Pizzitola’s Heritage BBQ
BBQ · HeightsAbout Pizzitola’s Heritage BBQ
Houston’s oldest continuously operating barbecue restaurant, proudly serving since 1935. Originally founded as Shepherd Drive Bar-B-Q by John and Leila Davis, an African American couple who hand-built the brick pits that are still in use today. Longtime customer Jerry Pizzitola took over the business in 1983 to help preserve the Davis legacy, adding table service, cloth napkins, and warm towels for guests — touches that remain to this day. After Jerry’s passing in 2024, the restaurant was renamed Pizzitola’s Heritage BBQ under owners James Maida and general manager Tim Taylor, honoring 90 years of history. The St. Louis-style pork spareribs are the crown jewel, smoked over Texas post oak in the original brick pits with nothing more than black pepper, salt, fire, and smoke. Designated a Texas Treasure by the Texas Historical Commission in 2022, Pizzitola’s is more than a barbecue joint — it’s a living piece of Houston history.
