Quaint little tucked Italian restaurant right off of 6th street in Austin. Was doing the normal wandering around 6th street in Austin and was really craving some Italian food for some odd reason. Yelp had many positive reviews for Backspace which was very promising and the food looked great. Without reading the full review, the food was great, but more details to follow for those looking for a semi in depth review. Caught the restaurant right as it opened, so seating and or waiting for a table to open was not an issue in the least. Not the biggest restaurant for rush hour guests, so just an FYI, if you do have a chance though, try to sit at the bar as it quite comfy and the bartender was really friendly and informative on the wine being poured. Ordered the roasted okra and marinated olives, paired with two glasses of Sangiovese and Merlot Blend. The roasted Okra was out of this world, smoky, yet did not take over the dish while the Okra was perfectly cooked. Olives were marinated in a wonderful sauce, so good that we ordered another bowl! Sangiovese was a great pairing and was well worth the prices, but honestly the Merlot Blend I could of done without as it was not the best red I have had. Main course consisted of Fennel Sausage pizza (Shared) which was recommended by the bartender. I am in no way a pizza connoisseur, but the pizza was pretty darn good. They were preparing the sausage fresh right in front of me, which was wonderful! I wish I would've ordered two as it was not the biggest pizza and two of us absolutely destroyed the thin crust goodness. Compared to many other establishments on 6th street, The Backspace will not break the bank, so I would definitely consider it again when I am back in Austin and to anyone who needs a break from the bar crawl on 6th. read more

The Backspace - Fennel sausage pizza. - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Cozy, intimate, casual--this place oozes that cool euro bistro vibe. And while everyone is parked pretty close to one another, the noise levels never rise above a pleasant bustle. The staff are attentive without being overbearing. The space is also small enough that, should you need something, it won't be difficult to flag someone over. The best thing about The Backspace is everything gets cooked in their single giant oven. Catch a seat at the bar if you're in the mood to see veggies being prepped then roasted! There's magic in simplicity, and it's no different here. The pizza is light with a nice char and crisp here and there. We'll definitely be back! read more

Yes. This is the place to go for a fabulous dining experience. Service was super, good was amazing and wine recommendation was spot on. Do yourself the favor and come for everything they offer ! read more

The Backspace - Great Wine - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Greeting- No Vibe- Silence of the Lambs scary Parking- Meters/lots Service- fast with no smile Price- medium BR- Only one Food Margarita pizza was excellent. Roasted beets were boring. All red beats. Change up the colors and add olive oil $6 Very small place. Bar seats best bet WIGB? Yes read more

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This is an absolute must Italian small restaurant if you are visiting Austin. The vibe is fantastic and the wood fired pizza oven is center stage. We had the garden board and the mushroom pizza. I've lived and study in Italy and I can say without a doubt this was authentic cuisine that if I were to have shut my eyes I could have been in any small trattoria in Italy. read more

The Backspace - Catering Garden Board - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Great service but pizza was so so. Crust should be cooked longer snd that would make a big difference y

We went here for the first time on Sunday night before heading over to the Waller Creek light show. We left pretty happy. Beer and wine only, which was fine since we had a nice moscato and a cold Peroni. The giardiniera salad was a tangy bowl of fresh veggies and antipasti--we loved it, but the menu said it had kale in it and we only got a few wilted leaves of baby kale (lacinato would be better to stand up to the dressing). We hated the baked ricotta, and it was definitely the worst thing we had all night. There was barely any eggplant and the texture was like a soufflé gone wrong. The fennel sausage pizza was wonderful, though, and the size was just right for the three of us to share (it did need a bit more salt). The hazelnut chocolate budino for dessert was fine, but did not impress. Overall, we liked this place and its cozy atmosphere. Prices are decent for the area. We'd go again on a Sunday if we were already downtown, but Dirty 6th is not our scene, so not sure when we'll be back. read more

This place is so cute and the pizza and seasonal salad were tasty too! Came on a Friday night around 6:30, we were seated at the bar within minutes. Table seating was mostly by reservation, so something to keep in mind if you're with a group. They had an awesome selection of wines but only 1 beer and no liquor on the menu. Pizza was great, happy hour looked like it offered some killer deals. read more

The Backspace - Mushroom pizza - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

If you like pizza that tastes like charcoal this is for you. Get bufalina or homeslice instead

