Nick & Sam’s Steakhouse founder debuts Holy Crust Pizza

The founder of Nick & Sam’s Steakhouse and a slew of other successful restaurants has another couple of tasty bites up his sleeve: pizzas with pour-your-own jug wines.

Phil Romano, who also launched Eatzi’s, Fuddruckers, and the Macaroni Grill chain (he’s the Romano of “Romano’s Macaroni Grill” fame), will debut Holy Crust Pizza on Thursday, August 6, in the former LUCK space at Trinity Groves.

And if some of that sounds familiar, you’ve been following DFW restaurants for a long time: Romano is plucking plays from his greatest hits for this one. Pizzas? He created the pie shop Coal Vines. Honor system jug wines? Macaroni Grill’s early success was based largely on the buzz of their pour-you-own jug wines. Trinity Groves? That’s his restaurant incubator project – and Holy Crust fills a hole in its real estate.

Romano says the 16 pies at Holy Crust are a little different than most.

“Instead of the typical formulation of crust, sauce, cheese and toppings all baked in the oven together, the chefs sauté the toppings and then place them onto the crust, allowing the heat from the toppings to melt the cheese,” says a restaurant spokesperson. Topping combos include classics like pepperoni and sausage but also oddities like porchetta, avocado and egg, and veal marsala. Drink options include red, white and rose jug wines, draft beers, negronis, aperol spritzers and shots of limoncello.

“I’ve been eagerly waiting to unveil this concept, which is very special to me, as it honors my own mother,” Romano said in a release announcing the project. “My mom’s pizza is still my favorite way to eat the dish, and I hope to convert Dallas diners to this unique and delicious version we’ll be serving at the restaurant.”

Holy Crust will be open Monday – Thursday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and will also be available on all major delivery platforms. Diners who want a sneak peek can stop in for a soft-opening preview (with half-off food) on Monday, August 3, Tuesday August 4, or Wednesday August 5. Limited reservations will be available at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Reservations: 469-329-0707.

photos: Holy Crust Pizza