Undercover Diner: A Reunion with Brixx Brings Back an Old Sunday Tradition

After years of Sunday lunches at Brixx in Ballantyne, our family reconnects with a familiar favorite at Kingsley in Fort Mill.

Photos by Undercover Diner

FORT MILL, S.C. — Sometimes a restaurant becomes more than just a place to eat. It becomes part of the family routine.

From 2012 to 2017, when we lived in Ballantyne, Brixx Wood Fired Pizza was a regular stop for our family, particularly after church on Sundays. The Ballantyne location was one of those dependable places where we knew what we liked, knew what to expect and rarely had much reason to change our orders.

Fast-forward nearly a decade, and we've been reunited with Brixx.

This time, it's the Kingsley location in Fort Mill, where we've rediscovered an old Sunday lunch tradition after attending church in Lake Wylie.

And as it turns out, some habits are worth keeping.

Brixx at Kingsley offers a contemporary setting, with large windows, an inviting dining room and outdoor seating overlooking the development. It's a comfortable spot for a casual lunch, and the surrounding Kingsley area adds to the atmosphere.

Our party of three included my wife and our daughter.

For my wife and I, ordering at Brixx has always been pretty straightforward. We split a pizza and a Mediterranean salad.

It's a combination we've enjoyed for years, and there wasn't much reason to change it.

The Mediterranean Salad features chopped romaine hearts tossed with house made lemon tahini vinaigrette, Roma tomatoes, Kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, feta cheese and banana peppers.

It's a good combination, with the olives, feta and banana peppers providing plenty of flavor. The lemon tahini dressing ties everything together without overwhelming the ingredients.

We've always found it to be a good complement to pizza, particularly when we're splitting both dishes.

Over the years, our pizza choices have typically rotated among the Margherita, Rustica and Greek.

But this time, we decided to try something different.

We ordered the Mad Italian, which features arrabbiata pizza sauce, mozzarella, cup-and-char pepperoni, Brixx's signature spicy sausage, jalapeños and banana peppers.

As the menu suggests, this pizza brings some heat.

I liked it. The combination of pepperoni, sausage and peppers delivered plenty of flavor, and the wood-fired crust provided the familiar Brixx texture we've liked over the years.

Lisa, however, wasn't quite as enthusiastic.

She's never been a big fan of sausage on pizza, so the Mad Italian wasn't necessarily the best choice for her– something we should have considered before ordering.

Next time, we'll return to one of our old favorites.

Then there was our daughter.

While my wife and I occasionally venture beyond our usual selections, our daughter has been consistent in her Brixx ordering habits.

For her, it's penne pasta with Alfredo sauce.

No need to study the pizza selections or explore the rest of the menu. She knows what she wants.

The pasta arrived in a creamy Alfredo sauce, topped with grated cheese and accompanied by a piece of bread.

And once again, she really liked it.

There's something to be said for finding a favorite dish and sticking with it, particularly when the restaurant continues to deliver what you expect.

A familiar favorite in a new setting

One of the appealing things about the Kingsley location is its surroundings.

Kingsley has developed into an attractive destination in Fort Mill, with restaurants, shops, offices and outdoor gathering areas. The development's distinctive smokestack provides a recognizable landmark.

Brixx fits comfortably into that setting.

The restaurant's casual atmosphere makes it an easy choice for families, couples or groups looking for a relaxed meal without a lot of fuss.

For us, however, the attraction goes beyond the atmosphere.

It's the familiarity.

After years of visiting Brixx in Ballantyne, returning to the restaurant in Fort Mill feels a little like reconnecting with an old friend.

The location has changed, but much of what we enjoyed about the experience remains the same.

The final bite

Our latest visit to Brixx was another reminder that sometimes the restaurants we return to most often aren't necessarily the fanciest or most adventurous.

They're the ones where we feel comfortable and know we'll find something we like.

The Mediterranean salad remains a favorite, the Mad Italian delivered plenty of flavor and spice, and our daughter loves her familiar penne Alfredo.

My wife might have preferred a pizza without sausage, but that's easily remedied on our next visit.

Would we return? Absolutely.

After all, we spent years making Brixx part of our Sunday routine in Ballantyne.

Now that we're in York County, it's nice to know we can pick up right where we left off.