pizza news

Beloved Dallas pizza chain Cane Rosso to open location in Lake Highlands

Cane Rosso spread

Cane Rosso Austin/Facebook

One of Dallas' most acclaimed pizzerias is opening a new location: Cane Rosso, the chain that debuted in Deep Ellum in 2011, will open a location in Lake Highlands, at the Lake Highlands Town Center at the intersection of Skillman and Walnut Hill, in a former Taco Diner space, at street address 7150 Skillman St. #190.

This will be the first Cane Rosso opening since the North Dallas Cane Rosso location opened in 2022 - a relatively long timespan for the burgeoning chain. According to a release, founder Jay Jerrier hopes to have it open in April.

UPDATE 6-17-2024: The restaurant will open on June 19. It'll debut a few new menu items from Chef Christian Petroni including the return of Cacio e Pepe (after a long hiatus), an updated spicy Penne All'Amatriciana pasta, a revamped Cheesy Garlic Bread — to reflect the garlic bread Petroni currently sells at Yankee Stadium — and a new Chicken Milanese sandwich on wood-fired bread.
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Cane Rosso does Neapolitan-style pizzas, wood-fired in traditional ovens, plus salads, pastas, desserts, and cocktails. They do a monthly pizza such as their current Misti featuring mozzarella, salami, red onion, arugula, and balsamic reduction.

They've appeared on The Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives with Guy Fieri, and have received many media accolades. They've also been a game-changer in terms of spreading the word of Neapolitan-style pizza and improving pizza standards across DFW. The chain currently has seven locations throughout Texas in Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, and Frisco.

Simultaneous to the new locations, they've appointed a new head of culinary: Christian Petroni, a Brooklyn-born chef who's been on TV, has his own line of products, and has a cookbook due out in 2024 called Parm to Table.

Petroni, who spent summers of his youth cooking with his family on the island of Ponza off the coast of Naples, Italy, is eager to bring his Italian roots to refresh Cane Rosso’s menu offerings, as well as work on the menus at sibling concepts Zoli's and Thunderbird Pies.

In a statement, he says he has been “very careful in getting back into this game in the right way. I’ve known Jay for many years now, and I saw such great potential in coming down to Dallas, Texas to bring what I do, from my New York food upbringing, to my time in Ponza or to my mother cooking for me at home, to this incredible community that my friend Jay has built. It was honestly a no-brainer to join.”

"Working with Christian has been a dream of mine for 10 years, and I'm pumped that I was finally able to get him down to Texas," Jerrier says. "His passion for authentic Italian cuisine falls in line with our commitment to delivering a fun and unique dining experience at our restaurants…AND he has committed to bringing REAL NEW YORK WATER with him when he comes down.”

pizza openings

Coffee News

Italian brand Lavazza Coffee opens training facility in Dallas

Lavazza

Lavazza Coffee

A coffee brand from Italy has planted a stake in Dallas: Lavazza, founded in the northern Italian city of Turin in 1895, has opened a state-of-the-art training center in Dallas, at 1722 Routh St. #960, where it will serve as a hub for coffee enthusiasts throughout the Southwest.

Dallas is the newest outlet in Lavazza's coffee training network, joining locations in New York, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, West Chester Pennsylvania, and Toronto — part of their expansion across high-growth markets in the U.S., and its mission to elevate coffee culture globally. (They're also doling out endorsement dollars in commercials featuring Steve Carell and John Krasinski.)

The facility is equipped with espresso, brewing, and coffee innovation equipment, and will serve Lavazza partners, industry professionals, baristas, and distributors. They'll offer hands-on training, SCA certification, menu development, and emerging coffee trends.

Lavazza already partners with many respected hospitality groups and culinary destinations in Dallas including Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Coury Hospitality Group, Al Biernat's Steakhouse, and Vandelay Hospitality.

In October 2025, Lavazza also began serving coffee on flights by Fort Worth-based American Airlines — further strengthening their connection to the North Texas market. The facility will enable Lavazza to provide closer, more consistent support to these partners and help elevate their coffee programs through continued training and collaboration.

Lavazza has been owned by the Lavazza family for four generations. Today they're one of the leading players on the global coffee scene, with a portfolio of top brands that lead their respective markets, such as Lavazza, Carte Noire, Merrild, and Kicking Horse.

In a statement, Lavazza North America president Hossam Ashraf says that "Dallas has an incredible energy and an ever evolving coffee scene," while Lavazza North America Marketing VP Daniele Foti says that Dallas is great, and we must concur.

"As one of the fastest growing hospitality and culinary markets in the country, Dallas represents a tremendous opportunity for Lavazza," Foti says. "Our investment in this new Training Center demonstrates our commitment to the region and to the partners who bring the Lavazza experience to life every day. Dallas is a city of innovation and high standards, and we are excited to deepen our roots here."

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