Locally owned and operated by father-and-son duo, Chef Rocco Pezzano and his son Marco Pezzano, Sfizio, Modern Italian Kitchen is a scratch dining concept in Desert Ridge. It dishes up authentic Italian cuisine that blends traditional Southern Italian flavors with modern techniques.
Nestled in the corner of Desert Ridge, Sfizio Modern Italian Kitchen is a cozy, dimly lit spot perfect for an intimate evening for two or a glass of wine with friends. The candle-lit environment features dark wood accents, with vibrant pops of color found throughout the space. The kitchen is an open concept, allowing guests to view Chef Rocco work his magic before serving up plates, while the massive bar rests in the corner, expanding to the outside for those looking to enjoy the cooler weather.
The menu at Sfizio Modern Italian Kitchen focuses on creating a homecooked, authentic Italian meal. The lineup was created by Chef Rocco and was inspired by his childhood in Southern Italy. Each dish is crafted with only the freshest, locally-sourced ingredients to provide the most authentic plates. Some of our favorites bites include the short rib rigatoni, with braised short ribs, scratch-made rigatoni, fresh burrata and a garlic confit; the capricciosa pizza, with Italian-cooked ham, fresh mushrooms, artichoke, black olives, San Marzano tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella; and the eggplant tortino, with breaded pan-seared eggplant tortino, provolone, fontina, mozzarella, San Marzano sauce and a creamy Parmigiano pasta to complement.
Dessert is a must when visiting the Italian spot, with a specialty lineup available to complete the ultimate meal. The sweet bites include traditional cannoli, with ricotta cream, chocolate chips and pistachio; the tiramisu (our favorite!) with espresso and liquor-soaked ladyfingers; the pizza Nutella, with freshly baked pizza dough, Nutella spread and fresh berries; or the gelato Affogato, with a hazelnut gelato topped in espresso.
An eccentric lineup of cocktails is available to wash everything down, in addition to wines, bubbles and brews on tap. Like the fare menu, the mixed sips are inspired by Italian glasses, including a variety of Aperol spritz; in addition to drinks like The God Father, with amaretto and Johnny Walker Red; the Rossini with strawberry puree and Santome prosecco; or the Blood Orange Cozmo, with Smirnoff Orange vodka, blood orange syrup and orange juice.
Sfizio Modern Italian Kitchen is open Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday from 4 to 10 p.m.; and Sunday from 4 to 9 p.m.
To learn more about Sfizio Modern Italian Kitchen, visit sfizioitaliano.com.