I went to Backspace on 10/18/18 for dinner. After having a few beers (on the Austin Brewery Tour), I was craving pizza. Backspace came highly recommended by my fellow Yelpers. I see why Yelpers like this place. It is cozy and you see your pizza being cooked. If you happen to sit at the bar (like I was) you can see the prep and cooking of your pizza. I need to say that their menu is somewhat limited to what they do best which is brick oven pizza. The food was good. However, the reason Backspace is receiving 5 stars from me is their service. I arrived in time to grab a sit at the bar and slowly saw the restaurant fill up. The host and waitress although having to turn away people were excellent and finding space when space was available. If you arrived and their wasn't a seat for you the host could tell you just by looking around what to expect in terms of wait time. They delivered your pizza fast and cleared tables fast so anybody who was waiting didn't have to wait. However, I never felt rushed. You're probably thinking how do you know all these details? Well my spot at the bar was next to the front door so I got to observe the comings and goings of Backspace for about 40 mins. The restaurant is small so if you're eating with a large group of people better make a reservation or go somewhere else. In a nutshell Backspace was my 1st great dining experience in Austin, TX. read more

4.25. Backspace serves the best pizza in town, in my opinion. We stopped in there over the weekend knowing that we may have to wait a while since the place is small and going without a reservation can be a problem at times. We sat at the bar immediately and since we love sitting at the bar in restaurants, it turned out to be a wonderful dining experience (and quick too). I love the ambiance at Backspace. It's warm from the oven, cozy, mood lighting galore and an intimate spot for a date or a small group experience. We started with a glass of wine and the roasted beets and spicy cauliflower. I hadn't tried either before but am a sucker for beets and cauliflower. The beets were divine - marinated with lemon zest, celery and pepperoncini. Citrusy beets with a kick of spice from the pepperoncini had me wanting more! The spicy cauliflower with capers, lemon and calabrese, was perfect in every way. Loved the flavors. Once you start on these, you'll find yourself inhaling the rest. We tried out the chicken meatball pizza as our main. First off, Backspace's pizzas are just...what's the word...special. That oven cooks them to perfection and super fast. I love the crust - not thin, but not thick. The ricotta cheese on the pizza was evenly distributed and paired well with the chicken meatballs. The chicken meatballs - I could have a plate of just those by themselves and devour them (no sharing). There was kale pesto and pepperoncini on the pizza as well and those with the ricotta and the meatballs made for another award-winning pizza. Service was great and the company was superb! read more

The Backspace is a cute, intimate spot for dinner. We came in late and they were very accommodating. Really nice Margherita pizza here. Our meatball appetizer came out and unfortunately hit some cold spots midway through. We called this out and they came out with a piping hot replacement plus some complimentary focaccia bread. They apologized and made up for it quickly so i'd come back again next time i'm in the area. read more

The Backspace - Margherita Pizze - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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If they could package the aroma in here they could make a fortune in air fresheners. I loved the place as soon as I walked in, and the melange of woodsmoke and garlic and cheese embraced us. The wood fired oven is center stage, and the space is TINY, with room for about 35 including 10 seats at the stainless steel bar that surrounds the fire and kitchen. Open just 12 days, with no sign on the door yet, word is getting out it seems, as all the tables were full and diners tended to linger. We got seats at the bar which gave a great view of the food preparation and the single oven used for all dishes. They were out of draught beer, but did feature Peroni in bottles, along with a huge wine list including a few by the glass ranging from $7-10 each. We sampled a variety of antipasti, served up from the fire at temperatures just below that of the surface of the sun. Do NOT touch the little cast iron pots! Plates included an intriguing octopus,chili and blood orange combo perfectly seasoned and cooked tender, and a fantastic grilled Brussels sprout/pecorino romano/pancetta combination that was just perfect. Portions are small but encourage sampling. We asked our server for a "greatest hits" of pizzas and he served up a variety that surprised and delighted: classic Margherita, a fennel sausage, roasted pepper & garlic, a "Peperoni Americano," with delightful picante salame, tomato, made-in-house mozzarella and fresh Basil and the wonderful Bianca: arugula, mozzarella, ricotta and pecarino. Each was a vaguely diamond shaped oval of absolutely outstanding crust, pulled not tossed before being slid into the oven for mere minutes and served hot and bubbling. The crust is sublime, the right mix of crispy and chewy, tasty and flavorful enough to be an appetizer itself. I lived in Connecticut for a while, and New Haven boasted my two favorite pizza places in the universe: Sally's and Pepe's, distinctive venerable Neopolitan pizzerias featuring hulking wood-fired ovens and inspiring long waits for truly classic pies. After 17 years in Austin, I can finally get my Neapolitan pizza fix just half a block off 6th Street. Welcome to the neighborhood. We've been waiting for you. read more

