When Maria Macri took her first stroll among the shops in Old Town Spring, she said she knew it was the right spot for her future restaurant.

“Literally the minute I drove in I heard the angels sing,” Maria said. “I was like, ‘I’m going to open a restaurant here.’”

Nearly four years later, Maria and her husband, Joe, have bested her prediction by opening two Old Town Spring restaurants. After opening the Black Sheep Bistro more than two years ago, the couple introduced the community to a new concept, The Italian Joint, in May.

“We took what we learned from the first space to make the next one better,” Maria said. “We knew we needed an Italian restaurant close by.”

The Italian Joint features traditional Italian dishes, but the Macris have added to the menu and restaurant itself since opening. The couple has added pizza—much to the delight of Joe, whose first job was at a New York pizzeria when he was 14—and built a deck for outside dining.

With options such as Alfredo chicken, Cheesesteak Pie and Caprese Pie, the pizza has quickly become a customer favorite, Joe said.

“We grew up with independent Italian pizzeria restaurants everywhere, so we kind of mimic that,” Joe said.