A new pizzeria and pub is coming to Johnson County soon. Here’s where it will be
A sign for an upcoming pizza shop hangs above a west Olathe storefront.
It’s empty now — the words “opening early January” peek through the windows — but soon Ava Rae’s Pizzeria and Pub will begin serving fresh pies to customers.
Bar manager Lindsay Rutten hopes the restaurant at 11168 S. Lone Elm Road will be a fast favorite for families the neighborhood.
The logo for the new restaurant depicts a little girl and her dog sharing a few slices, both of them in chef hats. The cartoon characters are meant to depict owner Darrin Debok’s daughter, Ava Rae, and her dog, Dexter.
“We’ve just had so much support from everybody around us — our family and friends and people we don’t even know,” she said. “Kind of our slogan is: ‘community, family and local.’”
Rutten said the restaurant plans to offer discounts for the Olathe Fire Department, Olathe Police Department, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department and Olathe Public Schools staff.
The restaurant is across the street from Olathe Northwest High School. Rutten said it’s already fully staffed.
“We want all our staff to feel like family,” she said.
Debok is a majority owner, but he’s partnering with part-owner Brent Standridge to open the pizza shop.
For now, they’re keeping the menu relatively quiet, but Rutten said a lot of the items will be tried-and-true family recipes. Ava Rae’s will serve craft beers and cocktails, and it will have bar seating. The space is projected to hold up to 64 people.
Rutten invited the public to follow Ava Rae’s on Instagram, @avaraespizzeriapub, for updates on the restaurant as it moves closer to its opening date.
Meanwhile, Kansas City’s Pizza 51 is moving to downtown Olathe at 200 S. Kansas Ave. It’s projected to open in spring 2025.