I must begin by saying that I am an
Uptown resident. I live in the heart of
Charlotte’s bustling city, the perfect blend of progressive energy and Southern
charm. Ballantyne is about a 20-25
minute drive from where I am, and while I make the occasional trip out there, I
rarely find myself making that drive for dining purposes when I have a plethora
of options right at my footsteps.
That all changed after I discovered
Tony’s Big Pizza. Located in Conlan
Circle across from Ballantyne Corporate Park, Tony’s serves as the ideal lunch
spot for those who are short on time.
The employees are fast, yet pleasant.
They’re used to the rapid pace of corporate lunch hour, so they manage
to get their delicious pizzas out at a swift pace while maintaining an
agreeable atmosphere. Two slices of pepperoni
and a drink for $6 is usually the deal I go with. It’s classic, and although all their pizzas
are tasty, there’s nothing quite like a pepperoni pizza and a coke. I grew up watching Home Alone, so that may
have something to do with it.
The name is NOT a misrepresentation,
the slices are gigantic. When you get
called to the front to pick up your pizza, the slices are hovering over the
side of the pan, and the cheese, slowly oozing down your finger as you carry it
to your table. It looks like one of
those huge, delectable slices of pizza you’d see in an episode of Sex and the
City, or in the opening scene of Saturday Night Fever where John Travolta is
strutting the streets of New York, and stops to get a slice of pizza that’s so
huge, he has to fold it together so it’ll fit in his mouth.
While size is impressive here, the
real star of this enormous, mouthwatering pizza is the flavor. The pizza, at first, is too hot to handle, so
I use my fork and knife to cut into it.
As I take my first bite, a feast of flavors burst around in my
mouth. The cheese is melting before you
even get a taste of it, and the spurts of oregano combined with that salty,
cheesy goodness, and the pieces of hot pepperoni create for a most pleasurable experience. Tony’s pizzas aren’t overly saucy, but the
sauce present is robust with hints of basil and thyme that make for a
delightful and scrumptious set of flavors. The crust is soft and mild flavored,
acting as a perfect supporting character to the cheese, the sauce, and the
meat.
My dad is the world’s largest pizza
fan, and he’s also the pickiest. He’s a
proud New Yorker, and while it’s incredibly stereotypical, it’s also factual
that they know their pizza. There isn’t
a pizza joint in the entire state of North Carolina that he loves more than
Tony’s. He’s impatient and hates
traffic, but he’s willing to make that 20 minute drive at any time just for a
slice of heaven, or in this case, Tony’s pizza.
It’s addictive, and if you order an entire pie, you will finish it in a
day. I have yet to find a pizza place around here that beats it, and the fact
that it’s cheap and quick makes it even more appealing. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself in
the middle of 5:00 rush hour just to satisfy your craving for a gargantuan Tony’s
pizza.
Visit the Tony's webpage!
Visit the Tony's webpage!
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