This North Carolina Pizza Joint Has Been Perfecting Thin Crust From A Family Recipe Dating To 1933

Mamma mia, this recipe has been around longer than most family arguments.

Back in 1933, it started in a Harlem ice cream parlor before eventually finding a new home in North Carolina.

Nearly a century later, the thin crust is still doing the talking.

There is something wonderfully stubborn about a family recipe surviving decade after decade without needing a trendy makeover.

One bite carries more history than most pizza menus ever manage.

The best part is how casual the whole thing feels. No ceremony is required.

Just grab a slice and appreciate the fact that somebody had a very good idea in 1933 and the family wisely refused to mess with it.

Start With The Thin Crust That Traces Its Family Recipe Back To 1933

Back in 1933, a man the family still calls Great Uncle Patsy decided his Harlem ice cream parlor needed something new.

He started making pizza, and the thin crust he created became a treasure passed from one generation to the next.

Nearly a century later, the family says that same recipe remains part of the pizza-making tradition at 828.

You can taste that history at 828 Family Pizzeria, a fourth-generation family business hidden into a North Asheville strip mall. So what makes the crust special?

It is thin and crisp, yet it still has a gentle chew when you bite into it.

The family calls their method an heirloom technique, and they have guarded it carefully through the years. For your first bite, keep things simple.

Order a pie with just a few toppings so the crust can really shine.

Pay attention to the sound it makes when you fold a slice, and notice how the edge holds up without getting soggy.

Some recipes fade away over time.

This one crossed from New York to the Blue Ridge Mountains and never lost its flavor.

The restaurant sits along a busy stretch of Merrimon Avenue at 946 Merrimon Ave, Asheville, NC 28804.

Choose A Classic Pie Before Exploring The More Loaded Combinations

The Classic Cheese pizza comes in two distinct styles, giving first-time visitors an easy way to compare the restaurant’s traditional and New York approaches.

Instead of sauce spread edge to edge, the tomato sauce lands in dollops across the pie, sitting beside rounds of fresh mozzarella and a sprinkle of basil.

It looks different from what most people expect, and that is part of the fun.

The Traditional-style Classic Cheese uses fresh mozzarella, while the New York-style version uses shredded mozzarella, and the restaurant makes its tomato sauce in-house. Prefer the look of a more familiar cheese slice?

Ask for the New York style cheese pizza, which has the sauce and cheese spread in the usual way.

The White Pizza combines fresh mozzarella, ricotta, fresh basil, and chopped garlic.

Once you know the basics, the bigger pies make more sense.

The Monster combines mushrooms, onion, green pepper, pepperoni, ham, and bacon, while the New Yorker is simpler with sweet pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella, and Asiago.

Think of the classic pie like the first chapter of a good book.

It sets the stage for everything that comes after.

See Why The Crust Stays Crisp Without Losing Its Chewy Bite

Crunch first, then chew.

That is the magic combo pizza lovers chase, and it is harder to pull off than it sounds.

Too much heat makes a crust brittle, while too little leaves it floppy and pale. At 828 Family Pizzeria, the answer starts in a gas-fired oven with an open flame.

Cooks keep turning each pie as it bakes, so every side gets the same heat and a golden finish, right here at 946 Merrimon Ave, Asheville, NC 28804.

That constant turning matters more than you might guess.

Ovens often have hot spots, and a pie left in one position can burn on one edge while staying soft on the other.

Rotating it keeps the bake even from the center to the rim.

The dough itself does the rest of the work.

Since it comes from the old family recipe, it is stretched thin but not so thin that it cracks like a cracker.

The restaurant describes its finished crust as thin and crisp on the outside with toasted areas and an overall golden finish.

Want yours extra crispy?

Each pie is watched and turned during baking so the cooks can work with the hotter and cooler areas of the oven.

That hands-on method helps control the final bake.

Add A Salad Or Starter If You Want To Turn Pizza Night Into A Full Meal

Pizza night does not have to be just pizza.

With a crisp salad and a shareable starter on the table, a quick dinner turns into a real sit-down feast that everyone can enjoy.

The menu at 828 Family Pizzeria makes that easy, since the salad dressings are made in-house from fresh ingredients.