The Backspace - Piping hot Margherita Pizza, 850 degree wood-fired oven, 39 degree draught Peroni (left to Right) - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

When Backspace hits my eye like a big pizza pie.... that's Amore(aaaaaaaaay)! When you step in to this place you are instantly transported to a different place. Like you're on vacation and that you just might have an Under the Tuscan Sun moment where you find your inner self via a strapping Italian man. From the rustic tables to the absolutely adorable way they set their tables with the red overturned punts and stemware, everything is just, so, perfect, yes, perfect. The food is excellent! Happy hour is a great time to go to try all the antipasti half price. I ordered one of everything and my mouth congratulated me for my efforts. First time had the house made fennel sausage pizza and this last time the bianca covered in arugula. Divine, delish, devoured! There are only 10 tables and 8 barstools so it's best to go at odd times (early or late) to get right in although I have to admit it's well worth any wait!! Il Vostro Sinceramente, Madi (a.k.a. Diane Lane Wannabe) read more

The Backspace - Squash (left) and tomatos/onions (right) antipasta. Not a fan of the squash, onions tomatos delishious. - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Upon walking into this tiny space with no empty tables, I started to stress since I had not made a reservation and was with a group of 3. The friendly hostess let me know that the tables were for reservations only but we snagged the last 3 spots at the bar & was sure glad we did! The cool young man behind the bar was not only funny but informative about menu items & the daily specials. I was lucky enough to be there with my aunt who frequents The Backspace for their Happy Hour (1/2 price appetizers and cheap beer) so she knew the best menu items. We started off with the baked ricotta accompanied by homemade focaccia bread, roasted green beans & local squash with pumpkin seed pesto. I could have eaten 5 orders of the perfectly roasted squash covered in the creamy but flavorful pesto, no lie. Not long after the appetizers were devoured, we ordered the Bianca, a pizza with ricotta, mozzarella & romano cheese topped with a massive amount of fresh arugula & olive oil. Although our bodies said no more food, our wandering eyes kept seeing these petite deserts being served to the people on both sides of us and we had to order one... or two. Presented to us in miniature jars was a fluffy ricotta cheesecake topped with graham crackers & fresh strawberries and a chocolate pudding-like thing with fresh whipped cream and homemade chocolate toffee w/ hazelnuts. mmmmmmmmm! I really loved that everything was made to order in their brick oven and that I had not one complaint... just wow! With half off appetizers during HH, my plan is to go back to try everything on the menu and have a couple more orders of that local squash & pesto... who's joining me? read more

