Ultimately, I like good food, and I want to serve good food to people who want good food. If you want corporate crap, it is across the street.” “EZ”’s trademark prickly charm is part of Fat Baby’s appeal, echoing the gruff charisma of mom-and-pop pizza joint owners the world over. But don’t confuse it with rudeness. “EZ” just knows exactly what he has. “Our Py’s Pie is one of the best pepperoni pizza you can buy. Everything about it is homemade, so the flavors just pop out,” he said. When he took the reins, “EZ” ramped up the rest of the menu, adding items like baby back ribs and blackened chicken to round out the selection of pizza joint staples like pasta and subs. “Pete’s mentality was to focus on the kids. I like to focus on the families. The kids love our pizza, and they steer where the family goes. So we know the families will come, but I want to give them some more items that keep them happy.” As a pizza lover and parent, this writer knows there is one thing that will always make our particular demographic happy – good beer. And that’s one area where “EZ” has really stepped up over the last few years. “I created an entirely new beer list this past off season. We have a lot of local stuff,” he said. In addition to offerings from Hilton Head Brewing Company, Side Hustle Brewing and Southern Barrel, he’s brought in some famous Charleston breweries like Edmond’s Oast. But one brewery in particular has turned out to be the perfect complement to Fat Baby’s mouthwatering flavor. “We keep three different Lincoln & South beers on draft. Their hazy IPA has taken the island by storm. People are loving it.” Like that classic hometown pizza joint, the one that always springs to mind when we think of Friday nights out with the family, it’s a place that just feels right. It’s a place where we know that whether we go with the old standby or get adventurous with something new from the menu, it’s going to blow us away. And we know we’ll always be welcomed by the same familiar faces, some who have been part of the team for over a decade at Fat Baby’s. “We definitely keep some people. My goal is to train once and never have to rehire,” said “EZ”. “My focus has always been to make sure the people who work here are making a living. I want everyone to have the same life I have.” Taking care of employees, taking care of customers, and taking care of each dish that goes out by ensuring it’s crafted from the finest ingredients ever. You can argue all you want about New York vs. Chicago, thin crust vs. thick crust, or whether pineapple counts as a topping. But when it comes to Hilton Head Island’s favorite pizza joint, Fat Baby’s Pizza and Subs settled that debate long ago. FAT BABY’S PIZZA 1034 William Hilton Parkway (843) 842-4200 • www.fatbabyspizza.com. TASTEOFHILTONHEAD.COM
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