Day 16, 2026: Grandpa Joe's Slaberia (Winston-Salem, NC)

 
exterior

DAY 16: OCTOBER 16th, 2026 

LOCATION: Grandpa Joe's Slaberia (845 S Poplar St #110, Winston-Salem, NC 27101)

GUEST(S): Jason Bohon, Robin Rothman

ORDER: 1/2 slice of Prosciutto (Burrata, Tomato, Basil), 1/2 slice of Mushroom (garlic chips, arugula, 

REVIEW: 

Factory Reset.

Housed inside a former Coca-Cola bottling factory in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Grandpa Joe’s Slaberia is part of a creative new wave of ventures finding a home in Salem Bottleworks. The spacious campus allows these neighboring businesses to feed off each other in more ways than one. Bobby Boy's Bakeshop, for instance, bakes the focaccia-style crust that Grandpa Joe’s uses as the base for the slabs they sling, while an in-house butcher shop provides top-tier sausage for the toppings. These large-yet-light, topping-centric slabs are loaded with high-quality ingredients like burrata, mortadella, Guanciale, and prosciutto di Parma both before and after the bake, making them extra filling and delicious. With options to sit inside, upstairs, or anywhere across the unique premises, Grandpa Joe’s Slaberia is new, hip, and full of potential.

PHOTOS:

cross-section of slab

underside

day 16

slice of Mushroom

slice of Prosciutto

oven

slice options

outdoor dining area

interior

building exterior

VIDEO:

coming soon

MISCELLANEOUS:

Sean Taylor, Robin Rothman, Jason Bohon

1. Robin Rothman and I left Winston-Salem today for a wedding in Asheville, North Carolina. Unfortunately, one of our bags did not leave with us. And, yes, it was our garment bag with my wedding suit and Robin's bridesmaid dress in it.  

2. Jason Bohon is heroic! He got home from work and immediately put our forgotten bag in a box and overnighted it to us in Asheville. Thank you, Jason.

Robin singing

3. Robin Rothman sang at the welcome party for Jon Bander and Shannon Krowicki's wedding weekend. She sang "Eagle When She Flys" by Dolly Partner. 

RATING:

 3.61/5

• VALUE:
   3/5


• AMBIENCE:
   3/3


• TASTE:
   7/10


• SERVICE: N/A

13/18 = .722 x 5 = 3.61

Day 15, 2026: Mission Pizza Napoletana (Winston-Salem, NC)

exterior

    

DAY 15: OCTOBER 15th, 2026 

LOCATION: Mission Pizza Napoletana (707 Trade St NW, Winston-Salem, NC 27101)

GUEST(S): Robin Rothman, Kevin Bitterman, Jason Bohon

ORDER: 1 slice of #1 (tomato, bufala mozzarella 2 ways, basil, evoo), 1 slice of #2 (tomato, soppressata, siano mozzarella, basil), 1 slice of #4 (provola, fontina, oyster mushroom, guanoiale, black pepper), 1 slice of pizzaiolo's special (tomato sauce, grape tomatoes, shaved pecorino, grated ham)

REVIEW: 

Yes, chef! 

Chef, founder, and owner Peyton Smith knows what it takes to make the most authentic version of a pizza—and he aspires to do it every single time. His standards are extremely high, and his work ethic is even higher. Smith himself makes every single pie, and everything else at Mission Pizza Napoletana has come as a direct result of that dedication.

A friendly staff beholden to Chef Peyton’s every desire and a pre-paid reservation system booked out weeks in advance have consistently established this spot as one of the top 50 pizzerias in the United States. It's hard to believe that back in 2010, Smith was baking pizzas out of a truck. Now, his wood-burning Stefano Ferrara oven churns out hand-sculpted, one-of-a-kind, perfectly charred creations crafted by the master himself.

The simple-yet-complex menu even offers a "pizzakase," where the chef serves up pizzas you didn't even know you would love. Smith's perfectionist mentality and unwavering commitment to quality are what separate his pizza from the rest. This premium pie definitely comes at a premium price, but if you're craving true Neapolitan style and don't have the time to hop on a flight to Naples, Mission Pizza Napoletana has you completely covered.

PHOTOS:

slice of #2 (tomato, soppressata, siano mozzarella, basil)

1 slice of #4 (provola, fontina, oyster mushroom, guanoiale, black pepper)

underside

1 slice of pizzaiolo's choice (tomato sauce, grape tomatoes, shaved pecorino, grated ham)

#4 (provola, fontina, oyster mushroom, guanoiale, black pepper) pie

pizzaiolo's choice pie (tomato sauce, grape tomatoes, shaved pecorino, grated ham)

Day 15

#1 (tomato, bufala mozzarella 2 ways, basil, evoo) pie

 #2 (tomato, soppressata, siano mozzarella, basil) pie

wood burning oven

menu

interior

bar

VIDEO:

coming soon

MISCELLANEOUS:

Kevin Bitterman, Jason Bohon, Robin Rothman, Sean Taylor

1. Kevin Bitterman did early voting - even though it almost made him late for pizza!

2. This was the first time we saw Jason Bohon and Kevin Bitterman since we randomly saw them at this year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival. We all brought shows there and had an amazing time.

pre-gaming at Cracker Barrel

3. Robin Rothman and I rented a car and did what we always do when we rent a car - we beelined to the nearest Cracker Barrel.

view leaving NYC from plane

4. Robin Rothman and I are in North Carolina for a wedding. I got a window seat and took a photo of us leaving NYC. I love it when my window faces the skyline.

RATING:

 4.05/5

• VALUE:
   3/5


• AMBIENCE:
   3/3


• TASTE:
   8/10


• SERVICE:
   3/3

17/21 = .810 x 5 = 4.05