Austin Restaurant L’Oca d’Oro Opens Its New Pizzeria in Govalle

Austin Italian restaurant L’Oca d’Oro is opening its new pizzeria this month. Bambino will open at 979 Springdale Road. Suite 153, in the Govalle neighborhood starting on Thursday, March 14.

Bambino’s main focus is pizza, where the round pies are made with dough using flour from Texas grain-focused Barton Springs Mill. Expect traditional options like the Rosso, a tomato–garlic-olive oil-oregano pie with an option to add anchovies. And then there are its house pies, such as the Coppa Cabana, which layers coppa with orange marmalade and mozzarella); the No, You Da Bomb with a chile bomba and garlic breadcrumbs; the Uncle Frankie with fennel-pork sausage, sweet peppers, broccoli rabe, and red onions; and the Mi Scusi, where the crust is covered in sesame seeds.

Non-pizza dishes include snacks and appetizers like roasted beets with pistachio brittle; smashed cucumbers and crispy chickpeas; and Italian meats with pickles. There will be tinned fish and a burger special of the day too. The kids menu has items like cauliflower nuggets and chicken fingers.

For sweets, there are the Bambino nachos, which are made up of cinnamon sugar pizza crisps, soft serve ice cream, hot fudge, peanut butter sauce, and cherries. Elsewhere for desserts, there’s a peanut butter chocolate pie, a la carte soft serve gelati, and pecan shortbread cookies.

Drinks include cocktails like the Cherry Coke, a take on the Manhattan; and the Bambina ‘Tini, a martini with an olive stuffed with Parmesan cheese; and frozens like the blood orange Negroni and a margarita made with turmeric. Then there are wines by the glass and bottle and beers and ciders in tap, can, or bottle forms. Nonalcoholic options include spritzes and yaupon Negronis, as well as sodas and cold brew.

The physical space is meant to feature a ton of 1980s aesthetic sensibilities, designed by Chioco Design. There re bar seats and tables inside, as well as an outdoor patio. Also outside will eventually be a children’s playground. The casual pizzeria will function with bar-service-style, plus QR code or server ordering at tables.

Co-owners chef Fiore Tedesco and Adam Orman went about opening this pizzeria using their New York and Philadelphia backgrounds for the menus. They opened their first restaurant, Italian spot L’Oca d’Oro, in 2016.

Bambino’s hours will be from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday; and then from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Takeout orders can be placed online or in person; there are DoorDash deliveries; and there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.