Russo's New York Pizzeria & Italian Kitchen has opened a second Arizona location at 521 S. College Avenue in Tempe, steps from the Arizona State University campus, with local franchisees Kristina and Christian Alvarez operating the unit. The opening extends the brand's Southwest push as it recruits franchise partners across the U.S. and internationally.

The Franchise Play

Russo's New York Pizzeria & Italian Kitchen reports average unit volumes of approximately $1.1 million across its franchised restaurants, per the company's franchise disclosure information. The brand's flexible real estate model — with compact pizzeria formats starting at roughly 1,500 square feet — is designed to lower the barrier to entry for prospective operators without compromising menu execution. The company also offers third-party financing resources for qualified candidates and provides fee discounts for qualifying U.S. military veterans, positioning the program competitively in an increasingly crowded pizza franchise landscape.

"We're looking for entrepreneurs who want to bring an authentic New York pizzeria and Italian kitchen to their communities," said Chef Anthony Russo, Founder and CEO. "The Tempe opening is another example of how local franchise ownership can help us grow while preserving the quality and authenticity of the Russo's brand."

What's on the Menu

The Tempe kitchen is built around Russo's scratch-made ethos: pizza dough is prepared fresh using premium flour and fermented for 24 hours, and the operation does not use seed oils — a differentiator the brand is leaning into as ingredient-transparency demands intensify across the restaurant and foodservice industry. The menu spans giant New York-style pizza slices, a 28-inch Giant Party Pizza, fresh-made pasta, chicken parmesan, lasagna, meatballs, Italian sandwiches, fresh salads, and house-made desserts including tiramisu.

The Alvarezs cited the quality of ingredients as the decisive factor in choosing the franchise. "The gourmet, fresh, high-quality ingredients, the scratch-made recipes and, most importantly, the incredible taste really stood out to us," said Kristina and Christian Alvarez. "We knew this was a brand and a product we would be proud to bring to our community."

Why the ASU Market Makes Sense

Tempe's dense, transient population — anchored by one of the largest university campuses in the United States — gives Russo's immediate access to a high-frequency dining demographic: students, faculty, and a surrounding residential and business community seeking fast-casual Italian options. For operators evaluating university-adjacent sites, the unit's compact footprint model offers a template worth tracking as the brand continues its national rollout.

Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.