Indaco Italian Food & Wine in Charlotte's South End

Indaco is an Italian cuisine restaurant located in Charlotte, North Carolina’s South End neighborhood. It is part of the Atherton Mill shopping and dining center. Indaco offers lunch and dinner daily with a full bar. According to their website, a half-priced pizza happy hour is available Monday through Friday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
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I had the opportunity to dine at Indaco during Charlotte's Restaurant Week. Indaco was offering items on their normal menu as part of three courses for $35. My wife and I, along with another couple, visited Indaco for dinner on Thursday January 23rd, 2020. We were promptly greeted at the entrance and was informed of a small wait. The hostess recommended we grab a drink at the bar and thanked us for our patience. Once a table opened, we were seated in the upper level of the restaurant. 

Indaco menu

First Course
Ashley and I choose different items to try per our server's recommendations. We ordered the Fried Artichokes and Calabrese-Style Sausage pizza as our first course. The artichokes were flavorful, but not as outstanding as I had hoped. However, our Calabrese-Style Sausage pizza was great and something I would order again. Ashley and I also thought the Calabrese-Style Sausage was a better choice that the Littleneck Clams pizza our friends ordered. In addition, our friends ordered the Burrata as a first course option. It was a delightful dish with fresh burrata cheese, butternut squash puree, and prosciutto. The bowl was empty by the time our second course arrived at the table.

Fried Artichokes

Calabrese-Style Sausage

Burrata

Second Course
Each person had a choice among pastas and other entrées for their second course. Ashley ordered the Agnolotti; a pasta dish consisting of braised pork shoulder, mozzarella, and Pecorino in a red sauce. I ordered the Squid Ink Orecchiette with shrimp, saffron, and Parmesan in a red sauce. Both pasta dishes contained rich flavors and aroma. I would recommend either pasta dish depending on personal preference for meat or seafood. Our friends ordered two of the Pappardelle. This pasta option contains ragu alla bolognese, Parmesan, and parsley. They thoroughly enjoyed it as well. All the pasta dishes I saw served around us looked fantastic. Next time, Ashley wants to try the Bucatini. This pasta is Indaco's version of a Cacio e Pepe. 

Squid Ink Orecchiette

Third Course
​Indaco offered five different dessert options for restaurant week. Ashley ordered the Chocolate Budino; a combination of caramel, whipped cream, and a sweet biscuit. I asked for only Limoncello Sorbet, while our friends tried the Panna Cotta. None of us typically order desserts, but we all thought they contained fresh and flavorful ingredients.

Wine 
There are many affordable options on Indaco’s wine list. Wine by the glass and bottle are available. Most wine bottles on the list are Italian. There are wines available for pairing with many Italian dishes on the menu. We ordered two bottles of the 2016 Melini Terrarosa Chianti Classico DOCG. This Chianti is ruby-red with hints of dark cherry and raspberry.  I would recommend this wine to anyone looking for an all-around solid choice at Indaco.

Service
The service we received at Indaco exceeded expectations; especially, during restaurant week. Our server listened to our questions and provided excellent recommends. We were not disappointed in anything brought to the table. Our server checked on us intermittently and never left glasses empty. We enjoyed our dining experience and plan to return soon.

2016 Melini Terrarosa Chianti Classico DOCG