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Waco businessman Tom Wright travels Interstate 35 almost weekly, craving the lasagna and the crab fondue at Pignetti’s Italian Restaurant in Temple. “Waco needs something like this, a high-class, upper-end, five-star restaurant,” said Wright, whose construction company bears his name. Heeding his own advice, Wright persuaded Pignetti’s owner Clinto...

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For Rafael Barceló Durazo, who grew up across the border from Arizona in the Mexican state of Sonora, Venerable Father Eusebio Kino is a symbol of unity. Today, as the Mexican consul in Tucson, he also looks to the famed missionary known as Padre Kino — and declared venerable by Pope Francis — as an example to follow. “I have always admired the cou...

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The Kino Heritage Society celebrated the 30th anniversary of the “Three Statues for Three Nations,” a ceremony honoring Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, on Sunday morning. The celebration, led by Ward 5 Councilman Richard Fimbres, started at the Kino statue on 15th Street and Kino Parkway, where various speakers spoke on the history of Father Kino. A...

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The doors open, the smell of authentic New York Italian food washes over you and the waiter yells from across the restaurant, “Hey! Welcome to The Grumpy Sicilian, are you here for the food or for the attitude? We will give you both.” At The Grumpy Sicilian, the New York Italian authenticity permeates far beyond the style of pizza. From the moment...

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When Ciao Down Food Truck owner Francine Vonfeldt spoke with theIndy in February, she said that while her initial menu would be deli-style and focused on hot sandwiches, she intended to add Neapolitan-inspired entrées down the road. We would love to try her more traditional Italian offerings, but the Americanized sandwich-centric menu we sample in...

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Forno 301 had me sitting with a glass of Montepulciano in the dark and Googling the word "testosterone." With so many Italian words on the menu — acciughe, diavola, salsiccia e funghi — it's easy to get confused here.  As it turns out, the word testosterone is exactly what you think it is. My search results did not show any pictures of red sauce pi...

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Put this one on your bucket list. A new restaurant in Ahwatukee is pioneering a concept we never knew we needed in our lives: spaghetti and meatballs in a bucket. You may have seen this on an episode of Scooby-Doo, but this ain't no O'Greazy's Bucket of Fun restaurant. This is the real deal.  The spot is literally called By the Bucket, and it's the...

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Mike Candrea wanted to go out his own way. That meant no fuss, no long goodbye. And no sharing news of his retirement during the Women’s College World Series — no matter how much ESPN’s Holly Rowe pleaded with him. The 65-year-old Candrea wanted to make the softball-shaking announcement in Tucson, where it all began. Tuesday in Mckale Center, about...

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Following a fiscal year that shattered franchise development records,  Fazoli’s  is taking its expansion strategy to the next level with its most aggressive goal yet. Fazoli’s ended its fiscal year in March, with a record 20 new franchise agreements to develop 50 locations, exceeding the most agreements Fazoli’s had signed in a single year in its 3...

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Chicago-style pizza and Italian food chain Oregano’s is set to debut a new takeout-only concept in Tempe next month, the restaurant announced. Oregano’s Takeout Kitchen will debut June 2 at 1705 W. University Dr. and be open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to a press release. The restaurant will host a job fair on Monday at the location fro...

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