Roma's Italian Restaurant in Sulphur Springs, TX

Basic Information:

Pizza: Roma's Italian Restaurant

Number of Locations: 1
Location Reviewed: 400 Shannon Road East in Sulphur Springs, TX (just east of I-30, exit 124)
Website: https://romasitalianeasttx.com/
Date of Review Visit: February 2026
What I Ordered: small (12") pizza with pepperoni and sausage
Price: $18.93 (pizza only; includes tax but not drink or tip)
Photos:

Summary Review: 3 stars (out of 5)

 

Detailed Review:

Crust: The pizza crust at Roma's Italian Restaurant is thicker than you would expect for this part of the country.  It has a nice texture that is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, but it has no real flavor.  Every pizza at Roma's comes with breadsticks at no additional charge, but the breadsticks are horrible.  My breadsticks came at room temperature with no flavor other than salt and bread.  While this is a pizza blog and not a breadstick blog, I needed to factor in the breadsticks somewhere, so I factored them in here.  Score: 6/10

Sauce: This pizza does not have much sauce, and the sauce it does have has very little flavor.  Score: 3/10

Cheese: The cheese appears in sufficient quantity and does not produce much grease.  I like it.  Score: 9/10

Toppings: The sausage looks like the horrible pellet variety, but in fact it has a tasty amount of spiciness.  The pepperoni likewise adds just enough spiciness.  Both toppings appear in plenty of quantity.  Score: 9/10

Overall Taste: The overall taste is a little on the bland side: I really missed the tomato taste from the sauce and the bread taste of the crust.  The toppings save what could be a disaster.  Score: 7/10

Pizza Appearance: The thick crust and abundant toppings dominate the pizza's appearance.

Dining Atmosphere: Roma's has a dimly lit dining area with nice tables and chairs.  They also have a large bar, which the Baptist I am did not partake of.

Customer Service: The service was no-frills, quick, and to the point.

Monetary Value: Even when you factor in the "free" breadsticks, the price is too high relative to what you put in your mouth.

The Final Judgment:

Roma's makes a very average pizza with a dining atmosphere that does not suit my taste.  While I might come here occasionally as a change of pace, there are better pizza options in northeast Texas.  Score: 71/100

Pizza Leon in Central Texas

Basic Information:

Pizza: Pizza Leon

Number of Locations: 2, both in central Texas
Location Reviewed: 509 E. Ben White Boulevard in Austin, TX
Website: https://mypizzaleon.com/
Date of Review Visit: February 2026
What I Ordered: Medium (12") pizza with pepperoni and sausage
Price: $17.05 (pizza only; includes tax)
Photos:

Summary Review: 4 stars (out of 5)

 

Detailed Review:

Crust: The crust at Pizza Leon has medium thickness.  The texture is somewhat on the hard side, and it is rather flavorless.  I don't care for this crust.  Score: 4/10

Sauce: On the other hand, the sauce appears in sufficient quantity, and it has pleasant tomatoey taste.  I really like this sauce.  Score: 10/10

Cheese: The cheese appears in adequate quantity, and it produces little grease.  Excellent!  Score: 9/10

Toppings: The sausage is a spicy Italian sausage, but it also has a pleasant pork flavor that does not simply taste like biting into a spice keg.  Likewise the pepperoni has a pleasant spiced park flavor.  Both toppings appear in high quantity.  Score: 10/10

Overall Taste: The crust really holds this pizza back, because everything else works together pretty well.  The overall taste is also on the salty side.  Score: 7.5/10

Pizza Appearance: The toppings dominate this pizza's appearance, which is probably a good thing.

Dining Atmosphere: (not applicable: this location is a food truck with no dining area)

Customer Service: The service was prompt and friendly, but the window on the food truck did not open properly, making it hard to communicate and receive my pizza.

Monetary Value: The price is somewhat expensive, but the overall quality is quite high.  Thus, the value is decent.

