Pieous, a new pizza restaurant in Southwest Austin, is the culmination of Josh Kaner's lifelong dream of working in the food business, the pizza restaurant owner said.
Kaner and his wife Paige moved to the Hill Country about eight years ago, and while progress in the area was picking up, he said it was lacking in terms of culinary options. Last year, the Kaners decided to open a restaurant, and Kaner left his job as a certified public accountant.
"Finally, we just pulled the trigger and said if we're going to fail we're not going to have regrets, and we're going to follow our passion, do what we do and do it well. We're really picky about food so we thought we'd satisfy ourselves and other people are going to like what we like," he said.
The Kaners spent several months working to purchase the former Cartwright's BBQ location and build out the restaurant, and Pieous opened Feb. 12.
So far, the response to the restaurant's pizza, sourdough bread, salads with homemade dressings, pastrami and pies has been positive, Kaner said. Word-of-mouth has brought in customers, and the restaurant runs out of its pastrami often because of its popularity, he said.
Kaner said it can take about 30 minutes to get a meal out to a table, but said the food is worth the wait. The restaurant also does not accept telephone orders.
"We want to take care of the people who are here," he said.
512-394-7041
12005 W. Hwy. 290
11 a.m.–2 p.m. and 4 p.m.–9 p.m Tues.–Fri.; 11 a.m–9 p.m. Sat.; 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Sun. Closed Mondays.
A few Pieous options
Bacon Bleu Pizza, $13.75 (13-inch pizza): Crust topped with house-made bacon marmalade, Gorgonzola cheese, house-made mozzarella and arugula.
The Pieous Plate, $10.75: Kaner called this "a play on an old-fashioned barbecue plate." One half pound of house-cured and smoked pastrami is served with slices of homemade sourdough bread, homemade pickles, marinated onions, whole grain and yellow mustard.
The Pieous Sampler, $7.75: Wood-fire-roasted artichokes are served with Pieous eggplant ragu, olive tapenade, fire-roasted garbanzo beans and sourdough bread.
