Enjoy A Slice Of Heaven, Now Being Served At Cesario’s Pizzeria

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Local restaurant entrepreneur Charlie Eich is a self-taught chef who spent most of his childhood cooking with family and helping his dad run the kitchen at the VFW he owned in Libertyville, Il.

“I’ve always enjoyed cooking, and I like eating,” he said.

Eich is currently the successful owner of not one but two restaurants.

He was already well-known as the owner of Cheeburger Cheeburger in downtown Chattanooga. One day, however, his dreams literally came crashing down. The building collapsed. Fortunately, the restaurant was closed, and no one was injured, but it shattered the Eich family’s dream.

Not knowing what the future held, he set out on for a long ride on his motorcycle.

I was trying to clear my head,” he said. “Trying to figure out what we were going to do with our lives.”

As he enjoyed the views of the Tennessee River while traveling along Suck Creek Road, he saw it.

“I saw a for lease or for rent sign in front of that building,” he said. That building would soon become River Drifters Chattanooga, his wildly popular bar and grill, opened in 2018.

With a pub style menu, his well-known burgers, and his many loyal followers, River Drifters draws a steady stream of folks looking to dine on classic American food.

But Eich wanted to add something different to his repertoire. He wanted to honor his Italian heritage and bring him full circle back to where he got started and how he met his wife, Renee.

“My wife and I met in the pizza business a long time ago,” he said, adding they’ve been married for 27 years now. “It is something that I’ve always wanted to do.”

While working at River Drifters, Eich met a gentleman who would help him make his new dream a reality.

“A friend of mine owned the property,” he said about the parcel of land off McFarland Ave., in Rossville, Ga. “He was building a house on Suck Creek Road and became a regular customer at River drifters. He and I got together and started talking about this property and what we could do with cargo containers and the rest is history,” he said.

Soon the plans were in place. Fast forward to now and his newest venture, Cesario’s Pizzeria is fourth months old and thriving.

The steel cargo containers provide a modern industrial appearance from the outside. Inside the darkly painted walls are contrasted by large windows, wood finishes and an open space. Guests have a partial view of the pizza oven and prep area. Opposite the oven is a full-liquor bar with counter seating. There is an outdoor patio dining area as well.

Cesario is a family name.

That’s my mother’s maiden name,” he said. “My grandfather was Pasquale Cesario. He immigrated to America in 1912 on a ship called The America. The America delivered him to Ellis Island where he began his journey as a proud American. Cesario’s Pizzeria is an homage to my grandpa, my Nana, my mother, and all the Cesario’s in our family.”

Eich said the business has been doing great. No doubt, considering he spent two years creating and perfecting the menu for his newest endeavor.

Looking to ensure a perfect and consistent pizza, he invested a lot of money on his oven made from Italian stones and brick.

“I could have bought three wood fire ovens for what I paid for that,” he said. “But it is an electric oven so I can cook precisely at the specific temperature and get a very consistent product.”

His pizza is just as unique.

“It’s our own thing,” he said. “It’s not New York style. It’s not Chicago style. It’s not Neapolitan style. We wanted something that was different. I wanted a soft crust with a little crunch on the bottom and some flavor, but I didn’t want it to be too heavy. A lot of chain places, when you eat the pizza, you’re like full, full.  I wanted a pizza that was light and digestible. I didn’t want to try and be the best in a category, I wanted to be the only one in the category. I think we’ve created something here that is a little bit more unique. So far, so good. The reviews have been great.”

The menu offers a vast selection of specially designed pizzas, all his own creation, made with either Nana’s roasted red sauce, white pizza, or basil pesto. Cesario’s also serves bruschetta, antipasti, insalata, pasta padella, calzone, sandwiches and dolce options. Nana’s famous meatballs are offered as an antipasto but are also on his new lunch menu, served with Fettuccini with Nana’s roasted red sauce. Eich is constantly experimenting so customers may find a new special of the day or week at any time. So, be sure to ask. The outdoor patio has TVs to watch the games. Occasionally the patio also features live music by local artists.

Cesario’s Pizzeria