality group is behind the concept at 222 E. Bland St, the former home of Futo Buta, following a roughly $1.5 million transformation of the space.
This marks the third South End venture for B-Side, which opened The Story of Mi Cariño in January and also operates Vinyl, a music inspired bar and kitchen. Patel described Lady Funari as an all in experience where every detail matters, saying the goal is for guests to leave without quite knowing why they enjoyed themselves so much.
Executive chef Vince Giancarlo, also B-Side’s culinary director, built the menu around handcrafted pastas, both fresh made and dried, along with house made sauces and locally sourced ingredients. The restaurant is named after his grandmother, Claire Theresa Funari, drawing on childhood Sundays spent watching and eventually helping her cook. Giancarlo said he doesn’t think anyone has done Italian food in such an intimate, high energy setting before.
The 1,600 square foot, 40 seat restaurant includes a pasta bar offering a view into the kitchen, a moody design with pressed tin ceiling tiles and custom millwork, and a cocktail program from beverage director Henry Schmulling built around Negronis, spritzes and house developed liqueurs. A 40 person outdoor patio will open onto the Rail Trail.
According to the Charlotte Business Journal, Spectrum Building Co. is serving as general contractor, with Southwick Architecture + Interiors handling design and Charlotte firm NiceDay leading brand development.
