Pizza Baby: The Slice is Right
The new spot, which began as a pandemic stopgap, slings N.Y.-style pies in Wesley Heights
Pizza Baby was born in Charlotte, but its 18-inch New York-style pies might have you believe otherwise. Co-owners Trey Wilson and Steven De Falco took bread-making courses with pizzaiolos in Long Island and tested 29 dough recipes before they opened Pizza Baby in Wesley Heights in early September. The result is floppy slices with a thin, foldable crust topped with locally sourced tomatoes, meats, and cheeses.
Wilson is an industry veteran by Charlotte standards. He opened Customshop in Elizabeth 16 years ago and followed it with Flour Shop in 2018. Both were the type of restaurant you’d recommend to someone you want to impress with our local dining scene. Wilson’s handmade pastas and warm breads were so good, you’d dream about them weeks later.
Flour Shop survived the early months of the pandemic by offering takeout pizzas on its popular sourdough. It was the inspiration for Pizza Baby, which Wilson and De Falco opened under their joint venture, Art & Commerce Food Group. (They continue to operate Flour Shop, but Wilson sold his majority stake in Customshop in 2022.)
Don’t leave without trying: The Rosemary Pizza ($27) is an 18-inch pie topped with pistachio pesto, pecorino, shaved red onion, and hot honey.
In addition to seven signature pies, Pizza Baby serves five sandwiches, three salads, seven starters, and soft serve ice cream. The menu isn’t long or complicated because the owners know pizza, salad, and sandwiches don’t need reinvention. When ingredients are this fresh, you don’t need an elaborate presentation or garnishes you can’t pronounce. An industrial space in a trendy neighborhood with skyline views certainly helps. But the smell of their fresh bread is enough to get people in the door.
Wilson and De Falco have more plans for Art & Commerce Food Group, beginning with a second location of Pizza Baby, set to open this month in Elizabeth, next to Customshop. They’re also planning to add a stand-alone sandwich shop called Panino Bambino to their portfolio. Until then, their sandwiches will be available at both Pizza Baby locations.
The Morty Sandwich, with mortadella, burrata, and pistachio pesto.
The dining room at Pizza Baby West has a mix of tables and banquette seating, plus a 10-seat bar and an open kitchen where you can see the pizza-makers at work. Outside, they’ve got patio seating and a turf-covered area where kids can run around and parents can park their strollers and have a beverage.
If you love a fresh, not-too-sweet cocktail, try the Lemon-Thyme Spritz ($12), with Tito’s vodka, lemon-thyme syrup, prosecco, and soda. For something a little sweeter, order the El Diablo ($14), with El Jimador Blanco, Chambord raspberry liqueur, ginger beer, and jalapeño-agave syrup, which gives a hint of spice. The drink menu also features a variety of red, white, and sparkling wines; amaros; and local and domestic beers.
Starters include Burrata ($16), with pistachio pesto, Sicilian olive oil, and sea salt; and Meatballs ($16), with Joyce Farms pork and beef, filone (an Italian sourdough), and Parmesan. If you must have greens, the Little Gem ($12) and Arugula ($10) salads are fine choices.
Starters include Burrata, with pistachio pesto, Sicilian olive oil, and sea salt.
It’s completely acceptable to skip straight to the pizza, though. This is why you came. Each feeds three or four, but don’t let that stop you from ordering more than one and bringing the leftovers home. The crust is evenly browned, with a few charred bubbles and a bread-like texture that gives it a distinctive chew. The Mother ($22) is a classic cheese with red sauce; think of it as a blank canvas and add toppings like pepperoni, fennel sausage, soppressata, or roasted mushrooms ($4 each). The Starsky ($28), topped with pepperoni, sausage, Calabrian chiles, oregano, and mozzarella, is hearty but not too heavy, with an impeccable crust-to-sauce ratio.
If you prefer a white sauce, go for the Blanco ($26), with roasted garlic crema and sausage. The Rosemary ($27) is the most complex of the ’zas, with pistachio pesto, pecorino, shaved red onion, and hot honey. A swirl of pesto gives it a salty, herby flavor, and the drizzle of honey adds some sweet heat to the savory base. Order extra pesto or roasted pepper dipping sauce for that crust—it’s too good to leave behind.
Soft serve ($3) comes in three flavors: chocolate, vanilla, and swirl. You can also make it “adult” and add a shot of amaro. You’ll probably need a box for the pizza you didn’t finish, but it makes a delightful breakfast—or a late-night snack if you can’t wait till morning.
TAYLOR BOWLER is the lifestyle editor.
