Pinball, pizza & a pint: Restaurant with old-school pizza parlor vibe now open in Belmont

The town of Belmont is once again enjoying pizza at 106 N. Main St. Stone Fired Social is now open in the space of the former Johnny B’s Pizza Pad, just next to sister restaurant The String Bean.

With 3,000 square feet of space, Stone Fired Social opened on Saturday, October 15. It has seating for about 100 guests to enjoy its menu of pizza, homemade pastas, sandwiches, garlic knots and more. It also features an area with arcade games, a full bar and a gelato counter, serving up 12 different flavors.

The building on North Main Street is owned by Chad and Katy Hutcheson and Nate Helton, co-owners of The String Bean, and was previously occupied by Johnny B’s — a beloved neighborhood pizza joint that closed in 2021.

“Belmont is a close knit community. There are lots of regulars at The String Bean, and they were saying, ‘I wish there was still a pizza place there,’” Helton said. “So we thought, why don’t we do this? We own the building. We are in the restaurant business.

“So we went to New York City and did research — even went to pizza school — tried all different types of pizza and formulated our menu. It’s really an extension of what we are already doing.”

Guests can choose from a standard selection of pizza toppings, or from a more creative menu of pizzas like the Hulk Smash Pistachio (pesto, ricotta, mozzarella, pistachio and roasted garlic) or the Red Corvette Red (sauce, pepperoni, spicy salami, mozzarella, hot honey drizzle).

Looking to spice things up? The Jerk Alert features chili sauce, mozzarella, asiago, jerk chicken, roasted garlic, shredded carrots and a sweet chili drizzle. All pizzas can be made 12 inch, 16 inch or grandma style – a rectangular style of pizza that originated in Sicily and became famous on Long Island.

Stone Fired Social will be open for lunch and dinner six days a week and will be closed on Mondays. As the restaurant gets up and running, it has temporary hours: Open Thursday-Sunday and closed Monday-Wednesday.

Stone Fired Social

Location: 106 North Main Street Suite B, Belmont, NC

Neighborhood: Belmont

Menu

Cuisine: Pizza, Italian

This story was originally published September 22, 2022 at 6:00 AM.

Laurie Larsh

The Charlotte Observer

Laurie Larsh is a freelance writer and travel junkie with an affinity for sunglasses, coffee and all things Tarheels. Relentless curiosity about people and places keep her wondering and wandering near and far and writing stories about it. Follow her travel adventures on Instagram @goexplauring or her website www.goexplauring.com.