Bottom Line: The Growler Exchange in San Antonio is tossing some spicy pizzas that go well with the many beers they have on tap.
We have quite a number of breweries and tap houses here in San Antonio (and I cover those in more detail at CraftBeersAndMore.com), and many of those places offer food to go along with the beers they are pouring. One of the most common items you will see on the menus is pizza because . . . well . . who doesn’t love pizza and beer? The Growler Exchange is a cozy little tap house just north of downtown in the Alamo Heights area, and it offers some pretty tasty pizzas to go along with the extensive list of beers it offers. I stopped by there recently with some friends and two of the pies on the menu promised some spice so we decided to give them a try.
The Spicy Sweet Meats pizza is topped with their red sauce, mozzarella cheese, garlic sausage, pepperoni, salami, bacon, and chili oil. The Texas Twinkie has smoked brisket, jalapenos, cream cheese, fried onions, and cheddar cheese. The name for the latter is a reference a popular version of jalapeno poppers you will find in this state where the peppers are stuffed with cheese and brisket (sometimes wrapped in bacon) and deep fried or grilled. The Growler Exchange offered a deconstructed version on top of a pizza.
These are ten-inch pies with a perfectly cooked crust. It is not too thick or too thin, and it has enough heft to hold the abundant toppings while still delivering a lite and pillowy texture. The Sweet Meats pizza is basically a meat-lovers that is kicked up. All of the flavors work together well with that pepperoni really standing out and the pieces of bacon delivering just the right amount of smokiness. That garlic sausage also works well with hints of fennel and the garlic coming through. But that chili oil is what really brings this all together. There are plenty of flakes of red pepper to be found and the stuff kicks up the taste and heat to make this a meaty pie with a bite.
When you chomp into a slice of the Texas Twinkie, the smoky taste of that brisket is what greets you right away. It is tender and beefy with the explosion of flavor you expect from really good smoked meat. The cream cheese acts as the perfect counterbalance, bringing a nice creaminess and just a touch of tang. And the jalapenos kick it up with some extra tang and a nice punch of heat. Those fried onions bring a little extra crunch and are reminiscent of the crust you would have on a fried jalapeno popper.
Heat-wise, neither of these pizzas will set your mouth ablaze, but both deliver a nice kick. I would put them above Mild on my scale and approaching Medium. And that heat level will vary from slice to slice depending on how many of the spicy ingredients are present. If you want to bump them up more, they give you some packets of red pepper you can sprinkle over your slice. But next time, I may ask for some of that chili oil on the side, because it would certainly go well with any of their pies.
The Growler Exchange has more than three dozen craft dozen beers on tap, many of which are from Texas breweries. You can get a glass or fill up a growler (thus the name of the place), but if you stop by be sure and check out the food. From the pretzels to the pizzas and more, they have plenty of good choices and certainly the perfect beer to pair with your meal. You can visit their page at CraftBeersAndMore.com for their hours, map location, and more info.
Address:
4130 Broadway
San Antonio, TX 78209
Website: https://thegrowlerexchange-sa.com/