As of July 4th, the owners of the beloved Old Central Firehouse Pizzeria and Taproom have officially expanded to a second location on Lake Nasworthy, located at 7401 Knickerbocker Road.
This eatery offers much the same in menu offerings as the downtown Firehouse, while being very different in building theme and vibe, Lakehouse Pizzeria & Taproom provides one of the only lakeside dining experiences in this city.
I stopped in on Friday, July 18, during the early afternoon to speak with owners Michele and Jody Babiash, along with their daughters, Dakota and Sierra, to get the inside scoop of how this new spot came to be.
According to Michele, the idea to open another location was never something they planned on doing, but much like the random chance of opportunity and timing that led to them opening the Old Central Firehouse, it grew out of a desire to offer something they wanted, but also something they felt the city genuinely needed.
According to the family, Jody was driving down Knickerbocker Road one day, passing the then-vacant building, only to notice it was for sale.
The building caught his eye, as business owner, entrepreneur, and attuned local, he was well aware of the lack of any lake-based dining, and this got his wheels turning.
This turned into several more serious talks with wife, Michele, and even their two older daughters.
Michele explains: We thought really long and hard about doing this, as we knew very well how much time, money and effort, would need to go into making this work.
We truly did not need to open this location, nor planned to. Things were going fine with [the Firehouse] so this decision was a hard one for all of us.’
Ultimately, after weeks of sleeping on the idea, pondering the outcomes, the pros-and-cons, the family made the collective decision that they were all-in for this and would see it through to the end.
Jody and Michele told me just how much grunt work and labor went into the preparations of the building after they purchased the space.
From major repairs and fixes to administrative paperwork, permits, and city approvals, nothing came easy.
The entire family, and their friends — even their contractors — all put in some serious time and sweat-equity to get things done by the July 4th opening date target.
“It was really close, almost down to the last hour if we would finish everything and be ready to open our doors,” said Jody.
Lucky for us locals, they did open on time, and since then things have been a huge hit.
Business has been strong and steady, they said, with evenings full all week long, and weekends even more so.
The venue boasts a very clear, beach and lake theme, with murals and swag covering the walls, inside and out.
“Local artists did all our artwork,” says Michele, who adds that her younger children helped her complete several of the final pieces of signage inside the venue.
The Tiki room and counter contains the taproom, with 20 beers on offer at all times. The adjacent dining room is open and quite spacious, with large windows and ample seating for big groups.
Wine is also available by the bottle, but liquor is not available at either location.
The large pizza oven is decked out in a patriotic American flag design, and sits behind the main entrance to ensure guests get a good view and aromatic blast of the delicious pies going into and coming out of the 650-degree oven.
Just like the downtown operation, pies take all of about 90 seconds to bake completely, and come out piping hot, ready for hungry patrons to enjoy.
Menu-wise, nearly all the 10-inch diameter single-serve pies avilable downtown are available here, albeit under different names.
For example, The Chief at the Firehouse is the same thing as The Captain at the Lakehouse.
Regulars will quickly identify their favorites just by looking at the menu, according to Jody.
There are some notable newcomers to the Lakeshore menu though.
Consider the No. 1 selling “Hot Hawaiian,” or the “Cheeseburger In Paradise,” which are new creations only found at this location.
The same side items, such as their not-to-be-missed fruit-and-s’mores mini dessert pizzas, pre-made salad selections, and an assortment of beverage options are available at the main counter.
You pay at the counter and grab your number, and then have your order brought to your table when it’s ready.
Just like downtown, for the taproom you get a swipe-card and a beer glass, and serve yourself, paying by the ounce.
Return the card at the end of your visit and cash out your beer bill. With those 20 taps to choose from, even picky beer consumers like me will find something they can enjoy. (There is a $5 charge for lost swipe-cards.)
Michele and Jody both emphasized how amazing the sunsets are, as seen from the outdoor patio off of the main building, or from the tables in a new green space where they installed more outdoor seating.
This provides even more lake and sunset views that you can’t get anywhere else in town.
The couple told me “We wanted this for us, and now all of San Angelo can have it too!”
Sitting outside, you will also notice the small building next to the green space.
It’s called the “The Market,” says Jody. A place boats can just pull up to the pier and grab some drinks, beer, and snacks. They don’t even have to come inside if they don’t want to. Be sure to look at the cool mural on this building as well.
I couldn’t resist the offer to try one of the new pizzas on the menu when Jody offered, so I opted for my longtime favorite, a Hawaiian, but with some sweet heat.
Theirs is augmented with sliced jalapenos and hot honey to bring the burn factor up a hair.
Say what you will about pineapple on pizza folks, this pie is absolutely delicious. I highly recommend trying it, but know this –it has some punch, and I like it!
The staff here, like their other location, are kind, responsive, friendly, and sociable.
You feel a friendship and welcomeness with all of them. They want you there, and they are grateful for your visit, is the vibe I get.
Michele told me that she likes to set the example for all of her staff by making clear that no job is too low for her to do, even as the co-owner. From serving customers pizza, making pizza, cleaning up a spill, or even freshening the bathroom.
“I do it because this is my business and I care about it, and it should be done right. I want my staff to do the same and feel part of something bigger, understanding their role in this business and making it work well every day.”
Ultimately, we wanted to share one of our favorite parts of our family’s travels to the beaches by bringing that experience to San Angelo, so we could have our own little escape, and so can everyone else, Michele said.
Notes
Hours of operation:
- Tuesday – Thursday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Sundays 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Closed Mondays
The same first responder discounts you get downtown apply here as well: 10-percent-off for military, fire, and police with ID.
Reservations for inside or outside patios are not available. First come first serve only.
