Is cauliflower still having a moment? It is in Charlotte-area pizzerias, anyway.
Hear us out: Pizza, but make it healthy.
Cauliflower pizza — well, cauliflower anything — is all the rage these days. It’s enjoyed by keto, gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan dieters alike. It can be helpful if you’re counting calories. And cauliflower is great for your health: Full of fiber, cancer-fighting antioxidants, vitamins and folate.
Why cauliflower? You’ve likely noticed, it’s taken over as a staple substitute. You can eat cauliflower steak, cauliflower rice, cauliflower wings and more. The trend has been here for a hot minute, too — even way back in 2019, Delish reported that cauliflower had filled the trend gap left by the 2016 wreckage of the kale trend. (Southern Living reports that kale is back for 2025, however!)
A quick google search shows food trend headlines in 2017, 2018 and 2020 highlighting cauliflower’s place at the table. In 2023, Nation’s Restaurant News reported that Buffalo cauliflower was found on 1.4 percent of restaurant menus in the United States — up 219% over the past four years. Roasted veggies, including cauliflower of course, were on trend for 2024, according to Taste.com.
Does this mean our Charlotte pizzerias serving cauliflower crusts are embracing a mainstay at this point? Let’s dig in — here are some local places you can find it in the Charlotte area:
Blaze Pizza
Location: 1750 Camden Rd, Charlotte, NC 28203
Location: 8948 J M Keynes Dr #400, Charlotte, NC 28262
Location: 8915 Christenbury Pkwy Suite 30, Concord, NC 28027
Location: 401 Cox Rd Unit 178, Gastonia, NC 28054
What: Build your own 11” pizza, then select cauliflower (gluten free, contains dairy and eggs).
Cost: $16.99
Brixx Wood Fired Pizza + Craft Bar
Location: Multiple
What: You can order any of Brixx’s pizzas on a 10” gluten-free cauliflower crust.
Cost: Add $3 to the cost of the pizza of your choice.
Carmella’s
Location: 1513 Montford Dr, Charlotte, NC 28209
Location: 8124 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28273
Location: 3150 US-21, Fort Mill, SC 29715
What: On its menu, it’s listed as a gluten free personal pizza, but it has a cauliflower crust.
Cost: $11; additional toppings are 75 cents each.
Empire Pizza
Location: Multiple
What: You can substitute any small pie with gluten-free cauliflower crust.
Cost: Small pies start at $14, and there’s no charge to switch crusts.
Geno D’s
Location: 224 E 7th St, Charlotte, NC 28202
What: 10” gluten-free cauliflower crust pizza
Cost: $13
Giovanni’s Pizza & Pasta
Location: 559 Winecoff School Rd., Concord, NC 28027
What: A personal-size pizza with cauliflower crust.
Cost: $9.99, plus $1.25 per topping.
G.O.A.T. Pizza
Location: The Village at Oakhurst, 9623 Bailey Rd Suite 100, Cornelius, NC 28031
What: Gluten-free cauliflower crust pizza with garden veggies, sun-dried tomatoes, and red and green bell peppers.
Cost: $16.50
Hawthorne’s New York Pizza and Bar
Location: Multiple
What: 10” cauliflower crust
Cost: $13.99, plus $3.99 per topping.
Inizio
Location: 2230 Park Rd #101, Charlotte, NC 28203
Location: 10620 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC 28277
Location: 816 Brayden Pkwy, Fort Mill, SC 29708
Location: 16627 Birkdale Commons Pkwy, Huntersville, NC 28078
What: You can order any of Inizio’s small pizzas (“12) on a gluten-free cauliflower crust. Of note: The crust does contain cheese.
Cost: Cauliflower crust is an additional $4; regular small pizzas begin at $12.99.
[INIZIO EXPANDS: Check out Inizio’s new sister restaurant, Finale Pizzeria.]
Jet’s Pizza
Location: 1800 Rozzelles Ferry Rd Ste 1808, Charlotte, NC 28208
Location: 2712 W Mallard Creek Church Rd, Charlotte, NC 28262
Location: 920 Park Center Dr, Matthews, NC 28105
Location: 8700 Pineville-Matthews Rd, Charlotte, NC 28226
Location: 14316 Reese Blvd, Huntersville, NC 28078
What: Jet’s Pizza’s seasoned cauliflower crust is a personal-sized pie that comes with four pieces. The best part is choosing the seasoning: butter, garlic, sesame seed, Cajun, Romano or turbo crust. Pro tip: Get the turbo crust — it’s edge-to-edge butter, garlic and Romano cheese.
Cost: Begins at $12.99. Extra toppings cost extra.
Johnny Brusco’s Pizza
Location: 9515 Riverbend Village Dr H2, Charlotte, NC 28216
Location: 9900 Poplar Tent Rd #170, Concord, NC 28027
Location: 108 Argus Ln Suite C & D, Mooresville, NC 28117
What: Johnny Brusco’s Pizza offers both a regular gluten-free pizza and a gluten-free cauliflower crust pizza. The cauliflower crust option tastes doughier than other cauliflower-crust pizzas we’ve had — you almost forget you’re eating “healthy pizza”.
Cost: The 10” pie begins at $13.79. Toppings are extra and begin at $1.99 each. Extra sauce is included, but all other extras are — well, extra.
Leo’s Italian Social
Location: 4720 Piedmont Row Dr., Charlotte, NC 28210
What: Gluten-free cauliflower crust pizza.
Cost: Add $3 to the cost of the pizza of your choice — most are $16 or $17.
Mandolino’s Artisan Pizza
Location: 208 South Main St., Davidson, NC 28036
What: Build your own 12” gluten-free cauliflower crust pizza.
Cost: $20.
Margaux’s Wine, Pizza & Market
Location: 316 Main St, Pineville, NC 28134
What: Cauliflower crust is available for any pizza upon request.
Cost: Add $2 to the cost of the pizza of your choice. (Vegan cheese is available, too.)
Slice House Pizza
Location: 101 S Old Statesville Rd, Huntersville, NC 28078
What: 10” cauliflower crust pizza.
Cost: $14, plus $1 per topping.
Tony’s Pizza
Location: 1530 Overland Park Ln #1-104, Charlotte, NC 28262
Location: 1605 Galleria Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28270
Location: 14027 Conlan Cir, Charlotte, NC 28277
Location: 9548 Mt Holly-Huntersville Rd, Huntersville, NC 28078
Location: 688 Bluefield Rd, Mooresville, NC 28117
What: 12” gluten-free cauliflower crust pizza.
Cost: $14.95
This story was originally published January 6, 2025 at 7:00 AM.
