Frank Bonanno Shutters Park Meadows Pizzeria, Plans Out-of-State Expansion

On Saturday, August 30, chef and restaurateur Frank Bonanno shuttered Bonanno Brothers Pizzeria, his venture located at 8439 Park Meadows Circle in Lone Tree. The 3000 square foot eatery had been open for 15 months and it was the only independently-owned dining establishment at the Park Meadows Mall.

"Of course I would have loved to see the restaurant succeed," Bonanno says. "But we are so busy with the existing restaurants and a couple of newer projects that it makes sense to just move on. I have nothing but great things to say about our landlord at the Mall. They were helpful and understanding and have done all they could to support us. My partner in that deal, David, is looking for a new restaurant to put in there," he continues.

Bonanno Brothers Pizzeria had made adjustments to its offerings since opening. It started off with wines on tap and replaced them with beer and wines in bottles as customers viewed the tap wines as cheap. While it started off with just Boylan sodas, the restaurant added diet Coke to its tap lines. Because ranch dressing was something customers were looking for, it was also added to the offerings.

At the end of the day, the diners at the Park Meadows Mall gravitated towards neighboring restaurants like Brio and the Yard House. "We probably would have needed another two years to truly build that business in that location," Bonanno explains. "But we didn't have that kind of time and that's ok. We are looking at expanding and growing the Salt & Grinder concept. We are seriously looking at the airport but also out of state — places like Nashville, Dallas, Kansas City. My goal is to own the real estate and open more Salt & Grinders," he adds.

· Bonanno Brothers Turns One at the Park Meadows Mall [EDen]
· Sneak Peek: Bonanno Brothers Pizzeria Opens [EDen]
· A Guide to Dining Around Park Meadows And Lone Tree [EDen]