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"Founded by Chip Myles as an “adult pizza” designed to be the centerpiece of a date night, this family-run pizzeria grew from a recipe he made for his pregnant wife into a decades-long local institution. The pies stand out for their technique: crusts are cooked on a screen then finished directly to crisp the bottom, toppings are placed raw and buried under a small mountain of cheese that melts into a crispy, flavor-sealing top, and the in-house sauce is made weekly from a secret spice blend and lightly aged for depth. Portions are substantial—each pizza is intended as a full meal (the 16-inch Lovers can weigh about 10 pounds)—though the menu also includes some non-pizza items. When the original restaurant closed after 40 years, the community’s response was overwhelming—block-long lines and overloaded phone lines—which helped convince the family to reopen in Greenville, South Carolina in December 2019 as a neighborhood destination. Strong local support, a loyal national fanbase, and a shipping program that freezes pies for 48 hours then overnight-delivers them in thermal containers helped the business survive pandemic challenges." - Sam Slaughter