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So, I had a Joint yesterday.
No, no, this isn't a Peggy Olson-type situation. I had "The Joint", an epic pizza slice with North Carolina pulled pork, cole slaw, and tabasco sauce. It's a perfect mix of pork and tabasco that's a little hot, but not overwhelmingly crazy.
Pepper's is a Chapel Hill staple, and has a wide variety of good pizza slices. Their selections are incredibly diverse, particularly the specials (the Hot Dog sounds particularly interesting). On top of that, it's relatively cheap considering some of the other lunch options on Franklin Street.
Generally speaking, Pepper's Pizza is a great place to sit down, have a PBR (12 oz for $1.50, pitchers for $7), and have a great slice of pizza.
It was one of my favorites for lunch while in graduate school. Went for a meal there this past summer ... new location ... funky odor in the restaurant ... pizza was okay - I make better.
I would probably agree this place has the best pizza on Franklin. It's just usually a bit more crowded to get into. So if you don't mind waiting a couple minutes, definitely check this out! If I'm just looking for a slice I'll go down to Pizza and Pasta, but if you're looking for a good pizza place for friends this place is way better.
Best pizza in CH/Carrboro probably, though i do have mad love for Amante's. Go to peppers when you need the fancy stuff; such as pineapple and jalepeño..mmmmmmmmm.
The restaurant has a good amount of seating but the place is so popular its nearly always packed. You might have to wait. I would recomment not sitting in the back part of the restaurant as it's weird and derelict.
The service can be hit or miss and parking is an issue if you drive here, but there is a pay public lot behind Pepper's off of Rosemary St. But the pizza is so good it makes up for any of these pesky issues.
I remember the first time I went to Pepper's Pizza. I was in Culbreth Middle School, and the stud I am, I was on the quiz bowl team and we had won some competition and celebrated our victory at this place called Pepper's Pizza (at the old location, though the new one is very nice but can't match the decor/memories of the old).
We ordered the supreme pizza and it was like I hadn't had pizza before that moment it was so good. I've been back numerous times since then, and while it probably will never be able to match that experience, it's been consistently good.
Good pizza, good atmosphere, and good beer as well.
For cheap, edible pizza Pepper's is your one and only option in CH.
I haven't been to the new location because it just looks too clean in there - and too well lit - but I am confident that deep down they are the same old grungy kids with attitude that they always were.
I recommend the house stromboli, if that's what they still call it. It is simple, satisfying, and delicious. Just watch out for the explosion of superheated pepperoni gas when you cut into the delicious crust!
Working just off Franklin Street, Pepper's used to be one of my regular lunch spots. And when I say regular, I mean at least twice a week. Was the pizza that good? Well, it kind of was, but more than anything it was the spirit of Pepper's that hit you when you walked in the door. The roughshod CBGB-meets-shiny diner decor, the open counter in front where you could watch the creation of your pie, the cozy booths in the back that just begged you to have a pitcher of beer, even if you were on your lunch hour.
Then, just when I stopped working in the 'Hill...they decided to move to a more "respectable" location. And, to sound like a broken record, it's just not the same. I'd still recommend Pepper's, though, to anyone who wants decent, cheap pie and a little slice of Chapel Hill on the side.
Peppers has easily the best pizza in Chapel Hill or Raleigh, and is very close to some of the best pizza I have had anywhere else for that matter. This place knows the key to amazing pizza: fresh ingredients. You can't use that canned crap so many cheap eats places pile on and expect anything redeeming to come out of it other than a greasy napkin.
I think I've tried almost everything they can possibly put on a pie here, in so many different combinations, and they all turned out spectacular...my personal favorite was the jalapeno, pineapple, ham, anchovies and olives concoction I had on my very first visit. I'm not sure if it was the sheer awe of getting a pizza that damn good in this tiny town, but nothing since has topped that one.
They also make a mean calzone, so large you need a knife and fork not to cause arthritis from holding it, and of course you can customize with all the great stuff they put in the pizza. The bar area is pretty big here too, and they seem to rotate their tap handles quite regularly. My only complaint about this place is that they aren't open all the time! I remember at least wanting to come here during the day and the doors were closed, and having to settle for something else. Nothing else tastes great when you had a craving for some Peppers.
Pepper's is very popular for basketball fans, so don't expect to find seating easily on Saturday nights. The old location was much smaller and considerably more grody, which made the Saturday night trips not very bearable.
However, every item on the menu is definitely worth the crowd.
If you're smart, though, you'll go during the week, when it's pretty chill, especially at lunch. The pizza is seriously the best I've ever had, and the decorations is really cool.
One of my favorite places in Chapel Hill.
I love pretty much everything about Pepper's. It was one of the first restaurants I ever visited on Franklin St., and I haven't found a better pizza place since.
It's hard for me to describe the decor - I would say it's vaguely punk-ish or grungey, but I've always thought the atmosphere was quite friendly.
The calzones are delicious, but I almost always order a white slice with chicken and black olives. Their menu allows for much more creativity, but it works for me.
Service is always polite, but sometimes kind of slow. The prices are probably a little higher than some of the other pizza restaurants in the area, but it's definitely worth it.