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I think that, had I not visited Pieous so recently before finding The Backspace, I would have given them 5 stars in a heartbeat. But I think that they're competing on that same level of class, attention to quality ingredients, and an atmosphere that is quaint yet sophisticated, so that I must compare the two. And The Backspace, while definitely wonderful, falls a little shy of the standard in their league. At first, I took great issue with how hard it was to find. Now that I know the secret (The Backspace is literally just the back. space. of Parkside) so I know to pull up along Parkside on San Jaq and just valet - or park in the paid bank lot directly across the street to save a few bucks. I expressed to the server that I was a tad perturbed by their inconspicuousness and that I even questioned if I had, in fact, arrived at the front door to enter, the restaurant is THAT unassuming. But he put it into great perspective right quick: "We're pretty much on Dirty Sixth, but we're a restaurant - a nice one - not a bar. We don't want to be easily found and accessible to just roam into." I like that. I appreciate the air of exclusivity that "We want people to come here on purpose; to know that this is where they're having dinner before they show up. We don't want to be an accident in anyone's evening." Also, the hidden element may help it keep its lure and charm longer than most instantly popular new restaurants in Austin. Now - the service was very relaxed and subdued. I liked our server - he did a great job. But I would have liked a tad more promptness and being checked on a few more times. If the tabs gonna be 50 bucks for two people and one mini human to just eat pizza, I kind of want to be doted on a bit more. Regardless, the service wasn't "bad" by any means. The menu is very concise and likely is seasonal. We had the meatball starter which was a mixture including lamb with a hint of mint, the slightest bit of heat and a wonderful robust marinara sauce. The portion is perfect for two people to split. Our pies were the Pepperoni and the Mushroom (which has capers) and both were very very good. The dough was a bit too thin / flimsy for my taste and the toppings, which were delicious and thoughtfully combined, slid right off unless you folded your slice. That's fine with me. But, as I said, in comparison to Pieous' selection, creativity, crust and taste, even though this pizza is light years better than 90% of what you can get in Austin, it's not quite up to par with what I want on Classy Pizza Night. The interior is intimate and very small; Tables are sandwiched next to each other. Again, this is part of the charm. But the menu does let you know that since they have limited seating, they want you to be courteous to other customers and limit your visit to an hour. I very much dislike when I'm instantly told that my business is only good for an hour and they're so worried about turning over tables that they'll PRINT it on your menu before you've started your meal. Do I think you should give them a try? Sure! The pizza is elevated, the space itself is inviting. Will I make it a point to come back soon? Well, I won't go out of my way - but I know I'd enjoy myself and my meal just fine next time I do stop in. read more

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Okay, so this will be my second time writing this review, but my thoughts on this place are only reconfirmed after receiving a rude reply earlier today (which is the one below). First of all, let me just say, it's unprofessional to accuse a customer of not paying their tab. If The Backspace didn't want to cause such chaos in their business then they should adopt professional business practices such as, oh, I don't know, splitting their checks to accommodate large parties. If checks were split, there would've been NO confusion. It's easily gathered that they don't like large parties. With that said, I don't understand how it's possible to stiff a waiter out of tip when everyone overpaid their totals, after tax, even though we didn't think the waiter deserved 18%. No matter what weekend it is. Because of the service, the food is unremarkable. Have a great day ! read more

My husband and I wanted a quick bite to eat on a late Tuesday night that we wouldn't feel guilty about. The Backspace happened to be open, so we decided to check it out also because it was a mere two blocks from our hotel. We were pretty satisfied with our whole meal. We ordered the Roasted mushroom pizza and the roasted okra antipasti. They make everything in their woodfired oven. We enjoyed our meal and ended with their ricotta and beet red velvet cheesecake, which was also very pretty to look at. We will definitely recommend this place to our friends. read more

The Backspace - Beet and ricotta cheesecake. Beautiful! - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

How I like my pizzas: covered in fresh arugula with a delicious crust. The bartender was wonderful to talk to and made a good white wine suggestion for my sweet tooth. I also recommend the beet salad and intend to try much more of their menu soon. Round 2: Truffle pizza (a special for this week.) Turns out I love truffles; but really do not like caramelized onions and, like a child, started to pull them off. I haven't really noticed them on food before but the aftertaste was nauseating. Can't tell if this is a general caramelized onion problem or this particular instance? read more

Came on a Friday and made reservations for the birthday girl's dinner. I was extremely happy with the service which was very friendly, and prompt, as well as with the pizza and dessert. The pizza was thin, with lots of fresh and flavorful toppings, a delicious sauce, and little pockets of char on the crust just the way I like it. The fennel sausage pie was fantastic with delicious anise flavoring from the fennel and very tender and non greasy sausage, and I tried a bit of my wife's margherita pizza which was also delicious. We ordered the salted caramel panna cotta, and hazelnut chocolate budino for dessert, and both were very tasty and similar kinds of textured desserts. I'd definitely go back as we had a great pizza, and great experience. Up there with Bufalina as my favorite pizza in Austin. read more

