Steam curls from plates as diners lean forward, exchanging conversation between bites of their meal at Little Mama’s in Charlotte’s SouthPark. Amma’s Ravioli sits before them, a tender four-cheese-stuffed pasta, topped with shrimp added at the diner’s choice. Opened in 2020, every inch of this Michelin-recommended culinary gem reflects the craftsmanship of owner Frank Scibelli, whose decades of building successful restaurants have earned him a reputation for consistency, warmth, and carefully honed flavor.
Gather around a spread of Italian-American favorites at Little Mama’s, including creamy penne alla vodka and crispy eggplant parmesan. Photography courtesy of SouthPark Community Partners
“Much of the menu has a direct correlation to what I grew up with in the Italian-American restaurants of 1960s and ’70s New England,” Scibelli says. At Little Mama’s, he turns those childhood memories into a menu full of comforting flavors for SouthPark diners.
Little Mama’s is one of the many of local eateries — close to 100 — seasoning SouthPark’s dining scene. Hungry for a taste? Read on to get a peek behind the counters of the chefs and restaurateurs who pour personality, precision, and care into every plate, infusing SouthPark with signatures styles worthy of an extra helping.
Welcome to SouthPark, a vibrant mixed-use district in the heart of Charlotte that’s home to exceptional shopping, flavorful dining, and thriving neighborhoods.
Sip on creative offerings at Suffolk Punch’s coffee bar, from tiramisu cold brew to elderberry-hibiscus iced tea. Photography courtesy of SouthPark Community Partners
In its industrial-chic, 11,000-square-foot space at SouthPark Mall, Suffolk Punch is where community comes together. Launched in South End in 2017, the spot began as a love letter to craft beer, great coffee, and chef-driven food. After years of success, the team expanded to SouthPark in 2023, drawn by a vision for a community hub anchored by the mall’s West Plaza. “We wanted a space the community could gather around,” Co-owner Seth Stidham says.
Suffolk Punch offers a selection of shareables, salads, and handhelds, building its chef-driven menu around locally sourced ingredients. Photography courtesy of SouthPark Community Partners
And with plenty of seating options both inside and out — including a spacious patio overlooking the West Plaza play area and live music stage — Suffolk Punch offers a welcoming space to do just that.
The menu rotates regularly. Brunch highlights have included Instagram-worthy breakfast burritos and Turkish eggs, while dinner features hearty entrées, house-baked breads, and chef specials that change every few weeks. Coffee lovers are treated to expertly crafted seasonal drinks from Hex Coffee and, with room to relax, chat, or enjoy some live tunes, there’s always a spot to pull up a chair and soak in the beauty of SouthPark.
Take home a box of Mano Bella’s artisanal dried pasta and rosemary sourdough croutons to prepare Italian flavors at home. Photography courtesy of SouthPark Community Partners
Raffaele and Madison Patrizi didn’t share a language when they met in Rome in 2013 — but they shared a connection, rooted in time spent together at kitchens and cafés, discovering a shared love of food made by hand. Years later, that idea would inspire the name of their SouthPark café and market, Mano Bella, Italian for “beautiful hand.”
Check out Mano Bella’s dessert case and sample Italian pastries, from chocolate cherry biscotti to ricotta-filled cannoli. Photography courtesy of SouthPark Community Partners
The couple built a life across Italy and Los Angeles before landing in Charlotte. There, in their small apartment, they began making pasta, sauces, and taralli by hand. As they honed their recipes and techniques, they started sharing their creations at local farmers markets and eventually secured a stall at The Market at 7th Street, a food hall and market in Uptown Charlotte.
Today, Mano Bella’s SouthPark location combines a market with a casual café, serving house-made pastas, regional ingredients, and seasonal dishes. The space — warm wood, cozy lighting, and an inviting patio — mirrors the family-focused, approachable experience at the core of the Patrizis’ vision: “It’s not just about the food,” Madison says, “it’s about the people you share it with.”
In Memphis, Tennessee, Greg Collier learned early that cooking is about more than ingredients — it’s about care and connection. Standing beside his grandmother as she kneaded butter rolls, he absorbed lessons passed down through generations. “She didn’t have cookbooks or cooking shows,” he recalls. “She learned through lineage.”
