\n We rank the 20 best pizzerias in Charlotte, where the pizza scene is better than ever.\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
Read more How Hannes Steinbach, Christian Anderson hit the ground running for Hornets<\/a><\/p>\n If you\u2019ve ever been part of a foodie Facebook group or Reddit conversation, you\u2019re familiar with some version of the following:<\/p>\n Person: I\u2019m looking for some good (insert food item here) in Charlotte like I had back home. Suggestions?<\/i><\/p>\n At least three people: You won\u2019t find it here. It\u2019s a wasteland.<\/i><\/p>\n That\u2019s no longer true in Charlotte \u2014 at least not with pizza. In the past 15 years, and especially in the last five, our city has seen an influx of pizza restaurants and chefs who\u2019ve brought a diversity of styles and an attentiveness to elevated ingredients and approaches. No, Charlotte doesn\u2019t have its own identifiable pizza, but our pizza places are getting national<\/a> and international<\/a> recognition. We\u2019re becoming a very good pizza town.<\/p>\n So today, we bring you CharlotteFive\u2019s Top 20 pizza rankings. You\u2019ll find these restaurants and slice joints across the Charlotte area, and each is worth a drive or a detour.<\/p>\n A few notes before we begin:<\/p>\n As for my pizza cred:<\/b> I\u2019ve lived in Connecticut and enjoyed New Haven pizza. I\u2019ve stood in rainy lines for a NYC pizza slice, and I\u2019ve built trip itineraries around iconic pizza stops in Detroit, Chicago and other cities. All of which means I have likes and dislikes just like anyone else. Take these rankings as a guide for some pizza adventure, and let us know what we need to try (or try again!).<\/p>\n Buffalo style pizza comes at you hard. It\u2019s doughier, not just thicker, and its sauce is strikingly sweet. It doesn\u2019t really grow on you; you have to like it to like it. But the pizzeria voted best in Charlotte by CharlotteFive readers<\/a> in 2023 is most definitely worth trying, and if you do, Bisonte delivers a version that stands up to the better pizzas back north. Pro tips: The Matthews location is the most consistent, and if you\u2019re only in for one attempt, go for the abundant, well-crisped pepperoni.<\/p>\n Locations in Charlotte and Matthews |<\/i> bisontepizzaco.com<\/a><\/p>\n We weren\u2019t sure about Z\u00e4mbies at first. The huge slices are not one-size-fits-all, and when you\u2019re of a certain age, you don\u2019t want your portions screaming \u201chuge\u201d at you. The vibe \u2014 from dining space to website to packaging \u2014 feels more attentive to branding than pizza. But the slices are authentically tasty<\/a> with a bright, clean sauce. The crew is genuinely nice.<\/i> As for the portion? Cut it in half. Share it with a fellow geezer. You\u2019ll both be happy and full.<\/p>\n 3204, North Davidson St., Charlotte | theshopzambies.com<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n Alino Pizzeria, which opened inside Mooresville\u2019s Merino Mill in 2015, is one of North Carolina\u2019s oldest Neopolitan-style pizzerias. It still follows the same formula: Caputo Italian flour for its cold-fermented crust, San Marzano tomatoes for its sauce, and buffalo mozzarella from Italy. It\u2019s excellent, but be warned: it\u2019s also expensive at $25-plus for a 16-inch basic Margherita and $30-plus for most other offerings.<\/p>\n 500 S. Main St., #401, Mooresville |<\/i> alinopizzeria.com<\/a><\/p>\n Lorenzo\u2019s, nestled in a south Charlotte retail strip near the SC border, is what a go-to pizza place should be. Everything is good and everything is fresh, from the slightly sweet sauce to the crunchy crust that finds the right space between firm and foldable. It\u2019s the kind of pizza you bring home to meet the parents.<\/p>\n 16721 Orchard Stone Run Suite 120, Charlotte | lorenzos-pizzeria.com<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n It\u2019s not difficult to find a thick-crusted pizza in Charlotte, but true Detroit style is harder to come by. For the uninitiated, it\u2019s a rectangular pizza with Sicilian-like dough, a darkly caramelized crust and a few wide stripes of sauce over the toppings. Emmy Squared, which first opened in Brooklyn a decade ago, does it best in Charlotte. The crust is a bit denser than you\u2019ll find in Detroit, but it nails the crispy outside\/fluffy inside dynamic. It\u2019s on the pricier side of pizza, but definitely worth the treat.