An Italian restaurant is ready to make its debut in downtown Mooresville
Two years in the making, the first restaurant at Mill One mixed-use development in downtown Mooresville is ready for its official debut.
Acqua Ragazza will open at 4 p.m. Friday at 201 N. Church St. This week’s soft opening service on Tuesday booked so fast that Wednesday was added for another soft opening date, first-time restaurant owner Tara Marie Cottone told The Charlotte Observer.
Acqua Ragazza, meaning “Water Girl,” is an upscale but comfortable casual “authentic” Italian restaurant serving traditional dishes such as seafood, steak and veal.
Cottone had expected to open the 3,880-square-foot restaurant last September, The Charlotte Observer previously reported. But there were several construction delays. The restaurant has been chronicling its progress on its Facebook page.
“It’s been a long project,” Cottone said.
The restaurant is part of MV2 Investments’ $23 million mill project.
The four-story apartment building has about 33,000-square-foot ground floor commercial space for 14 tenants — restaurants, retail and offices. Acqua Ragazza offers views and seating toward renovated Liberty Park, an open-air amphitheater that opened last summer.
More than a meal
Italian master chef and sommelier Alessandro Magnani will lead the kitchen and create the menu. Magnani has more than 30 years of culinary experience from Bari, Italy, to Caribbean hotels and restaurants.
Inside the restaurant, one of the focal points is a giant pizza oven in gold-colored tiles.
Another centerpiece is the full-service bar and social area serving cocktails and bourbon, as well as an extensive wine list, many from Italy. There also are non-alcoholic drinks on the menu.
Restaurant hours are 4-10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 4-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Brunch will eventually be added on Saturdays and Sundays, Cottone said.
Reservations are recommended.
Acqua Ragazza has hired about 30 full- and part-time workers, Cottone said.
More at Mill One
The first business at Mill One, Mikula Salon & Spa, opened last summer in a 2,130-square-foot space. Along with hair treatments for women, men and children, spa services include saunas and IV hydration infusions, according to the salon’s website.
Savannah Oyster Co., a seafood and raw bar restaurant by Jason Tuton of Barrel and Fork in Cornelius, also has plans to open in a 4,200-square-foot space.
Mill One is a mixed-use development with 33,000-square-foot of commercial space and 90 high-end apartments The first residents began moving in in October 2021.
Built in the 1890s, Mill No. 1 was part of Mooresville Mills. It closed in the 1990s. Parts of the building were used in the structural design for Mill One.
