Great pizza does not a great restaurant make. While most of Kensington flocks to this casual one-man, one-oven shop for its deliciously bubbly Neopolitan-esque pies, the minimal, DIY atmosphere and inconsistent wait times makes it feel more like a cafeteria than a restaurant worth crossing town for. A lone paper plate serves as the sign on the door, the walls are bare, and the soundtrack is part rumblings of a SZA song and part staff shouting to find the person who ordered the hazelnut soft serve.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

But if you treat it like a takeout only situation—and you should—you’ll be thrilled with the result. Place your order, and watch as the chef/owner tosses pepperoni and caramelized onion-loaded pies into the wood-fired oven, and adds the garlic bread crumb finishing touches on a kale caesar seconds later. The vodka-style pizza is a creamy, garlicky must-order, and the new school tomato pie is crispy, juicy, and surprisingly airy. So leave the dining-in to the roommates chugging hard seltzers or dates pouring from a box of wine. Char’s pizza tastes great even when it’s not eaten at Char. 

Food Rundown

Kale Caesar

Some restaurant salads taste like they came from a bagged kit from Acme, and others are the large, refreshing kind, topped with 24-month-aged parmesan and bread crumbs. This one is the latter. It’s not a necessity, but a solid choice if you want greens along with your pizza.

photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo

Margherita

When in doubt, go for a classic. Sure, you’ve seen a pizza with basil, marinara, tomatoes, mozzarella, and a fresh parm sprinkle at every shop with an Italian flag hanging in it. Why? Because it’s an excellent combination, as quintessential as double parking on South Broad. And this one is no exception.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

New School Tomato Pie

Unlike classic tomato pie (which they serve here, too), this one is layered with blistered Datterini tomatoes instead of marinara sauce. Along with the tomato twist, it's blanketed in an avalanche of fiore sardo cheese and breadcrumbs. The result is crispy, tangy, and bright.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Fun Guy

This combination of creamy roasted mushrooms, silky caramelized onions, and fresh chives makes us wish that one would appear just by saying “fun guy.” But as it turns out, we don’t have magical catch phrases, so we’ll just pick this one up instead.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Vodka

Creamy. Garlicky. Peppery. And rich. We’ve pretty much been reduced to blubbery wrecks after the first bite. Join the party and bring tissues.