A popular Elgin craft beer and pizza joint is heading to town. Aviator Pizza & Drafthouse will open in South Austin in December.
This is the second location for Aviator Pizza & Brewing Company, which has been serving pies and pints in Elgin for two years. Owners, husband-and-wife duo John McElroy and Ana Lam-McElroy, hope that the new spot on South Congress Avenue will provide the same sense of community as the original.
"Growing up in a family of pizza makers I loved how a great meal could bring together a whole family. After working in the family business for more than five years I began dreaming of my own restaurant concept," said John McElroy in a statement. "A main source of inspiration was aviation. Flight is one of mankind's greatest achievements and I wanted to associate our food creations with that kind of innovation and imagination."
The new space offers even more pizza and beer options than the original outpost. Unique pies include El Nacho (ground beef, black olives, jalapenos, cheddar, tortilla strips, and oregano) and Ground Control (pepperoni, Italian sausage, ham, ground beef, red onions, green peppers, mushrooms, and olives).
All pizzas feature Aviator's famous hand-tossed dough, created with a 26-year old family yeast strain. After it's baked, the crispy sourdough crust is brushed with rosemary-infused pizza oil. The menu also features calzones, sandwiches, pasta, chicken wings, and desserts.
There are 24 Texas craft beers and six wines on tap. Austin representatives include Thirsty Planet Brewing Company, Adelbert's Brewery, Independence Brewing Co., and Austin Eastciders. In addition to sipping a pint onsite, you can also get a growler to go.
Aviator opens at 6501 S. Congress Ave. (in the former Billie Jean's Burgers space) on December 14.
Elgin favorite Aviator Pizza is coming to South Austin.
