Osteria LuCa

The Hot Honey & Meatball pizza combines cherry peppers and red onions with two cheeses, while the French Onion version uses Gruyère and caramelized onions. Pasta takes equally specific turns: cavatelli comes with lamb sausage, broccoli rabe and lemon butter; paccheri carries chicken and spinach in roasted-pepper cream. These moderately priced choices sit alongside more expensive seafood and meat entrées.

A seat at the pizza bar offers a view of the cooks assembling pizzas and antipasti. Elsewhere, tall windows brighten the dining room, with banquettes providing another way to settle in. The restaurant's approach borrows from everyday Italian neighborhood eateries, and its community involvement includes school fundraising, church events and youth athletics.

Small-production Italian wines give the drinks list a regional focus, complemented by local and regional craft beers. Cocktail syrups and elixirs are made in-house. Lunch has its own economical combinations, including soup with half a sandwich or salad with pizza; check the Charlotte schedule when planning an afternoon visit, since service pauses between lunch and dinner.