The menu offers house-made pastas, local fish, and delightful smaller plates
The house negroni and vongole fra diavolo, baked clams with a kick of ’ndjua.
Images of the luxurious fare at Sorelle came in hot on social media feeds when the much-anticipated Southern Italian spot opened its doors on Broad Street earlier this year, sparking a run on reservations up to three months in advance. The buzz was hardly surprising: a collaboration between celebrity chef Michael Mina’s San Francisco-based Mina Group and Beemok Hospitality Collection, the restaurant is a splashy departure from the indie projects the city’s food scene has become known for.
With its seemingly no-expense-spared restoration of adjoining historic buildings and interior design by New York’s Meyer Davis Studios, Sorelle emanates big-city opulence, with only-in-Charleston touches. The jewel of the three-story concept—including a central bar, wine room, and grab-and-go market—is the lively second-floor dining room, where hand-painted wallpaper, original moldings, bountiful natural light, and views looking toward the Four Corners of Law set the stage for an ambitious menu.
Enveloped by wallpaper hand-painted by MJ Atelier, Sorelle’s main dining room is the centerpiece of the three-story complex.
While house-made pasta, local fish, and lavish meat dishes (with prices to match) anchor the offerings, the descriptions of smaller plates—from spuntini (Italian for “snacks”) and antipasti to the caviar and oysters—generate the most excitement. Among the latter, the “cacio e pepe” arancini and vongole fra diavolo are terrific foils for the house negroni or a glass of vermentino from the extensive Italian wine list.
Hopes were high for the local steamed snapper served with lemon gremolata, but the beautiful fillet may have been better served were it seared. In the pasta department, the fazzoletti—tender handkerchiefs swathed in a rich, vibrant pesto—was a winning recommendation from a server. Italian classics, such as tiramisu (made with Carolina Gold rice) and a fluffy chocolate-hazelnut budino, headline the dessert menu, but do save room for the pitch-perfect cannoli found in the market, one of the best sweet bites in the house.
88 Broad St.
Daily, 5-10 p.m. (market opens at 8 a.m.)
(843) 974-1575
sorellecharleston.com
