Pearl is excited to announce the latest restaurant at the Food Hall – WonderSlice – the first pizza concept on the property and in partnership with Chef Ben Schwartz. The new spot at the Food Hall will open to the public in June 2022, with an exact opening date to be announced soon. The new concept furthers Pearl’s mission to showcase talent and create spaces for local chefs to grow and test their offerings all while fueling and diversifying the culinary options on property.
WonderSlice pays tribute to the heyday of neighborhood pizza joints. The name conveys a sense of nostalgia, with a promise of “wonder by the slice.” WonderSlice is accessible and playful; its offerings include fresh pizza by the slice made onsite, full pies, homemade subs, salads, and soft serve ice cream.
Select menu items include the Ball Park pizza which includes Italian sausage, red onion, broccoli rabe and chili flakes; the Green Monster pizza with parmesan cream, shredded zucchini and pesto; and the Meatball or Chicken Parmesan sub with marinara sauce, fresh mozzarella, parmesan and basil. Additionally, the WonderSlice team will collaborate with the Pearl Farmers Market vendors to produce seasonal market pies that will incorporate ingredients from market producers.
“We are excited to share our unique take on our neighborhood pizza joint with San Antonio,” said Chef and Owner Ben Schwartz. “No frills, honest, delicious and satisfying food is what we all want and need right now.”
In his early 20s, Schwartz attended the Berklee School of Music, funneling his creativity and passion into what he thought would be a lifelong pursuit. However, working in kitchens around Cambridge, MA, led him to discover a different outlet for his creativity, so he put down his trombone and put on a chef’s coat. After earning his chops at James Beard Award winning Oleana in Cambridge, Schwartz then traveled to San Sebastian to study at acclaimed 3 Michelin Star restaurant Arzak. He then found his way to Austin, where he added Uchiko, Emmer & Rye, Le Politique and Vino Vino to his repertoire. Now based in San Antonio, Schwartz is excited to bring a taste of his North East upbringing to Pearl.
“We can’t wait to welcome WonderSlice and Chef Ben to Pearl’s Food Hall,” said Pearl Commercial’s CEO Elizabeth Fauerso. “This offering will be a great experience for regulars and visitors alike – what’s better than pizza in the park?”
WonderSlice’s hours of operation will be 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The new concept will be located inside Pearl’s Food Hall at 312 Pearl Pkwy Building 6, San Antonio, TX 78215. For more information about Pearl, visit atpearl.com.
