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To make up for lost profits, big banks are imposing fee increases on all types of consumer and commercial services. Small businesses like Lizzano’s are reeling from skyrocketing credit card processing fees.

We have been faced with a difficult choice.

On the one hand, we could bow to the pressure and pass these onerous fees on to our customers in the form of price increases. We can’t tell you how distasteful that prospect is to us. We have worked very hard over the years to manage our costs so that we can consistently deliver a high level of quality and value.

On the other hand, we could protect our customers and prices by moving to a cash-only business model.

We did some research and our customers overwhelmingly told us they would prefer to pay cash than to pay higher prices. We think you’ll agree.

To minimize any inconvenience, a Citibank ATM is located a short walk away at 7-Eleven. (No checks, please.)

We are grateful to our customers who helped us arrive at this decision and encouraged us to remain committed to a 22-year family tradition of delivering quality food at a great price.

Although we’re grateful for each of the wonderful online reviews we’ve received, it’s really special when a customer comes in and personally shares with us how they feel.

You see, we’re not an ordinary small business. We’re a family operation. We put our hearts into what we do, and we treat our customers like family. And it often happens that they treat us like family in return. When they pull us aside and give us an unexpected hug (whatever form it takes), well — we sometimes have to pause and collect ourselves.

It happened this week. A delightful young couple walked in who we didn’t recognize. They found a cozy table and enjoyed an unhurried dinner. We thanked them for coming, and they left with warm smiles. When we went over to clean up their table, we discovered this:
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Special Entrées

Mussels    $9.95
in a tomato sauce with rosemary and white wine, over linguine pasta

Janet Salad    $7.95
a delightful combination of spinach, strawberries,  feta cheese and walnuts, served with Lizzano’s Signature Basil dressing

Almond Crusted Salmon    $12.95
with sautéed vegetables and couscous

Tilapia, Blackened or Grilled    $9.95
with sautéed vegetables and Penne Pomodore
(with Alfredo sauce  $10.95)

Spinach Ravioli    $8.95
with Portobello mushroom in an Alfredo sauce

Shrimp Alfredo    $11.95
with fettuccine pasta

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Special Desserts

Chocolate Bread Pudding    $3.95

Homemade Fudge Brownie  $3.95

At Lizzano’s, simple luxuries like these are easy to afford. Just stop by your local wine shop or supermarket and bring along your own favorite bottle of wine to enjoy with your favorite dish. We’ll provide sparkling wine glasses and a cork opener for your table — without a corkage fee.

These two superb wines cost an average of $39 on the wine lists of local Italian chain restaurants in our area. But when we last checked, the average supermarket prices of the very same wines was a mere $17.50—a discount of 55% off wine list prices. Furthermore, the variety of wines available at your local supermarket dwarfs the chain restaurant wine lists.  Peruse our unique BYOB Wine Comparison List to discover other great wine deals.

We actually know something about this. We conducted an in-depth analysis— BYOB Economics 101—where we compared the cost of dinner for two plus wine at Lizzano’s with four local Italian restaurant chains in the area, including price comparisons of 70 wines on their wine lists.  We discovered what many of our customers already knew. A typical dinner for two with wine at four nearby national Italian chain restaurants cost twice as much as a comparable dinner for two at Lizzano’s with the very same BYOB wine.

So when we shamelessly assert that Lizzano’s offers a superb combination of quality and value, it’s not because we think that sounds catchy. It’s because we’ve done the math.

A Win-Win

You might wonder why we actually promote a BYOB policy. Sure, BYOB is a big win for our customers, but what about us? Don’t we lose a bit when our customers bring in their own wine?

Over the years we’ve discovered the opposite to be true.

Our BYOB customers come for more than a great meal — they come to dine. They are unhurried and make the evening an event to be enjoyed. They’re likely to bring friends. They are more likely to enjoy an appetizer. They are likely to try our Seasonal Specials and premium entrées. They linger, and often share a dessert. They consistently rank high in customer satisfaction. They are generous with gratuities. Most important, they are likely to become regulars—even friends.

So bring along your favorite wine (or beer) the next time you come in. Invite friends to join you. Make it a relaxed dining experience at Lizzano’s.

