Russo's New York Pizzeria
Encyclopedia
Russo’s New York Pizzeria serves New York-style Pizza,including giant pizza by the slice out of their 28 inch party pizza’s. They also serve several types of soups, salads, pasta’s, calzones, pizzoto’s and desserts.
The chain has around 30 locations in Texas
, Tennessee
, Arkansas
and Florida
; all offering dine-in, take-out; and some also home delivery and catering facilities.
.
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 parents immigrated from Sicily
and Naples
, Italy, to New York in 1962
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.
At the early age of 12, Anthony 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. His dad's phrase was: "If you can't make it fresh, don't serve it
In the early 90's, Anthony opened up his first restaurant in Clear Lake
, Texas called "Anthony's Pizzeria". Anthony's goal was to bring the real New York-style pizza down to the Texas marketplace.
Anthony quickly gained recognition for his fresh Italian food and his affordable prices and gained several awards over the years
By using his culinary experience, Anthony was able to blend the simplicity of the Pizzeria with the freshness of the Fine Italian Restaurant
.
’ Magazine as one of the best pizza’s in the USA
- 2009 best Calzone in Dallas by D-Magazine
- 2009 top 120 restaurants in USA by Entrepreneur Magazine
- 2008 Best Pizza Houston] by Houston Press
, UAE.
In March 2011, the company announced global expansion with Prime Hospitality, a sub division of UAE firm Ghobash Trading and Investments to franchise 10 units in the United Arab Emirates over the next decade.
It has also awarded franchise right to Megaholdings Company in Bahrain to operate Russo’s in Bahrain
, Qatar
and Saudi Arabia
.
In September 2011 the restaurant chain introduced re-branding with a new logo and new 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 Franchisee Satisfaction Awards] - 2011 Honoree
by Franchise Business Review enterprise
The chain has around 30 locations in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
and Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
; all offering dine-in, take-out; and some also home delivery and catering facilities.
History
Russo’s New York Pizzeria was introduced by Anthony Russo in 1992 in the Houston market, an area where the majority of customers were from New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
New York-style pizza originated in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
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 parents immigrated from Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
and Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, Italy, to New York in 1962
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.
At the early age of 12, Anthony 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. His dad's phrase was: "If you can't make it fresh, don't serve it
In the early 90's, Anthony opened up his first restaurant in Clear Lake
Clear Lake (region)
Clear Lake, or the Clear Lake Area, is a region in parts of Harris and Galveston County in Texas, United States. It is part of the Galveston Bay Area, which itself is a section of the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown metropolitan area...
, Texas called "Anthony's Pizzeria". Anthony's goal was to bring the real New York-style pizza down to the Texas marketplace.
Anthony quickly gained recognition for his fresh Italian food and his affordable prices and gained several awards over the years
By using his culinary experience, Anthony was able to blend the simplicity of the Pizzeria with the freshness of the Fine Italian Restaurant
Italian Restaurant
Italian Restaurant is an Italian television series....
.
Recognition & Awards
- 2010 feature in ‘Every Day with Rachael RayRachael Ray
Rachael Domenica Ray is an American television personality, businesswoman, celebrity chef and author. She hosts the syndicated talk and lifestyle program Rachael Ray and three Food Network series, 30 Minute Meals, Rachael Ray's Tasty Travels and $40 a Day...
’ Magazine as one of the best pizza’s in the USA
- 2009 best Calzone in Dallas by D-Magazine
- 2009 top 120 restaurants in USA by Entrepreneur Magazine
Entrepreneur Magazine
Entrepreneur is a publication that carries news stories about entrepreneurialism, small business management, and business opportunities. It is published by Entrepreneur Media Inc., headquartered in Irvine, California....
- 2008 Best Pizza Houston] by Houston Press
Houston Press
The Houston Press is an alternative weekly newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in Downtown Houston....
Corporate & International
The company’s corporate Headquarters are in Houston, Texas and an additional branch office is located in DubaiDubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, UAE.
In March 2011, the company announced global expansion with Prime Hospitality, a sub division of UAE firm Ghobash Trading and Investments to franchise 10 units in the United Arab Emirates over the next decade.
It has also awarded franchise right to Megaholdings Company in Bahrain to operate Russo’s in Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
, Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
and Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
.
In September 2011 the restaurant chain introduced re-branding with a new logo and new menu formats.
Entrepreneur magazine
Entrepreneur Magazine
Entrepreneur is a publication that carries news stories about entrepreneurialism, small business management, and business opportunities. It is published by Entrepreneur Media Inc., headquartered in Irvine, California....
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 Franchisee Satisfaction Awards] - 2011 Honoree
by Franchise Business Review enterprise