Charlotte's Pizza Baby Expands with Artisan Bakery and Brewery Collaborations

The locally-owned pizzeria has two locations and multiple revenue streams beyond just pizza.

Jan. 28, 2026 at 4:07pm

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Pizza Baby, an artisan bakery and restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina, has expanded to two locations and diversified its business model beyond just pizza. The locally-owned business, co-owned by Steven De Falco and Trey Wilson, focuses on using high-quality, clean-label ingredients and applying bakery processes to its pizza operation. In addition to its pizzeria, Pizza Baby also sells its breads and pastries wholesale to local restaurants and markets, sells its pizza dough, and has collaborated with a local brewery to launch a custom Italian Pilsner.

Why it matters

Pizza Baby's hybrid identity as both a pizzeria and artisan bakery, along with its multiple revenue streams, demonstrates how a local food business can thrive by innovating beyond a single product or service. Its recognition by industry publications and ability to open a second location also highlight the growing demand for high-quality, locally-sourced food in the Charlotte area.

The details

Pizza Baby operates two locations in Charlotte - Pizza Baby East and Pizza Baby West. In addition to offering 14-inch 'Americana-style' round pies and Roman-style 'slice' pizza, the menu features specialty pizzas like the spicy Lu'au with garlic cream sauce, Italian ham, jalapeño and pineapple, as well as the Tartufo with a truffle cream sauce, mushrooms, and pine nuts. The business also sells its breads and pastries wholesale, offers its pizza dough for retail sale, and has collaborated with a local brewery to create a custom Italian Pilsner.

  • Pizza Baby opened its first location in Charlotte in 2020.
  • The business was recognized by 50 Top Pizza in 2024 and 2025.
  • In late 2025, Pizza Baby launched the Pizza Baby Italian Pilsner with Asheville-based brewery Dssolvr.

The players

Steven De Falco

Co-owner of Pizza Baby, a locally-owned artisan bakery and restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Trey Wilson

Co-owner of Pizza Baby and a classically trained chef.

Pizza Baby

A locally-owned artisan bakery and restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina, with a focus on using high-quality, clean-label ingredients and applying bakery processes to its pizza operation.

Dssolvr

An Asheville-based brewery that collaborated with Pizza Baby to launch the Pizza Baby Italian Pilsner in late 2025.

Urban Gourmet Farms

A North Carolina-based supplier of mushrooms used on some of Pizza Baby's specialty pizzas.

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What they’re saying

“We love and embrace our identity as a bread-baker's pizza. Ultimately, we have formed this hybrid identity that we feel is quite unique.”

— Steven De Falco, Co-owner

“More Babies!”

— Steven De Falco, Co-owner

What’s next

Pizza Baby's owners say they are proofing concepts that would see expansion into pasta and sandwiches, with the latter currently on trial via the Pizza Baby menu.

The takeaway

Pizza Baby's success as both an artisan bakery and pizzeria, along with its diversified business model including wholesale, retail, and brewery collaborations, demonstrates how a local food business can thrive by innovating beyond a single product or service and appealing to growing consumer demand for high-quality, locally-sourced food.