Tennessee is a hotspot of Southern food, whether you’re looking for Memphis barbecue or Nashville hot chicken. As the birthplace of MoonPies, my hometown, Chattanooga, is no exception. The culinary scene there has continued to grow since I moved to Alabama over a decade ago, but there’s one spot that hasn’t changed a bit—and it’s become a mainstay in my family. 

Lupi’s Pizza Pies opened in downtown Chattanooga in 1996 and has been churning out made-to-order New York-style pizza and calzones ever since. Their self-described “farm-to-pizza” offerings feature ingredients sourced from local farms and businesses, including their very own Flying Turtle Farm. Not only does that mean you get quality fresh ingredients, but this also allows Lupi’s to cut down on food waste (kitchen scraps are sent to the farm to feed the pigs).

My Family’s Incurable Craving

My dad has worked within walking distance of the pizzeria since its inception. While my dad is an excellent cook, his lunches usually focus on sustenance rather than enjoyment. But every Friday, for the last 28 years, he has treated himself to a slice. 

Of course, he’s found more excuses to hit up Lupi’s than just his Friday tradition. Maybe he needs to do a quick confab with a client out of the office on a Thursday. Maybe he’ll just get a salad instead. But the wildcard my dad wasn’t expecting? My husband, Cameron, may be an even bigger fan of this regional pizza chain than he is. It’s gotten to the point where my parents have stopped asking what we want to do for dinner when we’re in town. I think Cameron views any visit to Chattanooga without a trip to Lupi’s to be nothing short of a tragedy.

What Makes It So Good?

Each pizza or calzone starts with either a homemade whole wheat or traditional dough base. Then you can choose from over 30 toppings to make each meal your own. For our opinionated crew of eaters, it’s such a nice option for everyone to customize their own slice rather than fight over how to dole out our preferred toppings. 

My dad, ever the creature of habit, sticks to either artichoke hearts and pesto (don’t knock it till you try it) or roasted red peppers with bleu cheese or sun-dried tomatoes. Cameron usually likes to get Beyond Beef with a mix of peppers and onions. My most recent combination was corn, zucchini, and pesto, but one of my go-tos is the Veggie Lasagna. Honestly, you can’t go wrong. 

It’s not just that the food is good—the atmosphere is unmatched too. The interiors resemble that of a tipped-over crayon box, with bright purple walls, vinyl booths and pendant lamps in bold colors, and funky art sprinkled throughout. Otherworldly papier-mâché trees branch out from the middle of the restaurant, their limbs wrapped in moody string lights. Not to mention, there’s a good dose of nostalgia thanks to a couple of pinball machines as well as an old-school Zoltar fortune-telling machine.

Closer to our house, the East Brainerd location has a lot of the same decor but still manages to have a personality all its own. In addition to a few arcade games, one section has a metal-coated wall that sports a selection of magnets, perfect for keeping little hands busy. It’s everything you want in a cozy neighborhood pizzeria. The booths are a bit more worn in, and the lights are a little brighter, but you know you’ll get the same delicious food in either spot.

Pizza With Staying Power

My dad has very few favorite things, and when he finds one, he doesn’t let it go. If something has his seal of approval, you know that it’s quality. My husband, on the other hand, is a fan of so many things, but few of them hold his loyalty in such a vice grip. Lupi’s has won both of them over (along with a host of Chattanoogans), and it’s one of the easy dinners my family never has to fight about—especially if we plan ahead and pick up a take-and-bake pie.

Besides the flagship, there are four other locations (East Brainerd, Ootlewah, Collegedale, and Cleveland), but I highly recommend going to the downtown spot for the atmosphere alone. And you can bet, if you go on a Friday afternoon, my dad will be there enjoying his favorite weekday tradition.