The Final Judgment:

Pizza Leon may be the best food truck pizza I have ever had, even if their other location is a traditional location.  I would sanction coming here occasionally, even if you have to bring your own drink and eat it in your car.  Score: 82/100

Stefano's Pizza Express in Pharr, TX

Basic Information:

Pizza: Stefano's Pizza Express

Number of Locations: 1
Location Reviewed: 500 North Jackson Road in Pharr, TX (just north of I-2, exit 144)
Website: https://stefanospizzaexpress.com/
Date of Review Visit: February 2026
What I Ordered: 16" pizza with pepperoni and sausage
Price: $20.02 (pizza only, includes tax but not drink or tip)
Photos:

Summary Review: 4.5 stars (out of 5)

 

Detailed Review:

Crust: Stefano's Pizza Express makes New York style pizza with a thin crust.  The crust is too crispy to be foldable.  This is not my favorite style of crust, but it is OK for what it is.  Score: 7/10

Sauce: This pizza is a little undersauced, but the sauce that does appear has a pleasant tomato taste. Score: 8/10

Cheese: This pizza has plenty of yummy cheese, and it does not produce much grease.  Fantastic!  Score: 10/10

Toppings: The sausage looks like the horrible pellet-style sausage, but in fact it has decent flavor and spiciness.  The pepperoni has an excellent spiced pork flavor.  Both toppings appear in above average quantity.  Score: 9/10

Overall Taste: None of the parts really overpower the others.  Everything works together pretty well to produce a well-balanced overall taste.  Score: 8.5/10

Pizza Appearance: The sausage looks bad even though it doesn't taste bad.  Otherwise, this pizza looks like a nice New York style pizza.

Dining Atmosphere: I ordered take-out, but Stefano's Pizza Express has a pleasant casual dining atmosphere with comfortable tables and chairs.

Customer Service: The service is counter service, and it was quick and friendly on my visit.

Monetary Value: The price is pretty high, but you have to remember that this is a quality 16" pizza.  Thus, the value is not too bad, plus the counter service saves on the tip.

The Final Judgment:

There is nothing cheap or hasty about the pizza at Stefano's Pizza Express.  They offer a quality pizza in a quality dining environment at a fair price, and if I lived in Pharr I would take the express lane to come here regularly.  Score: 86/100

Bruno's Italian Kitchen in Beaumont, TX

Basic Information:

Pizza: Bruno's Italian Kitchen

Number of Locations: 1
Location Reviewed: 3199 Dowlen Road (between Folsom Dr. and Delaware St.)
Website: https://brunosik.com/
Date of Review Visit: February 2026
What I Ordered: small (12") meatlover's pizza (sausage, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, hamburger)
Price: $19.04 (includes drink and tax but not tip)
Photo:

Summary Review: 4 stars (out of 5)

 

Detailed Review:

Crust: The crust on Bruno's Italian Kitchen's pizza is a fluffy crust.  It is not too thick, but it has a nice crispiness around the edge.  The crust has a fresh bready taste, and I like it.  Score: 9/10

Sauce: The pizza is undersauced, and the sauce that does exist is overspiced.  I could not taste the tomatoes in the sauce at all.  Score: 3/10

Cheese: This pizza has a thick yummy layer of cheese that does not produce much grease.  Magnifico!  Score: 10/10

Toppings: The sausage is a slightly spicy Italian sausage; the flavor is satisfactory but not outstanding.  The Canadian bacon has a pleasant fresh ham taste.  The pepperoni is unremarkable.  The hamburger just sits there adding no flavor, which is what it does on most pizzas and why I never order hamburger as a stand-alone topping.  The toppings appear in satisfactory quantity.  Score: 7/10

Overall Taste: The sauce and sausage combine to give this pizza an overly spicy flavor.  I would like to taste some of the other ingredients more.  Score: 7.5/10

Pizza Appearance: This pizza has a very white appearance due to the cheese.

Dining Atmosphere: The cloth napkins add a touch of class, as does the pleasant Italian music playing in a fantastic dining room.

Customer Service: The server was friendly and attentive, but every action took awhile even though they weren't busy.

Monetary Value: The price seems expensive, but it is reasonable for a quality 12" meatlover's pizza.

