Russo's New York Pizzeria
 Russo’s Restaurants | |
| Private | |
| Industry | Hospitality – Restaurant Franchise |
| Founded | Houston, Texas 1992 |
| Founder | Anthony Russo |
| Headquarters | Houston, Texas, USA |
Number of locations | 35 |
Area served | Arkansas, Florida, Hawaii, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas / International: United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia |
| Products | New York Style Pizza, Calzones, Pastas, Pizzotos, Soups, Salads, traditional Italian fare |
| Owner | Anthony Russo |
| Divisions | Russo’s New York Pizzeria & Russo’s Coal Fired Italian Kitchen |
| Website | http://www.nypizzeria.com |
Russo’s New York Pizzeria is based in Houston, Texas and was established in 1992 by Anthony Russo. The chain serves New York-style pizza as well as several different types of soups, salads, pastas, calzones and dessert. They are famous for their "party pizzas," which are 2 feet 4 inches (71 cm) in diameter. Operating on the idea that "if it’s not fresh, don’t serve it," the chain has over 30 locations in Arkansas, Florida, Hawaii, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas with several more in development. All locations offer dine-in and takeout, and some also have options for delivery and catering. International locations are open in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, UAE.
History
Russo’s New York Pizzeria was introduced by Chef Anthony Russo in 1992 in the Houston market, an area where there was a high concentration of residents originating in New York.
New York-style pizza originated in New York City in the early 1900s; it is wide, thin and foldable. The traditional toppings were tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, with any additional toppings placed with the cheese.
Anthony Russo is a first generation Italian. Both of his parents immigrated from Sicily and Naples respectively, to New York in 1962 [1]
The Russo family opened "Russo's Italian Restaurant" in 1978 after moving from New York to Texas. Russo's Italian Restaurant was a fine dining establishment that used recipes passed down through generations from the Russo family members.
By the age of 12, Anthony had spent a lot of time with his family and other influential Italian chefs in the kitchen learning how to prepare fine Italian meals and New York style pizza. He has said that his grandmother taught him to roll cannoli shells around the handle of a broomstick. His father’s motto for his restaurant was, "If you can’t make it fresh, don’t serve it." [2]
In the early 90's, Anthony opened his first restaurant in Clear Lake, Texas, It was called "Anthony's Pizzeria" and it operated with the goal to bring real New York-style pizza down to the Texas marketplace.
Anthony quickly gained recognition for his fresh Italian food and the affordable prices, and has garnered several awards over the years [3]
Gluten-Free
After learning how many people are affected by Celiac disease and other gluten allergies and intolerance, Chef Anthony Russo spent two years developing a gluten-free pizza crust recipe out of rice flour, tapioca flour and cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil. The crust has received a favorable reception from diners, many of whom feel there is a void that Russo’s has filled as far as gluten-free pizza and Italian dining is concerned. Russo’s is committed to using fresh, healthy produce and ingredients and prefers to purchase its produce from local farms and farmers markets where available.
Expansion into retail
After achieving considerable success in the celiac and gluten-free markets for the pizza crust and menu options, Russo’s began selling frozen gluten-free pizzas in six different varieties to nationwide grocers. The initiative kicked off in 2013, and at the end of the year, Russo’s pizzas are expected to be sold in up to 3,000 grocery stores in America.
Recognition & Awards
- 2013 Inc. 500’s Fastest Growing Companies - #4180
- 2012 Inc. 500’s Fastest Growing Companies - #2715
- 2012 Pizza Marketplace Magazine’s "Top 100 Pizza Companies"
- 2012 Pizza Today’s "Top 100 Pizza Companies"
- 2011 Inc. 500’s Fastest Growing Companies - #3463
- 2011 Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top Restaurant Franchises
- 2010 feature in ‘Every Day with Rachael Ray’ Magazine as one of the best pizzas in the USA
- 2009 best Calzone in Dallas by D-Magazine [4]
- 2009 top 120 restaurants in USA by Entrepreneur Magazine
- 2008 Best Pizza Houston by Houston Press
Corporate & International
The company’s corporate headquarters are in Houston, Texas. An additional branch office is located in Dubai, UAE. In March 2011, the company announced its intent to franchise 10 units in the UAE over the following decade. It has also awarded franchise right a company in Bahrain to operate Russo’s in Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. In September 2011, the restaurant chain introduced rebranding with a new logo and menu formats. Entrepreneur Magazine ranked it 301st in 2011 in the magazine’s list of the top 500 franchises. In the same year, Russo’s also received the Food Franchise Satisfaction Awards – 2011 Honoree by Franchise Business Review enterprise.