Entering the elevator to Riva Mare, the new coastal Italian destination from Charleston-based Indigo Road Hospitality perched above Navy Yard, one week before opening to the public, I didn’t know quite what to expect—but I arrived with high hopes.
Riva Mare’s much-anticipated status as the first full-service restaurant debuting in Charleston’s Design District at the Navy Yard lured me over from Savannah for a sneak peek, with the inclination that this may be Indigo Road’s most beautiful restaurant yet. It’s a tall order, but a fitting one, considering the 85-acre redevelopment of a historic naval base is now home to an impressive roster of showrooms from big-name brands like Schumacher, Kravet, and Urban Electric Co. alongside local artisans such as bladesmith Quintin Middleton, blacksmith Robert Thomas, florist/ceramic artist Sonny Sisan, and many more.