After honing his skills in culinary arts and working in kitchens across the country, Collier moved to Charlotte in 2012 with his wife, Subrina, drawn by family ties and the chance to create something meaningful of their own, in the process earning the nomination for the James Beard Foundation Outstanding Chef award. At Fine & Fettle, inside the Canopy by Hilton in SouthPark, that philosophy extends to the plate. Collier’s Southern-meets-French menu combines approachable comfort with elevated technique, from brunch classics like omelets and pancakes to inventive dinners like steak bordelaise. Every dish and every ingredient — locally sourced whenever possible — aims to connect diners to the joy and comfort Collier learned from his grandmother.
Copain Bakery Photography courtesy of SouthPark Community Partners
Chef Jim Noble’s commitment to great bread started in an unlikely place: an old apartment in Clemson, South Carolina. “I taught myself to make baguettes because I couldn’t find the bread I wanted for my restaurants,” he remembers. In 1984, he founded his own bakery — now known as Copain — bringing French-inspired, naturally leavened breads to North Carolina.
Copain’s SouthPark location opened in Charlotte in 2018, establishing a space where neighbors gather over fresh breads and pastries, plus a selection of homemade soups, salads, and sandwiches. Each loaf reflects the bakery’s commitment to patience and quality, crafted over several days with North Carolina-milled organic flours, natural fermentation, and techniques drawn from European baking traditions. Through this dedication, Noble remains committed to the belief that good food — whether a golden loaf or a shared meal — brings people together, creating moments of connection that extend beyond the table.
Savor Laurel Park’s signature smashburger, topped with tomato jam and aji amarillo aioli. Photography courtesy of SouthPark Community Partners
When Dan McCormick first stepped into the corner space of SouthPark’s four-story Rotunda Building, he paused at the windows, struck by the sweep of green treetops stretching in every direction. “It felt like being in the middle of a garden,” he recalls.
At the time, McCormick had spent years opening restaurants around the country, and he was searching for a space to bring a new vision to life in the Queen City, which he moved to with his family in 2020. In late 2025, that search ended with the opening of Laurel Park.
At Laurel Park, dine on the patio for treetop views, artisanal small bites, and seasonal cocktails. Photography courtesy of SouthPark Community Partners
Named for the Carolina cherry laurel native to North Carolina, the restaurant carries its local inspiration onto the plate. Executive Chef Kameron Letarde blends Southern flavors with global influences, sourcing from regional farms and bakeries in dishes from house-made pastas to small plates. “The goal has always been to serve others in a way that inspires joy,” McCormick says — something meant to be felt in every bite.
Go behind the scenes with Legion’s Brewhouse Experience Tour, tracing every step of the brewing process before concluding with a guided beer tasting. Photography courtesy of SouthPark Community Partners
On a trip home from visiting a friend in Virginia, Phil Buchy began sketching out a dream that had been years in the making: a brewery. But this brewery wasn’t just about beer; it was about community, friendship, and connection. In 2015, that idea became Legion Brewing, which opened its first location in Plaza Midwood. “We strive for ‘campfire hospitality,’” he says. “We take fine food but make it approachable.”
The SouthPark location, which opened in 2018, was Buchy’s answer to a neighborhood craving casual, approachable spots to enjoy food and drink at an affordable price point.
From award-winning dry stouts to locally-inspired lagers, sample Legion Brewing’s array of celebrated pours. Photography courtesy of SouthPark Community Partners
The taproom feels both inviting and alive: Reclaimed wood lines the walls, the bar curves around barrels, and steel beams arch overhead like barrel hoops. In the kitchen, Chef Gene Briggs translates high-end ingredients into scratch-made, inventive fare that anyone can enjoy — from the Juicy Jay Grilled Chicken Sandwich to Pho Mi Dip and the Southpark Smash Burger.
Ready to sample the SouthPark experience? From a cappuccino and croissant to start your day to happy hour refreshments on a patio and an inspired dinner to close out the evening, a world of flavors awaits. Click here to learn more.
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