Vespaio Ristorante

Vespaio opened its doors in 1998, long before South Congress was the bustling shopping promenade it is today. In fact, original investors had questioned the location. It had once been a Western wear shop and a grocery at the turn of the century. The building had history, and the owners had a vision. Close friend and designer Aubrey Carter recreated the space with a gorgeous curved bar, open kitchen, original tin-tiled ceilings, wood fired oven and walls of wine bottles. During early demolition, a walled-in working beehive was revealed, and thus the name was discovered: Vespaio. “Wasps’ nest” in Italian, our name also means “buzzing”. Anyone who takes a seat in our busy dining room and bar will quickly understand. The “buzz” and excitement is as alive today as ever. What other restaurants buy, Vespaio makes. Our kitchen is driven wholly by handmade and locally-sourced ingredients. Our chefs do all of our own butchering and use every part of the animal. We make stocks, charcuterie, fresh pasta, breads, desserts and cheese in house. Our wines are specifically chosen to compliment our food. Essentially French and Italian, the wines on our list are primarily from boutique and small batch producers.