A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine from high school was kind enough to go back through my blog (back to the very beginning), found one of the original topics (Gone But Not Forgotten) and even left a comment.
I'm not blog-savvy enough to understand why this post did not show up as a "new" comment. Instead, I found it buried back in the August, 2009 archives.
It's an interesting post and bears posting again. So Frankie, I'm putting it at the top. Thanks for hanging in there with me.
Frankie Grizzaffi said... did anyone ever eat at DePauls Italian Restaurant on Shepherd Dr. & 16st St.?
Debbie & I spent every weekend eating there at least one night for years (69-?). Great Italian food and pizza. Family owned by the DePaul family. They had a lot of family photos on the walls. Mr. DePaul was a very tall/robust man, Mrs. DePaul was a short, little lady who gave him plenty of hell. They were very miss-matched in size.
The family lived in the large house behind the restaurant. These folks were really great cooks and sometimes their kids would be there working. Their lasagna was the best I have ever eaten. Debbie loved their manicotti. We even got my parents eating there. Daddy loved their spaghetti & meatballs.
The DePauls & Grizzaffi's became very good friends for years even after they closed the business. The building is no longer there. Now it is a used car lot. What a shame.
Have lived in Houston my entire life (well almost). My dad grew up on 12th St. in the Heights and sadly I don't recall DePaul's Italian Restaurant...and I really like Italian food.
ReplyDeleteI do remember Valiant's. Anybody remember that one?
For some reason as I was driving along Shepherd yesterday, I could taste the most wonderful pizza ever from my past! Yes - Valiant's Pizza was the BEST and my brother and I always got the Pepperoni - it was like they had special Pepperoni sliced really thin - and the best cheese and sauce. Slices were always eaten in the car before we got it home. We Reaganites LOVED Valiant's and I was glad to see the name when I googled it today.
DeleteI've eaten at that restaurant way back when. But the owner's were The Buehler's. I know they had this restaurant for awhile then sold it. I heard that the restaurant has been torn down. So sad
DeleteMy grandmother lived on 16th about 1/2 block east of Shepherd, DePauls was a great little place with most excellent pizza.
ReplyDeleteA-ha! Someone did remember DePauls. Thanks Craig. Wish I had known about it all those years ago.
ReplyDeleteI grew up on Courtland St till I started 1st Grade at which point we moved North of Houston to Spring (1971 I think). My family used to visit DePaul's as often as we could afford. I absolutely loved the pepperoni pizza and the spaghetti and meatballs! Thanks for the memories!
DeleteI do remember and worked there for a year when I was 18. Yes great people and food.
DeleteRandy Craig
ReplyDeleteI have asked many people for years if they remembered this place. I went there with my parents religiously for many years probably 1964-1972 or thereabouts. I have never experienced a pizza that tasted the same. As i recall it was labeled (New York Style) I hope some day to visit NY and experience it again if it is really the same. Maybe someone could track down these family recipes, I'd pay money for them!!
I am so glad that I stumbled across this..I am Amara De Paul. Vence and Connie were my grandparents who owned the place.
ReplyDeleteAmara: would you happen to have any of the family recipes? We could start a De Paul Recipe Page in honor of your grandparents! Let me know what you think...
DeleteWow! I decided to google Depaul's and how ironic to find this site about the original owner. I always wondered where the name Depaul's came from. My Cousin George Fyssas Bought the restaurant from Pete Trakas in 1980, he kept everything the same including the sign and the original recipe and the menu. My cousin past away my Mom (Marcella Pagonis)took over till she retired. Depaul's Italian restaurant ended when we sold the business in 1995. I believe it was turned into a Mexican restaurant.
DeleteHey Guys,
DeleteThis restaurant was bought by my father, Michael Fyssas, back in 1980. When his brother who was the main manager, died and the he decided that selling is the only option, because my father is a captain. I'm really sad that now it,s just a memory but that's our little but true story.