<\/p>\n Two Charlotte locations: 1932 Hawkins St.; 1508 Central Ave. | emmysquaredpizza.com<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n If Charlotte had a pizza style, it would be something like what you get from Sal\u2019s: sloppy and floppy Jersey-ish pies tossed by guys of non-Charlotte lineage who are unafraid to toss some seasoned or sliced beef on some dough and call it a pizza. This isn\u2019t artisan, but it is very good in a comfort food kind of way. Nostalgia is a topping, too, and it\u2019s abundant here.<\/p>\n 3723 Monroe Rd, Charlotte | salspizzafactorync.com<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n Emilio\u2019s opened in 2024 just over the South Carolina border in Fort Mill, and it quickly gathered enough of a following that a second Tega Cay location arrived earlier this year. Come for the satisfyingly herby sauce. Come for the airy Sicilian. Its owners – two native upstate New Yorkers – insist that it\u2019s not NY style pizza<\/a>. Fair enough. It\u2019s just good pizza.<\/p>\n 5527 Arden Mill Dr #101, Fort Mill | emiliospizzakitchen.com<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n Let\u2019s break our Pizza Ranking rules. Salud is a brewery, and its cheese and pepperoni pizzas are merely very good. But the specialty pizzas<\/a> at this James Beard semifinalist \u2014 oh my. The O.P.P. Pizza has a white sauce base with mozzarella, prosciutto, pistachio, Calabrian chili, whipped ricotta, garlic and extra virgin olive oil. The Latin Lingo Spicy tops a crema base with chicken, roasted corn, red onion, pickled jalape\u00f1o, cotija cheese, cilantro, tajin, and lime. You can spend hours eating through this menu, and you\u2019d do so in the vibiest pizza spot in Charlotte.<\/p>\n 3306 N. Davidson St., Charlotte | saludcerveceria.com<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n Locals swear that this Steele Creek pizza joint has the best NY style in Charlotte. It\u2019s a tidy pizza – not too cheesy and not at all greasy. The sauce is generously spiced and perfectly savory. The crust is firm enough to stand up to toppings, especially if you ask for it well done (and you should.) Put it all together, and the locals have a very good case to make.<\/p>\n Read more Aldi is giving away free groceries this week. How to score the deal in NC<\/a><\/p>\n 13551 Steelcroft Pkwy., Suite 100, Charlotte | luigis-pizza.com<\/i><\/p>\n One of Charlotte\u2019s best Italian restaurants makes this list. Your pizza choices are limited \u2014 just six regulars on the menu \u2014 and at 8 to 10 inches you\u2019ll want to order a couple to take the sting out of sharing. But they are glorious, with a crust that brings tang and the right amount of char. Our favorites: the pepperoni with bursts of housemade fennel sausage, and a mortadella with pistachio pesto that\u2019s reminiscent of a Florence favorite.<\/p>\n 715 Providence Rd., Charlotte |<\/i> stagioniclt.com<\/a><\/p>\n A newcomer to the sparse pizza landscape north of Charlotte, Fat Guy would stand out in any part of the Charlotte region. The crust comes chewy and slightly charred, but the sauce is the star. Bold and herby, it\u2019s the closest we\u2019ve had to our favorite New York City slices.<\/p>\n 6<\/b>10 Jetton St, Davidson | fatguynewyorkstylepizza.com<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n This one is for the crust people. Gravity\u2019s is crafted from its own sourdough starter, then cold-fermented for 48 hours. The result is delightfully light and crispy, with a distinct but not overwhelming sourdough tang. Bonus: An audacious menu that includes a shroom pizza with potato sticks and a pear and sweet potato combo with goat cheese. It\u2019s almost enough adventure to make you forget you\u2019re eating one of the very best crusts in Charlotte.<\/p>\n 1824 Statesville Ave Ste. 101, Charlotte | gravitypizza.com<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n The pizza is still consistently strong at this longtime NY-style staple in the University area. Due Amici brings Brooklyn roots and authenticity, right down to the counter service that\u2019s not rude but not exactly warm. That\u2019s OK \u2014 you\u2019re there for the slick, abundant cheese and sturdy, flavorful crust. Also: Don\u2019t sleep on the Sicilian slices.<\/p>\n 5346 Docia Crossing Rd Suite 5346C, Charlotte | dueamicipizza.com<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n Siano\u2019s arrived in spring 2025 in a nondescript Waxhaw location and immediately found some pizza nerd buzz. There\u2019s clearly a lot of thoughtfulness in this friendly, family-owned operation, including a lightly seasoned sauce and multi-day fermented crust. That crust is cooked crispy and is a bit of a tweener \u2014 thinner than NY style but not quite New Haven. Decide for yourself, because it\u2019s worth the drive.