One of the most amazing things about pizza is its ability to remain desirable even when the odds against it seem insurmountable. Stay with me here. I mean, even the worst pizza is still pizza, right? Maybe it’s been in the fridge for a day or two. Still pizza. Perhaps it came out of a grocery freezer case. Still pizza. Maybe some maniac has covered it in bean sprouts and nori?
Still pizza – and pizza is pretty much always good. It doesn’t take a master chef to put a bunch of crazy crap on top of a pizza and get people to eat it (especially drunk people), but it does take some talent to create an out-there pizza that folks will love. The following pizzerias are doing just that – thinking outside the pizza box and bringing that well-loved combination of dough, sauce, and cheese to places you never thought it would go.
The Violet Crown Social Club, 1111 East 6th Austin, TX 78702 |
Mon – Wed: 5p – 12a / Thu – Sat: 5p – 2a / Sun: 5p – 12a
Craft Pride 61 Rainey St Austin, TX 78701
Mon-Wed: 5p -12a / Thurs-Sat: 5p – 1a / Sun: 2p – 10p
The guys over at Via 313 are already offering something special with their square-shaped, deep-dish, Detroit-style pizza. When I first had it I was reminded of two things. First, the soft, pillowy Sicillian pizza that my neighbors used to order when I was a kid. Second, and I mean this in a totally loving way, Eelio’s. Via 313’s pizza is obviously of a far higher quality than even the most beloved frozen pizza, but its crunchy crust, crispy burnt cheese, and molten doughy middle sent me back. It’s good stuff – and so different from almost any other pizza you will find in Austin. As if offering the only Detroit-style pizza in town wasn’t enough, the guys at Via 313 are known to feature some truly unique specials. Their current special, named Michi 313, is a pizza-fied ode to ramen – topped with pork, woodear mushroom, nori, shoyu, and green onion. Now that is some interesting pizza.
Read more about the Michi 313 at Eater Austin.
1401 Rosewood Ave. | 5312 Airport Suite G. | 1809 – 1 W Anderson Lane | Sun 11A – 10P / Mon -Thu 11A – 10P / Fri – Sat 11A – 11P
If there is such a thing as Austin-style pizza, I think East Side Pies would probably be the originator. The pizza here starts off with a cracker-thin crust and ends with a selection of farm-to-table toppings like red potatoes, goat-cheese, jerk chicken or sauerkraut. East Side Pies offers some really great and original pizzas on their everyday menu featuring tasty alternatives to red sauce including black bean sauce, pesto, hummus sauce, spinach curry, and ricotta sauce. East Side Pies is a vegan favorite for offering hearty plant-based pizzas topped with hummus, black beans, and tons of veggies. Omnivores can get their unique pizza fix by scarfing down slices topped with pulled pork, smoked salmon, or homemade meatballs.
4729 Burnet Rd. | Sun – Wed 11am – 11pm / Thu – Sat 11am – 12am
Pinthouse Pizza brings two of my favorite things, beer and pizza. I am personally more partial to thin crust pizza, but fans of denser, more doughy pies will enjoy what Pinthouse has to offer. What makes Pinthouse especially interesting, besides their tap full of craft beer, is their monthly Off the Map pizza special. Every month these pizza pioneers offer up a pie with some very inventive toppings. For example, right now they are offering The Return of the Mac, a pizza topped with cheesy noodles and bacon.
4715 South Lamar | Mon – Thurs 11AM – 10PM / Fri 11AM – 11PM / Sat 10AM – 11PM / Sun 10AM – 10PM
St. Philip’s everyday pizza menu is surprisingly standard – offering your usual pies with a touch of fancying up. Though these polished pizzas are tasty enough, what prompted me to include St. Philip on my “most interesting pizza” list was their happy hour specials. St. Philip offers an off-beat pizza on its daily specials board which is often worth checking out. My first visit to St. Philip was on Superbowl Sunday. That day two pizzas were on the board – one topped with smoked salmon, goat cheese and fingerling potato chips on an “everything” crust, and another topped with cheddar, mustard, sausage and jalapeno on a pretzel crust. Pro Tip: St. Philip also offers a rather interesting selection of goodies in their bake shop including a rotating soft serve flavor.
1502 S 1st Street | Mon – Fri closed / Tue – Thu 12-3 PM, 6–10 PM / Sat 12-10 PM
New to the a South Austin food trailer scene, 40 North offers tasty Neopolatin style pizzas out of their in-truck wood-fired oven. Their signature pizza, the Hot Honey, is topped with marinara, sliced coppa, chiles, and hot honey.
1611 W. 5th St. Ste. 175 | Mon – Fri 10am – 10pm / Sat 11am – 10pm / Sun 11am – 8pm
This popular trailer recently turned to brick and mortar, moving in to a space just a skip and a hop from their original location in downtown Austin. While Lucky’s is mostly known for their hot sandwiches, they have some delicious wood-fired pizzas on the menu. The Americana is not for the faint of heart – loaded with French fries and a soft cooked egg.
12005 Hwy 290 West | Mon closed / Tue – Fri 11am – 2pm, 4pm – 9pm / Sat 11am – 9pm / Sun 11am – 8pm
I have a serious weakness for Neopolatin pizza, and of all the pizzerias in Austin Pieous is my personal favorite. I’d gladly eat anything and everything from their menu, but there is one pizza that stands out for its inventiveness. The Brussels and Jam features an unexpected combination of crispy brussels sprouts and sweet fig jam.
5111 Airport Blvd. | Mon closed / Tue – Sun 11am – 10pm
The life of an Austin cheese lover wouldn’t be complete without a taste of House Pizza’s Bleu. This is the ultimate cheese pizza, topped with mozzarella, stilton, and port.
This is a shamelessly late addition to The 2015 Austin Food Blogger Alliance City Guide. Check out the guide to discover more great food in Austin!