Lamar Union Restaurant Serving Gold Pizza Instagram Bait Opens This Week

Italian pizza restaurant The Connection Pizza + Bar is opening in the Lamar Union this Friday, February 22. The restaurant, located in the former Vox Table space at 1100 South Lamar Boulevard, comes from the group behind coffee shop Barley Bean and fellow Lamar Union neighbor market Artista Rosso.

The menu at Connection (originally called The South End Connection) highlights Italian-style sourdough pizza and craft cocktails, though there’s also pastas, salads, and appetizers like crostini and smoked mozzarella. A partner of the Connection is also involved with essential Los Angeles pizzeria South End, which influenced the restaurant’s menu.

The pizzas, which all have the option of vegan cheese or a gluten-free crust, range from the classic margarita to elaborate creations with lamb and barbecue. Notably, the restaurant is continuing the golden food trend with a gold truffle pizza. It comes with truffle spread, mushrooms, shaved truffles, edible flowers, and edible 24K gold, all for $41.

Connection Pizza + Bar [Official]

There are also Italian desserts, like the usual housemade gelatos. Unique will be the tiramisu, which will somehow be made tableside. The cocktail menu uses syrups made in-house.

Co-owner Mohit Mehra shared with Eater that the group modified the distinctive Vox Table space to be more “romantic and soft.”

The chef is Jennifer Coffman who also heads the menu for Barley Bean and per its website, her passion lies in pizza. Per Mehra, the restaurant seeks to connect with the community through food and feature “simple, true, authentic Italian with high quality ingredients.”

Mehra explained the group decided on this focus because they felt the Lamar Union lacked a full service cocktail bar (though other restaurants do serve liquor) and they couldn’t find this style of pizza in Austin (it is served at Spicewood’s Pizzeria Sorellina).

The Lamar Union has proved a challenging spot for restaurants. Vox Table shuttered in 2018, along with its sister restaurant El Burro which opened and closed in 2017. Connection’s sister market Artista Rosso, which is located in the spot of shuttered market Delicious, opened in August 2018. The last time the Lamar Union had an Italian restaurant was Cantine, which closed in 2017.

• The Connection [Official]
• The Connection [Facebook]
• The Connection [Instagram]
• New Pizza Restaurant Is Taking Over Vox Table’s Old Lamar Boulevard Space [EATX]
• All Coverage of Connection Pizza + Bar [EATX]