<\/p>\n 5305 Waxhaw-Marvin Rd, Waxhaw | sianospizzapasta.com<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n Heralded Charlotte chef Sam Hart calls Geno D\u2019s<\/a> \u201cthe place I can easily recommend to every single resident and tourist of the Queen City.\u201d Game recognizes Game. Father and daughter owners Geno and Gena DiPaolo, who moved to Charlotte from Toms River, NJ, call this \u201cJersey shore\u201d pizza. More, from Hart: \u201cGeno has perfected the thin semolina crust to such a degree that I start there and finish on the San Marzano tomatoes. I\u2019m unsure of the oven they use, but it has been sprinkled with fairy dust.\u201d What he said.<\/p>\n 224 E 7th St, Charlotte | genods.com<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n Pizza Baby\u2019s West and East locations are brothers but not twins. West, which opens for dinner hours Wed-Fri and earlier on the weekend, offers New York-ish style pizzas (owners Steven DeFalco and Trey Wilson call them \u201cAmericana\u201d). East, which is open for lunch and dinner in a charming Elizabeth space, offers similar Americana pizzas plus rectangular Roman slices. Everything is premium here, from ingredients to the crust\u2019s deep and full flavor. (We did see some slight inconsistencies on the bake that keeps Pizza Baby from the very top of these rankings.) Our favorite: The airy and crusty al taglio-style Roman slices. It\u2019s an uncommon style for Charlotte, and a must-try for the pizza curious.<\/p>\n Two Charlotte locations: 1601 Elizabeth Ave.; 2135 Thrift Rd., Ste. 101 | eatpizzababy.com<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n It\u2019s been a decade since Inizio brought elevated Neapolitan pizza to Charlotte. (Remember how the restaurant was a bit strident back then about not cutting the pizza? Oh, what bougie fun.) Ten years later, neither time nor new locations has diluted the product. The crusts are still pillow-like and expertly leoparded. The menu is still fresh and creative, with adventurous seasonal offerings rotating in and out. Inizio\u2019s not only demonstrated that Charlotte had a legit appetite for high-end pizza; it still delivers that excellence, every time.<\/p>\n Locations in Charlotte, Huntersville and Fort Mill, SC |<\/i> iniziopizza.com<\/a><\/p>\n We never went to the original Zepeddie\u2019s, a popular 1990s hangout off Woodlawn, but we can\u2019t imagine it was better than this new LoSo iteration. The crust is the product of a starter cultivated using rye flour milled by Lindley Mills in Graham, NC. (Thanks to fellow pizza lovers Tristian and Jamie Graziano<\/a> for the intel.) It comes out well-done but puffy, with a brush of oil for depth. Don\u2019t miss the focaccia square slices, especially the Traditionale with fresh mozzarella and basil. It\u2019s elevated pizza in a neighborhood joint.<\/p>\n 4516 Nations Crossing Rd, Charlotte | zeppedies.com<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n When it opened in late 2024, Finale felt like a bit of a hobby: the successful owners of Inizio trying their hand at New York-style pizza in a retail strip on the edge of Ballantyne. But this is no side hustle. Finale has the same attentiveness to detail as its big brother, the same sense of adventure with specialty options, but with an exquisitely crispy New York crust. It\u2019s becoming one of North Carolina\u2019s very best NY-style joints.<\/p>\n 15025 Lancaster Hwy D3, Charlotte |<\/i> finalepizza.com<\/a><\/p>\n Let\u2019s get a couple of things out of the way about Charlotte\u2019s most polarizing pizza place:<\/p>\n Yes, you should make reservations for dine-in, and it can be a tough table to snag (unless you\u2019re awake at midnight and on the Resy app, hint hint.) Yes, you also have to reserve a pizza for takeout. It takes a couple clicks and a little foresight. You can do this, people.<\/p>\n The payoff? Owners Kerrel and Nkem Thompson craft beautiful and thoughtful pizzas. The crusts are thin and aggressively charred, with grated Parmesan that nicely contrasts a bright and sweet sauce. The kale salad, fluffy and delicately dressed, is also getting some buzz now. All of it is so very worth the work.<\/p>\n 510 E 15th St Ste A, Charlotte | birdpizzeria.com<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n Correction: An earlier version of this article had an incorrect address for Luigi\u2019s.<\/i><\/p>\n