New Italian restaurant opening in Davidson Lake Norman area

An overhead flat lay of a variety of Italian dishes arranged on a wooden table. The central dish is a white bowl with a blue rim containing mussels in a tomato broth. Other visible dishes include meatballs in sauce, fried calamari, flatbread with a white dip, and several plates of fresh chopped salads.

Fontana di Vino brings a modern yet casual touch to Italian food.

Fontana di Vino

A new Italian restaurant that’s been in the works for quite some time will open soon in Lake Norman, bringing fresh pasta, prime steaks and pizza-like pinsa flatbreads to the area’s dining scene.

Fontana di Vino is slated to open in early December in Davidson in the former Davidson Ice House space that very briefly held Hot Mess. The short-lived venture was a partnership between former Davidson Ice House chef/owner Jennifer Brulé and Robert Maynard, CEO of Won Life Holdings and co-founder and CEO of Famous Toastery.

Now with Fontana di Vino, Maynard has teamed up with a longtime friend, former “Hell’s Kitchen” chef Scott Leibfried, for a modern spin on Italian food.

Although the SouthPark location of Fontana di Vino opened earlier this year, Maynard told CharlotteFive that the entire concept was truly built with Davidson in mind.

“This isn’t Charlotte,” said Maynard, who lives in Davidson. “So we really want to make sure what we bring here is not good — that it’s great. And people are like, wow, this is something special. This is something cool.”

A high-angle shot of three individual pasta dishes served in matching white bowls on a beige table. The dishes include a spaghetti dish with red tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella, a pasta dish with bright green sauce and vegetables, and a penne pasta dish topped with shredded cheese. Fontana di Vino offers a variety of pasta choices, including Spaghetti Pomodoro (left); Spaghetti alla Nerano (right), with roasted zucchini, basil and pecorino Parmesan; and Rigatoni Sugo, with slow-cooked pork in red wine and marinara. Fontana di Vino What to expect at Fontana di Vino

With Italian in-laws and a fair amount of travel under his belt, Maynard set out to bring diners in the area something they haven’t experienced elsewhere — but without any fine dining pretense.

Those experiences include tableside pours of warm polenta, paired with meatballs, sweet Italian sausage, spinach and rapini.

“I went there last night. I took my mother-in-law, and, well, she’s from Italy, and she had this as a kid. And she was just like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is so awesome.’ She’s never seen that living in America for, you know, many, many, many, many years now, right? She came here as a young teenager.”

A close-up, warmly lit shot of a thick-cut, well-seared steak served on a white oval plate. The steak is topped with slices of roasted garlic and accompanied by a pile of fresh microgreens and a charred lemon half. Fontana di Vino offers several options for prime steak: filet mignon, ribeye, bone-in KC or NY strip, and domestic Wagyu flat iron. Fontana di Vino

Other menu options you won’t likely find elsewhere in Charlotte include cacio de pepe tartufo, which you can top with Molise black truffles flown in from Italy, and the Roman-style pinsas, made with three kinds of Italian flour for a light, airy crust that eats like a pizza.

“It’s going to be the next thing that people will be talking about the next five years, because you see it in other countries,” Maynard said of the pinsas.

There are playful touches on the menu, too, such as an all-grown-up version of Spaghetti-os, made with hand-cut pasta and stracciatella mozzarella.

Diners can also expect an extensive wine list to choose from, along with a full bar featuring Italian cocktails and house-made limoncello.

A close-up portrait of a bald chef wearing a white chef’s coat and a brown apron with leather straps and a red rooster logo. The chef is smiling and looking directly at the camera in a professional kitchen setting. Chef Scott Leibfried of Fontana di Vino in Charlotte and Davidson. Fontana di Vino Dining at Fontana di Vino in Davidson

Maynard has worked to create a casual but upscale environment where all feel comfortable, with design choices evoking old and new. As he put it, “You can dress to the nines on the best date you ever had. Or you can come in from the golf course.”

Up front, you’ll find “mob movie” booths, red velvet wallpaper and a dark, moody vibe. In the back, another dining room is bright and airy with a costal Italian feel, offering lots of light and hardwood floors.

A high-angle, close-up shot of steamed mussels served in an orange-red tomato broth in a white bowl with a blue rim. The dish is generously topped with two slices of toasted, oiled bread (crostini) and rests on a bright red placemat. Fontana di Vino’s Marsala Cove Mussels are steamed with garlic, wine, soppressata, red sauce and crema, and come served with ciabatta. Fontana di Vino

The seating is a mix and match of tables and chairs, combining modern styles with old-school Italian restaurant classics.

“It’s creating a vibe and creating an atmosphere that makes a lot of sense,” Maynard described.

“You got kids? You bring your kids. You got a baseball team? Bring a baseball team. … You know, we have room for that romantic night out, because it’s the way we built it. You can have your corner spot. … There are some places [in the dining room] that are going to be just perfect for you.”

An overhead, close-up shot of a white plate holding a Burrata salad. The large ball of fresh white cheese, drizzled with balsamic glaze, sits atop a mix of greens, tomatoes, and croutons, resting on a wooden table. Fontana di Vino’s Burrata Al Marcato. Fontana di Vino

Location: 416 S Main St., Davidson, NC 28036 (opening early December)

Location: 4905 Ashley Park Lane, Charlotte, North Carolina 28210

Cuisine: Italian

Instagram: @fontanadivino

A tight, close-up shot of a plate of spaghetti covered in a chunky red tomato sauce. The dish is topped with creamy melted cheese and garnished with a large, fresh green basil leaf. Fontana di Vino’s Spaghetti Pomodoro. Fontana di Vino

This story was originally published November 21, 2025 at 6:00 AM.