Cheers!
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Tony Rika (Owner & Pizza Chef) has been hand-tossing pizzas for over 40 years. He began his pizza career in Italian neighborhood restaurants at age 16 in Rome, Italy.

Later, in New York City, he refined his pizza-making expertise at a number of notable neighborhood institutions including Seven Brothers at the corner of Church and Flatbush in Brooklyn, Angelo’s in Little Italy, and Ray’s in Manhattan.

Tony’s family ties eventually brought him to Texas, and he decided to open his own restaurant. Soon after, Tony was awarded Best Pizza in Tarrant County by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Now Tony works with his son at the pizza table, passing on the art of hand-tossed pizza to the next generation.

We take no shortcuts. Our pizza dough and pizza sauces are made fresh each day. We use only the finest mozzarella cheese from Wisconsin. Each of our toppings are freshly prepared. Check out Lizzano’s 10 Specialty Pizzas on our menu.

You just have to try it! We think you’ll agree that there’s something special about our decades-long refinement of the perfect pizza.  Here are some recent customer comments:

“This is the BEST pizza! Nothing like ordering from a chain restaurant. SO DELICIOUS!”

“Their thin-crust New York style pizza is incredible. Their pizza chef won the People’s Choice Best Pizza Award in Tarrant County in 1996.”

“We ordered a large with mushrooms, onion and green pepper.. Delicious! Great crust, and toppings were all fresh and cooked perfectly. Very much reminds me of the pizza I ate growing up in Buffalo. I will be back!”

“In my opinion, the food at their restaurant has always been superior to similar pizza joints in the metroplex, and there quite a few good, independently-owned pizzerias in the area. The pizza is incredible; simple NY-style crust with a variety of fresh toppings and a very flavorful sauce. The sauce has been adjusted slightly for regional preferences, but if you ask, they will make the flavor more intense with additional garlic, oregano, and other herbs/spices added. I prefer it this way, but most in the area don’t. Whatever your preference, though, it’s going to be good.”

“Great NY style pizza served in a very modest and casual Italian restaurant setting.”

“We absolutely love the food, the service and the atmosphere, but most of all the family that runs it. We have since brought many others in to eat and now it has become “our favorite” restaurant. They make everything themselves and when I think of their pizza’s……my mouth starts to water. They are the best ever. You need to give them a try. You won’t regret it. “

“Having tried all of the NY style pizza that I can find from west Ft. Worth to east Dallas, I stand firmly on my claim that Lizzano’s is absolutely the best in this city!! I am Italian, and have spent a lot of time in NY and New Jersey and one of the things I consistently miss the most is the pizza. Ordering a green pizza on a Saturday night makes us feel like we’re dating again. Thanks Lizzano’s!!”

“Great pizza, great pizza joint. Lunch is a great value too! Two fat thumbs up.”

“Finally … someone who can make a truly excellent “white pizza”. Wife & I recently moved back to the area and absolutely love Lizzano’s. If I had one complaint/suggestion, it would be to order your food to go. The restaurant can become extremely hot late in the day, and no one wants to sweat into their Calamari. The staff is very courteous and again, the food is excellent!

Lizzano’s humble reply: We recently installed a very cool, high-tech twin turbo Gyro fan in our dining room to augment the air conditioning system.  Learn about it here.  Since then we’ve received nothing but delighted comments about the level of comfort in the dining room, even at the warmest hours of the day. Please give us another chance. Come experience it yourself!

We’ve learned over the years that when it comes to Italian entrées, classic quality always trumps variety.  We believe it’s better to deliver a few classic dishes very well than to offer a large variety of mediocre menu choices. Once we perfected a few classic dishes, we complement them with  fresh salads, traditional pastas, a few seasonal specials and a handful of delicious desserts.  Then we work hard to manage our costs and deliver it all at prices that surprise even the most frugal.

That’s our philosophy at Lizzano’s. We specialize in delivering imaginative renditions of classic pastas and Southern Italian entrées at surprisingly affordable prices. And our customers agree!  They consistently tell us that our entrées are a winning combination of quality and value.