The Backspace - Fennel sausage pizza. Very flavorful! - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Backspace is what happens when Parkside spends $12,000 to order a 900 degree wood fired pizza oven direct from Naples, Italy. Hidden behind Parkside in a currently unlabeled storefront off San Jacinto is a quaint Italian pizza joint unlike any other in Austin. The pizzas run between $9-$15ish and are enough to fill up one person or for two people to split as long as they're ordering other appetizers and dessert. Backspace has a long bar that sits directly in front of the pizza oven so you can watch all the action and a few tables along the street side window, but once it gets discovered, this place is likely to fill up quickly, so get there early. I tried four of the eight pizzas available, and they were all delicious. My favorite was the fennel sausage with roasted red peppers. They don't have a "build your own option" here, but they do have a few interesting toppings including anchovies and farm fresh eggs that you can add to any of their pizzas. The crust on these pizzas is amazing and unlike any other crust in Austin that I've tried. It's bubbly and crisp in places with just the right amount of chewiness. The wine list is filled with Italian wines which start at $7.50 a class or $28 a bottle and head up from there. Even though I think Parkside has stumbled on something great here, there is still some room for improvement: - The pizzas were all a little too salty. I'm not sure where the saltiness was coming from, but since it was consistant across the pizzas, it must have been the sauce or the dough. - On the fennel sausage and pepperoni pizzas, the crust was too thin in the middle to hold the toppings and it dissolved into a bit of nothingness in the very center of the pizza. - The appetizers were good, but the portions were a bit too small. For instance, the meatballs app came with three meatballs which makes splitting it difficult so upping this to four would be a good solution. Also, it would be nice to get bread with the meatballs app for dipping. - Since Backspace is attempting to emulate a true Italian pizza restaurant, it would be nice if they added a cheap house Italian red at about $5 a glass/$20 a bottle. Otherwise, this place is fantastic, and I suggest going now before everyone else figures it out. read more

The Backspace - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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If I was on death row and about to go to the chair I would request the pepperoni pizza from Backspace. This is not your typical Americanized artificial pizza on performance enhancement drugs. This is the real stuff. The closest you'll get to an authentic Italian pie. Baked in a brick wood fired oven and served piping hot. The space itself is small, intimate, and inviting with Motown hits playing in the background. I recommend coming here during happy hour to enjoy cheap draft Peroni and half off appetizers, which are pretty awesome too. read more

I really want to love this place. It is ok in my book. Recently was there with some girlfriends and the food did nothing for me. We started with the baked ricotta and honestly I only ate one bite. It was not good at all. Then we shared a Margherita and a Sausage Pizza. Both were ok. Nothing I would rush back into for. The place has a brick oven and as such it is very warm in the small space. If it is packed it can be very loud. They do have valet parking for $10. I would give it a solid 3.5 stars. I do recommend reservations even though during the week you could probably get a table. read more

The restaurant is a very small, intimate place located on the side of 6th street and across from Latitude the bar. The restaurant was very tight (did I mention how small it was) in space as the tables were too close to where you can listen in on your neighbors conversation or vice versa. I definitely didn't feel comfortable. The pizza was edible but nothing that I haven't tasted before or would highly recommend as a top pick of pizza joints to try. read more

Sometimes I wish that The Backspace was larger but I know it would ruin the charm that continues to draw me here to eat. In fact as I type this I can't stop thinking about meatballs, the farm salad, and prosciutto wrapped mozzarella. The servers and bartenders here are amazing people, friendly as can be and if they didn't have to serve the other people would gladly pour your wine all night and regale you with stories of days past. Thankfully I've always had great food and wonderful experiences here and it keeps us coming back every time. If you are worried about a seat you can always call for a reservation but if you show up early there is usually plenty of space. Oddly I ended up here the first time because the people at Parkside were exceedingly rude, but it was definitely a great find and I can't thank them enough for it. read more

Like neighboring Parkside, The Backspace offers some fantastic happy hour deals. All antipasti, beer, and wine by the glass is 50% off. That means each antipasti dish only costs $3. At that price you can make an entire meal from their six different offerings. The House-Made Mozzarella, Roasted Beets, and Eggplant Caponata are all fantastic choices. I could probably eat two or three of the mozzarella servings all by myself! Despite gorging myself on cheese, I still ordered the Roasted Mushroom Pizza. The pizza is thin-crust Neapolitan and cooked in a beautiful brick oven. Without appetizers, a single pizza is definitely not enough for two people, but a pizza per person is probably too much food. If you do decide to go that route, the leftovers reheat quite well. The only beer they serve is Peroni on draft for $5 (Yes, it's only $2.50 during happy hour). If you have a larger party, you can make a reservation by contacting them but be warned they usually won't seat you until everyone arrives. We had a surprise birthday dinner here once and managed to mostly circumvent that requirement. read more

