6266 Highway 290 West, 891-9980
11am-10pm Sun.-Thur., ’til 11pm
Fri-Sat. Driving through Oak Hill, you’d swear you were on the outskirts of Disney’s
FrontierLand. Oak Hill is where South Austin gives way to Hill Country scrub,
and zoning regulations apparently require 50% of businesses to reflect “Our
Collective Cowboy Heritage.”As you pass Red’s Shootin’ Range and the YMCA,
you’ll see a massive turn-of-the-last-century limestone building which, if
you’re travelling faster than 20mph, you’d never figure it for a gourmet pizza
joint.
The Austin Pizza Garden recently replaced Gardenville’s Oak Hill location and
specializes in crispy, thin-crust pizza of the nuevo variety. Fans of esoteric
pizza will never hurt for options — the menu lists a total of 62 different
toppings. Design your own creation with clams, caviar, macadamia nuts, and
gorgonzola, but try to keep it simple, as sparse combinations tend to intensify
individual topping flavors. APG’s light crust crunches hard, with an almost
crackerlike texture that works particularly well with pesto-based pizzas.
Those plagued by option anxiety can choose from 19 “gourmet signature pizzas.”
From the Colossus (a traditional sausage-based combo) to the Neptune (crab,
tiny shrimp, and assorted vegetables), these combinations can please most taste
preferences. The signature line also contains eight meatless options for diners
of the vegetarian persuasion. The attentive waitstaff readily accommodates
special orders (substitutions or mixed combinations) without hassle. Gourmet
pizza, a bottle of wine, and Texas history… Wild Walt would be proud.
— Pableaux Johnson
This article appears in February 23 • 1996 and February 23 • 1996 (Cover).