The Greek Salad combines romaine, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, Greek olives, and pepperoncini, with a choice of feta or Gorgonzola.

Greek dressing is among the available dressing choices. If your crew likes finger food, look at the appetizers.

The appetizer menu currently includes calamari, hot wings, garlic bread, and antipasto.

Order one or two for the table so everyone can nibble while the pizza bakes. Here is a helpful tip for families: starters keep hungry kids happy during the short wait.

A salad also balances out a cheesy meal, which parents tend to appreciate.

Just be careful not to fill up too fast, because the main event is still on its way.

Try A Family Favorite Before Branching Out To Something New

The menu extends well beyond pizza.

Current choices include calzones, classic and Greek stromboli, pasta dishes, hot sandwiches, and desserts.

That gives first-time visitors several ways to explore the family’s Italian-American menu.

Pasta options currently include baked ziti, lasagna, ravioli, fettuccini Alfredo, and parmigiana dishes, giving the menu several alternatives to pizza.

For dessert, a cannoli is a sweet way to finish. Once you have tried a favorite, feel free to wander.

The pesto pizza gets good buzz, and one guest enjoyed a kale pizza with Gorgonzola.

A 10-inch gluten-free crust is currently available in either rice-flour or cauliflower versions. My advice? Pick one proven winner and one wild card each visit.

That way you always leave happy, but you also discover something new to talk about on the drive home.

Watch How Generations Of Tradition Still Shape The Menu Today

Plenty of restaurants come and go, and few family recipes survive four generations.

The story here moves from a Harlem ice cream parlor in 1933 to a North Carolina pizza shop that still honors the same roots.

The Asheville chapter began in 1994, when Marco Lacagnina opened Marco’s Pizzeria and brought true New York-style pizza to town.

In 2018 the name changed to 828 Family Pizzeria because of a conflict with a chain restaurant, but the recipes stayed put at 946 Merrimon Ave, Asheville, NC 28804.

Today, Christine Lane and her sons Brian and Dominic are the current owners of 828 Family Pizzeria.

Founder Marco Lacagnina has retired after more than three decades in the Asheville restaurant business. You can see that care in small details.

The kitchen makes its tomato sauce, salad dressings, and many toppings in-house instead of opening cans.

Fresh mozzarella remains the standard, just as it has for years. Fun fact: the new name is a nod to 828, the area code for Asheville and the surrounding mountains.

It is a clever way to show local pride while keeping a New York heart.

Next time you visit, take a moment to appreciate how much history is baked into every pie.

Come Hungry Because One Slice Can Easily Turn Into Several

The thin-crust pizzas are available in several sizes, making it easy to order for one diner or a larger table.

The current menu also allows customers to build their own combinations from a long list of toppings. Resisting a second piece is tough, and a third is not out of the question.

Portions at 828 Family Pizzeria come in three sizes: individual, medium, and family. An individual pie works well for one person with a normal appetite.

A medium is great for two people sharing, especially if you add a starter.

The family size is the way to go for groups, and the staff has welcomed big parties, including sports teams. Because the crust is thin, slices feel lighter than a thick, doughy pizza.

That is exactly why they disappear so fast.

Before you know it, the tray is empty and somebody is eyeing the last piece. Planning on leftovers? Order one size bigger than you think you need.

Cold slices make a great lunch the next day, and reheating them in a hot pan brings back some of that crunch.

Know What To Order Before Your First Visit

A little planning goes a long way before your first visit.

The restaurant keeps a compact weekly schedule, so checking the day and closing time before heading over is useful.

First, check the calendar. 828 Family Pizzeria is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11:30 AM to 8:30 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 11:30 AM to 9 PM, with Sundays and Mondays closed.

Now for the order. A smart first-timer plan is a Traditional Cheese or New York style cheese pizza, a Greek Salad or calamari to share, and a cannoli for dessert.

If you are feeling bold, swap in a stromboli or the White Pizza.

The beverage menu also includes local soda, iced tea, coffee, San Pellegrino mineral water, and Coca-Cola products.

Those give visitors several nonalcoholic choices to pair with lunch or dinner.

Arrive with enough time to park and settle in before the kitchen approaches closing time.

Takeout is also easy, so calling ahead can save time on busy nights.