Hometown Pizza Brings a Fresh Slice to Belmont Boulevard

Front of Hometeam Pizza. (Georgina America)

A pizza shop is opening its brick-and-mortar location right across from Belmont University in March, making it the closest non-campus pizzeria for Belmont students.

Kevin Jackson and his wife Samantha are bringing Hometeam Pizza from East Nashville to the Belmont-Hillsboro community. 

“Pizza is my personality,” Jackson said. “We are very detailed oriented in the process of making pizza.”  

The duo settled on 2017 Belmont Blvd. because of the Belmont-Hillsboro community, but also because, “the building itself was made to be a pizzeria,” said Jackson.  

The Jacksons started out hosting pizza parties in their home, sold pies to their neighbors for $20 and eventually moved into Citizens Kitchen where they have operated since 2021.   

Citizens Kitchen in East Nashville is a shared space where small restaurants pay a monthly fee to focus on growing its business.  

When Hometeam opens, patrons can feast on The Italian, which is its best seller. The pie features pepperoni, Italian sausage, sweet ricotta cream and a drizzle of olive oil.   

While the toppings are simple, they’re special to Jackson.  

Jackson, a Columbus, Ohio native, made it his goal from the beginning to keep his products close to home.  

Hometeam sources its pepperonis and sausage from Ezzo Sausage Co. based in Jackson’s hometown.  

“We’ve sought that out from the beginning and have used it and it’s a high-quality pepperoni… I think it’s the true, signature detail of our pizza,” Jackson said.  

Hometeam also has a particular process for its dough.  

“The dough goes through a 48-hour cold ferment to increase flavor and make it more digestible,” Jackson said.  

With a growing business and rising demand for its product, Hometeam is hoping to use its new space to the fullest extent.  

Hometeam does not currently offer pizza-by-the-slice due to limited space in Citizens Kitchen, but that will soon change when they open.   

“I bought a specific oven for pizza by the slice, and we’ve set up a spot in the restaurant, so there will be its own designated area. So, we really hope to capitalize on that,” said Jackson.

With the current pizza options on the Belmont University campus being limited to Slim + Husky’s Pizza and Harrington Place Dining, students will now have a new taste to try just steps away.  

“I think it’s great that we’re expanding our local options because the same couple of on-campus restaurants can get a little tiring sometimes,” said junior Sam Bennett, a Belmont student who eats pizza three times a week.  

Bennett isn’t the only student who had something to say about a new addition to the Belmont-Hillsboro neighborhood.  

“It’ll give students another option aside from fast food pizza,” said senior Jay O’Boyle. 

All Hometeam’s pizzas are 16 inches and range from $17 to $28. Hometeam’s 16-inch pizza is equivalent to an extra-large pizza from franchise locations like Papa John’s, Jackson said.  

Unlike franchise pizza shops, Hometeam operates for limited hours in its current space due to its limited capacity, but there are plans to change that.  

The plan is to have new hours. Hometeam will open at 11 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Jackson said.  

Hometeam also plans to be open until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday night.  

There is a chance that weekend hours are extended depending on the amount of business, Jackson said.  

There will also be a window on the side of the building which will give the restaurant an option to close the dining room but continue selling pizza by-the-slice. 

“The service that we’ve provided this far has really led us to even having this opportunity,” said Jackson. 

With the addition of a new establishment on Belmont Boulevard comes a search for staffing.  

Hometeam is looking to hire students who want to get experience working in a restaurant.

Written by Quinn Wells