Dining Out: Carmella’s Café and Dessert Bar, a sweet addition to downtown Greenville

Carmella’s Café and Dessert Bar is coming soon to downtown Greenville, making it sweeter than ever. The new Italian-style café, owned by Brian Solari, is set to open in late December. This will be Solari's second location, with his first café opening in 2014 on East Bay Street in downtown Charleston. 

“The concept is more of a neighborhood place and inspired by the type of cafes you would find in Italy," says Solari. 

Solari says the core of the Greenville menu will be similar to the Charleston location’s and feature a mix of Italian-style cakes, pastries and gelato, as well as pizzas and handcrafted sandwiches. There will also be a local focus with locally sourced tea, coffee, beer, fresh produce, when available, and other items.  

Carmella's Cafe & Dessert Bar:What to expect from Carmella's Cafe & Dessert Bar coming to Greenville

Pastry chef Desi Macina will oversee the dessert menu, highlighting a number of Solari’s family recipes passed down from his Italian grandmother, Carmella. 

“We make the best carrot cake,” says Solari. “It’s a family recipe and one of our most popular - people are just wowed by it.”  

Solari says Carmella's cannoli cake and a peanut butter chocolate cake are also a must-try. For the holidays, the pastry case will be packed with traditional European specialties, including a peppermint bark cake, pumpkin mousse cake and tarts.  

Sweets can also be found behind the bar, with a lineup of specialty cocktails like a cocoa-rimmed espresso martini and a selection of drunken shakes. There's also wine and local beer options. 

On the savory side, sandwich offerings will include a roasted turkey asiago with fig jam on ciabatta bread and a salami goat with a red pepper spread.  

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“It’s meant to be an Italian experience - a casual kind of hangout where lingering over great food and drink is not only accepted but encouraged," Solari says. “Whether you are looking for an espresso or a cocktail, dessert, breakfast, lunch, or an after-dinner drink, there’s something for everyone.” 

Looking ahead, Solari says plans are in the works to open additional locations. “Once we have Greenville established, we have our eye on other markets, with Columbia being the next,” says Solari. 

Carmella’s Cafe and Dessert Bar will be open every day, from 8 a.m. until midnight. For more info, visit carmellasdessertbar.com