Brothers Eldredge and Tyler Ropolo grew up in Turin, Italy, near the country’s border with France. Their new Charleston restaurant — an extension of Pasta Beach , the eatery their parents Gianni and Susie opened in Newport, R.I.
, more than two decades ago — will channel those Italian roots. That starts with the design. Legami , set to open in October, is taking over the Upper King Street space once occupied by 492.
The upscale restaurant closed in 2018, and the building changed hands for $6.8 million in 2021. How did Upper King become Charleston's main nightlife district? pmilner@postandcourier.
com (from left) Tyler, Gianni, Susie and Eldredge Ropolo. Tyler Ropolo, creative director of his family’s restaurant group, led the historic structure’s transformation into a bright, elevated destination with four separate dining areas. “We’re all about trying to connect the spaces,” Eldredge Ropolo said.
“There’s a lot of different spaces and a lot of different ambiances and corners that you can dine in.” Legami’s entrance leads guests into the main dining room, wrapped in plaster walls hand-painted with palm trees. On the right, the bar has been remodeled to cover the staircase, with one side connected to an outdoor dining area through a long window.
The covered garden, with views of King Street, can seat dozens of diners. Upstairs, past a 10-person marble table, 492’s private dining area has become Legami’s lounge, which will offer a smaller selection of .
