Grace Pizza and Shakes will host a grand opening celebration on Saturday, October 29 at their newest restaurant, located in the old Pickle Factory at 38 Clayton Lane in Grayton Beach.
Founded in 2021 by Adrian Hembree and Vincent Nandlal in Alvin, Texas, Grace is the story of their mission and values expressed through the art of food, leadership, and serving others.
The name “Grace” comes from a time when both Hembree and Nandlal faced hardships in their personal lives, and turned to their faith for grace, leadership, and love.
Nandlal and his father long knew that they wanted to open a pizza restaurant but didn’t have the knowledge or expertise in the business. They turned to their friend Adrian Hembree, who they had become close with through community service work including Hurricane Harvey relief, the Pearland Police Officer Benefit, and volunteering after the Santa Fe School Shooting. Due to their close bond, Hembree decided not only to advise on the business but partner with Nandlal to bring the concept to life. They both share the same passion and idea that food, a love for people, and serving others brings people together. Today, their goal is to extend Grace to the community, one slice of pizza, or one fun shake, at a time.
“Adrian had an idea for a pizza concept but wanted to shake it up with something different,” Nandlal said. “I love the milkshake idea, so I was able to help Adrian put together an over-the-top menu, and with his many years of restaurant experience and my passion for creativity, we were able to create this cool, unique concept.”
After vacationing on 30A for decades, both Hembree and Nandlal knew they wanted to open a business in the area to have a more concrete connection to the community and be in the area full-time. The decision became clearer when a friend let them know a restaurant space would soon become available and that they should take the opportunity to expand.
“We prayed and God told us to go for it, so we made an offer and the rest is history,” said Nandlal. “The Grace concept is perfect for locals and visitors because it brings a family-friendly, cool environment that everyone will love, no matter what age you are. We are so beyond blessed and grateful to be here.”
Grace Pizza and Shakes 30A offers a wide variety of hand-crafted pizzas, salads, local craft beers, and over-the-top ice cream shakes, including their signature 30A Cake Explosion made with locally sourced baked items.
Their founding principles are based on the old proverb, “to each, his own” meaning that none of their pizzas are the same and each is unique in flavor.
Community members, guests, and children are invited to the locally owned and operated restaurant from 6-9 p.m. on Saturday, October 29 to commemorate the official grand opening and taste some of the restaurant’s most popular fare. The Halloween-themed event will offer samples of various pizza pies and shakes, along with craft cocktails from Distillery 98, craft brews from Grayton Beer Company and the Lewis Bear Company, along with sips of Good Clean Wine. Attendees are encouraged to wear costumes and the best costume will be awarded a special prize. There will also be live music from Nashville-based recording artist, Cole Degges, along with kids’ face painting and a DJ later in the evening.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the Ohana Institute, a non-profit, private, exploratory, and innovative school serving middle and high school students. The school operates year-round on a flexible calendar that emphasizes project-based learning and combines both theoretical and real-world experiences for students through an engaging and broad array of subjects.
The new Grace Pizza and Shakes 30A is 1,000 square feet with an intimate dining area along with a plethora of outdoor seating options. The new restaurant has created 30-40 jobs in the community and since their soft opening in May 2022, they have partnered with several local businesses and organizations to give back to the community.
