Welcome to the 7th installment of our annual review of owner-operated central Texas pizza restaurants. We fondly call it Pizza Wars.
As many of you may know by now, I grew up in one of the best American pizza cities, New Haven, Ct. Classics like Frank Pepe’s (1925) and Sally’s (1931) both located on Wooster Street dominated the area with a classic thin-crust pizza style brought over from Naples.
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Naples is widely acknowledged to be the birthplace of the modern pizza (baker Raffaele Esposito usually gets the credit for inventing the Margherita in honor of the visiting Queen Margherita around 1889). The queen supposedly liked the pie combining basil, mozzarella and tomatoes which mimicked the colors of the Italian flag. But there is ample evidence that various cultures predated the Neapolitan pizza innovations by several thousand years. The Chinese, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all baked variations of flatbread covered with herbs, spices and cheeses. The concept of sauce came much later.
Grimaldi’s and Lombardi in New York were equally popular and remain so today. But none of the legendary East Coast joints actually met the rigorous standards laid out in 1984 by the Associazone Verace Pizza Napoletana: pizzas must be baked in wood-fired ovens, be no more than 12 inches wide, must be rolled by hand, must use whole wheat flour and serve only mozarella cheese, marinara sauce (named from the mariners’ wives who prepared the tomato sauce for their seafaring husbands made from the tomato vines that flourished in the rocky, arid soil around Naples). Frankly, I could care less if the AVN standards are not rigidly followed. If the crust is crisp, a little charred on the bottom, and the sauce and cheese are spot-on and work well texturally with the added ingredients, AND, if it passes the all-important refrigerator test, then I’ll be there.
So AVN rules or not, here are my favorite central Texas pizza joints. From when we first moved to Texas many moons ago, the progress in quality has been very impressive. Let’s break it into two categories: new places and more established stores.
Without question my four favorite established places: Noah and Michel’s East Side Pies which began on Rosweood and now has a third location on Anderson). I love the Bacon Pie and The Marge. Real NYC vibes here.
Austin’s only coal-fired oven at Tony C’s at the Galleria and recently opened in Avery Ranch (love the Donato and the Margherita) is getting even better. Tony Ciola has down a hell of a job transitioning from the former Ciola’s in Lakeway. Their oven is an AVN no-no but who cares? The pies rock, as do the baked wings.
Home Slice on South Congress is hugely popular downtown (best attempt at CT style clam pizza that I’ve had anywhere down here). I’m also a fan of their Italian sausage pie. And their crust is damned tasty. There’s never crust left over when we eat one of their pies. And that’s very unusual for most pizza joints.
And Shawn Cirkiel’s delightful Backspace at 507 San Jacinto features the eclectic talents of the Parkside and Olive & June’s proprietor. One thing to look at with all of these pizzas is the cornizione (the puffy and airy look of the crust). And they all have it. And it just makes them all better.
Also high on my list of established pizza joints is the always impressive Salvation Pizza (owner is from Hartford, CT) on West 34th off Guadalupe. The Sausage and Pepper rocks.
Likewise the Little Deli on Woodrow cranks out some great pies. This place is a bit off the beaten path but should not be ignored. I love the Bacon Blue which delightfully comingles bacon, gorgonzola cheese and roasted red peppers.
And never pass by Roppolo’s while strolling down 6th. One taste of the massive Godfather and you will never, ever, “fuggedaboutit.” I love their Calzone’s as well. It’s a great location on three levels. Hats off to Marc Roppolo for this slam dunk of a pizza joint.
And who can talk quality pizza without mentioning Dan Saccone, the man who brought New Jersey style pizza to Austin. His sweet sauce is in a class by itself and makes me think of Hoboken every time I have a slice. You’ll find Saccones at 11416 Highway 620. Don’t forget to try this place!
