Italian News
Popular Dallas pizzeria brothers debut expansive new trattoria in Frisco
dua trattoria fritto misto
Pizza lovers in any of Dallas' northern or eastern suburbs know about Eddie’s Napolis, a loosely-connected pizzeria chain with locations in outlying towns, famous for its reliable and robustly flavored pizzas, pastas, and surprisingly good desserts.
Now the family behind that chain has introduced a new concept: Called Dua Trattoria, it's an Italian-Mediterranean fusion restaurant that blends those cuisines with elements from their home country of Kosovo in southeast Europe.
The trattoria is at 5225 Warren Pkwy., a few miles from the Frisco location of Eddie’s, owned and operated by brothers Kreshnik, Lulzim, and Blerinand Vllasaliu with their uncle Eddie, the restaurant’s namesake.
Kreshnik says he and his brothers will continue to help the family manage Eddie’s but are shifting their attention to Dua, which is their own separate project.
Eddie's still has locations in Garland, Amarillo, and Prosper, but they’ve since been sold to different ownership than the Vllasaliu family.
Rather than open another Eddie's, the trio wanted to branch off from the family business and start their own legacy.
"This is a new thing for us three brothers to try while offering cuisine from our home country that we grew up eating and enjoying," Vllasaliu says. "We thought that Frisco would love a little taste of our culture from another part of the world."
In addition to Italian classics like lasagna and chicken parmesan, the menu features several family recipes to incorporate their culture, such as kefalotyri, a baked goat cheese dip, and burek, a Balkan spinach and cheese pastry.
They've been thrilled to see customers embrace dishes like their cevapi appetizer, a beef and veal sausage partnered with ajvar, the Serbian roasted red pepper dip, plus feta cheese, and Mediterranean bread for a kind of do-it-yourself sandwich spread.
Prices are mostly affordable with flatbreads, sandwiches, salads, and pastas. But they also have celebratory splurges like filet mignon and a cappelletti, a ravioli with short rib, asparagus, and tomato.
There’s a full bar and extensive wine selection, and the atmosphere is a cut above their old pizzeria norm, with dark woods, elegant light fixtures, and a teal-colored banquette that stretches across the length of the dining room. A pretty patio out front seats about 30.
Vllasaliu says the restaurant is meant to cater to a wide audience with something for everyone.
“We want to have a nice atmosphere while staying true to the idea that you should come as you are,” he says. “Just because the place looks a certain way doesn’t mean we want people to dress a certain way. We want people to be comfortable.”
After Vilasaliu and his family immigrated to the U.S. from Kosovo in the 2000s, they were hard pressed to find the foods they grew up from their childhood. Dua is a love letter to their home country.
“There aren’t too many places that offer our food, and if they do, you typically have to travel pretty far,” he says. “We’re giving people the option of not leaving Frisco. You don’t have to go to Dallas to find food like this.”
