Excellent restaurant with top notch service. Small, intimate, and delicious. Always pleased with the specials.

I was recently invited by some friends to Aqua e Vino for Pasta Night. Pasta Night is a family style meal, offered on Wednesday for $40 per person. The evening starts with some amazing rolls with marinara, followed by charcuterie, then three pastas served family style and desserts. From the minute we arrived, we were treated like royalty. Drink orders were taking and an overview of the evening was provided. We decided to take advantage of the family style meal. We started with charcuterie, which included several meats and cheeses, some olives and breads. The selections were amazing, loved every bite. On to the pasta! From the menu, we selected the Fregola with Clams, Pappardelle with Duck Ragu and Gnocchi. All were amazing, but the Pappardelle with the Duck Ragu was my favorite! You can tell the pasta is homemade, and the accompaniments were cooked to perfection, all served piping hot. To top the evening off we enjoyed a platter of desserts, which included a chocolate cake, berry layered cake, coconut cake and homemade whipped cream. A perfect way to end the evening! I cannot stop thinking about the meal, and cannot wait to return. Reservations are definitely recommended as this is an intimate atmosphere with a small setting. So, definitely consider next time you are craving an amazing Italian dinner for a special event. Aqua e Vino is worth it! read more

See all

My husband had never eaten here, so for his birthday I recommended it. I previously came with my Supper Club & really enjoyed it! He was really excited about trying it! We just got home & Aqua e Vino was delicious! But it was a total TURN OFF that they told me 3 times (for our 6 pm reservation) that they have a 2nd seating at 8 pm!!! 1st - when I called for reservation. 2nd - yesterday when they called to confirm 6 pm reservation. 3rd - tonight after receiving our 1st cocktail when our waiter came back to take our order & I said that we'd like to enjoy our cocktails for a bit he stated "well we have a second seating . . .". Did not go over well with either of us!! This was a special occasion dinner where we dropped almost $200 for dinner. We don't eat out often, but don't f'ing rush us through our dinner! Especially after telling me 3 times that YOU have a second seating! If you train your wait staff appropriately, they know how to progress the evening without ever rushing the table! I have NEVER been told during a meal (or phone confirmation for that matter) that a second seating was next while I'm trying to enjoy my meal! Due to this, although the food was great, the experience was not, and I would not recommend Aqua e Vino!!! read more

As we got out of our cars at the restaurant, we were greeted with a gentleman playing a keyboard outside of the restaurant. He was fantastic and it absolutely set the mood for the evening. Eight of us enjoyed an early dinner at Aqua e Vino last evening. We had a very Authentic Italian dinner with friends and family. We tasted and sipped our way from appetizers to entrees and topped it off with cappuccinos, liqueurs and dessert. I love that the questions are not too big and you could enjoy a range of tastes and were comfortably full at the end of the evening. We had the charcuterie plate while enjoying specialty cocktails followed by wines and entree. Our table ordered the Octopus, Bronzino, gnocchi and two pasta dishes. I have had octopus while visiting northern Spain on the western coast. It was straight from the Atlantic Ocean and fabulous. My octopus last night was equally as good. I would come back just for that!!!! One of the people at the table had gnocchi and commented that it was the best of what she has had. It melted in her mouth. Others, commented that the Bronzino was so so. The restaurant is small Which makes it special. All of the wait staff are very Italian which lends to the atmosphere of the restaurant. The restaurant has a lovely outdoor seating area. read more

We are from a Southern Italian culture I do not make a habit of leaving review however due to the perfection of this quaint Italian Gem I must Looking for Authenticity... look no further in the entire Charlotte area It was a beautiful experience all the way around There was not one thing I would have changed Beautiful place to celebrate a special occasion for sure Many blessings to this chef and his staff Grazie Alessia for your impeccable service read more

I love this local, small Italian option. Happy to see they have expanded their space. Quality Italian with excellent service. A must for a special occasion. read more

