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Zalat, a rapidly growing, Dallas-born pizza chain known for its creatively topped pies, will soon arrive in Houston.
The restaurant is set to open its doors at 510 Gray Street later this year, marking the chain’s first expansion out of DFW. “Houston was the most obvious choice for us,” founder Khanh Nguyen said in a statement. “We think many Houstonians love and appreciate great food that is served without pretense, and that’s exactly who we are.” Nguyen also has ties to Houston — he attended Klein Forest High School and the University of Houston before heading north to Dallas.
As far as the pies are concerned, expect chewy, thin-crust pizzas topped with everything from classic pepperoni to elote-style corn, Nashville hot chicken, and pickles. There’s also a pho-inspired pie appropriately called the “Pho Shizzle.” Folks who dig dipping their pizza into ranch dressing should be especially excited — the restaurant’s “Srirancha,” a mix of sriracha and ranch, is a favorite among Zalat fans.
Since it opened in 2015, Zalat has expanded from a stoner-friendly pizzeria to a major player in Dallas’s pizza scene, where it currently operates more than 10 locations. Whether or not it will have the same staying power as Cane Rosso, the Dallas-based pizzeria that opened in the Heights in 2016, remains to be seen.
No official opening timeline has been announced just yet for Zalat’s debut in Houston, but expect it to arrive sometime this summer. Stay tuned for an opening date.
