Pinthouse Pizza and Craft Brewpub, Austin
I couldn’t WAIT to do this 5 Heart Rating! But I did. I first experienced Pinthouse Pizza over a month ago, but it wasn’t until I recently returned to Austin and went back to this great place that I felt properly armed to give this wonderful pizza and beer spot a proper review.
The first time my daughter and I visited we were pleasantly surprised to find a large parking lot behind the restaurant and walked in through the back door. We were greeted by every person we passed who worked there. (I love this! It is clear that some establishments train their staff to do this. I remember experiencing it for the first time at a Ritz Carlton many years ago.) So right away I knew Pinthouse was going to be good.
The restaurant and brewery is set up with community-style seating — long tables and benches. Pizza is ordered in one area and beer in another. We ordered our pizza from a very courteous young lady and proceeded to get some beer. The young man at the beer counter was extremely knowledgeable. Being a wine drinker primarily, I have a lot to learn about beer and this gentleman was happy to oblige.
Our pizza was fantastic, with a hint of honey and topped with arugula. We had the same pizza both times and I have to say, I think it’s the best pizza I have ever had. And I’ve had some great pizza! The crust was amazing.
I’ll stop here with details as I’d prefer you have your own experience without influence from mine. But I will say one more thing. At the end of our first visit, I talked with the manager and let him know about our great experience and pointed out specific details of why I love Pinthouse. He graciously thanked me and before we left another young man brought us a token for free pizza. So of course we had to go back, though we had already intended to do so. And when we did, the same manager cleared our table and asked how everything was and of course, we responded with a resounding “fantastic!!”.
There are 2 Pinthouse Restaurants. Here is a link to the one we visited on Burnet Road:
Next in line for a 5 Heart Rating is the 3-star Michelin restaurant at Meadowood in Napa Valley. Though just about everything about Meadowood is different than Pinthouse, I still put them both in the same category for level of quality of food and service. For my money, just as Meadowood’s pricey experience earns a 5 Heart Rating, for less than 1/10th the price, so does Pinthouse. Though they may differ in every way the one thing they have in common is the fact that I left both places with the same feelings of happiness and contentment and a continued appreciation for what it takes to create great dining experiences.
