Third Coast Cuisine

Formerly off Slaughter Ln behind Red Shed, Spartan just arrived at 6th and Waller to peddle mythologically inspired pies like the Apollo (roasted garlic spread, spinach, mushrooms, artichokes, kalamata olives, herbed ricotta) and the Agamemnon (cilantro pesto, chicken tossed w/ Salt Lick BBQ sauce, red onion, jalapenos). The new place will also offer salads, as well as late-night by-the-slice service, the Eastside's first unless you count 12th and Chicon.

From the dude behind Barfly's, VCSC brings the same everyman ambiance to the former Iron Gate spot, with 16 taps including easy-drinking domestics and craftiness (Lagunitas Hairy Eyeball, Franziskaner, Stone IPA), plus an expanded patio and a jukebox stocked with CDs from the collection of a recently passed friend of the owner, who was into everything from Waylon to Portishead, which really hasn't been as big since he got cut by the Redskins.

The newest East 6th-ster spot from the nightlife baron behind Creekside (R.I.P.), Iron Gate, and the Brixton channels the owner's first-gen Italian roots via a brick-slate oven pumping out gourmet pies topped with everything from olive oil...to anchovy oil, to be washed down with taps of Fireman's 4, Brooklyn Lager, and Real Ale's Oktoberfest while watching sports on a 10ft projection screen, playing foosball, or feeding a stand-up Ms. Pacman -- whose lazy hubby just loafs around while she brings home the fruit. He really drives her bananas.