As of March 2026, Lupi’s Pizza Pies has been serving high-quality, authentic, hand-tossed New York-style pizza for over three decades at their downtown Chattanooga location.
While they have five stores spanning the greater Chattanooga area, the downtown location opened in 1996 and has become a bedrock of the community since then.
A true hometown favorite and staple in the Scenic City, Lupi's has grown into more than just an amazing pizza spot; it is a place of nostalgia and years of memories for so many people in the community, further cementing its place in the city's culture.
In large part, Lupi’s success has also come from using locally sourced ingredients and keeping a good thing going and consistent. While they are known for their pizza, their menu also boasts a wealth of other options, including fantastic calzones, a beautiful caprese salad, bruschetta, and their signature lasagna. One could get lost in their sauce and easily consume a couple of thousand calories at any of their incredible locations at any given time.
When speaking with the owner and founder of Lupi’s Pizza Pies, Dorris Shober, about how the business began, she gave all of the details about how she and her former partner began the business after falling in love with Fellini’s Pizzeria in Atlanta, Georgia, and recognizing a need for a local pizzeria in the Scenic City.
“My ex-husband and I started Lupi’s because we recognized a need for a local pizzeria in Chattanooga. He and I both went to Notre Dame High School and graduated from UTC. We lived in Atlanta while he attended graduate school and fell in love with Fellini’s, a local pizzeria there.
We moved back to Chattanooga and started a family, and he was completely unfulfilled at his corporate job. While contemplating our next career move, Lupi's was born. We figured out how to make pizza dough and created all the recipes. In 1996, the TN Aquarium opened, and the downtown area was up and coming. It was the obvious choice for us.”
Dorris went on to discuss how her vision of Lupi’s has evolved over the years in terms of menu, atmosphere, location, and community engagement, with Dorris mentioning that while the menu has changed very, very little, a catalyst began when she became the sole owner in 2002 and started using sourced ingredients from local farms.
“After being in business for 6 years, my husband and I went our separate ways. I became the sole owner of Lupi’s. It was then that Lupi's started using ingredients sourced from local farms. Supporting local farms and businesses became a big part of Lupi’s mission.
Our menu has changed very, very little. Lasagna was added pretty quickly, a hidden gem on our menu, also wheat dough, a few homemade fresh mozzarella appetizers, and a smaller version of our very popular calzone. I think the atmosphere has changed very little over the years; it's still a laid-back place with excellent food and a very nice, helpful staff. Giving back to the community has always been one of my favorite things about owning Lupi’s.”
According to Dorris, there have also been several people who have gotten married after having their first date at Lupi’s, adding that many employees met at Lupi’s and are also now married and have families of their own. This demonstrates perfectly the time of community vibe that Lupi’s exudes and how important it is for them to put people first.
Dorris went on to detail how impactful Lupi’s has been to the community, suggesting that the customer experience has always been key for her and how focusing on kindness and treating people with respect and appreciation has gone a long way.
“Lupi’s quickly became a popular place to gather and still is, I think, because the food is so great and the atmosphere is friendly. The customer's total experience has always been extremely important to me. You know what you’re going to get when you come to Lupi’s. It is absolutely amazing to me how many people have told me that they love Lupi’s.
It has a vibe that makes people comfortable. I’ve often heard customers say they feel better when they leave Lupi’s than when they came in. I think this is because they had extremely good food in a clean restaurant with super-friendly service. I also think that most of my employees really appreciate how they were treated at Lupi’s, with respect and appreciation. Many of Lupi’s employees work there for a long time, and that means a lot to me, too. It’s amazing what kindness will do for people, customers, employees, and vendors.”
The next time you’re downtown, or even if you happen to catch one of their five stores in East Brainerd, Hixon, Ooltewah, or Cleveland, be sure to stop in for a slice and a plate of their incredible signature lasagna. Lupi’s has now become embedded in the heart of the city's culture, reminding us to be a little kinder to each other and acting as a place where that kindness can be served up daily.
Lupi’s Pizza Pies
- Closed Mondays; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday.
- Downtown Location.
- 406A Broad Street, Chattanooga
- 432-266-5874.
- lupi.com