The 20 best pizza places around Charlotte in 2026, ranked
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Best pizzerias in Charlotte
We rank the 20 best pizzerias in Charlotte, where the pizza scene is better than ever.
If you’ve ever been part of a foodie Facebook group or Reddit conversation, you’re familiar with some version of the following:
Person: I’m looking for some good (insert food item here) in Charlotte like I had back home. Suggestions?
At least three people: You won’t find it here. It’s a wasteland.
That’s no longer true in Charlotte — 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’ve brought a diversity of styles and an attentiveness to elevated ingredients and approaches. No, Charlotte doesn’t have its own identifiable pizza, but our pizza places are getting national and international recognition. We’re becoming a very good pizza town.
So today, we bring you CharlotteFive’s Top 20 pizza rankings. You’ll find these restaurants and slice joints across the Charlotte area, and each is worth a drive or a detour.
A few notes before we begin:
- This list does not include every great pizza place in Charlotte. We’ll also have an honorable mentions list of spots that were Top 20 contenders, and more contenders are expected to arrive soon. We’ll update the list as we go.
- Pizza places were judged mostly by how they do the basics — a cheese pizza or pizza with a topping or two. We’re not anti-toppings, however, and we appreciate restaurants that offer fun and diverse pizza choices. In fact, we’re also putting together a list of our favorite specialty pizzas in Charlotte, and we’d love your nominations.
- For these rankings, we also consulted with other pizza lovers, including those who joined me for a fun pizza roundtable recently in Charlotte.
As for my pizza cred: I’ve lived in Connecticut and enjoyed New Haven pizza. I’ve stood in rainy lines for a NYC pizza slice, and I’ve 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!).
No. 20: Bisonte
Buffalo style pizza comes at you hard. It’s doughier, not just thicker, and its sauce is strikingly sweet. It doesn’t really grow on you; you have to like it to like it. But the pizzeria voted best in Charlotte by CharlotteFive readers 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’re only in for one attempt, go for the abundant, well-crisped pepperoni.
Locations in Charlotte and Matthews | bisontepizzaco.com
No. 19: Zämbies Pizza
We weren’t sure about Zämbies at first. The huge slices are not one-size-fits-all, and when you’re of a certain age, you don’t want your portions screaming “huge” at you. The vibe — from dining space to website to packaging — feels more attentive to branding than pizza. But the slices are authentically tasty with a bright, clean sauce. The crew is genuinely nice. As for the portion? Cut it in half. Share it with a fellow geezer. You’ll both be happy and full.
3204, North Davidson St., Charlotte | theshopzambies.com
No. 18: Alino
Alino Pizzeria, which opened inside Mooresville’s Merino Mill in 2015, is one of North Carolina’s 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’s excellent, but be warned: it’s also expensive at $25-plus for a 16-inch basic Margherita and $30-plus for most other offerings.
500 S. Main St., #401, Mooresville | alinopizzeria.com
No. 17: Lorenzo’s
Lorenzo’s, 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’s the kind of pizza you bring home to meet the parents.
16721 Orchard Stone Run Suite 120, Charlotte | lorenzos-pizzeria.com
No. 16: Emmy Squared
It’s not difficult to find a thick-crusted pizza in Charlotte, but true Detroit style is harder to come by. For the uninitiated, it’s 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’ll find in Detroit, but it nails the crispy outside/fluffy inside dynamic. It’s on the pricier side of pizza, but definitely worth the treat.
Two Charlotte locations: 1932 Hawkins St.; 1508 Central Ave. | emmysquaredpizza.com
No. 15: Sal’s Pizza Factory
If Charlotte had a pizza style, it would be something like what you get from Sal’s: 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’t artisan, but it is very good in a comfort food kind of way. Nostalgia is a topping, too, and it’s abundant here.
3723 Monroe Rd, Charlotte | salspizzafactorync.com
No. 14: Emilio’s Pizza Kitchen
Emilio’s 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’s not NY style pizza. Fair enough. It’s just good pizza.