What I wouldn't give to have my very own automatic transport vehicle to travel back and forth from Pepper's Pizza to my home in Boston. Damn. I need a calzone from this place real bad.
We used to come here and harass the punk rock waiters. We were sixteen. We ate here before shows. The Get Up Kids! We poured our booze in bottles. We had no money.
Ah, time. This place has moved locales. But what about the degenerate, tattooed waitstaff, the decent food - though nothing too amazing - and stinky, punk rock aesthetic?
I love pizza, love UNC, love Franklin Street, even love crowded restaurants. This should add up to me loving Pepper's, but I simply don't. I've tried it many times, always thinking I should like it, but the love's simply not there.
I usually go for the Gloria Maria pizza, which is one of the few all-veggie selections available. I've tried a few other ones, but I've never been satisfied at Pepper's like I am after eating at other pizza places, like Amante's or Mellow Mushroom. The place is always packed, which gives the appearance of it being good, but I think that's more because it's the only real sit-down pizza parlor on Franklin Street. I'd head a few doors down to Franklin Street Pizza and Pasta instead. Pepper's doesn't even have breadsticks!
Solid pizza place. Took my kids there and ordered slices for them while I had a Salad. Salad used REAL green lettuce and after scavenging from my kids leftovers pizza was mmm mmm good.
Also, how often does one get a bill and think, "that's all?"
My understanding is that the new Pepper's location can't compare with the old one (which was smaller and just down the street). I wouldn't really know, I've only ever been to it as it currently stands (I didn't get into it until relatively late in my college career).
What they are is greasy and nasty, and in that it's great. I usually just go for a simple pepperoni rather than one of their more complicated creations, which works really well for me.
The service isn't the best, but my main complaint is inconsistency. I'll often come here and make a common order but get something of a completely different nature than I got the last time. Sometimes it's great, sometimes it's just bad, and you can never tell. It's very Forrest Gump of them, but it doesn't necessarily make for a good restaurant.
I spent many a day here avoiding the books.
Everything on the menu is good. Their gazpacho is still the best I've ever tasted.
I've only had the calzomes. They are so big they hang off the big plate on both ends. Well done, very cheesy.
Pepper's Pizza is a Chapel Hill institution. It's close proximity to UNC's campus, bargain prices, and variety in menu options makes it a very popular spot for students. It's not the best pizza to be had in the Triangle, but it certainly does the trick for lunch, a quick bite to eat before a movie at the Varsity, or a late-night snack after a full day of "studying."
I would've given it 4 stars, but the new location (several doors down from the original where Miami Subs used to be) has stripped Pepper's of much of its charm. Plus, I have terrible memories of Miami Subs.
Not sure what all of the fuss is about. I was told by many that this was an amazing pizza place, but I would say it's average at best.
I've been twice. The first time, I picked up a pizza that was sorely undercooked. The second time, I sat down with a friend and had a calzone that was pretty good. Plus, our waiter was great and the prices are fair.
Overall, not great but not bad.
I had my first Pepper's Pizza experience the other day and was duly impressed. I'm not a big pizza fan, but their careful soft-melty-cheese-to-perfectly-crispy-crust ratio (a technical term) was unbelievable.
Pepper's has long been a Chapel Hill favorite, and I wish I hadn't waited so long to stop in. They've recently moved to a new location with seating and a bar.
The restaurant has a neat decor, paying tribute to famous North Carolina musicians. They are quick to exclude all American-Idol stars, though, sorry Fantasia.
Their menu is big enough to cover all of your pizza needs, but not filled with a bunch of ridiculous items. And their offerings are truly delicious. My favorite: sun dried tomato and artichoke hearts, DELICIOUS.
i've been eating here since Pepper's first opened in Franklin St. over the years the pizza has ranged from excellent to pretty ok. the calzone on the other hand is the best i've ever had. just ate there today for the first time in several years, first time since they moved 3 doors down to this new location. had a calzone, still pretty amazing.
I'm a pizza snob (former NYer, need I say more) and am moving to the Triangle area - I was worried. Very worried. Pepper's calmed my pizza fears with two perfect slices of extra cheese and artichoke hearts - they didn't break a sweat, unknowingly minimizing my pizza neurosis.
I'll be going to Pepper's a lot. You should too.
If not for the 'too cool for you' hipster swagger of the staff this place would get five stars. The new space on Franklin street is big, modernized, and comfortable yet still retains what made the original location so great.
You can't go wrong with anything on the menu here.
My husband and I were recently in the Triangle Area, visiting family. My mom offered to watch our baby so that we could go out to dinner alone together for the first time since he was born. She suggested making a reservation at Nana's or Magnolia Grill, but I knew what I wanted to do.
So my heart stopped when we arrived at the old Pepper's location on Franklin Street and I saw an empty, abandoned store front. Putting a brave face on it, I suggested we continue our stroll, mentally revising my expectations...when, lo, we noticed the new Pepper's. It's larger, cleaner, maybe a little more institutional-looking--but they serve the same great pizza. We split a couple of slices and washed it down with some great beers, capping it all off with a stroll down Franklin Street and a cup of coffee down at Driade Caffe.
