South Austin native Roger Pilney opened his first brick-and-mortar location for Radix House Southside Cafe & Pizza at 11600 Menchaca Road, Ste. A, Austin, on May 10.
Located at the former Southside Flying Pizza restaurant, Pilney continues to serve Southside’s pizzas along with an expanded menu, including coffees, sandwiches, pastries and more. In addition to food and coffee, Radix House offers legal CBD- and THC-infused products.
“We want to normalize the conversation about cannabinoids and how beneficial they can be for those struggling with mental health,” Pilney said.
The truck at 3520 W. Slaughter Lane, Austin, is set to close later this year, Pilney said; however, the location at 2701 W. William Cannon Drive, Austin, will remain open.
Pilney said some of the customer favorites include the THC-infused chicken wings, which are flavored with garlic Parmesan and a hint of strawberry. As for the coffee, Pilney said a fan favorite is the Radbrew. He said it is a nitrogen-infused drink made with hemp milk, caramel and hazelnut flavoring topped with housemade whipped cream and candied pecans.
The 4,500-square-foot restaurant is open for takeout and dine-in orders. In the near future, Pilney said the location will offer a space for private events and parties in addition to Radix community events, such as Saturday morning cartoons and Friday night movies.
“We are all about having that community connection and the nostalgia of things like that just go hand in hand,” Pilney said.
That nostalgia is real for Pilney already as he said his first job was at that location when it was a Hamburger Hill.
“It's kind of come around full circle,” Pilney said. “I also grew up in South Austin, so this really is special to me.”
Another special aspect of the job is the ability to open a conversation about and educate people regarding those diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
“As an active participant in the PTSD community, we work to help educate others about our personal experience with hemp-derived CBD and our stories on how we believe it improves our quality of life,” Pilney said. “With so much confusion and overwhelming levels of information out there, we are here to help people sift through the data to find what is applicable to them and their needs.”
Pilney said he and his business are also advocates of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which focuses on eliminating the loss of life from suicide by delivering prevention and education programs, raising funds for research, and reaching out to those who have lost someone to suicide.
www.radixhousecoffeeshop.com
