When you’re in the mood for authentic Italian food, including Brooklyn-style pizza, homemade pasta, and delectable desserts made with traditional recipes, Tony’s Pizza can’t be beat. We brought our family favorites to North Carolina in the 1980s and have been serving up top-quality dishes ever since. However, what if you’re just not in the mood for Italian food. Hey, it happens! Let’s take a look at our top restaurant picks for the best food in Charlotte, Mooresville, Huntersville and Lake Norman. We know food, and these are places our family personally enjoys.

Also, keep in mind, we have more than just Italian food so you still may want to check us out as well! However, we’re not afraid of a little competition because there truly are some fantastic places to eat in the Charlotte area.

Top Restaurants in Charlotte for Families

Here at Tony’s Pizza, we take pride in being a restaurant that the entire family can enjoy. We have a large selection for kids, daily deals on pizza and other menu items, and a selection of delicious dishes for people who have special diets, such as our gluten-free crust for pizza and entrée sized salads. Not every restaurant in Charlotte caters to a family environment, though. Few things are worse that going out to eat and finding a menu that doesn’t meet your expectations. If you’re dining out with the whole family, here are some of our favorite places to eat:

  • Midwood Smokehouse – If you’re looking for traditional North Carolina barbeque brisket, pork, and chicken, Midwood Smokehouse is our go-to recommendation. They have three locations in Charlotte.
  • Cowfish – We normally wouldn’t think of a sushi restaurant as a place to take your family, but Cowfish has a selection of kid’s bento boxes that include good rolls for beginners as well as a peanut butter and jelly roll that will make even the pickiest eaters happy! (Along with sushi, their menu also has burgers, so there really is something for everyone.)
  • Superica – When you’re in the mood for Tex-Mex, this restaurant in South End is a great choice. They have kids’ specials, as well as weekend brunch options.

If you’re looking for even more family-friendly options, some others we like include Paco’s Tacos, Pike’s Old-Fashioned Soda Shop, King’s Kitchen, and Mert’s Heart & Soul.

Best Restaurants in Charlotte for Date Night

While it’s always nice to have a list of the best restaurants to take the family, sometimes you just want to leave the kids at home with a sitter and enjoy date night with your partner or even a double date with some friends. Here at Tony’s Pizza, we’re the perfect option for a romantic Italian evening. While we have several sinfully delicious pizza options, we also have sophisticated pasta entrees such as baked ricotta cheese ravioli, chicken or eggplant parmigiana, spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce, lasagna, and baked ziti. That said, if you’re looking for good food that’s not pizza and Italian food in Charlotte, here are a few restaurants we can recommend for an adults-only date night:

  • Supperland – a southern style steakhouse with an extensive cocktail list
  • The Cellar at Duckworth’s – a romantic gastropub with a simple yet delicious menu
  • Coquette – a restaurant that will transport you to the French countryside
  • Barcelona Wine Bar – a Spanish-style tapas restaurant with a large wine list
  • L’Ostrica’s – a fine dining location with a 10-course tasting menu (make reservations!)

This article has even more romantic restaurant recommendations in Charlotte. Although some people might not realize it, Charlotte really is a city for foodies!

While we do think all of these locations are lovely, don’t forget that you can also order takeout from Tony’s Pizza to have a fun and romantic date night at home. You can order to-go to pick up on your way home or delivery through our partners such as Doordash. Wherever you live or work in Charlotte, you are never far from a Tony’s Pizza! Not only do we have locations in the Harris, Ballantyne, and Galleria neighborhoods of Charlotte, we also have additional restaurants in Moorseville, Hickory, and Huntersville. Likewise, we’re convenient to UNCC as well!

FAQs About Ordering the Best Food in Charlotte at Tony’s Pizza

When you’re hungry for pizza, Tony’s can’t be beat. What makes our pizza so special? We use fresh, high-quality ingredients and recipes straight from our family’s cookbooks. Some even date back generations, all the way to Italy! We’d love to show you what makes our food special. Come in for a bite; our wait staff would be happy to answer any questions you have about our menu. Here are a few common questions we get as a start:

What kind of pizza do you serve?

We serve authentic New York style pizza, which has a flat crust that’s perfectly crisp and chewy and tons of toppings. In addition to offering a wide selection of toppings, we also have specialty pies that are fan favorites. Not only can you order an entire pizza, but we also sell pizza by the slice, cut from our massive 24-inch pies. You won’t leave hungry when you come to Tony’s Pizza for the best food in Charlotte.

Do you have a rewards program?

Yes! You can sign up using our app or with your phone number when you sit down and eat at one of our dining rooms. With our app, you’ll earn points with every purchase. We also highly recommend following us on Facebook, where we post limited-time deals and special offers.

What are your top five Italian dishes?

It’s hard to pick just five! Our pasta dishes are extremely popular, and we especially recommend the homemade meat lasagna. If you haven’t tried our strombolis or calzones, those would be numbers two and three on the list! Our customers also love our steak/chicken hot subs. Last but not least, you have to try our limoncello mascarpone cake, which is topped with white chocolate curls. Stop by for a slice soon! We’d love to serve you.

Hungry and looking for good restaurants in Charlotte NC? We’ve got some tips to help you find one!

What Good Restaurants In Charlotte NC Have in Common

Typically, people choose restaurants based on past experience, word of mouth or recommendations from others. Most of the best restaurants in Charlotte have a few things in common. Thus, this is a great checklist to help you decide where to eat.

1. Trained and Welcoming Staff

We know, the taste of food matters. However, who is serving it matters too. Notably, we’ve all been in some trying times over the last couple of years when it comes to customer service. So, when you’re looking for good restaurants in Charlotte NC, read some reviews on service.

