Upon walking into the newly opened Mellow Mushroom, located down the street from Klein Memorial stadium at Cypresswood and Stuebner Airline, the aroma of freshly baked, handcrafted pizza fills the nose and excites the taste buds.

Mellow Mushroom is not like any other pizza parlor I have been to. The atmosphere has a stress-free vibe with local artwork and décor that pays respect to the rock band ZZ Top, natives of Houston. The atmosphere makes any guilt over ordering an extra-large cheesy pizza with every topping imaginable disappear. The food creations only are the work of a genius. When I saw the menu, I couldn’t believe all the options available to choose from. After ordering the House Special Pizza, the pizza arrived at the table, fresh out of the fire-wood oven. I was kicking myself for not coming to this place sooner. The crust was so thick and crunchy, perfect to hold the five different meats toppings the classic pizza. However, for those brave enough to try something out-of-the-box, I would suggest the Thai Dye or Kosmic Karma. Both with providing a unique array of flavors, the Thai Dye is topped with Thai curry chicken and a drizzle of sweet Thai chili sauce. It’s a sweet and spicy lover’s dream. The Kosmic Karma is more relaxed in flavors, topped with sun dried tomatoes, spinach, feta cheese, roma tomatoes and a drizzled pesto swirl. Aside from pizza, Mellow Mushroom offers an array calzones, hoagies and for the health conscious, salads and gluten-free options are available.

The service however, is slow, which is understandable because there are lines of people just waiting to get in the door. The wait time to get the meal out to the table is about 45 minutes to an hour. The price for each dish is reasonable, ranging from $10 to 25 and the serving size is perfect for sharing with friends. The waiters are polite and helpful, making this restaurant an ideal place for families and friends. I can easily see myself catching a quick bite with friends there after a game, or taking an order to go for dinner. With more restaurants popping up around the area, Mellow Mushroom has secured its spot in the local community as a stopping ground for good eats.