Home Slice Pizza, the South Congress slice shop that taught a lot of Austinites how to fold their pizza, has officially entered local legend territory. The Austin American-Statesman’s Restaurant Hall of Fame welcomed the pizzeria this week, making it the first pizza joint to ever be enshrined and capping a 20-year run as a go-to for locals and tourists alike.
According to Austin American-Statesman, restaurant critic Matthew Odam selected Home Slice for the paper’s latest Hall of Fame class, which traditionally recognizes restaurants with at least two decades of continuous service. Co-owner Joseph Strickland told the paper, "Austin has been amazing to us and they are making plans to be around for the next 20 years," a line the owners say reflects long-term plans for the brand.
Home Slice opened as a South Congress dine-in spot in 2005 and was founded by Joseph and Jen Strickland with partner Terri Hannifin Buis, according to the company. The team added the takeout window More Home Slice in 2010, debuted a larger North Loop dining room in 2018, and launched their first out-of-Austin shop in Houston’s Midtown in December 2022, per Home Slice Pizza.
How Home Slice Grew
The North Loop location brought in a full bar, Sicilian square pies, and more room to sit, shifting the concept from a tight South Congress counter into a full-service neighborhood hangout. Eater Austin chronicled the North Loop opening and the expanded menu that came with it.
Why The Induction Matters
The Statesman’s Hall of Fame is designed to highlight long-running restaurants that help define Austin’s dining identity, and bringing a pizzeria into the club signals a shift in what counts as the city’s culinary core. Per Austin American-Statesman, inductees need staying power and ongoing community relevance. Home Slice’s induction underlines that a neighborhood slice shop can be as culturally significant as a white-tablecloth institution.
Growth Beyond Austin
Home Slice has also stretched past the city limits. The owners opened a Midtown Houston outpost in 2022 and are planning a larger Heights location that will be a full buildout, according to reporting on permitting and filings. Per the planned Heights site, the location is expected to be a roomy, full-service complement to the brand’s takeout window.
What To Order
Pizza is still the headliner, with big, foldable New York-style slices, but the Italian Assorted sub is a longtime sleeper hit and often steals the show at the table, per The Infatuation. Staffers also make an annual trip to New York to visit classic pizzerias, an old company tradition the team has written about on the Home Slice blog.
Being the first pizzeria in the Statesman Hall of Fame marks a milestone for a business built on neighborhood service, late-night slices, and a few signature subs. The honor arrives as Home Slice tries to balance careful expansion with a commitment to keeping the food and hospitality familiar for the next generation of regulars.