The Final Judgment:

Bruno's offers a quality pizza in a quality dining atmosphere.  While not elite, it is competitive on the Beaumont pizza scene, and I would make it part of my regular pizza rotation if I lived in Beaumont.  Score: 80/100

Giovanni's Italian Restaurant in Palestine, TX

Basic Information:

Pizza: Giovanni's Italian Restaurant

Number of Locations: 1
Location Reviewed: 2027 West Oak Street in Palestine, TX (near US 79 and Loop 340 on the west side) (31.74693, -95.65360)
Website: https://www.giovannisitalianrestaurantpalestine.com/?utm_source=gbp
Date of Review Visit: February 2025
What I Ordered: small (12") pizza with sausage and pepperoni; Dr. Pepper to drink
Price: $20.46 (includes drink and tax but not tip)
Photo:

Summary Review: 4.5 stars (out of 5)

 

Detailed Review:

Crust: The crust on the pizza at Giovanni's Italian Restaurant is crispy but not hard.  In fact, it has a light airy texture with a slight bready taste.  My pizza was baked the perfect amount.  I like this crust.  Score: 10/10

Sauce: This pizza is slightly undersauced, but the sauce it does have has a nice fresh tomatoey taste. Score: 8/10

Cheese: This pizza has plenty of cheese, and it does not produce much grease.  Perfecto!  Score: 10/10

Toppings: The sausage comes in tiny ground up bits and has a pleasant fresh pork flavor.  The pepperoni is unremarkable.  Both toppings appear in sufficient quantity.  Score: 9/10

Overall Taste: The sausage and tomato sauce carry the day; I just wish there was a little more of each. Score: 9/10

Pizza Appearance: This pizza has a white appearance and looks more bland than it is.

Dining Atmosphere: Giovanni's has a pleasant casual dining atmosphere.  Live Italian music added a touch of class on my visit even if I didn't care for the music.

Customer Service: The service was quick and attentive even though they were busy when I came here early on a Sunday afternoon.

Monetary Value: The price is high, but the quality is also pretty high.  Thus, this pizza offers decent value.

The Final Judgment:

For a small town pizza restaurant, Giovanni's makes a flavorful pizza and offers a nice dining experience.  If I lived near Palestine, I would come here regularly.  Score: 89/100

Bella Sera Italian Restaurant in Marble Falls, TX

Basic Information:

Pizza: Bella Sera Italian Restaurant

Number of Locations: 1
Location Reviewed: 701 N. Highway 281 in Marble Falls, TX
Website: https://www.bellaseratx.com/
Date of Review Visit: February 2025
What I Ordered: large (16") pizza with pepperoni and sausage
Price: $18.49 (pizza only; includes tax but not drink or tip)
Photos:

Summary Review: 4 stars (out of 5)

 

Detailed Review:

Crust: The pizza at Bella Sera Italian Restaurant has a New York style crust.  It has a soft bready texture, but it is very thin underneath.  My pizza was baked just the right amount.  This crust is not exemplary, but it's not offensive either.  Score: 7/10

Sauce: I could taste something Texas in the sauce, but I'm not sure if it was spice or peppers.  It has a different flavor; not bad but different.  The sauce appears in acceptable quantity.  Score: 8/10

Cheese: The cheese is 100% mozzarella.  It appears in decent quantity but also produces a decent amount of grease.  Score: 7/10

Toppings: The sausage is of the horrible pellet variety, but at least it has a little flavor and spiciness.  The pepperoni comes in nice thick slices with a pleasant seasoned pork flavor.  Both toppings appear in acceptable quantity.  Score: 8/10

Overall Taste: There is just enough flavor from the sauce and the toppings to avoid being bland without being overspiced.  Score: 9/10

Pizza Appearance: The pizza's appearance is fine if you can get over the pellet sausage.

Dining Atmosphere: I ordered carry out, but Bella Sera has a large dining room with a pleasant dining atmosphere.

Customer Service: The service was quick and attentive.

Monetary Value: The price is a little high for this quality of pizza but only a little.

