North Davidson is getting a new grab-and-go sandwich spot next week, as Olivelli Deli gets ready to slide open its tiny walk-up window in NoDa. The micro-deli is moving into the former Reigning Doughnuts cubby on North Davidson Street and plans to match housemade benne-seed rolls with imported Italian meats. The concept comes from the local Tonidandel-Brown Restaurant Group, the team behind several other Charlotte restaurants.
As reported by the Charlotte Observer, Olivelli is slated to open next Wednesday and will run Tuesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Breakfast is set for 8 to 11 a.m., with the lunch and dinner menu taking over from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The walk-up window sits at the corner of 35th and North Davidson streets, in the same nook that once housed Reigning Doughnuts.
Menu and soft-serve
The menu keeps things tight and old-school: sandwiches piled onto a house-baked benne seed roll, plus a breakfast build called the Cappa Cappa Egga that stacks capicola, egg, provolone, Calabrian chili crisp and mayo. For something sweet, Olivelli plans to whip up chocolate, vanilla and vanilla-chocolate swirl soft serve, made with fresh cream and eggs and served in a cup or cone. These details, along with hiring info, appear on Olivelli Deli.
From doughnuts to deli
The little window is taking its second act after Reigning Doughnuts closed earlier this year, a change the owners framed as a pivot toward sandwiches. As the Charlotte Observer notes, the Tonidandel-Brown Restaurant Group, which lists Olivelli alongside Haberdish, Supperland and Growlers Pour House, is behind the new shop. Owner Jamie Brown said in a news release that Olivelli is focused on "delicious food made with exceptional ingredients," according to the announcement.
What this means for NoDa
NoDa's food scene has been churning all year, with sit-down spots and new takeout windows reshaping the stretch of North Davidson Street. Hoodline has covered nearby additions such as Kulture NoDa and the neighborhood's broader restaurant turnover, underscoring how small-format concepts are carving out space here. For locals, Olivelli brings a quick walk-up option that can cover early breakfasts and late-afternoon snack runs near the 35th Street corridor.
Olivelli hosted a soft-serve tasting on June 25 and is now recruiting staff, according to Olivelli Deli. Neighbors can follow the shop on Instagram at @olivelli_deli or keep an eye on Olivelli Deli for menu updates and any tweaks to the grand opening timeline. For now, the first official day of service is expected to be next Wednesday at the North Davidson walk-up.