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DeleteAre you Ross's daughter? I am Joe and Lena's son (Joe was Vence's younger brother . . .
DeleteAre you Ross's daughter? I am Joe and Lena's son (Joe was Vence's younger brother . . .
DeleteWhen I lived in Houston (1976-87), Depaul's was a favorite place, especially the lasagna and the pizza (never found another like theirs). Continued even after the family sold the restaurant to a family who had learned the business from them (don't remember the name but the man was also HPD officer. I'm so sorry others will never get to enjoy this wonderful family-owned neighborhood restaurant.
DeleteI ate there for years as a teenager. Passed out flyers for the De Paul's. Ran into their son in Vietnam. The family was as great as the pizza?
DeleteI wish I could find a place that had pizza like depauls. It was my favorite. Joe Matrangas on Irvington was okay but depauls was the best. Those were the good ole days.
DeleteI Absolutely loved DePaul's New York Pizza and Absolutely Miss It So Very Much!!!! I just had a meatball that tasted just like DePaul's pizza!!! Hope o.o can get the recipe!!!!!
DeleteMy name is Dennis DePaul I am the son of Vence DePaul and I know the recipes and would be interested in writing a cook book my e-mail address is con8231@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteThat Pizza was the best. We came every week when it was half price during lunch.
DeleteI ate at DePauls every Friday night in 1970-72 as a newly wed. Loved the lasagna and would love the recipe. Excellent piping hot lasagna.
DeleteSandra Storenski
Sks4672001@yahoo.com
This is often stated, but this time it is true – this was the best pizza I ever had in my life! Not only was the food superb, but it was like eating at your aunt and uncle’s place, because Vence and Connie were like family to us.
ReplyDeleteThe cheese was thick, the crust was thin, and the sauce was sweet. I can still taste it in my mind. The recipe was sold to the people who had the restaurant after the DePaul’s left, but it was never the same.
I can still hear Connie’s constant chattering, and Vence’s silence as he didn’t have much to say. But when he spoke, you listened. Oh, the stories I have of this place!
Pete Sommers
My husband and I both went to Reagan High School with the oldest son, Ross DePaul. We would go there every weekend and after every Reagan football game!! Sometimes the place was so crowded you could not squeese another person in there...but everyone got served!! Had so much fun. After we graduated and married we had 2 sons, they also attended and graduated from Reagan. In their high school years they each worked at DePauls, so you can say we were a DePauls family!! Loved it so much and miss it so much!!
ReplyDeleteMy cousin Ross is now a personal injury lawyer in Houston!
DeleteI believe it was Ross I ran into in Vietnam.
DeleteI ran across the article as I as searching and hoping that DePaul's restaurant was somehow open again. My husband and I ate at DePaul's at least once a week back in the 70's-80's. When you drove up and parked you could smell the aroma of pizza and cheese cooking, made your mouth water. The stuffed shells and the pizza were the best we have ever had in our whole life. Mr. and Mrs. DePaul were like family to us as our family was in the restaurant business as well. We think about them often and the wonderful food that was served. Sure would love to sink my teeth into that pizza, just one more time.... Hey Denny, I would buy a cookbook, for sure!
ReplyDeleteDonna LaBarbera
We ate there too and it was the BEST. We lived right off of 11th Street in Timbergrove, but owned the little gas station in the Heights behind Reagan high school. So on the way home sometimes....guess what? PIZZA!!!
ReplyDeleteMy cousin George. Fyssas bough it from Peter Trakas when he retired then my cousin died in 1992 my mom Marcella Pagonis and me Chris Pagonis took over and continued the same recipe and pizza, people lined up outside to come for our pizza. My mom still has the original pizza recipe anyway mom retired and we sold Depauls in 95, Lotto good memories.