Oh, Chapel Hill, you'll always be home.
Hipster pizza place, with so-so service.
However, their pizza is worth the bad service, as their interesting slice combos are, for my money, the best in Chapel Hill. The large menu is their best feature.
Just don't bother to tip well.
I don't care if they had the best pizza ever (they don't).
Have you checked out their health scores? Not just the one that finally passes and posted on the wall. Right now they are at an 84. In June they had a C!
Go look at their history at Orange County's Health Dept website: http://www.co.orange.n... . Eat at your own risk.....
yum yum... they have really good ranch for dipping sauce.... also delicious crust, flaky and crunchy! much better than papa john's!
I haven't been to the new Pepper's location, but the last time I was in town I saw that they were in the process of relocating. I was a little upset that they didn't consult me before making their decision, but then maybe that's what I get for moving. This is still my all time favorite pizza place, ever in the whole world. Whenever I think of the perfect pizza, I will always think of Pepper's longingly, and my favorite pie, the Regular Guy.
By far the best pizza in Chapel Hill. Located right at the cross walk on Franklin St, Peppers serves up thin crust pizza with a sauce very similar to Fillini's pizza in Athens, GA. One of my fav slices there is 8,10 no 1 xta sauce. It's an odd combination, but it works. To figure out what I'm talking about you will just have to go. While you are there look on the wall in the front and you can see a picture of me with electric blue hair when I was 21 and worked there.
When I think about Chapel Hill and all the tasty, tasty food there, Pepper's is always is one of the first restaurants that comes to mind. It is definitely the best pizza joint in town. The slices are cheap and quick, and can be a filling meal if you pair it with one of their amazing salads. The calzones are quite good as well. I love that they give you plenty of healthy options - you can get your pizza on honey wheat dough and stacked with any number of veggies. All in all, it's the perfect place to grab some friends, share a pitcher and a pie, and enjoy one of the most unique places in the Triangle.
Pepper's has the best pizza on Franklin St without a doubt. Since moving into their new location about 2 years ago, they have more seating and a much cleaner feel than previously. I love plain cheese pizza, but everything here is great. They have a lot of unique options to try, so be daring and go for one of their more original combinations. I wish they were open for late-night food, that's my only real complaint about peppers. Everything else, from cleanliness, taste, price, is perfect.
I love Pepper's...even back in the old, less-than-squeaky-clean location I loved Pepper's. What the hey, they made a darn good pizza. You can be very traditional in picking out the toppings on your slice, or let Pepper's do it for you and have a melange of less-than usual flavors. I've always loved the calzones myself. I don't know too much about what the new restaurant looks like, but hope they've found an appropriate spot to display my favorite decor item, the "and on the seventh day, God created Al Green" poster. Good golly, I want one of those. It's definitely funky, it's definitely college-y, but that's why you love it.
I suggest the Chinese New Year without onions. And the Sausage Calzone. Pepper's was the place that introduced me (when I was younger) to the concept of Mozzarella Cheese on pizza. Awesome. Again, get to know the people. I agree that the service can be stand-off-ish but its more open since the move (which some people hate- but I think was great for business and Franklin Street).
Pepper's has a bit of a punk/hipster vibe but their food quality brings them away from dodgy cult college pizza dive to universally-loved college pizza staple. The pizza is the best I have found in any pizzeria despite the slow service.
Consistency has never been a problem for me and I have been going regularly for some time.
Price is very affordable, definitely my favorite lunch and quick dinner spot on Franklin.
Great pizza and calzones. A unique layout for a restaurant (entire space is literally shotgun style). Have been going there for ten years and have never had a bad meal. A Chapel Hill staple.
I love Peppers, even though the new location doesn't have the shabby cave-like starving-artist fabulousness of the original, and I appreciate the "too cool" swagger of the servers which *has* carried over from the original location. Yeah, you want to hate them, and ok, yes, you just might WILL hate some of them, but in some pseudo-masochistic way that will just make you appreciate the kitchen-centric focus of the awesome pizza, calzones, stromboli, and the eccentric and creative menu names given to each creation you will ravenously eat.
Best pizza in Chapel Hill. Try the carolina barbecue pizza with pulled pork and slaw if you are feeling adventurous. Also the gazpacho is fantastic, especially if you are recovering from a rough night out on the town.
Pepper's is probably the best pizza in Chapel Hill. It has tons of cheese and is totally delicious. They seem priced okay for their fairly large pizzas. The old Pepper's was a little bit more unique than the new one, a little bit more of a hole in the wall, but it is still nice now, just a little bit cleaner and more open. One of my favorite pizza places!
Went here a couple of times while in NC. It was the closest I could get to NY pizza and it was good.
Pesto Pizza and a PBR - I just miss the old location.
Delicious pizza, prickly servers. Best meal on Franklin St.
Chapel Hill, NC
Category: American (New)
Chapel Hill, NC
Category: Steakhouses
Chapel Hill, NC
Category: Pizza
Chapel Hill, NC
Category: Asian Fusion
Chapel Hill, NC
Category: Italian
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