Some restaurants just stick with you long after the last bite. A beloved pizza spot in Mountain Brook, Alabama has been doing exactly that since 1964.
Built on fresh dough, secret family recipes, and a whole lot of heart, this longtime favorite has earned a loyal following that spans generations. Every visit brings the kind of classic flavors and welcoming atmosphere that remind people why certain restaurants become local traditions.
From handcrafted pizzas to recipes perfected over decades, this destination proves that great food does not need to chase trends to stay unforgettable. If you have never made the trip, here are seven reasons why this favorite deserves a spot on your list.
Try the Arcade Room Loaded With Classic Vintage Games
Not every pizza place gives you Pac-Man with your pepperoni. The game room at Davenport’s Pizza Palace is a genuine throwback, stocked with classic arcade machines that have been part of the dining experience for generations of Alabama families.
Pac-Man, Centipede, Frogger, and Mario Brothers are all part of the lineup.
For kids, it is pure excitement. For adults who grew up in the 80s and 90s, it is a full-on nostalgia trip.
There is something genuinely fun about finishing a slice and then heading over to challenge your family to a round of Frogger. The arcade does not feel like a gimmick tacked on to attract customers.
It feels like it has always belonged here, because it has.
The Vestavia Hills location at 700 Montgomery Hwy Suite 193, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 also features arcade games, so both spots deliver that classic experience. Families with young kids especially appreciate having something to keep the energy going between bites.
Parents get to relive their own childhood while their kids discover these old-school games for the first time. That kind of shared moment across generations is exactly what makes a dinner out feel memorable.
The arcade adds a layer of fun that elevates the whole visit beyond just a meal.
Come Watch Staff Toss Fresh Dough Through Stained Glass Windows
One of the most charming details about the original Cahaba Road location is something you can actually watch from outside. The Mountain Brook spot features classical stained glass windows, and families often gather on the sidewalk to peek in and watch staff toss pizza dough into the air during preparation.
It is part performance, part craft.
Seeing the dough spin and stretch mid-air gives you an immediate sense of the care that goes into each pie. This is not a push-button operation.
Real hands shape every crust, and watching that process happen right in front of you builds anticipation before you even sit down. Kids especially love this part.
It turns waiting into entertainment.
That kind of transparency says a lot about the restaurant. There is nothing hidden here.
The process is honest, the ingredients are fresh, and the people making your food are proud of what they do. The stained glass windows add a visual warmth to the building that makes it feel welcoming even from the street.
Whether you are a first-time visitor or a longtime regular, pausing on that sidewalk for a moment before heading inside is a small ritual worth doing. It sets the tone for everything that follows, and it reminds you that great pizza starts long before it reaches your table.
Make Room for the House-Made Salad Dressings You Cannot Miss
Pizza gets all the attention, but the salads at Davenport’s Pizza Palace deserve their own spotlight. The garden salads are crisp and well-assembled, featuring fresh tomatoes, black olives, peppers, and lettuce.
What really sets them apart, though, are the house-made dressings prepared fresh daily right alongside the pizza dough and sauce.
Both the house Italian and French dressings have developed their own fan base over the years. Some customers make the trip specifically for the salads, not just the pizza.
That says everything about how seriously Davenport’s takes every item on their menu, even the ones that seem simple. When a dressing is worth a dedicated visit, you know it has something special going on.
The commitment to making everything fresh each day is what separates this place from most pizza spots. Nothing sits in a container from last week.
The dressings taste bright and balanced, not heavy or overly salty. They complement the salad without overwhelming it, and they pair beautifully with a hot slice of thin crust pizza on the side.
If you tend to skip salads at pizza restaurants because they feel like an afterthought, this is the place that will change your mind. Order one before your pizza arrives and give it the attention it genuinely deserves.
You will probably be glad you did.
Three Generations of Family Ownership Running the Show
There is something different about eating at a place run by people who genuinely care about every pizza that leaves the kitchen. Davenport’s Pizza Palace has been family-owned and operated since founder Rex Hollis opened it in 1964.
