PIZZA, COMMUNITY & A WILMINGTON INSTITUTION
Updated: 3 days ago
Some restaurants are built around a signature dish. Others become part of the fabric of a community. At Benny’s Big Time Pizzeria, pizza is at the heart of both. The Wilmington favorite was born from Ben Knight’s love of pizza and a nostalgia for the Italian-American restaurants he grew up with in Chicago—places where pizza was part of everyday life, family dinners were a weekly tradition, and the table was always a place to gather. Inspired by the energy of New York’s pizzerias and his experience creating community-driven restaurants in Kinston, Knight wanted to bring something different to Eastern North Carolina: a restaurant that could feel special enough for a celebration, yet familiar enough to become part of the weekly routine.
The name itself is a nod to Benny’s founders, combining Knight’s nickname, “Benny,” with Vivian Howard’s “Big Time.” Together, they created a restaurant that has grown into much more than a place to grab a slice. With wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas, Grandma-style pies, classic favorites and a menu that extends well beyond pizza, Benny’s has built a loyal following by putting care into every detail—and creating a space where people want to linger. With October marking National Pizza Month, we spoke with owner Ben Knight about the inspiration behind Benny’s, the art of great pizza, and why the best restaurants are the ones that become part of people’s lives.
What inspired the creation of Benny’s Big Time Pizzeria, and what did you want Benny’s to bring to Wilmington’s food scene that was different?
Benny’s was inspired by my love of pizza and my nostalgia for an Italian-American restaurant like I grew up eating at in Chicago. Pizza was a celebration food, an everyday food, and always around the house. It was mostly delivery, but on a rare occasion, a night out. Italian food was a weekly family excursion, with a few local spots that we frequented consistently. It wasn’t until I moved to New York that I experienced great pizza in a dining room with energy, great cocktails and more offerings like fresh pasta and fun appetizers. After opening Chef & The Farmer and Boiler Room Oyster Bar in Kinston, I grew to appreciate restaurants that brought community to the table—places that would stand the test of time, become community institutions and outlast the founder. Those are the places that become the fabric of the community, where parents bring their kids and the kids, in return, bring their own when they come of age. I felt like Eastern NC in general needed more of these places—especially ones that were not BBQ. So Benny’s was born out of this inspiration.
For readers who may not know the story behind Benny’s, who are the people behind the pizzeria, and what brought you to Wilmington?
Benny’s Big Time, the name itself, is a perfect combination and tribute to the founders: Ben Knight—“Benny”—and Vivian Howard—“Big Time.” We combined our nicknames, mine from my friends and Vivian’s from her dad, who has a nickname for everyone.
We had decided to expand and open a third restaurant outside of Kinston and felt like it was true to our mission to keep it in ENC. Wilmington seemed like the obvious choice—a place we love to spend time, a growing food scene and population, and a ton of tourists, which we drew from the popularity of A Chef’s Life on PBS.
What makes a great Benny’s pizza?
A great Benny’s Neapolitan pizza, as we say in the building, has leopard spots on the crust, a good amount of char, and is fresh out of the wood-burning oven.
Our sauce is a combination of two varieties of tomatoes—one sweet and one for acidity—making it super delicious. We source and use great ingredients, particularly from Feast Down East and Old Heritage Farms.
Benny’s has developed a reputation for being as much about the experience as the food. How would you describe the community you’ve built around the restaurant?
I think a true testament to the quality and consistency we work towards is that our staff and former staff eat in the restaurant on their days off all the time. That really speaks to the community we have developed over the years. 2027 will be our 10th year, and we have lots of folks who still come in regularly from the first days of opening. That is the thing with great pizza—it has a uniqueness about it that creates community and family. We eat it every day AND on special occasions like our birthdays and anniversaries. What Benny’s attempts to provide is a place that feels both special and familiar. I think the vision has always been to be something greater than just a place to grab a pizza, but at the same time, a great place to come often.
If you could only order three things at Benny’s for a first-time visitor, what would you choose?
Everyone coming to Benny’s should order as much as they can stomach. I always say a great restaurant should be great throughout the menu, and what separates the good ones from the rest is thoughtfulness and care in every detail. We don’t always get it right, but you can tell when thought and care have been put into the concept of a dish, even when the execution is off. That said, if you do come to Benny’s, what you will notice is that there are an awful lot of these fan favorites going out to the tables around you: Mozz Balls, Benny’s Chicken Parm, House Salads—the best—and, of course, the Tony Pepperoni. But, on your second visit, be sure to get a Grandma-style sheet-pan pizza—my favorite—and a Benny’s Caesar, not your traditional Caesar.
October is National Pizza Month. Is there anything you’d especially like our readers to know about Benny’s Big Time Pizzeria, your pizza, or what makes Benny’s special?
Benny’s makes great pizza. I don’t care about being the best; I care about making it the best we can.We make great Neapolitan wood-fired pizza, amazing Grandma-style pizza, Tuesday’s Tavern Style, Wednesday’s classic NY Style, and always a Gluten-Free Detroit-style pizza that many people who are not gluten-free order—including my son.
Come try them all!
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