The Backspace - Salted Caramel Panna Cotta - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

This will be a funny review because the backspace is a pizza place, and i did not have the pizza. i eat all over most restaurant's menus - and theirs also has some very neat meat plates and some very attractive salads. so i went with a meat and salad combo. the folks i went with did the pizza. the perennial pizza hater was neutral (when the normal response would be negative) and the pizza lovers were very happy indeed. so that probably means the pizza is good. (there are certainly great options for cheese haters on pizza ... which is a sign of an expansive and sophisticated view of pizza making). i went with a cold italian meat selection and a beet and greens salad. the beet and greens salad had only the most microscopic indication that beets had been near the salad (yes, they were in there if you looked) ... but it was an otherwise perfectly wonderful salad. (texans hate beets - while i am of the eastern european beet worshiping persuasion. so the restaurant's choice probably reflects vote of the people.) the meat plate was kind of fun. high quality superior italian meats (available at several places in town, but still a pleasure) served in generous mounds on a cutting board rather than splayed out flat on an antipasto. extra credit goes to the "trimmings" - a fine pickled garlic - a to die for sweet caper relish i have never seen anywhere else - and cornbread sized squares of a respectable toasted italian bread. i would order the combo again happily. the room is quite pleasant and hits a nice balance for hanging out - being classier than a sixth street dive but funkier than the oh so stuffy flemings. good drinking, good eating. comparable italian joints with high quality pizza, antipasti and salads exist elsewhere in town but this is perfectly fine.. read more

Tucked into the backside of Parkside, I could spit and it would land on the Dirty 6th District. And I'm certain people have. The Backspace is intimate and somewhat exclusive. It's romantic and cozy. It's effing delish. My boyfriend was jonesing for Neapolitan style pizza, as he usually does and discovered this place. It MAY seat 30 people, so reservations are certainly encouraged. I understand they can't really have people sitting there for ages and I've heard they're relatively aggressive with turning the tables. In our experience, they've almost been afraid to offer dessert. But by the time you split a bottle of wine, an appetizer of the best baked Brussels sprouts you'll EVER HAVE IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE, and about a 12" pizza, you'll be okay to nix the sweets. The fennel sausage with peppers pie nearly changed my life. I love it when pizzas feature the fancy mozzarella dollops on the pizza instead of the shredded stuff. It's like lifting out your pinky when sipping on tea in grandma's fancy china. The backspace is a definite win in my book. It's the best pizza we've had in austin this far. And when you're in a relationship with a darling man who could eat pizza for every meal and has even spent years mastering his own pizza recipe from scratch, we've tried a lot of pizza. Okay. Wait. The Backspace is my SECOND favorite pizza in Austin. I'd hurt the boy's feelings if I didn't say his was the best. Which it is. read more

Want some delicious pizza downtown that isn't soaking in grease or makes you feel like you're gunna vom after? BOOM The Backspace is a pleasant pizza find in a downtown full of drunk pizza. Delicious and authentic Italian! The prices are on the higher end but you have to pay a bit more for this true pizza blessing and it is basically 2 meals worth of pizza. I get the margherita and ask them to add mushrooms. YUM Definitely worth the price if you are craving good pizza. Please for the love of god don't go to Roppolos. read more

The Backspace - Their margarita with mushrooms - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Love The Backspace! I went there with some coworkers after working at a conference downtown. This place has such a great atmosphere, and reminds me of a European bistro type experience. If you walk in, you can only sit at the bar (the tables are usually reserved), but the bar is a great spot too. Fabulous wine selection (and very helpful recommendations from the waiters), and AMAZING pizza. They're huge, so in theory, 2 people could share, but it was so tasty, I ate a whole one myself. I am absolutely looking forward to coming back here at some point. It would be a perfect date spot. Highly recommend! read more