The Final Judgment:

For a small town pizza place, Bella Sera makes a very nice pizza.  If you find yourself in Marble Falls, I recommend taking a bella sera, which is Italian for beautiful evening, and dining here.  Score: 81/100

Slow Rise Slice House Pizza in Waco, TX

Basic Information:

Pizza: Slow Rise Slice House

Number of Locations: 2, both near Waco, TX
Location Reviewed: 1620 North M.L.K. Jr. Blvd.
Website: https://www.slowrisewaco.com/
Date of Review Visit: February 2025
What I Ordered: 2 slices of The Butcher (5 meats pizza); fountain drink
Price: $12.92 (includes drink and tax)
Photo:

Summary Review: 4 stars (out of 5)

 

Detailed Review:

Crust: Slow Rise Slice House sells whole New York style pizzas and pizza by the slice.  Having nowhere to store leftovers, I ordered pizza by the slice.  The crust has the usual hard, over-crispy texture of reheated pizza, but I've had worse crusts in that regard.  At least the crust is strong enough to hold all of the toppings.  Score: 6/10

Sauce: This pizza does not have much sauce, but what sauce it does have has a fresh tomatoey taste.  Score: 7/10

Cheese: This pizza has a decent amount of cheese.  The cheese doesn't have much flavor, but it also does not produce much grease.  Score: 9/10

Toppings: The sausage appears in small wads and has a nice fresh taste.  The bacon has a pleasant pork flavor without being too salty.  The ham, pepperoni, and hamburger don't add much flavor.  The toppings appear in adequate quantity.  Score: 8/10

Overall Taste: There isn't a lot of sausage or bacon, so the overall taste is a little on the bland side, plus the crust is too hard.  Score: 7.5/10

Pizza Appearance: As usual for an all-meats pizza, the toppings dominate the appearance.  The pizza comes in nice large slices that fill the tray.

Dining Atmosphere: Here's where Slow Rise shines: they have a great, large outdoor patio overlooking the Brazos River.  I have reviewed over 180 pizza places, and this may be the most scenic place I have ever eaten pizza.

Customer Service: The service was quick and attentive.

Monetary Value: Slow Rise offers solid pizza at a reasonable price, and the counter service saves on the tip.

The Final Judgment:

Slow Rise is a popular dining spot, and for good reason.  If you order carry out, you will miss what makes this place special.  I really enjoyed dining here even though the pizza is slightly above-average at best.  Score: 83/100

Little Italy Pizza & Pasta in Abilene, TX

Basic Information:

Pizza: Little Italy Pizza & Pasta
Number of Locations: 1
Location Reviewed: 620 Ambler Ave. (corner of US 83 Business and Ambler Ave. on the north side of Abilene)

Website: https://www.littleitalyexpress.com/
Date of Review Visit: February 2024
What I Ordered: personal (10") pizza with pepperoni, pork sausage, and Italian sausage
Price: $10.81 (pizza only; includes tax but not drink or tip)

Photos:

Summary Review: 4 stars (out of 5)

Detailed Review:

Crust: The crust at Little Italy Pizza & Pasta has medium thickness.  The crust has a crispy texture, but some people would say it is a bit too stiff.  This crust has a nice fresh bready taste that I like quite a lot.  Score: 9/10.

Sauce: This pizza is slightly undersauced, but what sauce does appear has a nice fresh tomatoey flavor.  Score: 8/10.

Cheese: The cheese does not have much flavor, but it appears in sufficient quantity and does not produce much grease.  Thus, this cheese is better than most.  Score: 8/10.

Toppings: The pork sausage is the horrible pellet of grease that disintegrates on contact with your mouth.  The pepperoni is unremarkable.  The Italian sausage is the star of the show: it is a sliced link sausage with some pork flavor but not too much spiciness.  All toppings appear in sufficient quantity.  Score: 8/10.

Overall Taste: The overall taste would have been very bland except for the Italian sausage.  They need some other tasty toppings to go with some of the other good things on this pizza.  Score: 7.5/10.

Pizza Appearance: This pizza has a well-ordered and balanced appearance.

Dining Atmosphere: I ordered to-go, but the tiny dining area with a few tables and chairs is nothing more than functional.

Customer Service: The service was quick but not helpful when I asked about toppings, which is why I ended up with the pork sausage described above.

Monetary Value: The price is for the pizza only, but this pizza is still very inexpensive for a quality pizza.

The Final Judgment:

Little Italy Pizza & Pasta is a solid pizza option that could be elite with some better toppings.  If I lived in Abilene, maybe as a student at nearby Abilene Christian University, I would come here often.  Score: 84/100.

La Torcia Brick Oven Pizza Company in Arkansas/Texas

Basic Information:

Pizza: La Torcia Brick Oven Pizza Company
Number of Locations: 15 across 3 states
Website: https://www.brickovenpizzacompany.com/
Location: 814 US 62 in Harrison, AR (beside Sofa City)
Date of Review Visit: May 2021
What I Ordered: 10" pizza with Italian sausage and pepperoni; Dr. Pepper to drink
Price: $17.45 (includes drink and tax but not tip)

Photo:

Summary Review: 4 stars (out of 5)

Detailed Review:

Crust: Most brick oven pizzas feature a thin and crispy crust, and I was expecting such here.  However, it turns out I got only the crispy part.  This crust has plenty of body, and I found it to be an unexpectedly good crust.  Score: 10/10.

Sauce: The sauce does not have a lot of taste, tomato or otherwise.  It appears in high quantity.  Score: 7/10.

Cheese: The cheese is supposed to be a five cheese blend, but it tasted like plain mozzarella to me.  The cheese appears in high quantity and does not produce much grease.  Score: 8/10.

Toppings: The Italian sausage is nice: it comes in big chunks and is just a little spicy but not too spicy.  The pepperoni is unremarkable.  Both toppings appear in sufficient quantity.  Score: 7/10.

Overall Taste: The Italian sausage saves what would otherwise be a very bland overall taste.  Score: 7/10.

Pizza Appearance: Brick Oven Pizza Company serves its pizza in a nice pan, maybe a thicker pan than necessary.

Dining Atmosphere: The location in Harrison offers a nice dining area with a typical casual dining atmosphere.

Customer Service: The service was quick and friendly.

Monetary Value: This pizza is not cheap, but it is not too expensive for brick oven pizza even if this is not a typical brick oven pizza.  Thus, the value is OK but not great.

 

The Final Judgment:

This pizza was not what I expected from a brick oven pizza place, but it is not bad.  That being said, in Harrison, AR I prefer nearby Roma's Italian Restaurant over Brick Oven Pizza Company.  Score: 80/100.

Sicily Pizza and Pasta (Sipipa) in Houston, TX

Basic Information:

Pizza: Sicily Pizza and Pasta (Sipipa)

Number of Locations: 4, all near Houston, TX)

Location Reviewed: 11753 W. Bellfort Ave. in Houston, TX (between I-69 and SR 6)

Website: https://sipipa.com/

Date of Review Visit: December 2019

What I Ordered: large (14”) pizza with pepperoni and sausage; 3 cans of soda to drink

Price: $14.46 (includes tax and drinks)

Photos:

Summary Review: 4 stars (out of 5)

Detailed Review:

Crust: The crust at Sipipa is thicker than you would expect for this part of the country.  It has a nice texture that is crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, and it has a fresh bready taste.  The crust is a little too bulky to earn a perfect score from me, but I like this crust.  Score: 8/10.

Sauce: This pizza does not have a lot of sauce. The sauce also contains small chunks of tomatoes, and I don’t like finding chunks of anything in my sauce.  Therefore, this sauce is not my favorite.  Score: 4/10.

Cheese: The cheese has a nice provolone taste and appears in excellent quantity, but it also produces a lot of grease. Score: 8/10.

Toppings: The sausage comes in small chunks, and the pepperoni comes in thin slices.  Neither topping has a lot of flavor other than some spiciness, but they both appear in high quantity.  These toppings are not the best but not horribly offensive either.  Score: 7/10.

Overall Taste: This pizza could be fantastic with some tastier toppings.  Score: 8/10.

Pizza Appearance: Sipipa pizza has a nice symmetric appearance dominated by the cheese and crust.

Dining Atmosphere: The location I visited has a tiny almost nonexistent dining area, so it is best to think of Sipipa as a delivery/carry out pizza place.

Customer Service: The service was attentive and friendly even though they were very busy when I came here at 6:30 on a Thursday.

