Have you heard about the pizza restaurant on the moon? It has great pizza, but no atmosphere.

But… have you heard about Arthur’s Pizza and Mexican Foods in Ellis? They have great pizza, a comfortable, friendly atmosphere, and to top it off, they even offer delicious Mexican food.

Pizza and Mexican food is a special and unique combination, which makes sense because Arthur’s Pizza and Mexican Foods is an incredibly special and unique place. Owners Gilbert and Cheryl Kinderknecht purchased the restaurant from the original owner, Arthur Neil Cordre, in 1998. The business has been located in the same spot from its conception to now, and is located in one of the front street buildings built by the Kansas Pacific Railroad when the Roundhouse was built in Ellis. 

The Kinderknechts have put time, effort, and love into the business, fostering Arthur’s into a place where serving food is only a slice of what they do. Their desire to serve their community, establish relationships, and interact with their customers sets Arthur’s apart from just another restaurant.

“We call it dinner and a show. Our staff is very relaxed and likes to interact with our patrons. We have enjoyed watching young kids that were customers grow up and become parents and bring their kids to Arthur’s. We are also very involved with the community, the Recreation Commission and Ellis Public Library and Ellis Chamber of Commerce,” explained Cheryl. “One of our regular customers gave Cheryl a sign which hangs in our dining room that says – “free sarcasm with every meal’. There are a number of customers that request their sarcasm each time they come in,” added Gilbert.

Aside from serving up supreme laughs that can’t be topped, the Kinderknechts see great value in playing a role in their community, and believe Ellis is the perfect community to do so in. The community offers three museums (Chrysler Boyhood Home, Railroad Museum, and Bukovina Society), and also a stocked lake and great “downtown” campground, making it a great draw for a day trip, the couple explained.

Gilbert is a board member of the Ellis Chamber of Commerce, and Gilbert and Cheryl are both two of the founding members of the Ellis Polar Express, which Cheryl describes as a holiday lighted train ride on the miniature train just across the street from Arthur’s. She says it normally draws 700-1000 people to Ellis the first weekend of December, and has been doing so for the past 12 years.

Additionally, the business serves the community in other ways as well. “We also like providing support to other organizations like the Rec with prizes for free events like March Madness. Plus we provide discounted pizza to the concession stand at high school events for fundraising. We also offer non-profits the opportunity to have dine-out days to earn funds. It’s important to be visible in the community and the surrounding area. We also support other activities such as the McCracken Rodeo and Palco After Prom and the United Way of Ellis County.”

The business is often a hub for energy and excitement, as they offer many interesting and immersive activities and experiences for children and teens alike. These experiences include their recent Dino Day, where 3-5 year olds got to make their own dinosaur calzone, touch a Wooly Mammoth bone, and even take a trip to the local library to hear a couple of dino books and see dinosaur replicas from the Sternberg Museum in Hays. Upcoming is a Pizza Academy for 8-13 year olds, where the participants will learn about food safety, making dough, and serving customers.

The Kinderknechts stated that the most popular menu items are their Popper Pizza, which started out as a pizza of the month. Their most popular Mexican food menu item is the Potato Grande, and the Mozzarella Breadstix are another very popular item. The restaurant features a “Pizza of the Month”, and to date has offered 44 different pizzas of the month, including this month’s Roasted Corn Dip Pizza. They even offer a Challenge Pizza on the menu, which is a 29-inch pizza to be enjoyed dine-in, and if the customers can finish the pizza, their picture goes up on the Wall of Fame.

Of course, no small business, or really any business in general, is going without their fair share of struggles these days. During the COVID pandemic, the Kinderknetchs were innovative, offering curbside pickup and no-contact deliveries, which they still do. The pandemic did cause them to start closing on Mondays, which is still in effect. Currently Arthur’s is very low on employees, with only seven employees total. They are currently hiring for four employees. Paired with a lack of product, which sometimes make them change their pizza of the month or even make other menu changes, it would be easy to become frustrated.

However, true to the Kinderknechts positive personalities and attitudes, they have found a way to press onward and upward, remaining as a hub of delicious food, friendliness, and a place where customers can enjoy their dining experience as well as their food.

Overall, their experience as owners of Arthur’s Pizza and Mexican Foods will go down in history as an incredibly special one. “We feel blessed to have been able to operate and grow Arthur’s for 24 years. We love knowing we draw people to our community from up to 60 miles away. We love joining with other businesses and organizations to provide great events for people in the area. We like seeing smiles on the kids faces and we like when kids say ‘hi’ and call us by name as soon as they walk in the door. We like when former employees come back to town, bring their kids in and explain how they used to make the pizzas,” stated Cheryl.

In addition to their regular dining hours of Thursday through Sunday, from 11:00am to 8:30pm with a lunch buffet from 11am to 1pm, parties can also rent out the space for different occasions. “We can do buffets or cater specific meals. We have done several wedding rehearsal meals. Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays our dining room can be used for meeting and presentations,” the Kinderknechts stated.

It is evidence that Arthur’s is as special as they come, and the Kinderknechts cannot thank their supporters enough. “Everyone at Arthur’s appreciates the 36 years of support we have received from Ellis and the surrounding communities. We love being a part of alumni reunions, family reunions, sports team celebrations, birthdays, weddings, fantasy football, school events and friends. We love getting the kids involved with cooking and offering programs. We love being in a historic Ellis building and being able to tell travelers the railroad and car history of our community.”

The next time you are in the Ellis area, or even feel like just making a day trip, get out there and cheese the day, visiting the museums of Ellis, the river, and then end your day with some deliciousness at Arthur’s.

It’s history in the baking, and the Kinderknechts would love to welcome you to their restaurant.