Davenport's — Davenport’s Pizza Palace owner Amanda Thames. (Pat Byington/Bham Now)

Vestavia Hills, you hit the jackpot.

Nothing beats eating one-of-a-kind pizza, playing classic video games like Frogger, Mario Brothers and Ms. Pacman or just hanging out with friends watching football. You’ve got all of this and more at the new 2nd location of Davenport’s Pizza Palace.

Welcome to Vestavia Hills Davenport’s

“We always talked about opening a second location,” said Amanda Thames, who along with her cousin, Yates Norris, are the 3rd generation in their family to own and operate Davenport’s, one of the oldest and longest-running pizzerias in Alabama.

“When we found this space (Vestavia City Center), it was very appealing. I thought personally, this is a place I would bring my family. This particular location seemed to fit us very well. We knew we wanted a game room and we had a spot for that. We wanted to add a few things like a bar and TVs where people can enjoy a football game or watch the Braves. So far, it seems the Vestavia community likes it too.”

Along with Davenport’s amenities within the restaurant, they are also a stone’s throw from the AMC Vestavia 10 Theaters and plenty of parking nearby.

The Same Spirit as the Mountain Brook Location

Established by Thames’ grandparents Rex and Ardyce Hollis in 1964, Davenport’s was actually named after her grandfather’s friend, Jim Davenport, a home-grown Major Leaguer and local hero who played for the San Francisco Giants with fellow Alabamians Willie Mays and Willie McCovey.

The Mountain Brook Davenport’s Pizza Palace has resided in Mountain Brook Village since day one for 58 years.

The new Vestavia site, other than having more space and parking, is serving the exact same menu.

“I can’t tell you what’s in the secret sauce,” Thames chuckled. “There’s something different about it (our pizzas) that keeps people coming back. It’s a different kind of pizza. It’s a unique thin crust, we cut it in squares. We are very particular about the ingredients we use. We don’t change a thing. We don’t change brands, because we know it works well—and our customers who have been eating it for 50 years will know something’s different.”

Along with their original pizzas, they also have two house dressings for their garden salads that are popular. In fact, some customers skip the pizza and dine on Davenport’s salads with their special twist on house Italian and French dressings.

Nearly 60 Years of Memories

Davenport's Pizza building — Davenport’s Pizza Palace in Mountain Brook( Pat Byington/ Bham Now)

Thames summed up Davenport’s special place in the community this way.

“You know what you’re getting,” she said. “I think that’s what people like. When they go into the Mountain Brook location, it is where they grew up going to birthday parties, had their first date or got engaged. It’s where their dad used to take them after football games or whatever the case may be. There’s a lot of nostalgia there. So we try to keep things the same.”