Background:
Brixx is well-known in the Charlotte area as a dependable spot for delicious wood fired pizzas, as well as pasta, salads, and sandwiches. In addition to North Carolina, Brixx is in ten other states, including our friends right across the border, South Carolina. Brixx kindly invited us out one afternoon a couple of weeks ago for their grand opening in the new Kinglsey neighborhood in Ft. Mill. Kingsley is seriously lovely--it is owned by the Springs family and the design and architecture calls to mind the rich history of textile factories in this area, the most prominent of which was owned by the Springs family themselves. Kingsley is a mixed-use development with shopping, housing, and several restaurants. The Kingsley Brixx is a standout lunch and dinner spot in this already bustling neighborhood.
All shiny & new
Brixx recently added seven new sandwiches made on focaccia bread, the recipe for which was developed by James Beard Award winner Peter Reinhart, who is basically the supreme god of bread. Seriously, he has his own TED Talk on bread, so his expertise is definitely to be trusted. Check out everything we tried below!
Eat This:
In an effort to order outside of the box, we decided to try the Korean BBQ Meatballs for an appetizer. I truthfully did not have high expectations for these--they were Jason's idea, but they were winners! We devoured them in .25 seconds.
Korean BBQ Meatballs
House made meatballs sautéed in Korean BBQ sauce with fresh pineapple, green onions, sesame seeds, and Sriracha
Meatballs so good that Jason needed to catch his breath
Of course, we had to try one of their new sandwiches. Jason went with the muffuletta.
Brixx Muffuletta
House-made olive tapenade, shaved prosciutto, pepperoni, & fontina cheese topped with a fresh spring mix dressed with vinaigrette on fresh-baked focaccia
Fortunately, this new Brixx is super close to Jason's work, so we have both been back again already. Brixx Kingsley is quickly becoming our new favorite lunch spot in the Ft. Mill/Rock Hill area.
On one of these subsequent visits, I tried the new turkey sandwich. I had not been able to stop thinking about it after my blog buddy Stephanie (LifebyChipsAhoyt on Instagram) posted it--her picture made it look so good. And trust me--it's not just the picture. This is an amazing sandwich and now my go-to order at Brixx.
Turkey & Pecan-Cranberry Chutney
Thick carved turkey with sliced Asian pears and pecan cranberry chutney topped with honey-herb arugula on fresh-baked focaccia
The dressing on this bad boy really makes it. Some turkey sandwiches can veer into the dry territory, but this one doesn't even come close thanks to the vinaigrette and the chutney. I think next time I might even ask for extra chutney on the side, because that's just who I am. Jason has had the mozzarella sandwich a couple of times when he visited with co-workers (no picture--guess he doesn't want to get too "blogg-y" around his work buds. Rude!), and that's his new fave.
And we can't forget the pizza! Everyone knows Brixx pizza is awesome, but did you know they offer regular and whole wheat crust, and that both of these options are vegan? They also offer vegan cheese if you want to make your whole pie vegan-friendly. I am a card-holding member of Cheese Lovers Anonymous though, so I went with the classic Margherita pizza.
Margherita Pizza
Fresh, house-made mozzarella, Roma tomatoes, and fresh basil on an olive oil base
The pizza was so good! Looking at it makes me want another one right now. Very few restaurants make their mozzarella in house, so this is a truly special pizza.
Dessert:
We didn't have dessert on our visits, but by perusing their menu, I see they have a S'MORES PIZZA! I am definitely getting this on our next trip. Have any of your tried that?! If so, please leave a comment describing it in great detail. Thanks in advance.
No dessert pizza, but check out this picture of Jason SMIZING! Tyra would be so proud.
Drink:
Brixx offers 24 craft beers on tap, most of them local. They also offer 14 different varieties of wine and speciality cocktails. We didn't drink on this visit, but since this location is open until 1 am six nights of the week, this would be a great place to grab an evening adult beverage.
Atmosphere:
This location of Brixx is much more bright and open than other locations we've visited--there are lots of windows that allow natural light in the dining area. There is also an outdoor seating area that seats sixty people, and it will be amazing once fall rolls around.
It was shady under there, but since the temperature outside was approximately 200 degrees farenheit, we sat inside.
Wood Fired Hospitality:
On all of our visits, not just the one where they were expecting us, the servers and hosts/hostesses were so welcoming and friendly. The food comes out super fast, which makes this a great choice for a lunch break during the work week.
Where the magic happens
Frankie's Notes:
A comically blue Carolina sky makes your feel like maybe you are living in The Truman Show; Jason orders his tomato and mozzarella sandwiches without tomato because he is a monster; Does Tyra offer an online course in smizing? If so, I would like to enroll ASAP; Ordering meatballs always feels like a gamble, but those tasted like they were made by your Korean Nona; "Grandma's Cooking"/Asian fusion would be a great concept for a restaurant; I will be getting a s'mores pizza for a lunch dessert in the near future; Lunch dessert is a highly underrated activity that I partake in regularly.
Disclaimer: This meal was provided free of charge in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are our own, and we were not compensated for this review.