Pleasant Hill’s dining scene is heating up with the arrival of two popular Des Moines-area restaurants: Taste of New York Pizza and Bubbies BBQ. Both eateries are opening new locations at 1225 Copper Creek Drive, bringing pizza and barbecue to the eastern suburb.
Taste of New York Pizza, affectionately known locally as TONY, is a fan favorite and one of the Des Moines Register’s 2025 Essential Restaurants. It also won the Register’s Pizza Brackets contest, earning its reputation for authentic New York-style pizza and Sicilian crust pies.
The Pizza Bar — “where our legendary New York-style pizza collides with an all-new sports and draft bar experience” — plans to open at 1225 Copper Creek Drive in Pleasant Hill.
Taste of New York, affectionately known as TONY, offers New York-style and Sicilian crust pizzas by the slice or the pie. The West Des Moines-based pizza shop from Lou and Joy Savelli opened in 2014. The couple moved to the Des Moines metro from New York City and missed New York-style pizza.
The couple opened a second location with a drive-thru in Waukee, and they are in the process of expanding into the former Scratch Cupcakery space in the same strip mall where their original location is.
The Pizza Bar plans to offer a game room and a patio.
Bubbies BBQ headed to Pleasant Hill
Joining TONY at the same address is Bubbies BBQ, an Ankeny barbecue restaurant from restaurateur Oscar Sanchez, who also owns Filet Steakhouse and Oceanside Grill.
Bubbies specializes in slow-smoked meats, including ribs, pulled pork, brisket, burnt ends, jalapen?o cheddar sausage, and pulled chicken.
What do Taste of New York and Bubbies replace?
The new restaurants will replace Rollin’ Smoke BBQ, which closed in November 2023, and Mugsy’s Pizza House & Irish Sports Pub.
Where to find Taste of New York
Locations: 165 S. Jordan Creek Pkwy. Suite 160, West Des Moines, 515-223-8669
769 S.E. Alice's Road, Waukee, 515-987-1585
Where to find Bubbies BBQ
Location: 1802 N. Ankeny Blvd. #101, Ankeny
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Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at [email protected].