Pucker up, it’s the punch we’re after: Where to find pickle pizza in the Charlotte area
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Pickle pizza gains popularity with national chains and local eateries joining in.
- Charlotte-area spots offer diverse versions with sauces and toppings like bacon.
- Trending demand pushes restaurants to add pickle pies as permanent menu items.
If you’re one of those people who can’t fathom eating pineapple on pizza, go ahead and stop right here. We’re taking it one step further, my friends. We’re talking today about where to find pickle pizza in the Charlotte area.
Pickles can add a salty boost to a plain bite, and the punch of vinegar can help cut right through an otherwise too-rich dish. However, you won’t stumble on pickle pizza in too many Charlotte-area restaurants, even though pickles seem to be trending again.
Everywhere you look, new pickle products are popping up: chips, dips, crackers, drinks — you name it. “Top Chef” Season 22 even had an entire elimination challenge built around pickles.
National pizza chains have climbed on board to the trend, too. Papa Johns is offering its limited time cheesy burger pizza with beef, burger sauce, diced tomato, cheese and sliced pickles. And Toppers Pizza has pickle pizza creation with a ranch base, mozzarella, bacon crumbles, dill pickle slices and a dusting of dill on top.
There are, indeed, a few local spots with pickle pizzas worth checking out, too. Here’s where to find them:
The Exchange Pizza Depot
Location: Seaboard Brewery 213 N Trade St Suite B, Matthews, NC 28105
The Exchange Pizza Depot’s Pickle Ickle Ickle features dill pickles over mozzarella and a Southwestern cream sauce, finished with a super-secret pickle seasoning. The menu description says, “Love pickles? You must try this. Not a pickle fan? Keep looking.”
Cost: $15.49
Geno D’s Pizza
Location: 224 E 7th St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Geno D’s Cheese Burger Pizza — a classic combination that’s nonetheless hard to find on a pizza around here— comes with American cheese, pickles, onions and tomatoes.
Cost: $18 for a 10” small, $19 for the gluten-free option and $25 for a 16” large
Gravity Sourdough Pizza Co.
Location: Camp North End, 1824 Statesville Avenue Suite 101, Charlotte, NC 28206
Gravity Sourdough’s Big Dill Energy pizza combines white sauce, mozzarella, dill pickles, bacon, caramelized red onion and lemon ricotta with fresh dill to top it off.
Cost: $15
King of Fire
Location: 435 S Tryon St #140, Charlotte, NC 28202
Location: Food truck locations vary
King of Fire, which has an uptown Charlotte location along with its food trucks, offers the Hardy Pickle Pizza. The specialty pie made by the caravan of food trucks owned by world champion pizza tosser Siler Chapman comes with breaded chicken, smoked bacon, cheddar cheese and dill pickles. On top, you’ll find a drizzle of garlic dill ranch sauce.
Cost: $16
Mario’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant
Location: 2349 Cherry Rd, Rock Hill, SC 29732
Mario’s Pickle Pizza started out as a special and became so popular so quickly that the restaurant had to add it to the menu — customers were ordering so many that supplies began to run slim. It features pickle, bacon, onions and parsley.
Cost: $11 for a small, ranging up to $29.32 for an extra large
Meadow’s Italiano
Location: 823 Oakridge Farm Hwy Suite 1-A, Mooresville, NC 28115
Meadow’s Italiano’s Spicy Pickle Pizza — which started out as a pop-up special and became a fan favorite — is topped with chicken sausage, dill pickles, roasted Vidalia onions, fresh garlic, Calabrian chilies and Mike’s Hot Honey.
Cost: $19
Pět Piv
Location: 990 Market St, Fort Mill, SC 29708
Pět Piv, a beer garden outside Fish Market in Fort Mill, rotates its options and a few pickle pizzas make an appearance. Close Talker (named for a “Seinfeld” reference tied to Judge Reinhold) is slathered with garlic cream sauce and spinach, cheese and oregano, then come the pickles. It’s also got a Tailgater pizza, featuring Smoked Brisket and locally made #GBQ sauce with pickle slices, picked onions and a horseradish cream sauce drizzle.
Cost: $12
The People’s Market
Location: 1609 Elizabeth Ave, Charlotte, NC 28204
Location: 2820 Selwyn Ave, Charlotte, NC 28209
The People’s Market put out a new menu this year that includes the Tommy Pickles pizza (named after the main character on “Rugrats”). The Tommy Pickles comes with creamy Dijon ranch sauce, mozzarella, house-made pickles, pickled red onion and fresh dill.
Cost: $13.99
Pizza Inn
Location: 475 N. Generals Blvd., Lincolnton, NC 28092
Location: 127 E. Dixon Blvd., Shelby, NC 28152
Location: 1107 N. Main St., Lancaster, SC 29720
Pizza Inn’s Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza has a mustard sauce base topped with beef, bacon and onions, plus cheddar and mozzarella cheeses and pickles.
Cost: Ranges from $6.49 for an individual to $19.99 for a New York XL.
Zepeddie’s Pizzeria
Location: 4516 Nations Crossing Road, Charlotte NC 28217
Zepeddie’s bacon cheeseburger pizza offers a fresh approach to the classic pie, with special sauce, seasoned beef, bacon and American cheese, along with generous amounts of lettuce and diced tomato, onions and pickles.
Cost: $27
Editors note: A previous version of this story ran Sept. 26, 2023.
This story was originally published September 26, 2023 at 6:00 AM.