An East side late-night staple is Via 313. This place has a Detroit style (I’m familiar with it because I went to U of Michigan) pie and is one of the more Austintatious pizza joints you’ll find. The pies are baked in industrial steel pans from Detroit. Try The Detroiter which is double cheese and pepperoni.
Brick Oven may not quite be the powerhouse that it was 20 years ago, but that’s only because the competition has ramped up. This place was a life saver back in the early 90’s, and it’s still quite good. The Vegetarian remains my favorite. We tend to go to the Red River location. Stan Adams and his crew have lovingly presided over this Austin pizza icon for many years.
Frank and Angie’s is a downtown staple that continues to be SRO on many nights. The White Cheese Pizza still rocks and the Sausage and Onion blends perfectly with their crispy crust. Great sandwiches as well.
And further up West 6th, Rounders (not to be confused with Matt Damon’s poker movie) has the best garlic knots I’ve ever tasted, and wonderful pies with a sauce redolent of New York.
The legendary Milto’s on Guadalupe continues to feed UT students with a variety of pies that have serious zip and flavor that is never compromised.
And Southside Flying Pizza on South Congress near Oltorf has a goofy name (keep Austin weird!!) but damned good pizza. We get the Sausage, Onion and Mushroom, and it never fails to disappoint.
I was not impressed with my first visit to Yaghi’s New York Pizzeria on Highway 71 near Bee Cave (kind of a drab interior). But that impression changed the minute the pizza arrived. I love the Gyro Pizza and the Fresh Mozzarella and Pesto. And they deliver! Also a location on William Cannon.
Another reliable spot that has a solid following is the Austin Pizza Garden on 290 in Oak Hill. The pizzas have cool names like the Tchoupitoulas. If you’re from the Atchafalaya you’ll recognize this one which features Andouille sausage and other goodies. There’s another massive pie aptly named the Colossus which is loaded with enough meat to satiate even the most robust carnivore.
Some people would pass by CraigO’s because most of their stores are located in strip malls. That would be a mistake. The pizzas are pretty tasty with an East coast vibe but the Eggplant parmesan steals the show. As does the Sausage Roll.
Mangieri’s is similar to CraigO’s but is more pizza centric. They use a whole wheat crust and cut their pies in squares (very Midwest style) which some people, for some unfathomable reason, find offensive. I think they’re a good little family joint.
And let’s not forget Giovanni’s Pizza stand on South Lamar. I love the Calabrian Pizza and the Veggie Pie. This can be easily missed but should not be.
The Spartan is a very cool little downtown food truck where all the pies have Greek names like The Medusa features a roasted garlic spread, caramelized onions, bacon and cheese. Opa! And they deliver.
And then there’s Hoboken on Red River which has a substantial delivery area, and an obvious nod to New Jersey influences. I really enjoy the Butcher, a carnivore’s delight with fennel sausage, pepperoni, salami and meatballs. Now that’s New Jersey.
And I’ve come to admire House Pizzeria on Airport. They make a thin crust Neapolitan style pie, and I am crazy about The Eggplant tapenade. Super mellow flavors for eggplant lovers like me. They’re four years old and getting better.
And speaking of Austintatious, if you’re in a heavy metal mood, try Hoecks on 511 East 6th. This place opens at 7pm, and I’m totally out of their target demographic but my youngest daughter likes it.
You know we’re not even close to being finished. In the second installment of this series we’ll cover pizza in the burbs, from Brooklyn Pies in Round Rock to Buda and all the way to the uber-hot Dough in San Antonio. Then we’ll look at restaurants where pizza is not the main focus but is well worth trying, Next bars like J. Blacks and The Parlor that serve very decent pizza. And finally, the relative newcomers. Pieous and The Pizza Cave on 290 West, Winflo on West 6th, Pizza Bistro on Lake Austin Blvd., Pints and Plates on Burnet and the very new Mamia Mia Pizzeria on Barton Springs.
Any questions or comments? Email us at info@diningoutwithrobbalon.com.
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