Our Chicken Parmigiana is one of our most most popular entrées. We hand-thin our chicken cutlets to perfection. Our rich handmade Marinara sauce is a closely-guarded recipe that we’ve refined over decades.

Try one of our other signature chicken entrée sauces:

• Marsala, with mushrooms in a demi glaze sauce
• Cacciatore, with green peppers, onions and mushrooms in a red sauce
• Piccata, with a lemon caper sauce
• Jerusalem, with mushrooms, artichokes, lemon and rosemary
• Alfredo, our luxuriously creamy white cheese sauce.

.Here’s what others are saying about our signature entrées:

“We have been going to the restaurants owned by Amza and Shanka Rika for over 17 years and now with the opening of Lizzano’s the same great food they have always prepared is just as good as ever. This is a great friendly place to dine and a great bargain for the price.”

“Our recurring favorites: garlic bread with cheese and tomato, greek salad, Chicken Cacciatore and last but not least… some of the BEST cannolis I’ve ever had.”

“This place has the best Italian food I’ve eaten in Dallas/Ft. Worth. I am Italian and cook a lot of it, and this would be the only other place I would eat it besides my kitchen in this area! A pasta dish was one of the specials that night —Spinach Ravioli with Portobello Mushroom and Alfredo sauce ($8.95). WOW!!! Absolutely delicious!! The ravolis are made fresh, spinach pasta, filled with ricotta and spinach, beautiful alfredo sauce with perfectly cooked Portobello slices. Definitely my favorite thing! We spooned some of the alfredo onto our pizza slices and took them to the next level!”

“On my second trip I had the beef tortellini in alfredo sauce. I’ll admit I wasn’t sure what tortellini was and went out on a limb. It ended up being very good and the alfredo sauce is definitely worth trying on any of their pastas.”

We can provide full-service catering including delivery, setup, plate service and cleanup. To learn more, call
(817) 571-9410 and ask for our Catering Manager.

We look forward to helping make your next event a memorable occasion!

A few of our recent catering clients include:

• American Airlines
• DFW International Airport Fire Services
• Bombardier Aircraft Training Center
• DFW Airport Valet
• Grapevine Colleyville Independent School District
• Texas Toyota of Grapevine

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A recent letter from one of our catering clients:

To Lizzano’s Pizza,

This is a brief note in appreciation of your amazing service and delicious food.  We enjoyed your catered dinner a few weeks ago.  Your catered lunch a few days ago was also a huge success.

The service was so amazing, we never expected you to give us so much food, and the warmers helped us keep the food nice and hot in 80 degree weather!

The desert tray was an added bonus to an already delicious meal, and every single guest enjoyed the plentiful pasta, salad, and sauce variations.  We cannot thank you enough!

We would like to say how lucky we are to know you, and we hope that you will continue to prosper and grow.

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If you haven’t stopped by Lizzano’s recently, you’re in for a treat. In our dining room, we recently installed a unique combination of classical design and high-tech indoor environmental technology. If you haven’t seen it yet, you really must stop by.

So many of our customers have inquired about our beautiful new dining room fan that we decided to put together answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.

Where in the world did you find it?

The fan is manufactured by minkaAire of Corona, California, an innovator in decorative lighting and ceiling fans. They’re known for progressive engineering, innovative design and superior performance. minkaAire has unique manufacturing expertise in solid brass, wrought iron, cast aluminum, wood and resin. They create unusual ceiling fans that combine form, function and design.

How did you discover it?

We searched far and wide for a fan that would comfortably move air throughout the dining room without the problems normally associated with restaurant ceiling fans.

Most ceiling fans blow a constant stream of air directly downward. In a restaurant, a constant downward breeze can cool food too quickly. We wanted a solution that would cover the entire dining room but provide an intermittent breeze every few seconds. We also wanted a single installation rather than multiple fans throughout the room. Further, we needed one that matched the classic Italian décor of our dining room. Finally, it had to be quiet and not detract from our dining room music.

After an extensive search, we discovered the minkaAire Traditional Gyro in Belcaro Walnut. The exterior is constructed of bronze. Two 42″ triple-bladed twin turbo fans rotate around the base at a constant 3 RPM, delivering a delightful intermittent breeze to every point in the dining room every 20 seconds.