Still drooling thinking about the dinner I had last night at AQUA e VINO. We had had this place ear-marked for the longest time and the universe finally aligned so that we could meet and enjoy this place. First off... if you rely on your GPS, the address for the restaurant is a bit wonky and you will end up behind it. The key is to just park on either end (Fresh Market parking lot or the lot in front of Red Rocks) and then wander into the small alley to find the entrance to AQUA e VINO. Really intimate space, but still warm and relaxed. Our server was very friendly and we started a great meal with some bubbles. She did know the menu very well as we peppered her with questions and recommendations. Since it was Tuesday, they do a $35 Antipasti & Primi (or Secondi) with a dessert. Our group ended up going this route and then we played "pass the plate" clockwise to try a little bit of everything. I ordered the octopus appetizer and house made gnocchi. We ended our meal with so many pastries and the delicious semifredo. Overall the experience was a great one. There was a large table (8) that were celebrating a birthday that night. With how small the restuarant was, it was hard not so jump in and sing the birthday celebrant into a new year. We all left with lots of laughs and a ton of pictures of food that I'll be thinking about for a long long time. read more

See all

We went as a recommendation. The restaurant is small, cozy. It's also kind of elegant, fancy, so dress accordingly. Also, know the prices are high. They have a nice wine list and you will only be allow to open one bottle of wine if you brought yours. The food was good, very tasty, and the staff was nice. There's plenty of parking. You do need a reservation. read more

AQUA e VINO - Octupus - Italian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

See all

This is such a quaint little restaurant nestled in Strawberry Hill Shopping Center. We made reservations for "restaurant week"... their restaurant's version, since we've been curious to check this place out. We each got a martini to start off. Lemonciello/vodka martini was straight and not too sweet, which was good. I got the pear martini that had pear puree, vodka, and grappa. The pear flavor was strong enough to stand up to the grappa (which can be a doosey if you are unfamiliar with this Italian moonshine haha). They gave us a bag of bread and beignets, which were fried to dip in a very mild sweet and sour sauce (they kinda smelled and tasted like french fries and dipped in a very mild version of the sweet & sour sauce you get at McDonald's is the best I can describe it) However, this is much fancier of course. Next was the first of the 3 courses offered for $40. My husband got the croquettes. They were fried on the outside and the best way I can describe them is that they reminded me of a very melty cheese curd (shout out to Wisconsin folks). I mean, how can you NOT like fried cheese ? I got the winter salad which was mixed greens with sardines and a hard boiled quail egg on top. The main course I got the lamb cooked in a prune sauce with whole almonds served over a pearl pasta. (I'll look up the name and add it). It was really goid and I really enjoyed it. I loved the texture of the round pasta. My husband got the pheasant with Brussel sprouts and carrots. Pheasant was a first for either of us and we liked it. Last, for dessert we got a dark chocolate tart with whipped cream and a chocolate flan doused in amaretto topped with whipped cream. Yummy ! I loved the flan. It was very unique and tastey! Our waiter and the rest of the staff were very friendly. We plan to come again. Definitely check this place out for a cozy, romantic dinner if you are in the area. read more

See all

My husband and I went on a Sat evening for dinner and we were so disappointed in the food. We have taken many trips to Italy and were looking forward to an authentic Italian dinner. Not even close! Our meal was over cooked and over salted. Also, our server couldn't seem to get the order straight. We will not be returning! read more

What an amazing restaurant! Go if you like authentically delicious, carefully crafted, full of flavor surprises. Everything Chef Gabriel created was special - octopus, pasta with veal ragu in a white wine sauce, eggplant, tortes...excellent! Take their suggestions on cocktails and wine! They have a large selection of unique Italian reds and Andrew knows the wines well! Nicole made fantastic cocktails - definitely made with quality ingredients and precision. This felt more like having dinner at a friend's house than a restaurant! read more

Small, intimate Italian dinner. Very authentic setting and food. Best meal out we've had in Charlotte! We will be back!

Aqua e Vino was an overall great experience. It is a small restaurant and they require you to make a reservation and put a credit card down, it does not seem like you can ever "walk-in" due to minimal tables and seating. The good and bad thing about Aqua e Vino is they rotate their menu every 3 days which is great for versatility BUT if you happen to love a dish chances are you won't be having it for quite a while! All the food is made fresh and definitely lived up to that standard. The only reason I gave Aqua e Vino 4 stars was for how small the restaurant was, the service was lacking. It took over 10 minutes for 2 of us to have our drinks taken and then an extra 15 minutes to receive them. BUT the espresso martini ALMOST fully justified the waiting time! This would be a great date spot! read more

Better late than never...how could I have forgotten to write about you Aqua e Vino??!!! Used to be they had Antipasto and Primi on Tuesdays for $35 per person. This has been replaced with the Butta Pasta program Tuesdays through Thursdays which offers Antipasto, 3 pasta dishes and dolce for $40 per person. Aqua e Vino is small, quaint and warm - great place to enjoy a romantic dinner or have a long dinner talking with friends. I took my journey with John, Tonya and my lovely wife (bonus points). For Antipasto/Appetizers we had the Beet Salad, Hen of the Woods Mushrooms Fritti, Grilled Octopus with Artichokes and Capers, and the Cauliflower flan. All of them were great in their own way but the Cauliflower flan was warm, creamy and unexpectedly wonderful: like baby food/comfort food for grown-ups! For Primi we had the Gnocchi Bolognese, Shrimp Risotto and Mahi over Black Rice. We all took bites and then changed plates until everyone had a portion. Solid dishes all around but the homemade sauces like the Bolognese really stand out! The best part - I repeat the best part was dessert! Whoever makes the pastries here has some major skill!! When they brought the dessert tray, we pretty much ordered everything. Chocolate and Hazelnut Torte, Lemon Meringue Tart, Semifreddo with Hazelnut Pralines, Pear Tart and last but not least, my favorite, Apricot and Marzipan Tart!! Seriously, they were all simply amazing! Sorry for taking so long A e V but hopefully it was worth the wait!!! read more

This was my first time visiting Aqua e Vino. This restaurant is located in a nice courtyard. They are taking all the precautions to keep the customer safe during COVID-19. Our server was great and courteous. Weather was nice so we sat outside. Our food was good and flavorful but it was not spectacular. We had the Grilled Octopus and Figs with prosciutto and cheese as our starters. The figs with Prosciutto and cheese were really good, this was a great combination of flavors. The octopus had good flavor but i did not feel the flavors of a grilled octopus. Also, it was too chewy. The Tajarin was very tasteful however the pasta was a little overcooked. My wife liked her Risotto. Dessert and coffee were really good. They had a great selection of wines. We ordered the Chablis which was a great choice. Overall we spent a good time. The food is good, great flavors, some dishes need a better execution. read more

See all

First time at this place and I really enjoyed it! The food was really good and so was the service. They were accommodating with my food allergy which I appreciated. Very small place though. Small and intimate place which I didn't mind. Definitely have to make reservations since there's not a lot of space to sit inside or outside. I would definitely come back. read more

Outstanding food, great service, and the ambience in the restaurant is very nice. I had the marinated swordfish in lemon juice which was cured perfectly, tasted so fresh and rich. The pennette pasta was cooked to the right texture, the sauce was the ideal amount of creaminess, seasoned with fragrant herbs, and the baby shrimp were sweet and fresh tasting as well. For dessert I had the zabaliogne which had an excellent dense texture which was simultaneously airy so as not to be heavy and the flavors were layered so well, finishing with a slight tinge of alcohol. All seasoning was perfect, nothing overpowering or too little. The menu was overall representative of Italian cuisine while also having unique flavor combinations. Excellent restaurant among the best for sure. Authentic Italian, and not Americanized like Maggiano's! read more

See all

A hidden gem tucked away in Strawberry Hill! Great spot for date night and the food was on spot. Highly recommend! read more

See all

Good food. But it was overpriced for the quantity and quality. I ordered dover sole, which was the special, and I assumed it would be a reasonable price. But it was $70 for a piece of dover sole and a few bites of spinach! Really? read more

What a true treasure for the city- A&V is high caliber, carefully prepared haute cuisine that is always a delightful experience. There aren't too many restaurants that stay true to a special cuisine serving only authentic, select foods expertly cooked by a talented kitchen staff. This is a wonderful place for out of town guests and special occasions. For what you get- it's very reasonably priced read more

Food and service was great, our server was friendly, attentive and just pleasant. Will definitely come again.

Small Italian restaurant which has the feel of a restaurant in a small town in Italy. Food is off the charts... the best Italian I have had since living in Italy owner takes pride in all aspects of the experience which has built an atmosphere unparalleled from my experience and with food and service to match. read more

Best food I can get in Charlotte. The chef is amazing and really know why he is doing in the preparation of traditional Italian cuisine. He is able to accommodate food allergies as well. The staff is extremely friend and make me feel like I am family sitting at home to enjoy a great meal. read more

It is so sad to see that people find the bad reviews "funny" or "cool"... they are obviously staff members and contribute to the fact is that this staff is condescending and rude. Will never ever eat there again especially with so many amazing Italian restaurants in Charlotte to eat besides this crap hole read more

