Located in downtown Lafayette, Jim Deggy’s Brick Oven Pizza and Brewery is a beloved spot for delicious pizza. Locals and tourists alike may enjoy delicious pies directly from the brick oven at Jim Deggy’s, which is well-known for its laid-back yet lively atmosphere. The restaurant also serves a selection of house-brewed beers.
They offer a variety of pizzas, including the classics along with their own specialties, while also offering a variety of house made craft beers.
The story of Jim Deggy’s Brick Oven Pizza and Brewery began in Pineville, Louisiana as a local food truck in 2018. The grandfather of the DeGregorio family (Deggys) had a love for New York style pizza, which influenced the family to open up a restaurant in his honor. The food truck’s growing popularity led to an opening of a restaurant in 2020. They expanded to Lafayette in 2024.
This restaurant had a very laid-back atmosphere with warm lighting covering the inside of the building. The classic brick walls and rustic feel of the place brought feelings of nostalgia. The primary focus of this place is of course the massive brick oven they have in the kitchen. The bar covers the middle section of the place, acting as a social haven.
My colleague and I had the pleasure of visiting this restaurant on Wednesday, Jan. 15. As we walked in, we were happily greeted by the staff and were seated at our table. We grabbed our menus and began to browse.
For our appetizers, we decided to get the asiago spinach artichoke dip and cheese bread. Within a few minutes, our starters arrived. One thing I noticed about the chips for the spinach artichoke dip was that they tasted a lot like beignets. I found this unique, so I asked our waiter about the recipe, and he informed me that it is the same dough that they use for beignets. Our cheese bread was equally just as delicious.
It was proving to be difficult to choose a pizza. They had so many appetizing choices to choose from. I ended up deciding on the Swamp Monster which contained pesto, mozzarella, sun- dried tomatoes, goat cheese, bacon and a balsamic glaze. My colleague could not decide so she asked our server to choose for her.
Our pizzas came out piping hot and ready to eat. The Swamp Monster definitely lived up to its name with delicious bacon and boudin piled on top of it. The bacon and boudin complemented well with the pesto base of the pizza.
My colleagues’ pizza looked equally as delicious. Our waiter informed us the names of the pizzas that were chosen for her meal, the Honey P and Pop. The Honey P pizza was the first half of the pizza and contained pepperoni, goat cheese and hot honey drizzle, while the Pop pizza contained pepperoni, boudin, and pepper jack cheese. My colleague described the taste of the pizzas as a mixture of bold, spicy and sweet flavors that just melt in your mouth.
After finishing our meal, I decided to interview our waiter, Jones. “I have been working here for eight months, and what I like most about working here is definitely my coworkers. It’s a very friendly atmosphere and no one here is trying to boss anyone around, we treat each other as equals.”
He also informed me that they have live music every Friday and Saturday from 6-9 p.m. “We have a bunch of local artists that set up on the stage every week. We try to treat them well and maintain a healthy relationship with them so they will come back. The restaurant gives everyone a chance to spread their platform.”
As we were concluding our interviews, we began to crave a sweet treat, so we ordered beignets off of the dessert section of the menu. The beignets were rich but not too sweet, with the perfect amount of powdered sugar sprinkled on top.
Overall, I enjoyed my experience at Jim Deggy’s Brick Oven Pizza & Brewery. The food was flavorful, and the staff made sure our experience was enjoyable from start to finish. I will never forget the hospitality that made me feel like I was at home.
If you would like to visit this establishment, they are open Tuesday-Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and are closed on Mondays.