For those familiar with Chicago-style pizza, it’s not always about deep dish. Whether it be a thin crust or a monstrous deep dish pie, Anthony “Rocco” DiGrazia knows his pizza.
Raised on the south side of Chicago, he went after a degree in anthropology in Champaign before relocating to Tucson in 1992 to pursue graduate studies in archaeology — the study of digging up the past so that we understand cultures. Well, archeology didn’t pan out but the pizzas sure did!
In the late ’90s, a restaurant space that was formerly El Pollo, and another restaurant named Manhattan Grill, was on the market and Rocco’s Little Chicago Pizzeria officially opened for business.
On Tuesday, December 26, Rocco’s is celebrating its 25th anniversary at 2707 E. Broadway Blvd.
Beginning on Tuesday, December 26, Rocco’s will have a $25 deal to celebrate its anniversary. For a full week, they’ll be offering a large, thin, one-topping pizza and a double house salad for $25 (dine-in and to-go). Stop by, say hi, give the team a big congrats, and chow down on the deal that’s only around for a week.
A few years ago — 2018, to be exact — Rocco’s got a feature on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” The spiky-haired dude with bleached tips, Guy Fieri stopped by the Old Pueblo and chomped on the legendary wings at Rocco’s. To many, their a top wings spot in Tucson even though pizza is the focal point.
Give their pasta and appetizers a bit of your time, too. The Spicy Hot Sticks are one of my favorite appetizers in town — spicy sauce twirled up in dough. I typically dip them in ranch dressing but if you’re vegan, ask for a side of pizza sauce.
Some things have changed since then (like a nifty new parking lot that’s shared with Zemam’s) and the future is bright for the pizza joint. Soon, Rocco’s and company will be moving just down the street on Broadway, AKA Sunshine Mile, and into The Sol Block, which is located between Tucson Boulevard and Treat Avenue.
The strip will include Rocco’s, The Broadway (the sister concept to Caps & Corks), Decibel Coffee, and more. The new location is expected to have a bigger bar, more tables, a wider patio area, and a more spacious kitchen to allow DiGrazia to keep making his iconic pizzas.
Rocco’s Little Chicago is located at 2707 E. Broadway Blvd. For more information, visit roccoslittlechicago.com and follow Rocco’s on Facebook and Instagram.
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