ESO Artisanal Pasta

09/04/2026

We’re now pouring Italian wines by the glass and they’re only $9!

A huge thank you to The W**e Vault for helping us with the pairings! Here are what we chose:

CHIANTI — Tuscany
Blackberry and cherry aromas and flavors, with hints of dried herbs, fine tannins, and a touch of oak on the finish.
✨ Perfect with: Tagliatelle Bolognese, Gnocchi Ragu & Trottole Ragu

PINOT GRIGIO — Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Rich and flavorful with notes of fresh apple and delicate flowers. Dry, full and harmonious, with refreshing acidity and beautiful fruitiness.
✨ Perfect with: Cacio e Pepe, Fettuccine Alfredo & Mushroom Alfredo

PROSECCO — Veneto
Fresh and fruity with aromas of acacia, white peach, sliced apple and lemon. Medium bubbles, crisp acidity, and a rounded finish.
✨ Perfect with: Sicilian Fried Chicken, Arancini & Tiramisu

Come grab a glass with your favorite pasta today!

09/01/2026

Let me introduce you to Naeem! And first and foremost, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 🎉🥳

Today’s post is dedicated to you because you deserve all the love!
I still remember the first time Naeem came in for an interview. It was pretty hard to forget a guy who showed up wearing pink pants. 😂
He told us he had never worked a line before, but he really wanted to learn.

We said, “Bet.” 😎
We brought him in and started him on prep and desserts. Then we moved him onto the line to see if he could handle it. To be completely honest, we had our doubts…
But he surprised us. And he has continued to surprise us every single day since. Not only did he prove us wrong, he became our best line cook. His pasta is always perfectly seasoned, he’s fast, he can run the entire line by himself, and he pays attention to the little details that make a huge difference.

Naeem, if you’re reading this, I want you to know how incredibly proud Chef and I are of you. It means so much to us to watch you grow, learn, and get better every single day.

And there’s something else about Naeem that makes him so special.
I genuinely don’t remember a single day when he walked into the kitchen in a bad mood. He always brings the BEST energy with him. He’s always ready to help, always willing to improvise, and he never just does the bare minimum. He puts love and effort into everything he does.
You might hear him singing in the back, doing a silly little dance, or randomly baking another cake. 😂
He randomly brings snacks for the team just to share with everyone. He’s the kind of person who makes a kitchen feel more like a family.

Naeem, we love you, we appreciate you, and we are SO grateful to have you as part of our team. ❤️
Happy Birthday, Naeem!

Everyone, please help us wish him a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 🎉

08/31/2026

Fun fact: We used to absolutely hate staff meetings when we were line cooks.
We used to work in restaurants where they weren’t just a norm they were a requirement. The chef would get us 15 minutes before service and talk about reservations, VIP guests, stations, goals, what to pay attention to, what was happening in the restaurant, etc.
And we thought: why are we standing here talking for 15 minutes when we could be finishing our prep? Prep is the priority!

Well… now we understand. 😂
We knew we had to have staff meetings with our team, so our vision was a break between the morning and night shift. Everyone sits at the table, eats together like a family, and we talk about the day, the week, dishes, challenges, goals, etc.
I think about this now and it makes me laugh. We thought about a restaurant, but forgot we were opening in a FOOD HALL.
There is no such thing as a break for the whole team when someone still has to work the line, someone has to work the register, and people are constantly coming in to eat.

So that didn’t work.
Mornings are too busy with prep. At night, there is too much cleaning, everyone is exhausted and wants to go home.
So we had to find a solution.

One of them was our group chat. Thanks to Square , we have a separate employee app where we can communicate, make announcements, and bring attention to things that need to be addressed. It’s a great tool, but we still wanted actual face to face conversations.

So we started doing staff meetings on Saturdays, right after service, for about 30 minutes. We get everyone drinks and snacks, sit down together and talk.
And this is the important part: it’s not just us talking.
Everyone gets to speak.
Communication between employees and management is so important. You have to let your team speak, and you have to listen. Everyone needs to feel heard.
It might not be every Saturday, but this is our solution to keep communication going. Continued in comments 👇

08/23/2026

Did we guess your month pasta right? 👀 If not, let us know your favorite pasta in the comments!

Fun fact: Chef AJ’s favorite pasta is Tagliatelle Bolognese! ❤️
Now, who can guess Chef Kristina’s favorite pasta?

Drop your guess in the comments! If you get it right, any large pasta is on us!

08/17/2026

Thank you so much, Eater for including us on your list! ❤️ We’re so honored to be featured in this amazing article by Kayleigh Ruller highlighting some of the best affordable places to eat in Charlotte.🍝 Check it out!

And on another note… THANK YOU to everyone who came out for our Ravioli Special this weekend! You asked for it, and you showed up!

So… should we bring the ravioli back?! If so, what flavor would you like us to make? 👀

08/15/2026

We’re continuing the celebration of our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY! 🥳🍝

Today, enjoy 10% OFF ALL ORDERS AND… we just added a brand new special: SQUASH RAVIOLI! ✨

We’re making ONLY 30 ORDERS, so if you’ve been waiting for ravioli, this is your chance! Once they’re gone, they’re gone.

And don’t forget about our ANNIVERSARY RAFFLE! 🎟️ Everyone can enter, NO PURCHASE REQUIRED!

Prizes include:
⭐️A Pasta Class at your home with Chef AJ
⭐️$250 ESO Gift Card
⭐️ESO Tote Bag filled with Italian goods

Stop by ESO and grab your raffle ticket! ❤️

Come celebrate one year with us — and maybe leave with some ravioli AND a prize! 🇮🇹🍝

08/15/2026

THIS DAY HAS COME

This has been the most requested dish since we opened. Almost every third customer has asked us, “When are you making ravioli?” So… we finally listened.

But here’s the catch: ravioli will ONLY be on the menu this Saturday.
Why don’t we make it more often?

The answer is simple: labor, volume, and space.

Stuffed pasta requires technique, time, and A LOT of room. Our kitchen is small, our storage is limited, and the production process is incredibly complicated for us at the moment. We have one pastaio working every day just to keep up with the demand for our regular pasta. Making ravioli on top of that is a whole different beast.

But we still wanted to do this for YOU.
We wanted you to experience REAL RAVIOLI.

For the filling, we roast squash with coffee and sage until it’s perfectly soft, then add ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano, and, of course, a little love.

The dough? That’s a very special recipe that I can’t share with you… or Chef AJ might fire me. 🤣 But I can tell you this: it’s incredibly flavorful, light, and has the perfect bite thanks to semola.
And the process? Completely by hand. Making just one pound of ravioli takes HOURS.

Then comes the sauce: simple and beautiful. Black pepper, beurre blanc, Parmigiano Reggiano, and a touch of saba( ifykyk)
Because sometimes, simplicity really is perfection.

We made ONLY 35 ORDERS. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.
So if ravioli has been on your ESO wishlist… THIS IS YOUR DAY. ❤️
Come try it this Saturday and celebrate our one year with us!

First come, first served.

04/24/2026

Hey, ESO family! ❤️

We need your love and support! We’ve been nominated for Best Italian Restaurant in Charlotte, and we couldn’t be more proud.

If you’ve ever enjoyed a plate with us, shared a meal with family, or supported our journey in any way, we’d be so grateful if you could take a moment to vote for us. It truly means the world to our team.

Thank you for being part of this journey with us. We wouldn’t be here without you!

Here’s how to help pick the winner in our latest CharlotteFive Readers’ Choice contest.