One of Sioux Falls’ newer restaurants, Invictus Pizza Kitchen, has started a fresh beginning in the pizza community. This restaurant recently opened last year in December 2023 after buying and renovating the old PizzaRev. The owner, Devon Giesen, hopes to spark an interest in creating original pizzas with a large variety of toppings.
It all started with bi-weekly visits to PizzaRev with Giesen and his wife, their pizza became a tradition. Soon, these visits came to an end after COVID-19 hit in 2020, closing PizzaRev and bringing Giesen the idea of buying out the restaurant. After years of trying to reach out to the owner to buy the building, Giesen finally succeeded and was able to reopen it as his own. His goal was one thing, variety.
“[I wanted to] Make a much more elevated menu and environment that focuses on a very large variety of fresh local ingredients,” said Giesen.
This focus on fresh, seasonal products guarantees high-quality meals. He shortly accomplished this goal by having a special section on his menu that was eventually important to his business. This is known as the “Create Your Own Pizza” option. Since customers have access to many different toppings, any pizza can cater to any liking. This way Giesen keeps his business open to every customer, providing an option for anyone. They have four different crust types, seven different sauces, salads, calzones, desserts and piadina bread. The menu also includes a kid’s section. The restaurant offers a significant amount of seating, along with a short wait time, perfect for families and friends.
Giesen wants his food to benefit his customers, as well as help impact the social growth of Sioux Falls. Invictus Pizza Kitchen has many partnerships with other local businesses, charities and radio stations, all “to help build each other up and be able to donate,” said Giesen, keeping his business involved in the community. Invictus Pizza Kitchen also has many deals and offers throughout the week along with benefits for their customers. For example, on Thursdays, students can receive 15% off by showing their student ID, and GreatLife members can receive 20% off on Mondays.
With a commitment to using fresh, locally sourced ingredients and a dedication to giving back through charitable donations, the restaurant is quickly becoming a favorite among locals for more than just its food.
“The Walking Taco”: For $13.99 one could get this 11-inch (or 14-inch for $23.99) plentiful pizza. It includes a salsa cream cheese spread, beef, mozzarella and cheddar cheese, lettuce, pico de gallo, crushed Doritos and topped with a chipotle sour cream sauce. The flavors were all familiar yet totally unique in this pizza format. With the traditional crust, it had a perfect balance of toppings, covering the entire pizza. This option is perfect for anyone looking to try something new or out of their comfort zone, but not too different. One could also purchase the 14-inch for $23.99.
“Simply Cheese”: For $11.99 one could get the classic cheese pizza. Organic marinara sauce is used with any option of cheese. The mozzarella cheese was melted just right, creating a gooey, stringy texture that stretched perfectly with each bite. This option is suitable for the more picky eaters, or ones looking for a plain, basic pizza.
Devon’s Favorite,“The Duchess”: The pizza starts with a fresh rosemary and green onion cream cheese spread, it is layered with mozzarella cheese, shaved pork belly, red onions and finished off with hot honey. “All these different flavors just dance in your mouth with every bite,” said Giesen. The different seasonings enrich the pizza and bring it to its full potential, a lengthy process to perfect.