We go about twice a year--we order every course. The service could have been a bit more precise this time--they did not keep track who ordered what, etc. but it was still pleasant and helpful. We did learn a lesson--if you eat European style and like to enjoy all the courses--it takes time--so make a later reservation. We got rushed at the end of our meal and it was a bit annoying--but the solution is to schedule for the second seating. Overall--as always--a fantastic restaurant! Food is authentic and of high quality. Wine list is to the point and excellent--specials are reliable (two of us had the veal Milanese)--Marco was helpful as we made menu selections; and we'll go back when the weather turns cooler. Definitely a nice place run by a great chef--and it's been consistent over the years. Go. Best Italian in Charlotte. read more

Wow terrific italian food in a small, quaint spot with fun service. The one waiter here is super dry and funny and the owner is regularly there slicing proscuitto. Honestly I cant remember what we ordered but it doesnt matter, EVERYTHING was good, especially the cheese and meat, the pastas and all desserts. We are sicilian and picky about italian and this is INCREDIBLE. Must return soon! read more

I have eaten at the restaurant and also had Gabrielle do an in-house dinner for my wife and i plus 5 other couples, as someone who has been lucky enough to dine at some of the finest restaurants in the world, this place is a hidden gem where they remember you and you are genuinely greeted with a hug - could not recommend it more. Gabrielle and John create a wonderful atmosphere read more

This is the best meal we've had in Charlotte since moving here last year. Exquisite food, great service, lovely atmosphere. Basics: must call to make a reservation, and they take a credit card to hold your reservation and threaten to charge it if you don't cancel and don't show up. I called at 11 on a Tuesday for a party of five on that Thursday. When we went on Thursday, all thirty seats were filled (five of them from us, thankfully). Food: we had the cauliflower flan, spanish octopus, and a special grilled goat cheese with bread to start. They come up with these delightful bread-donuts (I think they call them Neopolitan beignets) that you dip in a bright, simple marinara, and a bread basket of delicious, olive-oil and salt-heavy breads. Everything here goes great with wine- rich salty food, but small portions. The octopus was my favorite, so tender; my husband adored the subtlety and unusualness of the cauliflower flan, so delicate and very custard-like. Tasted like the middle of a quiche to me. The goat cheese was a huge hit too. Next we had the PASTAS. I didn't even think I liked pasta but now I can't stop thinking about the incredible dense, springy, chewy, delicious pasta that came with the white duck bolognese. Husband adored the tortelli filled with butternut squash, a hint of amaretto, and served with butter-sage sauce. And the gnocchi were soft perfect pillows. And even better, everything came in reasonable small portions! Then we had the branzino, which came with incredible mandonlined potatoes which had soaked up all these delicious fish-oil-sauce-flavor, and the venison (quail was out) with brussel sprouts and potatoes. The venison was again, extremely tender. Finally finished with three of the tarts, which they bring out on a dessert platter. We picked lime meringue, apricot-marzipan, and coconut. All were delightful. The chef came by to say hello and check on us. Service was impeccable. Just... great. We'll definitely be back for every special occasion. And they gave us some Moscato for my mother-in-law's birthday. Absolutely a must-go. We got away with $50 a head, but brought our own wine. Definitely the best Italian food I've ever had. read more

Food was fresh. Service charming. Relaxing ambiance. Would recommend to friends who enjoy Italian cuisine

Delicious. I had the risotto and it was very good. The service was impeccable and it was a delightful environment. Wine list was excellent. I can't say enough about this Charlotte gem. read more

Such an intimate restaurant experience. I came here for a date night and we truly had the best time. There are so many authentic Italian options to choose from. Great wine selection. Excellent customer service!! We will be back again. read more

Wooohooo I won a free meal voucher from Yelp's 2015 Charlotte Restaurant Week giveaway to Aqua e Vino so I was super excited to try this place out. Free food is basically my favorite thing ever. Making a reservation was a bit of a process. I am a spoilt millennial and it has been ages since I made reservations without an online option. It took 3 calls but we finally snagged a Sunday night reservation (they are not typically open Sunday but made an exception for restaurant week). Basically as soon as I received the certificate I eagerly pulled up their menu. I was bamboozled by that amount of unfamiliar Italian words so I did extensive googling before we reached the restaurant. Turns out all the wait staff were happy to answer questions on the menu. They provided complimentary bread and marinara sauce which were both delicious. I started with the Bresaola Cornet which was my first time eating bresaola and robiola cheese and they made a completely delicious combo! The boyfriend was adventurous and ordered the Fritto Piemontese - sweet bread, polenta, sausage, apple. I had never had sweet bread before either and the sample I had was interesting and tasted better when combined with the apple. The sausage was amazing! For the main I ordered the Catch of the Day "Pesce Al Cartoccio" which was a tropical fish I had never heard of. It came wrapped in the parchment sheet it was baked in. This was a novel experience and I am still unaware of the proper way to unwrap a meal. The fish was good but a bit dry but the vegetables baked under it had a great flavor. For dessert he ordered the mixed berry tart and I had the Pesche Farcite both of which were excellent. The entire meal was an adventure of new tastes and everything was wonderful. We will definitely return! read more