Monetary Value: For a decent quality pizza, the price is quite low.  Therefore, the value is high.

The Final Judgment:

Not great but not offensive, Sipipa is a solid option on the Houston pizza scene.  Score: 81/100.

Star Pizzeria in Houston, TX

Basic Information:

Pizza: Star Pizzeria

Number of Locations: 1

Location Reviewed: 10001 W. Bellfort Ave. in Houston, TX (just east of I-69)

Website: https://www.starpizzeriamenu.com/

Date of Review Visit: December 2019

What I Ordered: medium (12”) pizza with pepperoni and sausage; 2 cans of Dr. Pepper to drink

Price: $14.58 (includes tax and drinks)

Photo:

Summary Review: 2 stars (out of 5)

Detailed Review:

Crust: The crust at Star Pizzeria has medium thickness.  It has an appealing crispy texture on the outside, but it is soggy and droopy underneath the toppings.  My pizza was perfectly baked, and that might be the best thing I can say about this crust.  Score: 4/10.

Sauce: The sauce appears in sufficient quantity, but it does not have a lot of flavor.  Score: 5/10.

Cheese: The cheese appears in excellent quantity, and it also does not produce a lot of grease.  The cheese is the strength of this pizza.  Score: 10/10.

Toppings: Both toppings appear in high quantity but horrible quality.  The sausage is the putrid pellet variety.  The pepperoni comes in thin slices with little flavor.  These are some of the worst toppings I have tasted recently.  Score: 2/10.

Overall Taste: The cheese is the tastiest part of this pizza, which says a lot about everything else.  Score: 6/10.

Pizza Appearance: The pellet sausage is distracting to the appearance, which is otherwise fine.

Dining Atmosphere: Star Pizzeria’s small dining room is functional but no more.

Customer Service: My pizza took 30 minutes to make even though they were not busy, and the man at the counter was not exactly the friendliest person in Texas.

Monetary Value: When you factor in the two Dr. Peppers and the 12” size, the price is reasonable for this kind of pizza, but it is not great value due to the poor quality.

The Final Judgment:

In my view of the pizza galaxy, Star does not shine brightly.  Score: 64/100.

Frankie’s Italian Grill in Beaumont, TX

Basic Information:

Pizza: Frankie’s Italian Grill

Number of Locations: 1

Location Reviewed: 105 I-10 South in Beaumont, TX (on the west side of the highway)

Website: https://frankiesgrill.net/

Date of Review Visit: December 2017

What I Ordered: Mini-pizza (10”) with pepperoni and sausage

Price: $10.81 (pizza only; includes tax)

Photos:

Summary Review: 3.5 stars (out of 5)

Detailed Review:

Crust: The pizza at Frankie’s Italian Grill features a hand-tossed crust of the not-too-thick-not-too-thin variety.  The crust has a nice chewy texture.  This is not my favorite type of crust, but this crust is nice for what it is.  Score: 8/10.

Sauce: The sauce has a nice tomatoey taste, and it appears in good quantity.  I like it.  Score: 10/10.

Cheese: This pizza is slightly undercheesed, and it still produces a decent amount of grease.  At least the cheese has some nice flavor, especially after you sprinkle on some parmesan.  Score: 6/10.

Toppings: The two toppings fall at the two extremes in terms of quality.  The pepperoni has nice thickness and just enough spiciness; it is excellent.  The sausage is of the horrid pellet-variety.  Both toppings appear in good quantity.  Score: 6/10.

Overall Taste: The overall taste comes together pretty well, but it would be a lot better without the sausage.  Score: 7.5/10.

Pizza Appearance: The big sausage pellets dominate the appearance, which is not a good thing.

Dining Atmosphere: I ordered take-out, but Frankie’s has a nice dining room atmosphere with big band music playing through the speakers.

Customer Service: The service was quick and attentive.

Monetary Value: Slightly above average quality plus slightly above average price equals average value.

The Final Judgment:

Frankie’s is a nice little pizza place that has other menu offerings as well.  If I lived in Beaumont, I would make it a part of my regular pizza rotation.  Score: 79/100.