I know what you're thinking. Stagioni? With a toddler? The dark, moody, romantic Italian restaurant in the historic villa on Providence Road? That Stagioni?
Yes. That Stagioni. We've taken Jamie twice now and had a great experience both times. But there are some things you need to know before you go, and one reservation trick that will save you a genuine headache.
The Most Important Tip: Count Your Baby as a Person
I'm leading with this because I watched it almost go sideways for another family while we were there. A couple came in with a baby and had made a reservation for two. Makes sense, right? The baby isn't ordering an entree. But they got seated at a table with a bench on one side and a chair on the other, and there was no room for a high chair.
When they asked to be moved, the hostess (very nicely) explained that when you need a high chair, you should book for three people so you get a four-top with enough space. All the other four-tops were reserved that night, so they had to wait for one to open up. They got seated within the hour, but it was clearly stressful.
So: if you're bringing a baby or toddler who needs a high chair, book your reservation for one extra person. They do have high chairs available, which is great. But you need the right table to actually use one.
One more note on seating: if you get seated in the front area (not the main dining room), there are high tops. A standard high chair won't reach those, so you'd need a clip-on. Something to keep in mind if you have a preference, mention it when you book.
Getting There and Getting In
We went on a Friday right at 5:00, and I cannot stress this enough: go early. We were one of the first tables seated, which meant Jamie could settle in before the restaurant filled up and the energy shifted. By the time the dinner rush hit, he was already fed and happy, which is the whole game.
Jamie walked in waving at every person he passed like he was the mayor arriving at a gala. And honestly, the staff loved it. You can tell they genuinely like kids there. Nobody gave us a look, nobody seemed annoyed, and they clearly adjusted their pacing for us (more on that in a minute).
Parking is easy. There's a lot out front and another one behind the restaurant that you share with RuRus's (which, by the way, had people out on the patio having margaritas and it looked incredible). You enter the back lot from Fenton Place.
The Vibe
Stagioni is housed in a 1926 Myers Park mansion that was modeled after a Tuscan villa, and it feels like it. Dark, moody, romantic. Wood-lined ceilings, warm lighting. It's the kind of place that makes you feel like you should be on a date, which is partly why people are surprised when I say we bring Jamie.
They don't offer crayons or a kids' menu. I have seen them cover a table with paper once for a group with a lot of kids, but I think that was a special request and I've only seen it that one time. We brought a couple of small toys and some books, and Jamie was perfectly happy. He also spent a solid chunk of time staring at the open kitchen, watching the chefs work around the wood-burning oven. Between that, the Valentine's Day balloons still up from the week before, and the other kids who showed up as the restaurant filled in, he was entertained.
The Food (a.k.a. the Whole Reason You Go)
We've never had a bad meal at Stagioni. Not once. The menu is seasonal and rotating, so check before you go, but here's what we had on Friday:
Mussels — We ordered these because Jamie's two cousins are big mussel fans and we wanted to see if he'd be into them. He took one nibble of half a mussel and promptly spit it out. So we ate them all. They were great.
Focaccia — The menu calls it a "mini loaf." It is not a mini loaf. It's substantial enough to feed two or three people, maybe four depending on how much you love bread (I love bread a lot). Comes with a little bowl of olive oil for dipping. Jamie was very into this.
Baby Greens Salad — I'm going to say it: this is the best salad in Charlotte. Baby lettuces, pancetta, goat cheese, walnuts, pickled red onions, white balsamic vinaigrette. I order it every single time and I will never stop.
Squash Risotto (side) — This was Jamie's dinner. He loved it. It was creamy, flavorful, and the perfect texture for a toddler. I ate the leftovers the next day and can confirm it's also excellent reheated.
Garganelli — Spinach, white wine, parmesan, lemon. This was mine and it was delicious. Light but still packed with flavor. A good pick if you want pasta but don't want to feel like you need to unbutton your pants after.
Pappardelle Ragu — David's pick. Short rib ragu with pappardelle. Rich, hearty, exactly what you want from an Italian restaurant in the winter. The short rib was falling apart.
What we wanted but didn't get: Zeppoli — These are Stagioni's Italian donuts with powdered sugar and salted caramel dipping sauce, and they are incredible. But they take extra time to prepare, and Jamie was starting to get antsy, so we skipped them. If you go without kids (or your kid has more patience than mine), order them. Also highly recommend ending with an affogato. We ended up making them at home that night because we weren't ready to let the evening go.
A few more food notes: the pizza is great and it's served with scissors, which is kind of fun if you have older kids who haven't seen that before. The steaks are cooked in the wood-burning oven and get this incredible charred, crispy outside. And the proteins (fish, steak, pork) rotate daily, so your server will walk you through what's available that night.
The Service (With Kids)
This is where Stagioni really impressed me. They clearly noticed we had a toddler and adjusted accordingly. The pacing was quicker than when David and I go alone (where it's more of a slow, coursed-out experience), but it never felt rushed. They kept things moving without making us feel like they were trying to get us out.
Part of this is also just how the ordering works: you order everything at once and they course it out for you. So there's no waiting around for a server between courses. They just bring things as they're ready. With a toddler, this is a massive advantage.
The Bottom Line
Stagioni is one of Charlotte's best Italian restaurants and one of the best restaurants in the city, period. The fact that you can bring a toddler there and have a genuinely enjoyable dinner is something more parents need to know. It's not going to have crayons and chicken fingers, but if you go early, bring a couple of distractions, and use the reservation trick, you can absolutely make it work.
And if you can swing a night without kids? Even better. Grab a post-dinner drink at Sala next door (same owners, cute cocktail bar), order the zeppoli, and take your time.
The Details
- Address: 715 Providence Road, Charlotte, NC 28207 (Myers Park)
- Hours: Mon 5-9pm, Tue-Sat 5-10pm, Closed Sunday
- Reservations: Resy (strongly recommended, especially weekends)
- Parking: Lot in front + lot in back (enter from Fenton Place, shared with Roo Roo's)
- High chairs: Yes. Book for an extra person to ensure you get a table that fits one.
- Kids' menu: No
- Changing table: Unlikely
- Price range: $$$ (pastas ~$30-37, pizzas ~$22, appetizers ~$12-20)
- Good to know: Seasonal/rotating menu. Order everything at once. Go at 5pm with kids. Sala cocktail bar is next door for date night.
- Our go-to order: Baby greens salad, focaccia, squash risotto for Jamie, any pasta, and zeppoli if time allows
