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Ava Rae’s Pizzeria & Pub is a locally owned pizzeria and pub at 11168 S. Lone Elm Road in Olathe, Kansas, opened in 2025 by first-time restaurateur Darrin DeBok. Family- and community-focused, it pairs from-scratch pizzas, pastas, sandwiches and salads with a 67-foot bar and a deep craft-beer, whiskey and bourbon list. The restaurant is named for DeBok’s daughter, Ava Rae, and her dog, Dexter, who appear in the logo.12

Description

Ava Rae’s Pizzeria & Pub is a from-scratch pizzeria and full-service pub occupying a long-vacant storefront just off College Boulevard and South Lone Elm Road in Olathe, near Austin’s Bar & Grill and Dutch Bros.1 The menu centers on craft pizzas — with gluten-free and dairy-free options — alongside pastas, sandwiches, salads, and homemade soups in winter, with weekend brunch items such as breakfast pizza and coffee cake.1 The bar runs 67 feet and is marketed as the longest in Johnson County, carrying 100-plus craft beers plus a whiskey and bourbon selection the business describes as the largest in the county.13 Items are made fresh in-house daily.3

Ownership and history

The restaurant is the first venture of owner Darrin DeBok, a local resident whose daughter, Ava Rae, gives the business its name; she and her dog, Dexter, appear in the logo.1 The day-to-day operation is managed by Lindsay Rutten, DeBok’s partner, who brings more than 25 years of restaurant-industry experience from Kansas and Chicago.1 DeBok positioned the concept around “family and community,” planning discounts for Olathe Public Schools employees, fire and police departments, and the Johnson County Sheriff’s office; the site sits across from Olathe Northwest High School, where his daughter is a student.1 The business filled a long-vacant Olathe storefront and was reported in January 2025 as targeting a mid-February 2025 opening.1

Sources

Disputes

None recorded.

Footnotes

  1. Locally-owned Ava Rae’s Pizzeria and Pub opening soon in Olathe — Johnson County Post, Jan 22, 2025 — asserts: owner Darrin DeBok (first restaurant); manager/partner Lindsay Rutten (25+ years’ experience); named for daughter Ava Rae and dog Dexter; address 11168 S. Lone Elm Rd near College Blvd; mid-Feb 2025 target opening; long-vacant storefront; craft pizzas (GF), pastas, sandwiches, salads, soups, weekend brunch; 67-foot bar / 100+ craft beers; family-and-community focus; school/first-responder discounts; across from Olathe Northwest HS. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8

  2. Ava Rae’s Pizzeria & Pub — Yelp (Updated May 2026, 78 reviews) — asserts: currently open; address 11168 S Lone Elm Rd, Olathe, KS 66061; posted hours; active reviews/photos through May 2026. ↩

  3. Ava Rae’s Pizzeria & Pub in Olathe, KS — Reviews, Hours, and Contact Details (Yahoo Local) — asserts: address and phone (913) 391-4700; made-fresh-in-house daily, GF/dairy-free options; 130+ craft beers; largest whiskey/bourbon selection and longest bar in Johnson County. ↩ ↩2

See also

  • Registry
  • Owner-And-History-Research-Toolchain
Categories
  • Locally owned
  • Pizza
  • Olathe Ks