Whole Pie
New York and Italy meet Austin at new Westlake pizza restaurant
Westlake will welcome a new pizza restaurant to the busy Westbank Market shopping center this week. After operating a takeaway-only option from GhostLine Kitchen in South Austin since March 2022, Baldinucci Pizza Romana will open its first brick-and-mortar on Tuesday, October 18, at 3300 Bee Caves Road, Suite 110.
Using high-quality ingredients and traditional cooking methods, Baldinucci blends food and art in its authentic Roman and New York-style pizzas. The restaurant is family-owned and operated by husband-wife duo Salvatore “Sal” and Patricia Baldinucci, as well as Sal’s twin brother, Gabriel Baldinucci.
The Baldinucci brothers' father, Enrico, was born in Italy and opened his own pizzeria in Long Island, New York, in 1977. Growing up in their father's kitchen, the brothers learned how to make dough and prep food from an early age. Patricia brings an additional 25 years of experience to the trio's business, paired with Gabriel's MBA from Stanford University.
“My two brothers and I grew up in a pizza restaurant in New York. After moving to Austin in 2021, I realized there was a big opportunity to bring both traditional New York and Roman-style pizza to the city,” said cofounder Gabriel Baldinucci in a release. “We’re doing this all the traditional way and we want to make food that creates a special moment for people when they taste it.”
The team uses imported Italian flour and pure olive oil alongside thoughtfully sourced ingredients for an expansive menu ranging from classic pepperoni to vegan options like fig and arugula. The restaurant offers vegan and gluten-free options, as well as homemade sauces and a variety of salads. Guests can choose from two different types of dough, New York-style and Roman. The former uses hand-rolled dough and a traditional stone deck oven, while the latter involves high-hydration dough, fermented for up to 72 hours for a crisp bottom crust and light, fluffy inside.
Both styles of pizza come by the pie and by the slice, and the menu also includes gelato and other Italian desserts. The South Austin takeaway location (inside GhostLine Kitchen at 3400 Comsouth Drive) remains open, and both locations are open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 am to 9 pm.