The fans can be adjusted independently. In summer, they’re positioned downward with one fan angled-in to cover nearby tables and the other angled-out to cover tables at a wider radius. Even at the highest speed (1,500 RPM), the fans are virtually silent.

In winter, the fans are adjusted upward at medium speed to gently circulate warm ceiling air downward to maintain a constant temperature throughout the room.

The unit is amazingly efficient. It moves over 5,000 cubic feet of air per minute, yet consumes only 102 watts of electricity. It’s operated by a radio frequency Wall Control (included) that controls fan speed, light dimming and the direction of rotation.

   Click to see some classic Gyrofans

As if that weren’t enough, the styling is stunning. It’s modeled after gyrofans designed from 1900-1930 — the types that could be found on the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express luxury train in Europe, in Grand Central Station in New York City and on the Queen Mary ocean liner. The Traditional has a classical styling that matches our dining room decor splendidly.

mimkaAire makes six different versions/styles of the Gyro design, including versions that are Wet/Damp approved for locations like outdoor porches. The Contemporary version was styled by Mark Gajewski of G Squared Art studio.

Where did you purchase it?

There are several minkaAire dealers in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. We purchased ours from Passion Lighting in Grapevine. (See the minkaAire website for a list of dealers in your area.)

I gotta see it!

90% of our customers comment on the fan the first time they see it! You really must come and see it for yourself.

One of our favorite recent discoveries is the Venetian art of Paul Harley, a British artist who from an early age had a strong affinity with landscapes. He loved to draw and paint his surroundings. He has been painting professionally since 1984 and is now an acclaimed European landscape artist.

His three oil paintings of Venice are extraordinary. Our favorite is now featured on our menu cover. Click any scene below to see a larger rendering.

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A Tryst In Venice
by Paul Harley

Dusk Over The Grand Canal, Venice
by Paul Harley

Shaded Backwaters, Venice
by Paul Harley

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Limited edition Giclée prints are available on Mr. Harley’s website.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from this prolonged economic downturn, it’s that everyone is looking for the best value for their money.  At Lizzano’s, we work hard to consistently deliver great food at a great price.  In fact, you may be surprised to learn that Lizzano’s competes very favorably with the national Italian chain restaurants.  How do we do it?
The big national Italian chains—like Carrabba’s Italian Grill^®, Romano’s Macaroni Grill^®, Olive Garden^® and California Pizza Kitchen^®—have substantial overhead cost structures that are passed on to their customers.  Their menu prices reflect the cost of premium locations and sizeable national advertising campaigns.  Lizzano’s is conveniently located in your neighborhood and depends entirely on local advertising and word-of-mouth.

The wine list prices at the big chains also reflect huge markups that translate into fat profit margins.  Great for them—but not so great for you.  Lizzano’s invites you to bring along your favorite wine or beer (purchased at supermarket prices) to enjoy with your favorite Lizzano’s dish.

What does that mean for you in real dollars and cents?  We conducted our own research to determine exactly how the cost of dinner for two with wine (BYOB) at Lizzano’s compares with the same dinner for two with wine at the big chains.  We did the math and discovered what many of our value-wise customers have already figured out:

A typical dinner for two with wine at one of the four nearby national Italian chain restaurants costs twice as much¹ as a comparable dinner for two at Lizzano’s with the same wine (BYOB) at supermarket prices⁴.

First, we compared the cost of dinner for two comprised of two classical Italian dishes— Spaghetti Bolognese with Meatballs and Chicken Parmesan/Piccata—at each of four local Italian restaurant chains².  Here’s how the same dinner at Lizzano’s stacks up:

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We then compared the cost of a bottle of wine at each of the same four local Italian restaurant chains² to the grocery store price of the very same wine. (See our detailed price comparison of 70 wines served at each of the four national chain restaurants. Each of these same 70 wines was also available at like Tom Thumb^®.) Here’s how the same wines at Tom Thumb^® stacked up:

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The Bottom Line

Compared to dinner for two with BYOB wine at Lizzano’s, here’s how much more you will pay for a comparable dinner with a bottle of wine at one of the national chains: