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Popular North Carolina Pizza Joint Flagged For Moldy Sauce

Author Catherine Lane

A popular North Carolina pizza joint was flagged for moldy sauce by health inspectors. And that’s not all. According to our source, The Charlotte Observer, this north Charlotte pizza restaurant received a “B” grade from the Mecklenburg County Health Department. Several health violations were cited including mold in the restaurant and lack of proper refrigeration.

Little Caesars at 228 Eastway Drive was inspected on March 4 and received a grade of 82.5. Health department officials reportedly found “mold on the cheese sauce”. According to the Charlotte Observer, the North Charlotte pizza joint was pinged for a “large amount of dust buildup”. Documents say the dust was blowing directly on the pizza making station.

According to state law, permits are revoked if a restaurant receives a score of 70 or below. And Little Caesars score is well above that. The Charlotte Observer reports they reached out to the restaurant before reporting on the health score. Sadly, moldy sauce and dusty surfaces were only part of the alleged problem.

The restaurant reportedly was also in violation for food stored above the required temperature. The Charlotte Observer also reports employees were preparing food with watches on. And an old mattress and other litter was found around the dumpster area.

This Little Caesars reportedly closed voluntarily and temporarily. It will reportedly not be able to open again until the health department oks the walk in cooler at the pizza joint can hold foods at the proper temperature. This popular North Carolina pizza joint was flagged for moldy sauce as well as other violations. To learn more about this story and more, get details here from the Charlotte Observer.

Catherine Lane is the morning show co-host and midday host on Country 1037 in Charlotte, North Carolina. She has been with the station for the past 24 years and is a recipient of the Academy of Country Music Major Market Personality of the Year award. Catherine has been on air in both radio and television in the Queen City for 38 years. As a content creator for Country 1037, Catherine writes blogs on local events and restaurants. She also writes about great travel spots and out of the way places in the Carolinas. Anything outdoors, travel, food, animals or the many country artists from the Carolinas.

Locals Say This Is The Best Pizza In Charlotte North Carolina

There is NEVER a bad time for pizza. At least if we are talking great pizza. And that we are. But with tomorrow February 9th being National Pizza Day, and that huge football game coming up this weekend it is the perfect time to talk pizza. That “big game” is responsible for the largest volume of pizza delivery in a year. So you may want to see if you can preorder if that’s your plan! You probably have a favorite pizza spot. But what do the true locals say is the best pizza in Charlotte? Glad you asked.

This is so subjective because there are so many different styles of pizza from NY to thin crust, Neopolitan, deep dish, the list goes on and one. And everyone has their favorite. I have my favorite pizza in each category. And the type of pizza I’m craving can vary often. (After writing this I just want any pizza). Our friends at Nextdoor shared some research with us though on what locals say is the best pizza in Charlotte.

This list of eight different restaurants across the area is made up of local pizza places that have earned the Nextdoor Neighborhood Fave badge for seven consecutive years. So it wasn’t a fluke, these places are consistently excellent. This award is for local businesses that are voted on by neighbors who actually live in the communities.

I will say the list is heavy on New York Pizza- not a bad thing at all. In fact, I needed some new recommendations. It also includes a couple of places I love but tend to visit for dishes other than pizza! So if you’re looking for some delicious pizza (or other Italian specialties) try one of these spots. Thanks to our friends at Nextdoor for sharing this with us.

  • Mama Ricotta’s

    Location: 601 S Kings Dr AA Charlotte, NC 28204

    Mama Ricotta’s is well known in Charlotte though dare I say I thought more for their pasta than the pizza? I visit their sister restaurant Little Mama’s more often as it’s closer to me but I can say everything I have had at both spots was incredible. Perhaps I need to try the pizza which includes Build Your Own, Vegetariana, Chicken Oreganta, and more. See the full menu here.

  • Due Amici Pizza

    Location: 5346 Prosperity Church Rd Ste A, Charlotte

    I am unfamiliar with Due Amici but they claim to have the best New York Pizza in Charlotte. This is a bold claim but it seems to be backed up. I love a large slice of NY Pizza, so the next time I’m in the area, I’ll have to try this! Especailly since they sell pizza by the slice- a market that is underserved in Charlotte for sure! Full menu and info here.

  • Portofino’s Italian Restaurant

    Location: Portofino’s Park Road (5126 Park Road Charlotte); Portofino’s at the Arboretum (8128 Providence Road #100 Charlotte); Portofino’s Eastway (3124 Eastway Drive #500 Charlotte); Portofino’s Indian Land 9716 Red Stone Drive #400 Indian Land, SC)

    I’ll agree to this one. Portofino’s is one of my favorite Italian spots in Charlotte. And with four locations and it’s inclusion on this list other people feel the same. Is the pizza delicious? Yes. And if you spend any time waiting you’ll see a multitude of people getting take out pizza from here. Would I tell you to order it over some of the other dishes? Probably not unless you specifically want pizza. But you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu (which you can see here!)

  • Luigi’s Pizza

    Location: Steele Creek (13551 Steelecroft Pkwy Charlotte); Whitehall Commons (8170 S. Tryon St. Charlotte)

    Also offering NY Pizza at two locations – Steele Creek and Whitehall Commons- is Luigi’s Pizza. They don’t have much of an online presence but reviewers on sites like Yelp rave about the large slices. Another one I’ll have to add to the list to try!

  • Tony’s Pizza

    Locations: Harris (1530 Overland Park Ln, Charlotte); Galleria (1605 Galleria Blvd, Charlotte); Ballantyne (14027 Conlan Circle, Charlotte); Additional locations in Huntersville, Hickory, and Moorseville

    While I’ve never had Tony’s Pizza I ate quite a few slices of their sister restaurant Mario’s Pizza back in my YMCA pool days. Tony’s is another great option for that NY Style Pizza. You can order by the pie or by the slice. They even offer gluten-free and cauliflower crust options. See the menu here.

  • Inizio Pizza Napoletana

    Locations: Ballantyne (10620 Providence Rd. Charlotte); Dilworth (2230 Park Rd. Charlotte); Fort Mill (816 Brayden Parkway, Fort Mill); Huntersville (16627 Birkdale Commons Parkway, Huntersville)

    Inizio offers a different style of pizza than other spots on this list, but they do it exceptionally well. You’ll find thin-crust, wood-fired pizzas. This is true true Neapolitan-style pizza. That These pizzas are cooked with a “slight char and leoparding”. There are tons of options for both red sauce and alternative sauce pies including unique offerings like Vodka Pesto, Capricciosa, and Cavoletti. See the full menu here.

  • Hawthorne’s New York Pizza and Bar

    Locations: 10 area locations view them all here

    I’ve had  Hawthornes once or twice but I tend to overlook them as the location closest to me is a little off the path. But with 10 locations and inclusion on this list, they must be doing something right! They offer a variety of create-your-own pies, specialty pizzas, and other Italian classics. See the menu here.

  • Riccio’s Italian Restaurant

    Location: 9213 Baybrook Lane, Charlotte

    Riccios is a little off the beaten path, but once you’ve found it you’ll certainly be back. It’s one of my favorite spots though I order pasta more than pizza. I have good friends who ordered pizza from there so much they knew them by the phone number. So it’s fantastic as well! My recommendation though is any of the stuffed pastas like ravioli or tortilini. See the menu here.

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