Today, the third generation of the Hollis family, Amanda Thames and Yates Norris, carries that legacy forward.
Walking into the Mountain Brook location feels like stepping into a place where time slowed down on purpose. The worn red booths have seated countless families over the decades.
The walls hold the kind of quiet history that chain restaurants can never replicate. You sense immediately that this is not just a business.
It is a family story told one pizza at a time.
Rex Hollis named the restaurant after his childhood friend, Jim “Peanut” Davenport, who played professional baseball for the San Francisco Giants and appeared in the 1962 World Series. Rex chose that name to bring some local recognition to his new pizza spot, and it worked.
The name stuck, the pizza stuck, and the family never let go of either. Knowing that backstory adds a layer of warmth to every visit.
You are not just eating pizza. You are participating in something that has mattered to real people in Alabama for over sixty years.
A Thin Crust Pizza Recipe Kept Secret for Over 60 Years
Some recipes are worth protecting, and at Davenport’s Pizza Palace, the thin crust pizza recipe has been guarded closely since the doors first opened in 1964. Located at 2837 Cahaba Road, Birmingham, Alabama 35223, this Mountain Brook institution has never wavered from its original formula.
The dough is made fresh every single day, and so is the sauce.
What makes this pizza stand out is the consistency. Decade after decade, the flavor stays the same.
Regulars who grew up eating here say the first bite still tastes exactly like it did when they were kids. That kind of reliability is genuinely rare in the restaurant world, and it speaks to how seriously this family takes their craft.
The crust hits that perfect sweet spot between crispy and chewy. It has enough structure to hold generous toppings without going soggy, but it still has a satisfying snap when you bite into it.
The sauce brings a savory depth that does not taste like anything from a jar. Fresh cheese pulls clean from each slice.
Every element feels intentional and carefully made, which is exactly why locals keep coming back week after week without ever getting tired of it.
Plan a Stop Near the Birmingham Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Location matters, and Davenport’s Pizza Palace on Cahaba Road is sitting in a genuinely convenient spot for families exploring the Birmingham area. The Mountain Brook location sits less than a mile from both the Birmingham Zoo and the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
That makes it an easy and satisfying addition to a full day out.
Spending the morning at the zoo with kids and then grabbing pizza for lunch is the kind of plan that just works. Everyone arrives hungry, the food comes out hot, and the arcade room keeps the energy going while you wait.
It is a natural pairing that families in Alabama have been taking advantage of for decades without really thinking too hard about it.
The Botanical Gardens crowd tends to skew a little older, but the appeal is the same. After a peaceful walk through the gardens, settling into one of those worn red booths with a fresh thin crust pizza feels like a genuine reward.
The neighborhood around Cahaba Road has a comfortable, unhurried feel that matches the pace of the restaurant itself. Nothing about the area feels rushed or touristy.
It is just a good Alabama neighborhood with a great pizza spot at the center of it. Building your day around both the local attractions and this restaurant is a smart move any time of year.
You Can Take a Half-Baked Pizza Straight Home
Not everyone can make it to Mountain Brook or Vestavia Hills on a weeknight, and Davenport’s Pizza Palace has a smart solution for that. The restaurant offers half-baked pizzas to take home, which means you can finish them in your own oven and enjoy that fresh-out-of-the-oven experience without leaving your house for a second trip.
It is a genuinely clever option. The dough is already formed and partially cooked, the sauce and toppings are layered on, and all you have to do is slide it into a hot oven at home.
The result tastes remarkably close to what you would get sitting in the dining room. For families who love Davenport’s but live a bit farther out, this option is a game changer.
Half-baked pies are especially popular for weeknight dinners and weekend gatherings. Picking one up on the way home from work and pulling it out of your own oven twenty minutes later is a simple pleasure that loyal fans of this Alabama institution have been enjoying for years.
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