Pistachio pizza from Inizio Pizza. Photo courtesy of Inizio

We know chefs can cook great food, but where do they eat when they’re not cooking for guests or themselves? In this series, we ask a member of the restaurant industry to share their favorite five local restaurants (not including their own) and what they order. When Legion Brewing’s chef, Gene Briggs, isn’t spending his meals at work he tries to keep his dining out casual and relaxed. ––Justin Burke-Samson

Pinky’s Westside Grill, Charlotte and Huntersville
Diner-inspired burgers and sandwiches
Brigg’s order: Ding dong burger or the double white trash burger

Brixx Wood Fired Pizza, various locations
Casual pizzas and salads
Brigg’s order: Pear chicken salad and Thai chicken pizza

Inizio Pizza, Dilworth
Neapolitan pizza made with traditional old-world technique
Brigg’s order: Either the pistachio pizza or the raffaelle pizza

Viva Chicken, various locations
A favorite among chefs for fast-casual, Peruvian-style chicken
Brigg’s Order: Whole chicken with sauces or the logo saltado

Publix, various locations
Sometimes grocery store fried chicken is the best! No judgement
Brigg’s order: Fried chicken
His pro-trip: Don’t underestimate grocery store fried chicken

More from this series

Sweet Spot Studio’s Jossie Lukacik
McNinch House’s Matthew Shepard
Stoke’s Chris Coleman
Craft Cakes Clt’s Brigitte Oger
Verdant Bread’s Tanner Fink
Wentworth & Fenn’s Samantha Allen
Bonterra’s Blake Hartwick
The Fig Tree’s Greg Zanitsch
Good Food on Montford’s Larry Schreiber
Yafo’s Shai Fargian
Zeppelin’s Vince Giancarlo
The Asbury’s Miranda Brown
Barcelona Wine Bar’s Nicolas Daniels
Heirloom’s Clark Barlowe