Here are the most popular pizza toppings in Charlotte
One of life’s most interesting debates can be held around one of the most satisfying, versatile and controversial foods: pizza. Even in its simplest form, it encompasses so much of a person’s daily nutritional needs. The stretchy, mozzarella cheese checks the dairy box, peppers of any kind fulfill your vegetable needs, pepperoni checks off the protein, the crust has the grain category covered and fresh tomatoes — that’s fruit, right?
Any way you slice it, pizza has a place in the hearts of Charlotteans. While where to get the perfect pie in Charlotte is up for debate, residents weigh in on a more undebatable topic: their favorite pizza toppings.
No plain cheese for these Charlotte residents
SAUSAGE AND PEPPERONI: In the battle between rivals — sausage and pepperoni — April Blanding, a part-time food blogger, gives sausage the victory. Her perfect slice includes sausage, peppers and onion on a thick crust. The added texture of vegetables creates the ideal pizza experience.
“That’s what makes pizza the best — when it’s made with absolutely fresh vegetables because you have that crunch,” Blanding said.
BEEF AND VEGETABLES: Caterer Carla Jones is a beef and vegetable lover. Keeping the toppings simple is her goal. Equally important is the cheese and a flavorful crust, she said. Marco’s Pizza does a very good job of understanding what it means to balance cheese and toppings on a well-executed crust.
MARGHERITA: For Charlotte resident Amanda Peschek, it’s the classic combination of olive oil, mozzarella, fresh tomatoes and basil of a margherita pizza.
“They are my favorite because it’s reliable and satisfying,” Peschek said. “Also while classic, everyone seems to have their own spin, which makes it interesting.”
PEPPERONI AND VEGGIES: When foodie Ryan Jones is in Charlotte, he frequents Benny Pennello’s, Hawthorne’s and Intermezzo Pizzeria. On the menu — or off — pepperoni wins for protein and he’s sure to sneak in his daily requirement of vegetables.
“Fresh mozzarella gives me the cheese pull I love,” Ryan Jones said. “Spinach, onions, and peppers give me my vegetables for the day. I’ve loved pepperoni since I was a kid and still love it as an adult.”
Classic combinations win the hearts of Charlotteans
Pepperoni is by far the most popular pizza topping at Benny Pennello’s, said Kristen Brown, co-owner of the restaurant.
“In the month of September, 40 percent of our sold slices were pepperoni,” she said. “Due to our simple concept, cheese is second, followed by our monthly meat special.”
Brown and her husband have owned the Charlotte location for more than five years, and they are known for their larger-than-life slices. The slices are not what keeps customers wanting more, however.
“While our pizza is giant — and certainly the initial draw of giving us a try –– what keeps customers coming back is the thin, crispy crust and the sharpness of our cheese blend,” she said.
Capishe: Real Italian Kitchen’s high-quality italian pepperoni is a close second to the most-popular margherita pizza, co-owner Bruce Willette said. Capishe red sauce, mozzarella di bufala, fresh garlic and basil and extra virgin olive oil gives this pie the slight edge over pepperoni.
Willette opened Capishe almost two years ago with co-owner and head pizza chef Alberto Moreno. Exceptional ingredients, homemade dough and real, Italian ovens used to create the pies make all the difference, he said.
“We use only the best ingredients, and we make everything in house, including the pizza dough,” Willette said. “This quality of food at our price has us starting to see a lot of repeat customers, and it’s bringing new customers in.”
At Pizzeria Sapienza CLT, meat takes the cake — or pie, so to speak.
When it comes to whole pizzas, pepperoni is the most popular, while meatlovers — ham, bacon and sausage — comes in second, said owner Sal Sapienza. By the slice — aside from cheese and pepperoni, of course — chicken bacon ranch wins.
During COVID-19, Charlotteans have preferred the comfort of the specialty supreme pizza topped with sausage, pepperoni, olives, onion and green pepper.
Seasonal pizzas have an edge
While many Charlotteans prefer classic topping combinations, Pizzeria Omaggio’s seasonal pizzas have continued to be a crowd pleaser year after year. For the past five years, they’ve offered two seasonal pizza options four times a year.
In the warmer months, there’s zucchini flower pizza and lemon pizza, said owner Daniel Siragusa.
The butternut squash pizza and the kaffé usher in coziness during the cooler months. The butternut squash is topped with goat cheese, whole milk mozzarella, caramelized red onions, roasted butternut squash and extra virgin olive oil. The kaffé is topped with pepperoni, gorgonzola dolce, whole milk mozzarella, red pepper flakes and coffee and is garnished with fresh basil.
“These pizzas come from different regions in Italy that help to represent the different seasons,” Siragusa said. “They are always a hit, and people wait season after season for them to come back.”
To dip or not to dip?
Omaggio Pizzeria prefers that you not dip your crust, prioritizing the integrity of their pies.
“We do not encourage any sort of dipping sauce, as it would mask the flavors of our premium ingredients and mask the combination of toppings that we intended for the pizza,” Siragusa said.
Carla Jones shared a similar opinion. She prefers the simplicity of red sauce.
“When you start adding other sauces to pizza, it’s not pizza anymore,” she said. Garlic sauce and blue cheese makes it something else.”
While some pizza restaurants and residents choose not to dip, others Charlotteans find the perfect slice is paired with sauce.
Ranch wins out at Benny Pennello’s, Capishe and Pizzeria Sapienza CLT. It pairs well with Benny Pennello’s thin crust, and customers agree, ordering it four times more than any other sauce. While Capishe has always served red sauce for dipping, its recently added buttermilk ranch has quickly become popular.
I’m not sure what it is, but the people of Charlotte love their ranch,” Sapienza said.
Apparently, they love garlic, too. Blanding and Peschek’s No. 1 go-to sauce for any pizza is garlic because of its buttery taste.
Our readers weigh in on where to go for your next pizza fix
Before you go, check in with the restaurant to ensure that it is open during COVID-19.
2909 N. Davidson St.
7725 Colony Road
19400 Jetton Road, Cornelius
500 E. Morehead St., and 6555 Morrison Blvd.
1701 E. Seventh St.
10620 Providence Road
1427 E. 10th St.
503 S. Central Ave., Belmont
1730 Abbey Place
Multiple locations
2907 Providence Road
1055 Metropolitan Ave.
620 North Church St.
Multiple locations
3605 Davis Drive, Morrisville
1605 Galleria Blvd.
This story was originally published December 8, 2020 at 11:23 AM.
