CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - More than 150 people move to the Charlotte region every day, and new restaurants seem to be popping up on every corner.

But to truly understand the rich history of Charlotte’s food scene, you need to step back in time -- by stepping inside a restaurant that opened its doors on the west side of the city more than seven decades ago.

Open Kitchen made a name for itself by serving the first pizza in the Queen City in 1952.

“Italian was a big thing after World War II, making the Italian food, pizza, spaghetti sauces,” said Christina Skiouris, owner of Open Kitchen. “People loved it, people lined up. They would drive here from Lancaster, from Shelby, and this is, you know, pre-interstates, and line up outside to come try the pizza pie.”

Skiouris grew up in Charlotte.

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