Longtime Campus Pizzeria Conans Pizza Central Is Closing

Conans Pizza Central, the longtime Chicago-style pizzeria on the northern edge of the West Campus area, is closing, according to an Eater tipster and confirmed by a staffer. The last day of service will be on Sunday, July 22 at 603 West 29th Street.

The shutter of Conans is because of increased rent and lack of business, according to the staffer. However, Conans’ West Anderson and West Stassney locations will remain open still.

Aside from the Chicago-style deep dish pies, Conans is also known for its vegan pies made with Daiya cheese and thin crust pies.

The central location has been open since 1976, when owners Jerry Strader and Scott Leist opened the 29th Street pizzeria. At one point, there were eight locations in Austin, but that decreased to the three, including the the 2018 West Stassney Lane in 1978, and then the 2438 West Anderson Lane in 1979.

Perhaps deep dish pizza isn’t long for Austin: Chicago’s iconic deep dish pizzeria chain Gino’s East closed its only Austin location last summer, and transformed into a chicken tender restaurant.

• The story of the first deep dish pizzas in Austin and how they began at Conans Pizza [Daily Texan]
• Conans Pizza [Official]
• Conans Pizza [Facebook]