
After A Decade Popular Upstate Pizza Joint Opens Italian Restaurant
A popular pizzeria and restaurant in Rensselaer County is expanding. El Presidente Dave Portnoy praised the pizzeria's pizzas as among the best. Now, the owners are ready to open a sit-down restaurant.
The original DeFazio's pizza shop and import store is located at 266 Fourth Street in Troy and has been open since 1989. Co-owner Matt Defazio said that they wanted to open another location but took their time to make it right. He told the Albany Business Review,
"One of the reasons why it also took so long is because when everybody has high standards, and expects the best pizza, the best meal they've ever had when they come, obviously, there is pressure in that to deliver a great product every single time, but that's what you thrive off."
Now, after ten years, they are ready to open DeFazio's at 216. The name is a reference to the address at 216 Fourth Street. Defazio said it was important for the restaurant to remain in Troy and this location is just a few blocks away. They took over the old Vanilla Bean building.
Defazio's At 216 restaurant building includes a banquet hall and is seventeen thousand square feet. The main dining room seats thirty-four people. There is also an area known as the "family room" that seats forty-three people and another thirty-four can sit in the bar area. The banquet room is equipped to handle seventy-three. DeFazio's At 216 and DeFazio's will have sixty-five employees.
DeFazio's At 216 will open on Wednesday, February 5th.
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