Knight’s Pizza named Best Pizza in the Quad Cities

The 64 recently hosted the Best Pizza in the Quad Cities competition. Pizza restaurants around the Quad Cities competed against each other in a bracket-style tournament and fans voted for their favorites.

The winner was announced early this morning. Caden Knight, owner of Knight’s Pizza spoke with Our Quad Cities News via Zoom to talk about being named the Best Pizza in the Quad Cities and what’s up next for the business.

“When the Tyson plant was closing, I went and fed some of the workers there,” he said. “I came down to the station (WHBF) to do a little interview and one of the employees down there said that they had a spot open up in the tournament, someone who was on there twice. They vouched for me and got me into the tournament.”

Voting opened August 27 and the winner was announced this morning. Knight was awake to see the results. “I was refreshing the website over and over again to see that I won. I woke up early this morning (and) I saw it. I'm talking to them right now about what the next steps are.”

“I made a post announcing that I won and giving congratulations to everybody else in the tournament. They all could have won as well and they all have great products. Lots of congrats from my fans and everybody in the in the area.”

The support of his followers means everything to him, he said. “It's just overwhelming support is what I get from it. I took a big risk starting the business and I definitely appreciate that everybody has been kind of along with the ride with me, so that I'm not kind of like alone. I feel the support and it just it means a whole lot to me.”

Knight isn’t content to rest on his laurels; he and his competitor in the finals, Uncle Bill’s Pizza, are teaming up for a fundraiser to help area business development organizations. “When we were both in the top two, the championship round, we got in contact with each other and we set something up. Instead of focusing on just the bracket, we wanted to have some impact beyond who gets best pizza. We are going to have a joint charity event where we're going to raise some money for.”

“We're thinking probably a small business development program, either through SCORE Quad Cities or Scott Community College has one,” Knight said. “I think that's where we're trying to raise money for to get some more people the help they need to kind of be on the same track as we were.”

The fundraiser will be held on Wednesday, September 16 from 4 – 8 p.m. at Uncle Bill's East location, 1407 E. Locust Street in Davenport. “I'll be set up in their parking lot and they'll be serving their product,” he said, “so you can either get my handheld Detroit style or their Quad City style. It’ll be from 4 – 8 p.m. on Wednesday, as long as it doesn't get rained out with thunderstorms. If there's a little bit of a sprinkle, I'll still be there.”

Knight daydreams about the future of his business while he preps ingredients. “Right now, we're trying to get the food truck finished up and operational before winter; it's at the shop right now. I have some people working on the exhaust hood and electrical, gas. Once they're finished, I'll be able to get it licensed and inspected, and we're ready to roll.”

He has nothing but praise for the other restaurants in the tournament. “I think that everybody has great product and everybody has different tastes. Any one of us could have been in that top spot. It just really shows the support that I've gotten and that these other people have gotten as well. We're all here for community and great pizza.”

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.