Dining
BY ASIA ARMOUR
Beef empanadas are one of the Venezuelan menu items.
Pastel Pizza brings Venezuelan street food to Katy and Houston with its three locations.
PHOTOS BY ASIA ARMOUR COMMUNITY IMPACT
Pastel Pizza introduces visitors to Venezuelan culture When they moved to Katy from Venezuela in 2016, husband-and-wife duo Juan Rosales and Rosa Revilla had a bike and $800 between them. They worked in construction and as a babysitter, respectively. But on the weekends, they’d make and sell Venezuelan street food from their apartment. They now own three locations of their restaurant, Pastel Pizza, in Katy, Houston and Spring, with plans to open a fourth eatery in late 2024. the couple said they Americanized the fried pastries by using pizza ingredients—such as pepperoni and mozzarella cheese. Other menu items are fried dough with llings—such as Nutella, ham, shred- ded beef, or potatoes and cheese. There’s also a deep-fried corn fritter ring, called a mandoca. How we got here
Pastel Pizza owners Juan Rosales (left) and Rosa Revilla grew their brand from humble beginnings, they said.
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Before Pastel Pizza’s agship restaurant opened in Katy in April 2022, they had a local food truck in 2018. In the future, the couple said they want their brand to be as proli c as chains such as the Kolache Factory. “We’re looking to have representation for Venezuelan people,” Revilla said. “We are good people, with a good business.”
“We’re so grateful,” Revilla said. “We have 41 employees, we have a bigger house, and we’ve grown our family. What’s on the menu Traditionally, pastelitos are pu pastries lled with ground beef or chicken and queso fresco, but
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351 S. Mason Road, Katy www.pastelpizza.com
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