Homegrown pizza diner celebrates 10 years on West Sixth

At Rounders Pizzeria on West Sixth Street, customers can experience a little New York, a little Las Vegas and a lot of Austin hospitality.

Owner Adam Garber opened the eatery in February 2002 after sinking every penny he had into its development. Garber apprenticed with his cousin, who owns a pizzeria on Long Island in New York, to learn how to make authentic New York–style pizza for his new Austin restaurant.

"There wasn't a lot of New York–style, handmade pizza in Austin," Garber said. "At that point, I wanted to expand the market."

With recipes for pizzas and garlic knots—pizza dough topped with olive oil, garlic and seasoning—in hand, Garber opened Rounders to appeal to local families. As time passed, Garber took hints from his customer base and feedback and incorporated a Las Vegas–style theme, complete with slot machines for decoration and images of the Rat Pack as artwork, to enhance the flair of Rounders Pizzeria. He also added tabletop games that play classic video games, such as "Tetris" and "Donkey Kong."

"I wanted to give people those experiences I had when I was a kid," Garber said of his restaurant's theme and mission. "There are garlic knots at every table, and kids can play games at the table. I see the parents here interact with their children, and it's special, mainly because they get to relive those experiences they also had when they were kids. It's pretty unique."

Garber said his pizza is mostly known for its chewy crust, a product of New York's take on pizza. Rounders' fresh toppings, including peppers, meats and extra cheese, are added to the pizza in plentiful amounts.

Since Rounders' opening in 2002, the menu has not changed, nor has the eatery's location. It has remained on West Sixth Street—west of North Lamar Boulevard—and has withstood Austin's changing environment.

"When I started, one of my main principles was that I wanted to make it affordable to everybody," Garber said. "I've never believed in doing discounts or coupons or anything like that. I was really aggressive with my pricepoint structure."

Garber said his menu appeals to everyone—salads for the healthy eater, calzones for those looking for a big dish and an array of pizzas for groups to share. While his most popular pizza ordered is pepperoni, the pizzeria's meatballs receive a lot of attention, too, he said.

Despite surviving a recession and Austin's changing demographics, Garber said he is most proud of his clientele and his relationships with local families.

"It's people who have been coming here since the beginning and who have started families, and now I get to see their kids grow up," Garber said. "And when people who drive 45 minutes for our pizza, or when they drive in from Houston or Dallas, they say they always come to eat here—that kind of stuff makes me the most proud."

On the menu

Rounders Pizzeria's menu features several toppings for its pizzas, including spinach, banana peppers and Canadian bacon. The menu is made up of three main categories:

Pizza: Hand-tossed dough is covered with homemade red sauce and topped with fresh mozzarella cheese, parmesan reggiano and oregano. The medium-size pizza has six slices and starts at $10. The large-size pizza includes eight slices and starts at $14.

Calzones: A choice of one ingredient is stuffed in a pocket of hand-tossed dough with fresh mozzarella and ricotta cheese ($8). Additional items come at an extra charge.

Salads: Rounders offers a variety of salads, which range from caprese (tomatoes, basil and mozzarella) to ceasar salads.

Behind the scenes

Owner Adam Garber opened Rounders Pizzeria in 2002 with a limited staff and only one other chef at his side.

"For the first six months, I was the only person that put pizza in the oven," Garber said. "It was just five other people and me."

Ten years later, Garber said he is thrilled with the longevity and success of Rounders, a brand he has shaped over time. While he does continue to see success, he has no plans for expansion.

"[This location] provides me with enough excitement and joy," he said. "What's most important to me is my wife and child."

Rounders Pizzeria, 1203 W. Sixth St., 477-0404, www.rounderspizzeria.com

• Sun.–Thu. 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m.,
• Fri.–Sat. 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m.