Desano Pizza Bakery is now open in Cherry

Finally.

If you drive down 3rd Street, you’ve been waiting on this one for a while. The big front patio and impressive outdoor fireplace have had people eyeing this building since 2015.

Walgreen’s opened in one unit last year, and now the pizza we’ve all been waiting for is here.

Related story: Details emerge on Midtown’s new 6,000-square-foot pizza bakery targeting a March grand opening

The counter service concept specializes in Neapolitan-style pizzas cooked in wood-fired ovens.

Charlotte is Desano’s 6th location with flagship restaurants in Los Angeles and Nashville.

When you walk in, traffic is fed straight to the front counter where you’ll order and catch all the prep action in a wide open kitchen.

Seating is a mix of long communal tables inside and some smaller, more private tables on the covered patio. Grab a seat and they’ll bring your food to you.

Prime real estate is on the patio, which opens to the restaurant with big garage doors.

The menu is simple — pizzas, calzones, salads and meatballs.

Pizzas are $10 – $15 for a small (11″) and $15 – $22.75 for a large (16″). The small is definitely a manageable size for one person. The large is huge and the photo doesn’t do it justice.

How does it compare to the existing pizza game in town?

Desano is bringing its A game. Prices are steep compared to budget pizza chains but aren’t unlike those at similar craft pizza kitchens.

The experience — from the imported ingredients and Italian-style menu to the open kitchen and communal tables — is extremely reminiscent of existing local concepts like Inizio in south Charlotte (and coming soon to Dilworth) and Alino up on Mooresville.

Charlotte will love this place.

Take a look around…

Desano Pizza Bakery is located at 1500 E. 3rd Street.