Brian Solari opened Carmella’s Cafe & Dessert Bar in 2014 on East Bay Street in downtown Charleston. The cafe, named after his grandmother, Carmella Solari, has since been an essential stop for locals and visitors in Charleston.
Last year, Colliers announced plans for a Greenville location in the lower level of the Camperdown development, down the steps from Main Street.
With an anticipated opening in December, excitement for the dessert-cocktail-coffee shop is growing.
Solari grew up close to his grandparents, Carmella and Tony, and each had a strong impact on him. Solari said his grandmother cooked, and his grandfather had a great work ethic.
Solari learned from his grandmother to make the dishes he and his family loved, like icebox cakes, biscotti or gravy – known to many as spaghetti sauce.
“That’s where I fell in love with not just eating the food, but making the food, was in her kitchen,” he said. “It’s like an homage to her and where the idea for Carmella’s came from.”
Solari said his uncle, Dennis Raffa, was also a prominent force in the development of Carmella’s. Raffa took Solari under his wing, and helped him to understand the business side of cooking and restaurant ownership.
Raffa introduced Solari to the idea of Carmella’s signature mini-cakes and brought some of his own recipes, like the carrot cake.
“Which I think is the best I’ve ever had,” Solari said.
What to expect
Loyalists of Carmella’s can expect to find favorites from the Charleston location in Greenville – such as the espresso martini, cannoli cake and peanut butter chocolate cake – as well as some new developments.
“We used to do cafe breakfast in Charleston, and right around COVID, we stopped doing it,” Solari said. “We’re going to reintroduce that in Charleston, but the inspiration from it is going to come from what we’re going to be doing in Greenville with it, which is more expansive breakfast selections.”
Solari said there will be breakfast sandwiches with waffles, smoothies, baked goods and espresso martinis on tap so the famous cocktail can come out faster. The Greenville location will also have a pizza oven and a wrap-around bar with seats outside so guests can choose inside or outside seating.
Carmella’s Greenville will be located at 355 S. Main St.