5527 Arden Mill Dr #101, Fort Mill | emiliospizzakitchen.com
No. 13: Salud Cerveceria
Let’s break our Pizza Ranking rules. Salud is a brewery, and its cheese and pepperoni pizzas are merely very good. But the specialty pizzas at this James Beard semifinalist — 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 jalapeño, cotija cheese, cilantro, tajin, and lime. You can spend hours eating through this menu, and you’d do so in the vibiest pizza spot in Charlotte.
3306 N. Davidson St., Charlotte | saludcerveceria.com
No. 12: Luigi’s
Locals swear that this Steele Creek pizza joint has the best NY style in Charlotte. It’s 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.
8170 S. Tryon St., Charlotte | luigispizzawhitehall.com
No. 11: Stagioni
One of Charlotte’s best Italian restaurants makes this list. Your pizza choices are limited — just six regulars on the menu — and at 8 to 10 inches you’ll 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’s reminiscent of a Florence favorite.
715 Providence Rd., Charlotte | stagioniclt.com
No. 10: Fat Guy New York Style Pizza
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’s the closest we’ve had to our favorite New York City slices.
610 Jetton St, Davidson | fatguynewyorkstylepizza.com
No. 9: Gravity Sourdough Pizza
This one is for the crust people. Gravity’s 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’s almost enough adventure to make you forget you’re eating one of the very best crusts in Charlotte.
1824 Statesville Ave Ste. 101, Charlotte | gravitypizza.com
No. 8: Due Amici
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’s not rude but not exactly warm. That’s OK — you’re there for the slick, abundant cheese and sturdy, flavorful crust. Also: Don’t sleep on the Sicilian slices.
5346 Docia Crossing Rd Suite 5346C, Charlotte | dueamicipizza.com
No. 7: Siano’s
Siano’s arrived in spring 2025 in a nondescript Waxhaw location and immediately found some pizza nerd buzz. There’s 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 — thinner than NY style but not quite New Haven. Decide for yourself, because it’s worth the drive.
5305 Waxhaw-Marvin Rd, Waxhaw | sianospizzapasta.com
No. 6: Geno D’s
Heralded Charlotte chef Sam Hart calls Geno D’s “the place I can easily recommend to every single resident and tourist of the Queen City.” Game recognizes Game. Father and daughter owners Geno and Gena DiPaolo, who moved to Charlotte from Toms River, NJ, call this “Jersey shore” pizza. More, from Hart: “Geno has perfected the thin semolina crust to such a degree that I start there and finish on the San Marzano tomatoes. I’m unsure of the oven they use, but it has been sprinkled with fairy dust.” What he said.
224 E 7th St, Charlotte | genods.com
No. 5: Pizza Baby
Pizza Baby’s 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 “Americana”). 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’s 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’s an uncommon style for Charlotte, and a must-try for the pizza curious.
Two Charlotte locations: 1601 Elizabeth Ave.; 2135 Thrift Rd., Ste. 101 | eatpizzababy.com
No. 4: Inizio
It’s 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’s not only demonstrated that Charlotte had a legit appetite for high-end pizza; it still delivers that excellence, every time.
Locations in Charlotte, Huntersville and Fort Mill, SC | iniziopizza.com
No. 3: Zepeddie’s
We never went to the original Zepeddie’s, a popular 1990s hangout off Woodlawn, but we can’t 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 for the intel.) It comes out well-done but puffy, with a brush of oil for depth. Don’t miss the focaccia square slices, especially the Traditionale with fresh mozzarella and basil. It’s elevated pizza in a neighborhood joint.
4516 Nations Crossing Rd, Charlotte | zeppedies.com
No. 2: Finale
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’s becoming one of North Carolina’s very best NY-style joints.
15025 Lancaster Hwy D3, Charlotte | finalepizza.com
No. 1: Bird
Let’s get a couple of things out of the way about Charlotte’s most polarizing pizza place:
Yes, you should make reservations for dine-in, and it can be a tough table to snag (unless you’re 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.
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.
510 E 15th St Ste A, Charlotte | birdpizzeria.com
