Meet the founders: Bird promises it's not gatekeeping its pizza
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510 E. 15th St. Photo: Alexis Clinton/Axios
In the tiny white pizzeria in Optimist Park, dough and kale pack the fridges.
Why it matters: Bird Pizzeria co-owners Kerrel and Nkem Thompson insist these cramped fridges and limited square footage — not some scarcity strategy — are the real reasons they can only make so many pizzas.
- "Sometimes, I just want to have a MythBusters episode so people understand," Nkem says. "We're not trying to be cute or different."
The big picture: Bird makes Charlotte feel like it's on the map. The New York Times listed it as one of "22 of the Best Pizza Places in the United States," and Barstool's Dave Portnoy once reviewed a slice, giving it his highest rating in the city.
- But it's perhaps most famous, locally, for how quickly it sells out.
State of play: Reservations open at midnight on a 60-day schedule. And that 60th day typically fills up within 24 hours. It's been that way for two years since Bird opened its 36-seat dining room in 2024.
- That's shockingly consistent in a city obsessed with what's new.
Reality check: Bird does accept walk-ins. Show up any random day. You may have to wait, but you can usually get a seat.
- That storefront's tininess is part of the charm, and the exclusivity adds to the appeal.
- But the couple says they actually want to be an accessible, neighborhood spot. Their space is just … tiny.
And they are considering expansion options, but they're waiting on the right opportunity.
- That was their approach when they found the white building in Optimist Park. Let's backtrack.
Flashback: The Thompsons came here from Chicago in 2016. It makes sense: They like pizza. They even served Forno Rosso at their wedding.
- So when they moved here — where pizza is, to some, a gap in the market — Kerrel took it upon himself to take baking seriously.
- "We're chasing nostalgia," he says.
- That turned into a short-term residency at Bond Street Wines in 2020 and giving pizzas away from his home at the peak of social distancing.
- "I would put a pizza on a bench, wave to the homies. We'd talk 15 feet away, and they'd pick up the pizza," he remembers.
The building found them. Like true Chicagoans, the two feel the architecture is part of the story (Kerrel refers to his pizza as art). But that's harder to come by in a young city like Charlotte.
- During a random conversation, someone mentioned this 125-year-old building in Optimist Park.
- At first, they weren't sure about the neighborhood, which wasn't as booming as it is now. But they drove by late one night to check it out.
- "It was beautiful, man," Kerrel remembers. "It was quiet, had a little shimmer, too … And the takeout window was there, bro. Like, how crazy is that?"
- Coast To Coast Tattoo eventually moved out of the space next door, freeing what's now Bird's dining room. That's not something they expected, either.
What's next: Demand hasn't slowed down, and Bird's space can't get any bigger. But for now, they're not rushing the next opportunity. Patience has worked out for them so far.
- In the meantime, they do have something new to share: A menu refresh this fall, with new pies and some remaining items.
If you go: The white sauce is "underrated." Pick your toppings if you're ordering takeout. Just don't go over three.
- "That's the golden rule," Kerrel says. "Go beyond that — like, I can't vouch for."
- Their kale Caesar salad went viral last year. It's so popular they hesitate to recommend it: "People now just come to the restaurant for that and don't even order pizza," Kerrel says.
- Dining in? The OG is a favorite (it will remain on the menu). Save room for dessert.