Went to back space on a double date with Juliet this Saturday and had such a wonderful time. The couple we were with was vegan and the restaurant not only had an AMAZING vegan selection (something like 6/8 of antipasti), but bent over backwards to make sure their meal was just as good as ours. Musts: - Eggplant Caponata - Dicatum 2003 Sangiovese Food (4.5): Started with three antipasti outside while we waited for our table to be ready: beets (good), eggplant (amazing), and the cauliflower (good). Moved into two pizzas (one vegan one spicy salami), both of which were quite tasty. Drinks (5): Started with a bottle of Grillo that was cool, crisp and what exactly what you want when sitting outside in the Texas heat. Once seated however, we were served a bottle of decanted Dicatum 2003 Sangiovese that was truly amazing. Would be worth going back just to have it paired with their pizza again. Service (5): There were a few hiccups with tables being late and bottles being mis-priced, but EVERY hiccup was met with apologies and a correction that more than out did the original wrong. Could speak no higher of the service and attention we were given. Other Notes: - Fun, eclectic decor - Very small interior, make reservations read more

The Backspace - Tasty grilled peppers! - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Just finished what was a great meal with friends. If your looking for some great pizza paired some delicious wines... this is the place for you. I normally post photos but this was so good I completely forgot to take them. These are just like the pizzas you would get in Naples, baked in a wood fired pizza oven. We honed in on the Texas Lamb pizza and the Fennel Sausage pizza. Texas lamb had tomato, fontina, radicchio, pepperoncini... and of course lamb. Fennel sausage had mozzarella, roasted pepper, garlic, and the most flavorful fennel sausage. Of the two- Fennel Sausage was my favorite. I don't drink wine but my friends do and they had plenty of great wine. I was a little disappointed in the lack of beers but it's not really in keeping with the theme of the restaurant. They have a good selection of fountain drinks and bottles of Mexican Coke. Service was great as well. We didn't have room for anything else but lots of delicious items on the menu including what read like very tasty desserts. If you like real Italian pizza... go here and don't delay. Make sure you get a reservation.. seriously it's that good or you won't get in. read more

It is a small but really cute place. The whole décor had a nice rustic cozy feel to it with mood lighting (ie. too dim for pictures =() You could smell the pizzas baking in the oven as soon as you walk into the place, not greasy, just a nice smoky bready aroma. My friend and I started with the pesto butternut squash as the appetizer. It came in an iron skillet - points for presentation! The butternut squash was cooked through without being mushy. I liked how some of them were browned a bit on the outside. Their sweetness balanced very nicely with the freshly made pesto. A win. We got the bianco pizza because my friend just simply could not resist anything with ricotta, and it was definitely a good call. The ricotta was so sweet and fresh and smooth that it was like heaven in your mouth. There was just enough arugula to cut through the creamy ricotta so it doesn't get too overpowering. I felt guilty that I was eyeing the pieces with more ricotta, but I exercised restraint since my friend was treating me to dinner and she was the one that favored ricotta. I did feel the flatbread was a bit too hard on the edges though, to the point of being burnt. They were crunchy and took some effort to chew through. The dessert selection was actually not as interesting as the rest of the menu, but we got them anyways. We got the ricotta cheesecake topped with apple and brown sugar crumbs. Did I mention my friend had no resistance to ricotta? We also got the chocolate custard with hazelnut toffee. Again, the ricotta was really good. Still that recurring theme of really fresh ingredients. The chocolate custard actually had a decent chocolate taste to it instead of just being sugarly-sweet and chocolate-colored. I could have done without the toffees though. In fact I ended up not eating them, and only bit off the hazelnuts. Both of the desserts were actually a bit too sweet for my taste, but mostly because of the toppings. They were super cute though because they came in tiny mason jars. Overall a very nice dinner, and would be a nice place for a date. So 3.5 stars but rounded down instead of up after a lot of thinking, because our flatbreads were a bit burnt and the desserts were just pretty average selection and average tasting. read more

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Very cool little place. Legitimate wood fired brick oven, excellent preparation, fresh ingredients, courteous staff, and an outstanding pizza. A light crisp crust baked to perfection. I was impressed. Lunch seems to be their slow time. Highly recommended. read more

The Backspace - Bad picture. AWESOME pizza. - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Hit up Backspace for a pizza to go! What a cool place. It's small and quaint. I just ordered the fennel sausage pizza. While I wait, I'm chilling at the bar drinking a draft Peroni while A Tribe Called quest is jamming on the sound system. You can tell this place pays close attention to detail. Right up front they have a Berkel slicer to cut their delicatessen meats like prosciutto. (Berkel go for a bit of 10k - 20k depending on the model) Apparently electric slicers create too much heat and will alter the integrity of the fine meats. Attention to details is usually what sets excellence apart. Now the food! This pizza is so good! Immediately you can taste the liquorice hint the fennel gives the sausage. Then the mozzarella cheese to come in and say hi. Crust is perfect and so so good made out of their brick oven. What a great pizza and can't wait to go back and start exploring the menu. read more

