“In Italian, ‘legami’ means ties and connections between people and places,” says Eldredge Ropolo as he sits in his family’s forthcoming restaurant at 492 King Street in Charleston. Eldredge is the director of operations of Washington Street Hospitality, which controls three Pasta Beach restaurants in New England, as well as Mr. R. Fusion in Newport. The group’s latest project is Legami, a new Italian restaurant boasting a chef brought in from Rome, from a family with roots in Turin, Italy. Eldredge’s father, Gianni Ropolo, who is from Turin, started Pasta Beach in 2010 with his wife, Susan Ropolo.
Washington Street Hospitality initially thought the King Street property would become another Pasta Beach, but as they started renovating the space and became enmeshed in the Lowcountry community, the idea for Legami came about. “We fell in love with Charleston,” says Eldredge, “It’s definitely a big foodie city, and we thought this would be a great opportunity for us to expand this way.”
The bar at Legami serves as a cozy space to tuck into for a drink and a snack. Peter Frank Edwards
To transform the former 492 restaurant into an Italian villa, creative director Tyler Ropolo (Eldredge’s older brother) brought in an artist from Rome to create the plasterwork on the walls of the dining room, complete with hand-drawn palms. Tyler also imported fabrics, lighting, and furnishings from overseas. The palm motif (a connection between Charleston and Italy) carries over to the large brass bar with leafy lamps lighting the space.
Upstairs is the lounge area, which is a bit more casual. A large bar anchors the room with plush seating for groups wanting to imbibe and have a few snacks. The space also offers an outdoor seating area with lush foliage and fine Italian fabrics hanging overhead. The team at Legami wants the atmosphere to be a mix of fine dining and social dining, especially given its location on Upper King, which turns into a party in the evenings.
A “lobster bomb” with celery, peaches, basil salad, and lobster bisque. Peter Frank Edwards
Washington Street Hospitality hired chef Andrea Congiusta (previously of Michelin-starred Il Pagliaccio in Rome) for the project. The food is modern Italian, with some influences from France since Torino is in northern Italy. “We took inspiration from the classic fine dining, but we also want to have something fun, something that looks very fancy, and something you can crave,” says Congiusta.
From the raw bar, there will be oysters, crudos, and various caviars. To start the meal, patrons can choose from charred broccolini with spicy nduja sausage, a “lobster bomb,” a root salad with mustard vinaigrette, or foie gras with South Carolina peaches.
Congiusta predicts that the star of the pasta section will be the cappelletti with goat cheese, butter pecan sauce, and sauteed mushrooms. There’s also king crab tagliolini and classic ravioli pomodoro.
The main dishes stray a bit from strict Italian influences — beef Wellington sits beside a veal Milanese, Mediterranean lamb, and black grouper with moscato-marinated grapes.
“I love Charleston,” says Congiusta, “Even the weather, which everyone says is very odd, but I’m from Rome. There are a lot of great products here. The grouper that we received is amazing. I’m very inspired by the city.”
The team says Legami may open as early as the first week in October. Take a look around the space here before the imminent opening. Update on October 11: Legami is now open.
The downstairs dining room at Legami is more formal than the upstairs lounge. Peter Frank Edwards
Imagine sipping an Aperol spritz in the garden. Peter Frank Edwards
The gorgeous garden room at Legami. Peter Frank Edwards
The lounge is meant for revelers. Peter Frank Edwards
Lush fabrics, imported from Italy, sway over the rooftop dining area. Peter Frank Edwards
The Ropolo Family: Tyler, Gianni, Susan, and Eldredge. Peter Frank Edward