Pane Bianco, an Italian-food cafe near downtown, will be expanding its space this fall.
The restaurant will be taking ownership of an adjoining space to its current location, which was once used by Lux Central, with a grand opening planned for early November, according to its owner Chris Bianco.
With extra space added to the restaurant, Bianco plans to offer a bar and marketplace area where patrons can purchase a variety of local products and locally grown food produced by Pane Bianco as well as local farmers. The marketplace is part of Bianco’s overall vision of connecting the restaurant to the local community and supporting its growth.
As part of the changes, a new dinner menu at the restaurant now runs from 4 to 8 p.m. It includes the critically acclaimed pizzas from the restaurant’s counterpart, Pizzeria Bianco.
Robert Tutlewski, the chef that manages Pane Bianco in Bianco’s absence, called the move “an evolution of the pizza.”
Bianco said he is most looking forward to being able to provide patrons with top-quality food and “a place to sit down and enjoy the experience.”
David Bickford, author of the PHX Rail Food blog, expressed his excitement at the upcoming changes to the restaurant, saying the enhancements will “make that area more lively” and allow more people to “enjoy what (Bianco’s) doing.” Though Bickford was initially worried about possible over-expansion when he first heard the news, he said he had faith that Bianco would be able to maintain the quality of the food.
Don Keuth, president of the Phoenix Community Alliance, said he saw the changes at Pane Bianco as part of a “domino effect” that occurred from Lux’s expansion into another adjacent building. Keuth said he believes Pane Bianco’s expansion parallels the growth of the experiences that midtown has to offer, citing the Metro Light Rail as one of the major catalysts to recent additions in the midtown Phoenix area.
With the restaurant about a 15-minute commute from the ASU Downtown campus via public transporation, some ASU students are taking notice of Pane Bianco’s growth.
Journalism sophomore Gabriela Rodiles, who also writes a food blog, sees the growth as a welcome change that will set it apart from Pizzeria Bianco. She said she is most excited about the addition of pizza to the menu and interested in seeing the new décor and atmosphere.
“It’s the same Pizzeria Bianco feel with less of a wait,” Rodiles said.
Contact the reporter at psotelo@asu.edu