ReplyDeleteHello, I am looking for the owner of Try Us Cafe after Peter Trakas sold it. I'm trying to get some history of the place and hunt down some people that use to work there. I believe there was a guy named Takis or Taki. If anyone can help me that would be great. shoot me a email phillip.gonzales@aecom.com
DeleteOh Wow! Growing up in Oak Forest and spending times in the Heights meant you had to go to DePauls for pizza....."meant to be eaten with fingers" . Our Waltrip 50 year reunion is fast approaching and I am sure we will all reflect on the best pizza ever. I often dream of eating there and I have never found another pizza even close to Depauls.....even Valian
ReplyDeletes and I ate there too!
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ReplyDeleteDePaul's was owned by my Uncle Charlie (what we called Vence) and Aunt Connie. I remember Aunt Connie bringing me some homemade aglio e olio when I was at St. Joseph's Hospital for an operation on my foot when I was 6 years old (1967)! They were excellent cooks! I didn't know it had been torn down . . . . how sad
ReplyDeleteWell did anyone ever get those recipes. Can you imagine what it would be like if there was a way for all of us old customers could get together and enjoy that amazing food again.
DeleteI washed dishes at DePaul's Restaurant. It was my first job. I worked there in the late 60's with Tim Pagel who was a greeter/waiter, and another assistant cook named Larry. I don't remember his last name, he drove a Plymouth Road Runner. I was very young and had a blast. I sometimes think of Vince and Granny. What a great time this was in my life. The food was the best. I remember when the DePaul's would plan their vacation, people would call in and order 50 pizza's.
ReplyDeleteDennis, my family and I used to eat there regularly in the 60's. I also coached the Engineers of the Heights Little League. Are you that Dennis Foyt?
DeleteHi anonymous is your name Phil? Dennis says hi
DeleteI am the oldest son of the DePaul family and worked there from the 9th grade until I graduated in 1969. If you want an excellent pizza go to Antonios Flying Pizza on Hillcroft. Been there since 1970. Homemade owned by Sicilian family. Even my father liked it. Ross De Paul
ReplyDeleteThanks, I will give them a try but I am sure it will not compare to the ones I enjoyed at DePauls. Remember, Pizza is to be eaten with fingers the sign said.
DeleteOHHHHH De Pauls Pizza! As a kid, to hear that we were going to my grandmothers and picking her up so we could go eat at DePauls....it was like a little bit of Christmas and Birthday all rolled into one...
ReplyDeleteThe smell of the pizzas cooking came out of that round vent on the side of the building right there in the parking lot and I always loved parking near it because it made the car smell so good for the ride home.
I had my first deep dish pizza here, and it was the best thing I had ever ate...still to this day I long for De Pauls pizza....I have found some that have come close....but nothing will ever match this wonderful place from my childhood.
DePaul’s was AWESOME! Went nearly every weekend for the best lasagna you’ve ever eaten! Miss it SOOOOooooo much! Publish that cookbook DePaul descendants!!!
ReplyDeleteOmg! I can't forget it. Never had pizza like that since.
ReplyDeleteI miss DePaul's so much.... Ain't had pizza like it since.
ReplyDeleteI came across this. I was 4 or 5 in the late 70s and my dad would go pick up DePauls pizza and bring it home for the family.. i don’t remember much from that time, but I remember the great taste of the pizza and how I have never tasted anything like it since. My mom who now has dementia often asks if DePauls is still open. What a lasting impression.
ReplyDeleteAs a kid we ate there every Friday night best place ever
ReplyDeleteMy father told me stories about DePaul's and wanted to know if anyone else remembered it, which is how I found your blog post! His father (my grandfather) used to take his wife and three children to DePaul's every payday Friday in the late sixties/early seventies. They lived in the Oak Forest area at the time. My dad remembers DePaul's very fondly and will be thrilled to know so many other people share those good memories!
ReplyDeleteAnyone have a picture of the owners? My mom and dad were Michael and Lena Bua and we used to eat there after an Italian wedding at SPJST Hall..
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