AQUA e VINO - Amazing dessert - Italian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

See all

The best Italian food in Charlotte! Charming service and space - with seasonal, hand made meals, clearly crafted with care. I highly recommend the fish special. read more

Had Truffles and was amazed. Extremely tasty Dover Sole nice and mild. Duck Bolognese was biggest surprise. Wonderful Date night. read more

Authentic Italian and delicious food! Also very quaint and romantic! Perfect for a date night or an intimate dinner for 2. Will return.

Dear God, just go! That's all I have to say. ** just a little side note I did hear the owner mentioned that they would be closing soon through till August 2018 because of construction work. So I would call ahead to make sure they were open but definitely make reservations! read more

Phenomenal, amazing, wonderful. Can't come up with sufficient superlatives. Absolutely the best northern Italian- real Italian, not "American Italian"- in Charlotte, and for me the best and finest restaurant experience in Charlotte period, without question. There's a reason it's packed to the rafters with regulars for every seating, every night it's open. Chef Gabriele is phenomenally talented, yet manages to present food that is authentically "home", from his native region of northern Italy. I've been eating here for two years, since just after the restaurant opened, and have never had a meal or a dining experience that wasn't perfect. Chef treats you like family, and while he certainly appreciates the regular customers, he's also welcoming to new diners. This is a very special experience, with very competent staff who know their business and work hard; they also get to know their customers and do treat regulars accordingly, so don't be surprised to hear wait staff speaking familiarly with the customers at the next table. Everyone becomes friends and family here. A few things to point out, if you're a first time customer: The restaurant is very small, with maybe 40 covers total per seating, so there isn't much wiggle room for the staff if a table decides to relax and have another bottle of wine... it's not the restaurant's fault if diners take a little extra time to finish their meal, so there may sometimes be a short wait for a table to open, even with a reservation, but it's rare. It's very hard to get seated as a walk-in most nights, so a reservation is most definitely recommended. There's virtually no space inside the restaurant to wait if you're there early, so you may have to stand outside for a bit. The patio is lovely and it's nice outside. Enjoy it. The food and experience will be more than worth it. And yes, this is most definitely a true European restaurant, with exquisitely prepared food in portions planned for multiple courses, so if you're looking for one huge portion of pasta, red sauce on everything, lots of beer, a kid's menu, or a salad the size of a shoebox, turn left instead of right and go across the patio to Red Rocks and enjoy it. They're nice too, just a different experience. You'll never find better prepared food in Charlotte than Aqua E Vino. Not anywhere. Go once and try it. Go twice. Go every week. Get to know your server. Be patient; it's an intimate restaurant, and the food is prepared just for you. Get to know the chef... ask Gabriele to come out and talk about the preparation of a dish. He will be happy to talk to you if it's not crazy busy. You can't go wrong at this place; I'd eat there every night if I could. Absolutely wonderful in every way. read more

I like spaghetti and meatballs as much as anyone! But if you are looking for an authentic upscale Italian meal - this is the best spot in Charlotte! read more

Amazing food. Small quaint hidden gem of a restaurant. The chef Gabriel is very talented and adds a creative personal touch to every dish. I recommend the anti pasto meat and cheese plate where the prosciutto is fresh carved right in front of you. You must make reservations as this place fills up every night. read more

See all

A great date night spot w/ the best authentic Italian dinner experience in Charlotte. You must make a reservation for this small restaurant and then you will enjoy a 2 hour seating w/ a great wine list, hand cut cheese, prosciutto & salami and a menu with homemade pastas as well as fish and meat. The portions are perfect for having many courses. The tajarin pasta is amazing as well as the seasonal risotto. read more

AQUA e VINO - Ravioli appetizer that was the appetizer special - Italian Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

See all