Dining
BY ANDREW CREELMAN
As an avid Star Wars fan, toy collector and 1980s lm junkie, Michael Hawes didn’t expect to open his own pizza joint. But, in 2024, he opened Darkside Brick Oven Pizza Co., a restaurant concept that blended all of his favorite ideas together in a scenic spot o of Hwy. 46, just outside Boerne. The backstory Beginning his collection at age seven, Hawes said he now has “one of the largest private Star Wars collections in the world.” Then, after working in the lm industry for several years and even directing some of his own features, Hawes said he wanted to do something else with his passion for Star Wars and the 1980s. “We were thinking of how cool it would be if we could create this place, this nostalgia where people could come in and be taken back,” Hawes said. Along with his wife, Denice, also an avid collec- tor, the pair decided on a pizza joint. “In my humble opinion, the 1980s were the best time to grow up as a kid,” Hawes said. “This is my childhood in a box.” What’s special about it? Darkside Brick Oven Pizza Co. is lled to the brim with 80s memorabilia—life-size statues of Star Wars characters like Luke Skywalker hang from the ceiling while movie posters from era icks line the walls. “Even though it’s named after Star Wars, it’s everything from the 1970s, 1980s,” Hawes said. As for the food, Hawes traveled all over the country to nd what style of pizza would work best for the eatery’s menu. “We traveled from Connecticut to New York and Arizona to California,” Hawes said. He settled on an eclectic mix of New York-style pies, ranging from simple build-your-own pizzas to specialty styles like BBQ brisket ($22) and white margherita ($20). Additionally, there are salads, appetizers, deli sandwiches and a variety of desserts like the Darkside Iron Skillet Cookie ($8). “We make everything in-house, from the dough to the sauce,” Hawes said. The local impact Growing up in San Antonio, Hawes said he wanted to settle down close by in Boerne. “It’s a great little town,” he said. “We built this Step back in time: Grab a slice of nostalgia at this Boerne pizza joint
Darkside Brick Oven Pizza Co. is adorned with 1970s and 80s memorabilia, featuring movie gures, toy displays and statues.
PHOTOS BY ANDREW CREELMAN COMMUNITY IMPACT
Pizzas are red in the oven, such as this margherita ($18) topped with pepperoni and basil.
Michael Hawes opened Darkside Brick Oven Pizza Co. in May 2024.
for the passion of the 80s, and the people here are certainly sharing that love with us in droves.” It’s not just people from the area showing up, either. Hawes said he’s seen people y from California to experience the nostalgia the pizza place has to o er. In the future, Hawes said he is expanding the eatery—adding a Predator-themed bar and lounge called Darkside After Dark. The new space will open to the public sometime in November.
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25 Truss Drive, Boerne www.darksidebrickovenpizza.com
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