The Pizza Den

"South Austin is hardly overrun with first-rate pizza, so we bow down to the gods who gifted us The Pizza Den. The small food truck, which is open seven days a week and parked next to Knuckle Sandwich at Ants Beer Cave, makes solid pies with prices that fall just shy of the “expensive artisanal pizza” boom that’s hit other neighborhoods in a big way. The Pizza Den is a fairly classic pepperoni-and-cheese operation, but the menu has a couple of notable outliers, like an elote concoction with chipotle crema. Our favorite is the Spicy Pie, which is topped with sausage, roasted red peppers, jalapeños, and calabrian chili sauce. Get your order to go—only full-size pies are available—or eat it at one of the nearby picnic tables overlooking Ants' pickleball courts. Food Rundown photo credit: RICHARD CASTEEL Pepperoni As traditional as it gets, with a housemade red sauce that tastes fresh and has all the satisfying savory zest you expect. The Pizza Den does enhance its mozzarella with a welcome sprinkle of pecorino. Add on a cup of their ranch for crust dunking. photo credit: RICHARD CASTEEL Elote The cotija cheese, tajín, chipotle crema, and roasted garlic oil make this very salty, but it’s nice to see such unconventional flavors on a pizza. A couple of slices go a long way. photo credit: RICHARD CASTEEL Spicy Pie The Pizza Den’s MVP. It’s not really that spicy, but it is served with a ramekin of tangy calabrian chili sauce that complements the roasted peppers and jalapeños. All you hot-honey obsessives out there should add on a drizzle of the stuff for $1. photo credit: RICHARD CASTEEL Caesar Salad Their only side dish is a simple, classic caesar—romaine, parmesan panko breadcrumbs, and a flavorful housemade dressing. We aren’t complaining." - Matthew Jacobs

"Along with Knuckle Sandwich, The Pizza Den is a food vendor located at Ants Beer Cave in South Austin. You can probably guess what’s on the menu here. In addition to a few classics, there’s also an elote pie topped with olive oil, garlic, roasted corn, chipotle crema, cotija, and cilantro. " - nicolai mccrary