Alejandro Tort didn’t set out to become a restaurateur—he simply never stopped cooking.From the moment his grandmother taught him to knead dough at age three,the kitchen was his natural home.

La Trattoria:The Wisconsin Chapter
Nestled in Evansville,Wisconsin,Alejandro’s small eatery La Trattoria was where his passion first took flight.It was here that a then-Senator Barack Obama became a repeat guest,drawn by Alejandro’s wood-fired pizzas and warm hospitality.Those early encounters showed Alejandro that great food could build lasting connections.

The Montrose Pop-Up at Avant Garden
A layoff from DirecTV pushed Alejandro back to Houston,where he spotted a dusty,underused oven at Avant Garden in Montrose.He proposed a simple deal:“You sell drinks,I sell pizza.” What started as a weekly pop-up quickly grew into a two-year,three-nights-a-week sensation—selling out every time and proving that his heritage-driven recipes had mass appeal.

Cooking for Lady Gaga
Alejandro’s reputation for impeccable wood-fired crusts soon reached a superstar.When Lady Gaga performed at the Super Bowl in Houston,she discovered a similar oven at her rented home and hired Alejandro to run it.In the days surrounding the event,he crafted personalized pizzas for Gaga and her team—bringing his signature Sicilian-Uruguayan fusion to one of music’s biggest stages.

The Horse and The Turtle
Today,Alejandro brings these chapters of his career into a cozy nook inside a Southwest Houston medical plaza.The space may be small—just a counter and a few stools—but Alejandro’s vision looms large.Each Friday night,he fires up his wood-fired oven for fresh,hand-stretched pizzas,and every Saturday morning,his counter transforms into a bakery showcasing pastries and desserts made with handpicked,locally farmed ingredients—so popular that they often sell out before noon.

Alejandro’s story isn’t about chasing fame.From a three-year-old learning at his grandmother’s side to serving a sitting senator and international pop stars,his journey has always been about devotion to craft and community.At The Horse and The Turtle,he’s not just sharing recipes—he’s sharing a legacy in every handcrafted dish.

Visit The Horse and The Turtle:

6776 Southwest Fwy,Ste 101
Houston,TX 77074