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SO and I had dinner here one Sunday. The place is so tiny, every time I wanted to change my mind I had to go outside. We sat at the bar, nearest to the oven. I thought come August, the heat of the oven may be a bit of an issue, but our server said that the space has an A/C unit that can cool a much bigger space, so things will probably be OK. I like the abundance of daylight. We had the octopus & blood orange "salad", roasted brussel sprouts, and the white anchovy & olives pizza. We liked the octopus salad but thought the taste could be a tiny bit bolder, perhaps a touch more acidity. I loved the sprouts, my SO not so much. I enjoyed the crispy bits of pancetta and the hearty pungent pecorino counterpunching the slight bitterness of the sprouts. The pizza was a mixed bag. The crust was well developed and had great flavor. One of the chefs assured me that they ferment the dough at least 24 hours. The crust ended up a bit charred in spots, but I think reducing oven time to avoid charring would not have resulted in the necessary crispness in the rest of the crust. A few quick scrapes took care of the charred bits. The pizza's topping was an acquired taste. It was a bit light on the olives and tomato front. The anchovies acted the bullies on the block. More olives and cherry tomatoes would have made for a much more peaceful and tasty neighborhood. We had the ricotta "cheesecake" (and an espresso for me) for dessert. The "cheesecake" was a great twist on the "normal": it's in a little glass jar with a wire bail lid, the creme on the bottom, topped with berries and lumps of graham crumb crust. The cheesecake was supremely creamy and smooth; the cherries had just enough syrup on them to dial down their tartness/sourness. BTW, the espresso was half way decent as well. read more

The Backspace - Ricotta cheesecake - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Love love LOVE The Backspace. I am officially obsessed. My husband and I eat at a new pizza place in Austin pretty much every weekend. This past weekend we were celebrating our anniversary, so obviously we wanted pizza but, classy pizza! I've heard this place was the best, so we gave it a go. It's very small, so we made a reservation and were seated immediately. Shay was our waitress, she was lovely. The restaurant gave us a complimentary glass of the best champagne we have ever had, so that was really sweet. I had the Margarita pizza and my husband had the one with salami. We were very, very impressed. Their Marinera sauce was AMAZING. It makes all the difference. The crust was perfect, it was thin but not too thin. We will most certainly be back.. next weekend! read more

The Backspace - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

First of all great vibe, dim lighting makes it cool and romantic . Peroni on tap a plus, wife had Perseco ... then meat board was fantastic Presuitto, Mortadella, Spec and a great salami , Mozzarella was great and olives them Pizza yum. Make reservations! Fills up quick read more

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We left convention and we're looking for a spot for dinner for 8 of us. We found this little gem down from our hotel JW Marriot. I tried. Asking ahead but they said they did not take call a heads but she told me a couple tables were being cleared now. You walk into this low lit restaurant that has a brick oven as a focal point and a wall of wine. We sat down the waitress was on it. Had us water took our drink orders and never used a notepad and got NOTHING wrong with our order. It wasn't the longest menu but it didn't need to be. I ordered the Margherita pizza which was phenomenal and I ordered a glass of wine from the Montalcino region. BTW- they only have wine from Italy!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This made me love the restaurant even more! read more

The Backspace - It's such a small quaint restaurant. Love it! - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Authentic Italian oven-fired pizza at its FINEST!!! None better anywhere!!!! Everything here is prepared in the oven and the dough takes three days to craft..and it tastes like it!!!!! Try the Biance pizza liked high with Arugala, the Fennel Sausage with roasted peppers or the Americano!!!! Goes great with a Peroni Italian beer!!! The desserts are SCRUMPTIOUS ....the Hazelnut Chocolate Budino is combines hazelnut and toffee to perfection while the Salted Caramel Pamna Cotta with its cinnamon bananas and biscotti is heaven!!! The staff ROCKS!!! Alicia, Jimmy, Emily, Benjamin, Jeremy, Hayden, Sarah, Jake (the Cook) and Harlan (the ops Manager) make The Backspace a truly memorable dining experience!!! read more

The Backspace - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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