A new culinary experience and tasting menu in Charlotte NC has heads turning.
In the summer of 2023, L’Ostrica opened as a chef’s market in Montford. It offers an assortment of dips, salads, soups, pastas, entrées, sweets and more for convenient pick up. All items are prepared in-house. They are either available ready to eat or designed for easy assembly with restaurant-quality results. As a result, it’s the perfect solution for anyone who isn’t up to the task of preparing a meal after a long day, wants to host guests at their home with a dash of culinary assistance, or perhaps just wants to treat themselves to a delicious meal in the comfort of their own home.
The chef’s market selections heavily incorporate ingredients sourced from local farmers. Additionally, the offerings change with the seasons. This has the dual effects of keeping the menu interesting for repeat customers while also enabling year-round freshness and hyperlocality. On Saturdays, L’Ostrica also offers a mini farmer’s market with produce on sale from local farmers. Additionally, the market includes demos and tastings from guest vendors.
The concept came from owners Eric Ferguson, former executive chef at Stagioni, and Cat Carter, former food writer and veteran of corporate America. They began their partnership as a catering business, which grew into the idea for L’Ostrica.
From the Everyday to the Most Special Occasions
The chef’s market is only the beginning for L’Ostrica, which planned a phased opening and activated its final phase — a gourmet tasting experience — in the fall of 2023. The experience consists of eight to ten courses enjoyed throughout one evening. Each course is powered by seasonal ingredients and may be inspired by a range of culinary influences, such as Italian, Korean, and Japanese cooking informed by French techniques. In addition to optional wine pairings, a selection of cocktails, aperitifs, and digestifs will be available for guests to choose from.
Tasting menu Charlotte NC is available Wednesday through Saturday by reservation only. Additionally, L’Ostrica offers Sunday Suppers, during which an a la carte menu takes the place of the tasting menu. Each Sunday, the menu hinges on a different theme grounded in Ferguson and Carter’s genuine enthusiasm for cooking and hospitality.
L’Ostrica is located on Park Road in a 2,500 square foot dining area with an open kitchen. Cobalt blue accent walls provide a touch of color and warmth in a modern setting. The interior has a refinement that befits the quality of the food and the special occasions that might prompt an evening at L’Ostrica. Yet, it steers clear of stuffiness or overstatement, nailing the balance between elegance and approachability.
Offering an innovative culinary experience, L’Ostrica has laid the foundation with an intentional opening for a long-lived future.
