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Austin's favorite Detroit-style pizzeria opening second Houston spot

Detroit-style pies are coming to Webster in August.

Courtesy of Via 313

One of Austin’s favorite pizza joints continues its push into Houston. Via 313 will open its second Bayou City location in Webster on Friday, August 9.

Founded in 2011 as a food trailer by brothers Brandon and Zane Hunt, the restaurant serves Detroit-style pizzas — rectangular-shaped, deep dish pies that are baked in traditional steel pans, are “cheesed to the edge,” and have sauce added after the bake.

The menu also includes a Midwest-style, thin crust, bar pie as well as salads, appetizers, and desserts. They’re paired with beer, wine, cocktails, or two sodas that are staples in Detroit — Faygo and Vernor’s Ginger ale.

Via 313 Zane and Brandon Hunt Brothers Zane and Brandon Hunt founded Via 313 in 2011Courtesy of Via 313

Speaking to CultureMap earlier this year, the Detroit natives said that they opened Via 313 when they discovered that Austin didn’t have any pizza that reminded them of the places they grew up eating. They developed a recipe in their home kitchen that remains at the heart of the restaurant.

“Our version of that style of pizza is a culmination of a lot of different places we ate growing up,” Zane said. “We took the things we liked most about each place and brought it all together. It’s always been our version of what we liked the best. We hoped it would resonate with people, and it has.”

Located at 1065 W. Bay Area Boulevard, the pizzeria is located near the Shake Shack that opened in December. It joins an outpost that opened near Memorial City Mall in March. As part of Via 313’s partnership with venture capital firm Savory Fund, locations are also under development for the Heights, Pearland, and Cypress.

The restaurant will open for lunch and dinner daily beginning at 11 am. In addition, it will host a weekday happy hour from 3-6 pm and a late night happy hour Monday-Thursday from 8-10 pm.

“Via 313 takes pride in bringing authentic Motown flavors to pizza lovers all across the country,” Zane added in a statement. “We are especially thrilled to expand further in Texas, where our journey first began, because every Texan deserves to indulge in our award-winning Detroit-style pizzas.”

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Innovative Houston steak restaurant flames out after only 2 years

Medium Rare/Facebook

Medium Rare serves a steak dinner for $28.95.

A Washington, D.C.-based restaurant that only serves one entree is closings its Houston outpost. Medium Rare will close after service this Sunday, September 6.

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A post shared by Medium Rare Houston (@mediumrarehouston)

“After two incredible years, we’re sorry to share that this Sunday night will be our last service in Houston,” the post reads in part. “To our Houston community, thank you for welcoming us and supporting us over the past two years.”

Founded in Washington, D.C. in 2011 by chef and restaurateur Mark Bucher, Medium Rare serves a very simple, prix-fixe menu. Every diner receives bread, a green salad, and steak frites — a coulotte (top sirloin) topped with a Bordelaise-style sauce and paired with hand cut fries — for about $30. Vegetarians may replace the steak with a grilled portobello topped with a roasted red pepper sauce. Even better, the price includes a second serving of steak and fries.

Diners could enhance their meal with oversized desserts like apple pie, a hot fudge sundae, or chocolate cake. The restaurant also served weekend brunch, which drew a following for its bottomless mimosas.

The restaurant opened in The Mix at Midtown development (3201 Louisiana St.) in November 2024. Its closure follows that of its neighbors, fast casual concepts Bol and Pok Pok Po, both of which closed last month.

Like both of those concepts, Medium Rare might not be gone for good. “It’s not goodbye. Just goodbye for now,” the post states. The restaurant's Dallas location remains open.

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