By Fabi R. Gomes – March 2019

Like pairing cheese with wine or chocolate with peanut butter, there’s something indescribable about the wonderful marriage of a good cold beer and a mouthwatering wood-fired pizza.

Everyone loves pizza—or at least, practically everyone loves pizza. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, one in eight American adults eats it on any given day. Resisting to melted cheese, chewy crusts and tasty toppings is tempting. Judging by how much we enjoy pizza, everyone also knows beer is its perfect companion. Much the same as wine and cheese, certain pizzas and beers were meant for each other. The kind of pairing that will turn any ordinary pizza night into a work of culinary art. Next time you’re feeling a wine and cheese night, go for pizza and beer instead—pizza makes us happy, and beer makes us happy, and the two together make us really, really happy.

Pizza fans have a lot of choices in San Antonio and surrounding areas. However, our highly-acclaimed Chef James Herrera, revamps Julianna’s Restaurant, in Castroville, TX, featuring artisan pizza, cooked in a wood-fired oven, handcrafted dough from fresh ingredients to be paired with different options of craft brews on tap, including regional and local beers.

Almost any beer pairs well with pizza. But some matches work better than others. The restaurant is a longtime local favorite for both vegans and non-vegans alike. Carnivores will enjoy our signature pie, created with house-made pepperoni, sausage, bacon, onion, mushrooms, olives, peppers and spinach. It is the perfect combination of ingredients to pair with a cold beer. It balances well with the acidity of the ingredients while accenting the exceptional cheese flavors. It echoes the earthiness of the toppings in a sweet, toasty presentation while also providing assertive hop flavor, to pull out the herbal notes from the sausage.

Along the years, more people reduce their meat consumption, or go meat-free every now and then, and with the number of vegan options at meat-eater restaurants, it seems to be something that’s here to stay. You can enjoy the beautiful joy of pizza without having to pile on the meat. Veggie heads can still enjoy some goodness with our “Save The Animals” pie featuring onion, mushrooms, olives, peppers and spinach. The ingredients are truly a heavenly combination and your best bet would be pairing it with a dark bold beer so that the earthy mushroom flavors can be simply delightful.

Dairy and meat loving folks have even more options. You can order a traditional Margherita with its fresh basil, sweet tomato sauce, and fresh mozzarella, or opt for a more adventurous one with our build-your-own toppings option. You can never go wrong with a classic Margherita slice paired with a smooth wheat beer. You want low bitterness and malt flavors when pairing a beer with a Margherita pizza so as not to overpower the fresh flavors of the pizza. It will complement the pizza’s toasty crust and balance out the acidity of the tomatoes, without drowning out the subtle flavor of the mozzarella but rather pushing it to the forefront, allowing cheese to be the center of attention.

And last but not least, if you prefer a classic, popular choice, try our “Simply Pepperoni“, incredibly tasty thin-crust with hand-cut pepperoni, fresh and aged mozzarella. Now, it may seem like just any beer would go well with a pepperoni pizza. Wrong. Order your favorite pilsner or dark lagers, and the bitterness will give great balance to the saltiness of the meat.

Grabbing a drink after work is a ritual for many Americans, but unfortunately, most don’t end up finding a place that they truly love. Don’t settle for a mediocre happy-hour spot serving dry crust of a pizza you didn’t want in the first place. You deserve better than that. Julianna’s Restaurant is located in Castroville, just a few miles away from San Antonio, TX, and is waiting for you to come try your next favorite pizza! Check our menu to see if there is a new pairing you would like to try.  Servers are there to make suggestions, and there will be more on the menu than just pizza, such as pastas, appetizers, salads, and unforgettable desserts.

Everyone deserves time out of a busy week to sit down for a full, relaxing meal with family and friends.

Call now and make your reservation!