I took advantage of a recent kid-free Saturday afternoon to go to Pinthouse Pizza Craft Brew Pub in Central Austin. The pizza pub is very family friendly, and we’ll go again with our son. This trip, I enjoyed a flight of house brews, generous samples at five for $12 that came in a nifty (and heavy) wood block with a chalkboard side for writing the beer names. You can opt to sample five of the “guest” beers for the same price. The beer selection is large, with something for every palate from pilsners to pale ales, session ale to stout and more. My favorite was the Bearded Seal, an Imperial Dry Irish Stout that is full bodied without being overpoweringly strong. Jaime went for the gusto with a New Belgium Imperial Chocolate Coffee Stout, a roast-y, deliciously rich beer.
I can’t emphasize enough how happy I am that more craft brew establishments are opening in Austin. Our craft beer scene both here and across Texas has exploded in the last decade, with breweries and brewpubs popping up everywhere. Beer lovers will appreciate the variety of brews at Pinthouse, and they have growlers so you can take home your favorite.
The pub is large, with ample seating at picnic table-style long wooden benches. There’s a standing table in front of the bar, too. Arcade games in one corner will keep the teens busy while waiting for food. The “Off The Map” pie special that day was a macaroni & cheese pizza, for those who want an adventure in eating.
We had one of the Specialty pies, The Works pizza with Canadian Bacon, crumbled sausage, pepperoni, bell pepper, red onion and mushrooms. I give Pinthouse a plus for slicing the vegetables thinly. Thinly sliced veggies meant I didn’t have any bite of pizza where the flavor of the pie was overwhelmed by a chunk of bell pepper or onion. With the fresh, vibrant sauce, this pizza is a winner. The crust isn’t as thin as I usually prefer, but I scarfed down two slices and was happily satiated. A good value for the money, too, at $14.50 for a pizza that was more than enough food for two people. (Cold pizza for breakfast today!)
We didn’t have dessert, but they offer brownies a la mode, root beer and regular beer floats. I do want to come back and sample their appetizers, most of all the Beer Mates, little nibbles of pizza dough served with parmesan, garlic and oregano and served with your choice of dipping sauce. And The Armadillo pizza is also on my list, with its olive oil, cheese, artisan sausage, poblano peppers, ricotta and cilantro.
There are few parking spots in front of the restaurant, but a decent sized lot behind the building, with a convenient back entrance. Pinthouse is open Sunday through Wednesday from 11am to 11pm, and Thursday through Saturday from 11am to midnight. Check them out soon, and let me know if you enjoyed Pinthouse Pizza, too.
