- Attraction: Salty Caper Wood Fired Pizza
- Location: 115 S Lee St, Salisbury, NC 28144
- Industry: Pizza Restaurant
- Website: https://saltycaper.com/
Pizza dreams and craft beer lovers, prepare yourselves for something extraordinary hiding in the heart of downtown Salisbury.
Salty Caper blends traditional gourmet with a breath of fresh urban flair, serving gourmet pizzas, calzones, sgabei & beer in a relaxed atmosphere.
Owner Gian Moscardini opened this beloved local pizza joint eleven years ago, transforming a small downtown space into what many consider the best pizza in Salisbury NC.
What sets Salty Caper apart isn’t just their custom built, wood burning oven that serves as the foundation of their classic Italian, gourmet, and New York style pizzas – it’s the passionate Italian family behind it all.
Gianni Moscardini came to Salisbury in 1991 from his native Tuscany, Italy, and found a place he would call home, eventually passing the culinary torch to his son Gian, who traveled all over, sharpening his skills in restaurants from Amsterdam to Las Vegas.
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The House Specialties: You’ll discover why people drive over from Lexington just to have it when you taste their signature creations. The SC House Pie features a pesto ricotta base, mozzarella, fresh tomatoes & pine nuts – a perfect white pizza that vegetarians absolutely adore. The Lovely combines tomato sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, Italian sausage, red onion, green peppers & smoked gouda, creating a flavor profile that has customers coming back weekly.
Hawaiian Heaven: Hawaiian Pizza is always smoked to perfection in their wood-fired oven, and yes, pineapple absolutely belongs on pizza here. At just $9.50 for personal, $12 for 12″, and $18 for 16″, it’s become a customer favorite that proves controversial toppings can be done right.
Global Fusion Creations: The menu constantly evolves with weekly specialty pizzas. Their latest featured pizza, the K-Pie, starts with a rich Korean BBQ base, layered with wilted spinach, mozzarella, red bell peppers, grilled chicken, and mushrooms, finished with fresh green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. This bold fusion approach showcases how traditional Italian techniques can embrace global flavors.
Secret Menu Alert: There’s a secret list under the cash register of the specials. If you know to ask for it, it’s yours. The chicken curry pizza is a fan favorite. This insider knowledge transforms regular customers into pizza conspirators sharing the best-kept culinary secrets in town.
Beyond Pizza Magic: Sgabei ($6) are strips of dough deep fried & served hot! Get them salted with pesto and tomato sauce or dusted with powdered sugar, chocolate drizzled and a side of Nutella. Think of them as Italian answer to breadsticks, but infinitely more exciting. Fritti ($6) are mini calzones filled with a candy bar & deep fried, served dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with chocolate, with choices of Snickers, Milky Way, & Reese’s – basically childhood dreams wrapped in pizza dough.
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Cozy Urban Gastropub Feel: Salty Caper’s arrival was welcome not only for its pizza deliciousness but for its city vibe. It’s pleasantly cozy in a gastropub way. The interior perfectly balances casual dining with upscale touches, creating an environment where you can comfortably enjoy a date night or bring the whole family.
Outdoor Patio Paradise: Go on a nice weather day and sit outside on the back patio. There’s a back patio for overflow seating that provides the perfect escape from the bustling downtown energy. The patio transforms dining into an al fresco experience that feels both intimate and connected to Salisbury’s historic downtown charm.
Counter Service Charm: All ordering is done at the counter when you walk in, but don’t let the casual ordering process fool you – you still have to order at the counter but they deliver to your table. The first time I noticed they had pint glasses for the craft beer but paper plates for the pizza, I had respect for their way of living – this perfectly captures their unpretentious approach to elevated food.
Expansion Success: They’ve expanded & now have several tables plus an outdoor area. The restaurant underwent major renovations, and when evaluating the new space, Moscardini said, “It’s unbelievable how we did business before in such a small space”. The expansion means shorter waits and more comfortable seating without losing the intimate downtown vibe.
Other Considerations
Premium Pricing Worth Every Penny: Be prepared to pay a little bit more than your casual pizza place, with some pizzas reaching $23 for a delicious 16-inch “The Lovely” pizza. However, the price is great too when you consider the authentic wood-fired preparation and premium ingredients. The quality justifies the cost – this isn’t corner pizza parlor fare.
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Keep Exploring →Craft Beer Paradise: Craft Beer selection changes regularly, and is a great experience every time, with tons of beers on tap and by the bottle & the place is decorated with signs for many more. Not only do they always offer a draft list and bottle list suitable for any beer snob, but Gian is personally passionate about a great brew – the family also founded Salisbury’s only brewery, New Sarum Brewing.
Family-Friendly Flexibility: Good for kids, and the menu accommodates various dietary needs. Custom pizzas allow you to build exactly what you want, with personal ($8), 12″ ($10), and 16″ ($14) cheese bases plus extensive topping options.
Peak Times & Planning: It is very crowded on the weekends & you may have to wait a while for your pizza but it is worth it. Nothing happens fast here but the food is worth the wait. The restaurant’s popularity means patience pays off, especially during dinner rush and weekends.
Lunch Special Steal: Lunch Special $10 includes Personal Pizza, Salad, & Drink with 1 topping, small side salad with your choice of dressing, and a drink (*Until 2pm). This represents exceptional value in downtown Salisbury’s dining scene.
Salty Caper
📍 115 S Lee St, Salisbury, NC 28144
