This family-owned business has been a community gathering spot for more than decade

There’s something unmistakably comforting about walking into Afton Pub & Pizza. Maybe it’s the smell of fresh pizza dough rising, or the hum of laughter and conversation drifting from the booths. Maybe it’s the handwritten signs for the weekly wing sauce or the sight of a team that feels more like a family. But more likely, it’s the spirit that owner Jordan Kolod and her husband Nick pour into the place every single day.

Afton Pub & Pizza began as a mother-daughter dream. Jordan spent over two decades in the restaurant industry alongside her mom, learning not just how to run a kitchen, but how to serve people. When her mom opened her own concept, Jordan was right there. And when the time came for her mother to retire, Jordan took the reins - turning their shared passion into her own vision for what a hometown restaurant could be.

In an unassuming building in Afton Village, Afton Pub & PIzza has fostered a neighborhood staple where friends and families gather.Photo byAfton Pub & Pizza

“We’ve always wanted to feed our neighbors and friends,” Jordan says. That simple, generous impulse -feed people well and make them feel welcome - has become the foundation for everything Afton does. Whether it’s a kid applying for their first job, a group celebrating a birthday, or a family stopping in after a soccer game, Afton is the kind of place where people come to mark the moments that matter.

The addition of Jordan’s husband Nick to the management team about a year ago added a new kind of magic. “It feels more like family and home even than it did before,” she shares. “Everyone that works for us is like one of our kids, and each guest feels like someone we’ve invited to a dinner party.” That energy - warm, familiar, personal - radiates from every corner of the space.

Classic buffalo wings enjoyed on Afton's patio.Photo byAfton Pub & Pizza

But make no mistake, this is not just a feel-good story. Afton Pub & Pizza is a business grounded in high standards and serious intention. “We will never let quality suffer,” Jordan says. At a time when many restaurants are cutting corners, Afton holds fast to its commitment to generous portions, fresh ingredients, and recipes made with care. Their fan-favorite BBQ chicken pizza - made with grilled, marinated chicken, smoky bacon, house-made BBQ sauce, red onion, and fresh basil - is a perfect example. So are their New York-inspired spicy chicken 'riggies' and fresh, locally sourced wings, which feature a new sauce every single week.

Running a restaurant in today’s economy means balancing heart with hard choices. Jordan is honest about the strain of trying to support every community request while keeping the lights on and her team paid fairly. But even in those tensions, she finds purpose. “It’s not lost on me how important and impactful it is that I’m able to cut paychecks for our team every payday,” she says. “People drive me. The guests who choose us, the employees who grow with us, the kids who come in wide-eyed for their first shifts.”

Mozzarella-stuffed meatballs!Photo byAfton Pub & Pizza

One of Afton’s most moving accomplishments is the Pub It Forward program, which allows guests to donate meals for people in need—and for every meal purchased, the restaurant matches it 100%. In just one year, they’ve helped serve nearly 1,000 meals to food-insecure families in the community. The stories they’ve heard in return—of families fed, of burdens lightened—have left a lasting impact. “It’s been overwhelmingly positive,” Jordan says.

When asked about the future, Jordan doesn’t talk about expansion or franchising. Her vision is quieter, but no less powerful. “I want to keep doing what we’re doing—but never stop improving,” she says. That means deeper connections with local schools, nonprofits, and youth programs. More opportunities to serve and support. More reasons for people to gather around good food and feel at home.

Because in the end, Afton Pub & Pizza is more than a restaurant. It’s a love letter to the power of community and the magic of showing up - slice by slice, shift by shift, and day by day.

Operating Hours and Location

Afton Pub & Pizza is open at 5380 Village Drive Concord NC 28027

Mon - Thurs 11 AM–11 PM

Fri - Saturday 11 AM–12 AM

Sunday 11 AM–10 PM

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