Pedro Lopez said his love of pizza dates back to when he was in his 20s and a part-time driver for Domino’s Pizza in the late 1980s. He said he learned to make pizza there and took to it right away.

He climbed the ladder and eventually purchased a franchise for a national pizza chain. But in April 2013 he decided to start one from scratch.

Lopez, who said he has been making pizza for the past 25 years, owns Golden Crust Pizza in Hutto. The restaurant mainly serves customers who order carryout or delivery. Its pizza is delivered to Hutto addresses and some Pflugerville and Round Rock residents. The dough is made fresh daily.

A dozen specialty pizzas are on the menu, which Lopez designed. Customers can pick among three styles of crust: thin and crispy, hand-tossed or deep dish.

Among the favorites are the Golden Meatzza—topped with pepperoni, bacon, ground beef, Italian sausage and extra cheese—and the Chicken Ranchera—with ranch sauce, chicken, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, bacon and provolone cheese.

Lopez said at first some may dismiss the possibility that good pizza could be produced at a shop adjoining a gas station, but they do not realize that he has commercial kitchen-level equipment, such as conveyor ovens.

Lopez said the location is convenient for people as they go about their workday, and that drives people to his restaurant.

“A lot of people stop for gas when they are in a hurry,” Lopez said. “They ask, ‘Do you have anything ready?’”

He said he has spent his first two years in business adapting to his clientele. He noticed many people stopping during their lunch break for a quick bite and responded by offering pizza by the slice from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on weekdays.

Golden Crust Pizza also offers personal pizzas, pepperoni rolls, breadsticks, calzones, buffalo wings, sandwiches and pasta.

625 FM 685, Hutto, Ste. B 512-642-3959 www.mygoldencrustpizza.com Hours: Mon.-Thu. 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sun. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.