Russo’s New York Pizzeria and Russo’s Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Continue to Launch New Menu Items with Fresh Ingredients

Russo’s New York Pizzeria and Russo’s Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen Continue to Launch New Menu Items with Fresh Ingredients

 Creative Genius Chef Anthony Russo Introduces Most Innovative Menu Items Yet

 HOUSTON – Menu innovation that the restaurant industry has been hungry for has arrived.

Chef Anthony Russo, the creative culinary mind, founder and CEO of chef-driven concepts Russo’s New York Pizzeria and Russo’s Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen, announced today the launch of an innovative new menu that blends generations of Russo-family Italian recipes with trending, heart-healthy new ingredients.

“Our menu enhancements put our fresh, natural ingredients on a pedestal,” said Chef Russo, who has spent several months testing his modern twists on his family’s recipes in these newly released pizzas and dishes. “We want customers to see our chefs tossing freshly-made pizza dough, sautéing vine-ripened tomatoes with pasta and our family’s Sicilian olive oil and spinning salads with hand-picked garden ingredients you would find at a local farmers market.”

The new menus for both Russo’s New York Pizzeria and Russo’s Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen feature more than 80 delectable items and take a fresh approach on Italian classics by showcasing fresh, locally sourced ingredients that are certified organic. Each entrée is prepared with Russo’s proprietary first-press extra virgin olive oil, created using olives from Chef Russo’s family olive grove in Sicily. New items include the Chicken & Kale Pesto Pasta Salad, made with grilled chicken and fresh kale, tossed with pesto sauce, cucumbers, Roma tomatoes and penne pasta, as well as the Spinach, Kale & Artichoke Dip appetizer.

“Our new menu items were created to give today’s consumers who want fresh, homemade tastes made from the finest ingredients at every dining experience more variety while still remaining true to our authentic Italian roots,” said Chef Russo. “It showcases our commitment to research, development and adjusting to guests’ evolving taste buds and behaviors.”

Chef Russo also added several new thin-crust, hand-tossed pizzas made from the finest ingredients, including the Calabrese Napoletana pizza topped with crumbled Italian sausage, fresh kale, mushrooms, mozzarella and ricotta cheeses, drizzled with olive oil and garlic sauce. Vegetarians can delight in the new Spinach, Kale & Artichoke pizza covered in spinach, artichoke hearts, kale, all-natural mozzarella cheese and roasted garlic in a creamy Alfredo sauce. The new menu also includes Chicken & Kale pizza, Italian Works and Prosciutto & Arugula pizza varieties.

The new, fresh, chef-driven menu items are now on display at NYPizzeria.com and RussosCoalFired.com.

A family-owned business since 1978, Chef Russo’s recipes are handcrafted, authentic and personal to his Italian roots. The Russo’s family promise, “If it isn’t fresh, don’t serve it,” has been at the heart of Russo’s New York Pizzeria since Chef Anthony Russo opened his first location more than 20 years ago. For instance, all of the Russo’s New York Pizzeria restaurants feature first press Sicilian extra virgin olive oil from Chef Russo’s family olive grove in Italy.

Known for its delicious Italian cuisine, natural ingredients and exceptional guest service, Russo’s New York Pizzeria is also taking its upscale, fast-casual restaurant experience to new heights with a modern interior design and unique menu enhancements. This dynamic concept is a chef-inspired, chef-created and chef-driven brand and has once again demonstrated its leadership and creativity as a trendsetting company.

To learn more, visit www.nypizzeria.com.

About Russo’s Restaurants

Russo’s Restaurants is a 46-location national and international franchisor of the fast casual and casual dining brands Russo’s New York Pizzeria and Russo’s Coal-Fired Italian Kitchen. Based in Houston, Russo’s Restaurants are composed of a mix of corporate and franchised locations across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Florida and Hawaii. Russo’s has entered international markets as well, with locations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates. There are an additional 29-plus units in development both in the United States and internationally. Chef Anthony Russo has created his concepts from years of applying his unique, family recipes featuring New York-style pizza, along with a broad variety of handcrafted pasta creations, calzones, salads, sandwiches, soups and desserts, reflecting his commitment to his New York roots where food and family come first. To learn more about Russo’s franchise development opportunities, visit www.franchiserussos.com.

For international franchise development, contact our international franchise development manager, Suzanne Boyadjian at suzanne@nypizzeria.com. For domestic franchising, contact Jim Carr, director of franchise development at j.carr@nypizzeria.com or by phone at (832) 980-6407.