Pizza a Modo Mio heads back to where it all began

On one of the Charleston area’s fastest-growing stretches, a neighborhood pizza story is coming full circle.

Pizza a Modo Mio is opening its third local location next month at 1937 Clements Ferry Road, adding another chapter to a business that began as a food truck and grew into a brick-and-mortar favorite. The new shop follows the original West Ashley opening in 2023 and a Hollywood location added the following year.

For owner Mike Pitera, the Clements Ferry Road address is more than just another expansion — it’s personal.

Pitera moved to Charleston in 2021 and, with help from his father and now-wife, built a food truck serving New York-style pizza. What started as a side hustle quickly found an audience — especially among residents living near Clements Ferry Road, where Pitera himself lived at the time.

That early support stuck with him.

“I started my food truck right down the road from here,” Pitera said, according to Post & Courier. “We have a very strong connection with this area.”

When the space formerly occupied by Zavarella’s Pizza became available, Pitera jumped at the chance to return to the neighborhood that helped launch his business.

Like the Hollywood location, the new Clements Ferry Road shop will follow an all-day service model — one designed for commuters, families, and the growing population pushing north from Daniel Island.

Mornings will start with coffee, breakfast sandwiches, and bagels sourced from a New York City bakery. At 11 a.m., the shop flips the switch to full pizzeria mode, offering seven distinct styles of pizza:

It’s a broad lineup, but one that Pitera says reflects how people actually eat throughout the day.

“Pizza and bagels pair really well together,” Pitera said, per Post & Courier. “It’s working really well for us in Hollywood.”

As development continues along Clements Ferry Road, Pitera sees the location as a natural stop for those commuting between Mount Pleasant, Daniel Island, and the peninsula. The idea is simple: make Pizza a Modo Mio a reliable, all-day option in a corridor that doesn’t slow down.

The new location is targeting a mid-February opening. More information can be found at modomiopizza.com.

For Pizza a Modo Mio, the expansion isn’t just about adding another pin to the map. It’s about returning to familiar ground — and serving the same community that helped turn a food truck dream into a growing Charleston brand.

This is a summary of an article published in the Post & Courier. Click here if you’d like to read that article.