Iris T.
Yelp
This was our first stop when we got into Austin. It's a small, unassuming shop on a strip but clearly popular amongst vegans in the know. It's completely vegan and though we're vegetarian, it was perfect for our 3 year old with multiple food allergies (nuts, wheat, eggs, avocado, kiwi, and pineapple). They have gluten-free options and crust that is made in a dedicated area. Their default "cheese" is also nut free, made with soy, pumpkin seeds, and coconut oil. They also have a soy-free alternative that is cashew-based for an extra charge.
A quick spiel: on top of our youngest's food allergies, we're vegetarian but abstain from alliums (onions, garlic, leeks, shallots, chives). It can prove to be difficult in general, but sometimes especially so with vegan establishments. Big Nonna's does serve items made with alliums (garlic knots, we smell you, haha), but their website conveniently lists out what items contain them so they can be avoided or taken out. If you have dietary restrictions or food allergies, take a look on their website. SUPER helpful. I did my homework so knew what to get when we got there.
We met up with friends in Austin, one who is allergic to alliums and the other to gluten and dairy. Big Nonna's is a perfect fit.
On a Saturday night, the place was busy. Our order took about half an hour (they informed us when we ordered) to come out because so many ordered through the phone to dine in or take out. They have a few tables but they're not very kid-friendly (no high chairs or booster seats) so our youngest was on someone's lap to eat. My small 6 year old could just barely make it. If you have bigger parties, finding seats is hit or miss. Our party of 6 had to pull together 2 tables and borrow 2 more chairs.
We got:
Supreme (Margherita sauce, no shallots)
Cheese with spinach (Margherita sauce)
Cheese (Margherita sauce, gluten free)
Our friends got the Margherita pizza, but one gluten free and one not. They use the same type of cheese but the Margherita is dolloped on and the others were "shredded."
The pizzas were terrific. I didn't miss regular cheese. Crispy crust with a light chew. The vegan cheese is melty.. soft. Almost like a sauce? I didn't mind it at all. Big flavor oomph overall. My daughter prefers real cheese (she has a thing for texture) so she just ate the crust after her initial bite. My son (with the food allergies) took a few bites but finished his meal by swirling his finger in the "cheese" and licking it off. He only likes chewy pizza crust. I ended up trying a slice of his gluten-free pizza and the crust isn't tough or terribly dense, but there's a slight grainy texture, which was probably the culprit. The GF crust here also bakes very brown, which I noticed right away. The pizza doesn't taste burnt though, so maybe it's just how their GF dough bakes?
Despite the kids' mixed reactions, I still think this place is awesome and will definitely come back - especially with my vegan sister in tow. Staff were nice but to the point; they were constantly busy. They also serve ice cream but I sadly didn't get any this time so I can't say anything about it. I only hope they'll have high chairs or booster seats next time. It took us double the time to eat because we had to take turns since we acted as chairs.
I don't live in town but I signed up for loyalty points, haha. The pizzas here are around $20 each give or take a few bucks so it adds up fast and I'm already over halfway there. Regular pizzas are 14 inches but gluten-free are 12 inches for the same price.
Thank you for the gastronomic experience! Our local friends also really liked it.