Restaurateur Brooks Reitz expanded his Upper King empire (Leon’s, Little Jack’s Tavern) with this long-anticipated ristorante that seeks out the higher end among Charleston’s rush of fancy pizza joint openings. Design was a priority—the gorgeous interior features exposed brick walls, wood floors, leather bench wall seating, and a room-long bar that holds it all together. The pastas and thin-crust pizzas are pricey but top-notch, even in their simplicity, like a linguine with lump blue crab, lemon, and butter, or the “Prosciutto Party,” a Roman-style pie with pecorino, mozzarella, house red sauce, and aged pork. Four bruschetta variations are worth filling up on, including an avocado and pistachio take, and another with pancetta, artichokes, and walnuts. A selection of negronis, “shakeratos,” and spritzes, as well as the wine list, are equally thoughtful in their curated selection. The stated focus on sophistication limits the audience—it’s a pizza place, yes, but don’t arrive straight from the beach wearing flip-flops (there’s a stated rule) and high chairs are not provided for kids.
