Food creates a bond that brings people together. Family, friends, even strangers come together and share meal…and much more. We join in friendship, fellowship, and, sometimes just a fascination over a menu or dish. Perhaps no food reflects the power of gathering more than pizza. From sleepovers, to office parties, post little league games to simply takeout after a long week, pizza is the perfect meal to share…. and, often fight over the last slice.

Furthering this communal nature of pizza, pizzerias are more like visiting someone’s kitchen than restaurant. Greeted like family, able to watch YOUR pizza being made: the dough being tossed, sauce being spread, toppings distributed, then anxiously waiting for it to come out of the oven. Pizza – the ultimate comfort food is an experience as much as it is a meal.

In the North Carolina neighborhood of Wilton, the pizza is best experienced at the Wilton Pizzeria. Owned by Travis and Colleen Beesley the restaurant mirrors the community: friendly, approachable, and better than you’d expect.

The Beesley’s have been in business since 2015, but the "pizza roots" go deeper. "I worked in a Pizza Hut growing up," explains Travis, "so I knew the industry." What he brings to the table that the chains can’t is a focus on local and fresh. "we make the pizza from scratch and use local farm products as much as possible." This commitment extends to the well-known salads they serve as well. The approach leads to better quality, and, again, reflects the close-knit community.

"Like most pizza joints, we have families that come in on a weekly basis. We’re neighbors, friends, we know each other" (the Beesley’s daughter is often answering the phone), says Travis. Despite the "local" flavor (or maybe because if it), patrons come from throughout the region to get their pizza fix. Wake Forest and Oxford are especially fond of Wilton Pizza.

So how does one go from making and delivering pizzas as a teen to owning your own shop? If you had to guess you probably wouldn’t include a career in construction sales, but that’s where Travis found himself.

He and Colleen moved to Wilton 14 years ago from North Raleigh. "Why Wilton? More space, more affordable, great parks and schools, yet still easy to get to work back in the Triangle," explains Travis. Then, after experiencing and surviving the downturn and stress of the 2009 construction crash, he started to consider something more. After months of driving past an empty building that once housed the former Wilton Pizzeria (and for 70 years the Wilton Grocery), he told Colleen, "I’m going to open that pizzeria back up!" Instead of having him committed, she contacted the owner and got a commitment to see the building. The rest as they say is history.

Today, they focus on take-out and delivery of fresh made pizzas, salads and amazing wings. When restrictions will allow, the takeout and delivery business will be complemented by sit-down service and cold beers (the perfect companion for a pizza).

So come join the Beesley’s in Wilton. The pizza is great. The beer is cold, and the atmosphere and friendship is typical Wilton and Uniquely Carolina.

Wilton Pizzeria is located at 3596 NC Highway 56 Creedmoor. You can call them at (919) 529-2299. And you can visit them online at www.wiltonpizzeria.com/