A new restaurant on Charlotte Highway is giving Lake Norman diners their first taste of Uruguayan cooking, from fire-grilled meats to a towering sandwich stuffed with beef tenderloin, ham and a fried egg. Cafe Rio de la Plata began its grand opening on October 19 at 2715 Charlotte Highway, also known as U.S. 21, in Mooresville, bringing a cuisine rarely seen in the region to a storefront that previously planned to debut back in August.
Two Uruguay Natives Behind the Menu
The restaurant is co-owned by Patricia Alberro and Cecilia Gonzalez, both born in Uruguay, according to the Charlotte Observer. Alberro told the paper that opening the restaurant fulfilled a long-held dream, capping a career that took her from New Jersey kitchens to a hospital dietician's office before she finally ran her own dining room. Gonzalez, described as Alberro's friend from New Jersey, had been in the Lake Norman area for about a year before the two partnered on the venture.
Alberro moved to the United States at age 19 and spent decades in the restaurant industry before landing in Mooresville, arriving from Elizabeth, New Jersey, roughly four and a half years before the restaurant's opening, per the same report. Along the way she worked as a sous chef in New York City's Little Italy, a sous chef at Hudson Greene Market in Jersey City, and general manager of a vegan restaurant in Bernardsville, New Jersey. She also worked as a dietician at Duke Health Lake Norman Hospital in Mooresville. Cafe Rio de la Plata marks her first venture as an owner.
Why the Name Rio de la Plata
The restaurant takes its name from the Rio de la Plata, the river and estuary that borders Argentina, the Charlotte Observer's report notes. Alberro said the menu runs roughly 80% Uruguayan dishes and 20% fusion items built around local tastes, blending the flavors she grew up with alongside recipes shaped by her years cooking in New Jersey and New York.
What's On the Menu
The signature dish is the Uruguayan chivito, a loaded sandwich built on an Italian hoagie roll with beef tenderloin, ham, pancetta, mozzarella, a hard-boiled egg, lettuce, tomato and basil-garlic aioli, priced at $14.99. Alberro described it to the outlet as a large, filling sandwich packed with flavor and egg tucked inside. Handcrafted empanadas, both breakfast and gourmet lunch versions, run between $4.49 and $5.99, while the puchero meat-and-vegetable stew costs $4.99 for eight ounces or $8.99 for sixteen.
For dessert, the menu includes postre chajá, a traditional Uruguayan layer cake made with sponge cake, whipped cream, meringue, peaches and dulce de leche, priced at $6.99. Fusion offerings round things out with a $12.99 Philly cheesesteak, chicken and veal parmesan Giro d'Italia selections, and a $12.99 classic eggplant parmigiana. The restaurant also pours organic and build-your-own shakes, gourmet coffee, yerba selections, artisanal teas and infusions.
Cafe Rio de la Plata's own website echoes much of that spread, advertising perfectly fire-grilled meats, handcrafted empanadas and traditional Uruguayan specialties alongside hearty sandwiches, flavorful breakfasts, crisp salads and premium coffee, per the restaurant's website. The site had previously listed an August opening before the restaurant's grand opening ultimately got underway in October.
Hours, Ordering and a Warm Welcome
The restaurant serves breakfast and lunch from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday and is closed on Sundays, according to the Charlotte Observer's reporting. Customers can place online orders and arrange delivery, and the restaurant's site notes that delivery orders should be placed directly through its own website. Diners looking to book a table can also call the restaurant directly to make reservations. Cafe Rio de la Plata keeps an Instagram presence under the handle @caferiodelaplata for updates on the new spot.
Alberro praised the Mooresville community as friendly, laid-back and welcoming as she settles into her first run as a restaurant owner. For Lake Norman residents curious about Uruguayan food, from the fire-grilled staples to the chivito that started it all, the new Charlotte Highway address offers a rare chance to try it close to home.
