About four months after taking over Zazzo's Pizzeria & Catering in Darien, new owner Dominic Barraco celebrated with (what else?) a pizza party.
The Darien Chamber of Commerce orchestrated a ribbon-cutting to reintroduce Zazzo's to chamber and community members. Front and center was Dominic Barraco, who comes from a lineage of pizza restaurateurs that includes owning the Barraco's Pizza locations and working at Vito and Nick’s.
Dominic became the owner of Zazzo's, located at 7360 Route 83, on Oct. 1, 2012.
"We're just trying to get our name out in the community again and let them know we're here with new ownership," he said.
Tell us what you think: Write a review of Zazzo's Pizzeria.
The shop features the same great pizza, but there are some notable changes. For one, Dominic said there's more of a variety of pizzas, including thin crust, Sicilian-style, deep dish and stuffed pizza.
There's also some new items on the menu, such as broasted chicken. During the ribbon-cutting party, one person said she couldn't have dairy, so Dominic ordered a special gluten- and dairy-free pizza for her.
Perhaps the biggest change is that Zazzo's is now open for lunch starting at 11 a.m. every day of the week. Barraco said he wants to emphasize the lunch hours, as well as the restaurant's large catering menu.
A Family Tradition
As Barraco posed for ribbon-cutting photos alongside his mother, Arlene, and members of the Chamber of Commerce, they shouted, "Say cheese...pizza!"
It felt like a big family party inside Zazzo's, with an array of pizzas to try, as well as a chopped salad and broasted chicken. The pizza business is something Baracco grew up with and always loved being a part of.
"That's what he always wanted, to open his own business," said his mother, Arlene.
Zazzo's has been in Darien for 15 years, and Baracco's family has been in the pizza business for more than twice that. He learned first-hand from his father, Sam, a founder of Barraco's Pizza, as well as his grandparents, Paulina and Vito.
According to the Zazzo's website, it was Sam's dedication, Paulina's love for cooking and Vito's experience working for his cousin at Vito and Nick's that inspired Dominic.
"I took the south side traditions of pizza and want to continue that here. This is a great community, it's tight-knit," he said. "I liked the family unity and working hard there. And meeting new people from the neighborhood, it's like a big family."
LEARN MORE
- Go to Zazzo's website for full menus and more information.
- Like Zazzo's on Facebook to connect and hear about deals and specials.