At Tony’s Pizza, we do our best to make sure our guests feel valued. We ALWAYS want to know if we haven’t achieved that goal for any reason. After all, YOU are why we’re here.

2. Reliably Delicious Food

Most customers have a favorite dish that keeps them coming back for more. Therefore, it’s important that the restaurant you favor follows their recipes consistently every single time. It’s disappointing when you order one thing that you love and it’s not quite up to par.

At Tony’s, we follow family recipes dating back to Calabria, Italy. Likewise, we pride ourselves on our tried and true methods for baking authentic NY-Style pizza. Consistency, texture and taste are key.

3. Simple Online Ordering

Online ordering exploded after the last couple of years. Folks have decided they like the convenience and continue to search for food they can easily order online. We keep it simple at Tony’s Pizza. You can order from our website or directly from our loyalty app.

4. Loyalty Rewards

Typically, customers like rewards. Seriously, who doesn’t like getting stuff for free? So, choose a Charlotte restaurant that gives you something back when grace them with your presence!

5. Lots of Locations

There’s no denying it. Charlotte has grown exponentially over the last couple of decades. Even if something is only 10 miles away, that doesn’t necessarily translate to a 10-minute drive. So, find a Charlotte food place that’s convenient. Especially, this is important if you decide you dig the food so you can pick up dinner or lunch whenever you wish!

Tony’s Pizza has multiple locations in the Charlotte and Hickory area:

  • 688 Bluefield Road, Mooresville
  • 1832 Catawba Valley Boulevard SE Hickory
  • 1605 Galleria Boulevard, Charlotte
  • 1530 Overland Park Lane, Charlotte (near UNCC)
  • 14027 Conlan Circle, Charlotte
  • 9458 Mt Holly-Huntersville Road, Huntersville

Come see us!

The Tony’s Pizza Difference

Now to the fun part – the actual good food in Charlotte NC. Pizza is one of the most popular takeout options (depending on who you ask chicken and Chinese sometimes top it). It’s versatile, packed with protein and delicious. At Tony’s Pizza, we have a wide variety of options including cauliflower and rice-based crusts.

Likewise, we have tons of other great food to order in Charlotte. Here’s a quick list (well, it’s actually not that quick because we have a LOT of food).

Subs:

  • Steak Sub
  • Grilled Chicken Sub
  • Chick-O-Philly Sub
  • Parmigiano Sub – sausage, eggplant, chicken or meatball

Italian Dishes

  • Lasagna
  • Baked Ziti
  • Parmigiana – chicken, eggplant or veal
  • Baked Ricotta Cheese Ravioli
  • Calzone
  • Stromboli

Salads

  • Craisin’ Cranberry & Walnut
  • Garden
  • Greek
  • Chef
  • Caesar

Appetizers

  • Garlic Knots
  • Fried Mushrooms
  • Fried Zucchini
  • Wings
  • Boneless Wings
  • Toasted Ravioli
  • Mozzarella Sticks
  • Garlic Bread
  • Garlic Cheesy Bread
  • Beer-Battered Onion Rings
  • Jalapeno Peppers
  • Fries (Seasoned or Unseasoned)
  • Meatballs
  • Italian Sausage

Kids’ Meals

  • Meatball sub with fries
  • Ham and cheese sub with fries
  • Pepperoni slice
  • Cheese sticks
  • Spaghetti
  • Ravioli
  • Chicken tenders (grilled or crispy) with fries

Desserts

  • Cannoli
  • Tiramisu
  • Cheesecake
  • Limoncello Mascarpone Cake

Plus, remember the importance of a loyalty program? We have one! Just for signing up, you get a free slice of pizza to have some good food in Charlotte NC. Moreover, you earn 1 point for every $2 you spend. Plus, you currently get a free treat during your birthday month!

Our Sister Pizza Spot

If you venture out to the Piedmont, check out our sister store – Mario’s Pizza. They have multiple convenient locations:

  • 2645 North Main Street, High Point
  • 5824 Samet Drive, High Point
  • 2205 Cloverdale Avenue, Winston Salem
  • 1066 Hanes Mall Boulevard, Winston Salem
  • 266 Harvey Street, Winston Salem
  • 4215 Wendover Avenue, Charlotte
  • 1575 New Garden Road, Charlotte
  • 3354 W. Friendly Ave Suite 412 Charlotte (Friendly Center)

Good Restaurants In Charlotte NC FAQS

If you’d like to know a little more about us, we’ve answered a few commonly asked questions.

Do You Have Daily Specials?

Absolutely! Hailing from a large Italian family, brothers Vinny, Tony, and Mario understand how expensive eating out gets. Thus, we offer specials each day. Deals include lunch and dinnertime options. Check the location nearest you for updated specials on our menu (under the “Specials” tab).

Similarly, we also have a $5 or less kids’ menu. Better ye, all kids’ meals include a drink

Can I Buy Tony’s Pizza Gift Cards?

Yes! Gift cards make great gifts for birthdays and special occasions Or, just to say, “Hey, thanks. I appreciate you”. Stop by one of our convenient locations today or purchase a gift card on our app.

Do You Offer Catering?

We offer large trays to help you celebrate any occasion. Call the store nearest you directly for large party trays or order our humungous 24-inch pizza directly from our website. So that we can properly prepare, we ask that you call 72 hours before your event to customize your order.

We hope that you’ll come see us and agree that we have good food in Charlotte NC!

Check out our other Tony’s Pizza locations in Charlotte and Hickory!

tonys pizza locations