Gluten-free, vegan, organic — and Italian? Comfort food with a twist at Picazzo’s Healthy Italian Kitchen

He didn’t need years of restaurant experience to know how addicting food can be.

But when Picazzo's Healthy Italian Kitchen partner and operations manager Chris Disney decided to take a single step to accommodate customers’ gluten sensitivities, he had no idea it would have a domino effect-like journey to serve a wide range of patrons’ dietary needs. 

And what started as a mission to offer gluten-free options was a springboard for Picazzo’s current identity as a hub for vegan, keto-friendly and organic dishes, too.

Back in 2007, the restaurant started to experiment with gluten-free items. But when the recession hit the following year, Disney said the team aggressively moved forward. The idea: Meet the need for healthy dining options for those with dietary restrictions as well as those who do not, bringing everyone together in the same dining experience — an experience many needed during those tough times. 

“People who had to eat gluten-free had other needs. When they ate out, they struggled,” Disney said. “We wanted them to feel good about being able to enjoy food at a restaurant as others did.” 

Picazzo’s newest location in Gilbert is the restaurant’s latest vehicle for a menu that’s lauded for its inclusiveness. In addition to offering a 100% vegan menu flaunting a wide selection spanning salads, entrées, pasta, pizza and desserts, 95% of the produce is organic, and sauces and dressings are made from scratch using organic spices and non-GMO sunflower and imported olive oils.

When the Gilbert spot opened its doors this summer, it became the Arizona-based family-owned and operated entity’s fifth location in the Valley. The original location in Sedona opened in 2002. In 2004, Scottsdale became Picazzo’s first Valley restaurant with the others in Tempe, Phoenix and Glendale following.

Early challenges for creating the menu

Disney talked about going down the rabbit hole of dietary accommodations. When he opened the Phoenix location in a former Italian restaurant, that’s when the big gluten-free movement was made. For example, they came up with a gluten-free vegan crust recipe that uses applesauce. 

“If we’re making it egg-free and dairy free, we might as well make it vegan … . We have the crust but what good is it if the tomatoes aren’t organic?” Disney said of the progression. 

The goal was to craft these dishes in a way that no one — not even those without a wheat issue — could detect. But that wasn’t the biggest challenge.

At the time, it was very difficult to source gluten-free products in bulk, restaurant-friendly units, Disney said. Instead purchasing these items at the usual industry stores, they were bought in retail packaging off the shelf, which wasn’t efficient or cost effective. 

But they proceeded anyway. Slowly, this led to the push for organic ingredients and vegan plates. Disney continued to run into the same obstacle with bulk availability. It was extremely difficult to procure items that were gluten-free and vegan, for example. 

And the idea that this would all be done in an Italian restaurant with a menu that by nature oozed indulgent comfort added to the challenge. 

“How do you create food that has that kind of flavor and richness and is still healthy ... ? We were thinking, ‘Is this the right move?’” Disney said. 

Turns out, it was. Picazzo’s has experienced an average year over year revenue growth of 8% company wide, Disney said. 

And unlike most restaurants, Picazzo’s gluten-free options don’t come with a higher price tag, or what he called a “celiac tax.” A new interactive nutritional menu is Picazzo’s latest tool that helps customers find dishes that work with their diets.

Broad appeal for diet-specific dishes

The most popular dishes, like the gluten-free chicken parmesan that manages to be healthy but not necessarily low fat, appeal to diners without dietary needs. 

Beth Steurer is among them. The Chandler resident doesn’t live far from the Tempe location and has been a Picazzo regular for eight years.

“They have really good healthy food. I’m not vegan or gluten-free, but I appreciate the variety of food they have,” Steurer said. 

Her favorite is the spicy chipotle chicken pasta made with brown rice penne and tossed in a chipotle alfredo sauce. 

“It makes me feel less guilty about eating pasta,” Steurer said. “I could eat it all the time.” 

Over the years, Steurer has made friends with fellow regulars and bartenders. This welcoming vibe adds to the appeal and, she believes, reflects the management.

“I go back because of the environment. It’s a well run establishment,” she said. 

Disney started as a bartender at Picazzo’s and kept getting opportunities to higher positions over the years, eventually earning his current position overseeing all its locations. 

Disney grew up in and around the restaurant industry and sought a different career. But whenever he tried something new or was about to start a new path, the industry he fought to run from lured him back.

“Every time, restaurants kept winning that battle,” Disney said.

Disney comes up with the recipes. The fact that these now must include a seemingly overwhelming combination of gluten-free, organic and vegan allows him to indulge a creative streak that he thought restaurants could not fulfill.

“I put that energy and creativity into this field to create something different in this field,” he said. 

Picazzo’s appeals to a demographic that fuels a plant-based food market expected to reach $74.2 billion by 2027, according to Research and Markets.

The restaurant also partners with the Southwest Autism and Research Center in a campaign that donates $1 of every chocolate chip cookie dessert to the non-profit. 

Disney talked about restaurants that rely on gluten ingredients as the easiest, fastest solution when they don’t have anything else geared toward plant-based needs. 

Disney, however, hasn’t been and won’t be tempted to take that route. And that journey hasn’t ended.

“Having gluten-free, vegan and clean items is a challenge,” Disney said, citing the new Gilbert menu that reflects the direction Picazzo’s is headed. “We feel good about our menu but there is still more for us to push.” 

What: Picazzo's Healthy Italian Kitchen 

Where: Scottsdale, Tempe, Phoenix, Glendale and Gilbert. 

Employees: 200

Factoid: The plant-based food market is expected to reach $74.2 billion by 2027, according to Research and Markets.

Details: picazzos.com