Owners of The Burger Joint, The Taco Stand to partner on new Heights pizza venture

Update: This story has been updated to reflect the rebranding of Forza Forni to Fiero Forni and correctly identify the Fiero Forni gas/wood oven that will be used at The Pizza Place.

After finding success with burgers and tacos, a pair of Houston restaurateurs have now set their sights on pizza.

Shawn Bermudez and Chef Matthew Pak, owners of The Burger Joint and The Taco Stand in Houston, announced Dec. 11 plans to open The Pizza Place in fall 2024 in the Heights, introducing another concept with a name that gets straight to the point. The new eatery will be located at 2124 N. Shepherd Drive, Houston, across West 22nd Street from Katz's.

The restaurant will be 3,800 square feet and will feature a 2,600-square-foot covered patio, according to a Dec. 11 news release.

The menu will offer housemade pizzas, pastas, salads and gelatos. In the release, Pak said he is aiming to combine the "airy, crispy and chewy texture of a Neapolitan-style outer edge" with the "thin crispy bottom of a perfectly executed New York-style slice." Pizzas will be cooked in under five minutes in a Fiero Forni gas/wood oven.

The restaurant will also feature a full bar, and will offer dine-in, takeout and delivery service.

The duo also have plans to open a new location of The Burger Joint in 2024 in West University Place.

• Opening in fall 2024
• 2124 N. Shepherd Drive, Houston
• www.instagram.com/pizzaplacehtx