Pizza News

Favorite Dallas pizzeria from Marco's and My Family's Pizza fame is back

They were a good pizza in Dallas at a time when there wasn't much good pizza around.

Courtesy My Family's Pizza

A pizzeria beloved to old-school Dallasites is making a return under a new name. Called Pizza Gianna, it's from the family that brought us Marco's Pizza and My Family's Pizza, and will open at 5219 W Lovers Ln.

Co-owner Frank Nuccio confirms that the restaurant will open on October 20.

Pizza Gianna has a legacy that dates back to 1956, when Pizza by Marco was founded at the corner of Preston Road and Royal Lane by Marco Nuccio. It quickly became a neighborhood favorite, supplying top-quality thin crust pizza and pasta, during a time when Dallas didn't have a lot of great pizza.

In 1993, the shopping center owner decided to redevelop the center and the pizzeria relocated to the corner of the center, next to Fish City Grill. That same year, the name "Pizza by Marco" was legally challenged by an Ohio Holding Company for the "Marco's Pizza" name, and Nuccio changed Pizza by Marco to My Family's Pizza.

Alas, the restaurant was part of the wreckage wrought by the 2019 tornado which destroyed the pizzeria and the entire shopping center.

Marco's son, Frank Nuccio, decided to rebuild, and has partnered with John Kinzer, an experienced Dallas restaurateur, to manage the restaurant’s operations.

A long-time patron and fan, Kinzer wanted to bring back "the best pizza in Dallas" and is joined in the venture by James Shull and chef Ray Skradzinski, who will be utilizing their multi-faceted restaurant experience to oversee the business operations.

They plan to open two Pizza Gianna locations in the next year, with this first location on Lovers and Inwood Road and a second in Preston Hollow, plus plans for more in the works.

The pizza will feature the legendary sauce for which My Family's is known, but with a transformation to the pizzeria that gives it not only a new look and feel, but also modern technology to improve the customer experience:

Ordering: Nostalgia is one thing but they want to improve the old routine of calling and getting a busy signal, and will now allow orders to be placed online.
Payment Options: Orders can be paid online or via phone.

One new facet they'll add is delivery, which they never did previously, both via Pizza Gianna drivers as well as Door Dash.

They'll also be selling ice cream by Howdy Homemade Ice Cream, by the pint in several flavors.

Hours will be 3-10 pm.

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Michelin planning

Michelin Guide sets date for 2026 Texas restaurant selections

Photo by Dan Padgett

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Restaurant rating organization the Michelin Guide will reveal the third edition of its Texas selections on October 8, the organization announced.

The 2026 list of restaurants will come via press release this year, and not in an elaborate ceremony that draw chefs and restaurateurs from across the state - a big change from the fanfare that accompanied the 2024 and 2025 selections.

Michelin employs anonymous inspectors to evaluate restaurants on five criteria: product quality; mastery of cooking techniques; harmony of flavors; the personality of the chef as reflected in the cuisine; and consistency over time and across the entire menu. Based on that, they may recognize restaurants with one of three designations:

Michelin stars, rated at one, two, or three for restaurants that offer exceptional experiences
Bib Gourmand, described as “restaurants that offer great quality food at good prices”
Recommended for good restaurants that don’t quite meet the level of either a star or Bib Gourmand

The guide also gives out professional awards, such as service awards and sommelier awards.

Last year, Michelin added three starred restaurants statewide (including Dallas' Mamani), bringing Texas’ total to 18, along with eight new Bib Gourmands and 16 Recommended restaurants. Overall, 140 restaurants are included in the Guide.

Initially, Michelin made a three-year commitment to Texas, which was paid for in part by a $900,000 partnership with the statewide tourism organization Travel Texas and local tourism organizations in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. No announcement has been made about whether those partnership will continue, but a Michelin representative provided CultureMap with the following statement about the company’s future in Texas:

“Michelin cannot discuss the terms of its relationships for competitive reasons, although Michelin respects that partners might have disclosure agreements. It’s worth mentioning that once the Guide arrives in a destination the intent is for it to remain there. Supported by partnerships, the inspectors will continue to evaluate restaurants in the current coverage areas while keeping an eye on other locales as possible culinary hotspots for inclusion.”

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