‘Gaucho pizza’ restaurants in Fort Worth, Southlake, Dallas sold; expansion planned
The rodizio-style Delucca Gaucho Pizza & Wine restaurants have been sold to former industry executives who plan to expand the wood-fired pizzerias, new part-owner Scott Smith said.
Smith, a former Del Frisco’s and Gordon Ramsay restaurant executive, and former Denny’s chief executive John Miller bought the five pizzerias founded in Southlake by Evan Caregnato and Dede Mallmann.
The new owners made their first change last weekend. Delucca added brunch at all locations ($24.50) and is taking reservations for Mother’s Day.
Delucca is a wood-fired pizzeria with rodizio-style service featuring five-course dinners with servers bringing a rotating choice of pizzas to each table.
It’s like a churrascaria, but without the swords.
“This is a unique concept and there’s nothing else like this out there,” Smith said. “Evan and Dede spared no expense creating the venue — everything is the highest quality. It’s the kind of place people can come in a group and have a good time.”
The original Delucca opened in 2018 at 2001 W. Southlake Blvd. A Fort Worth location, 3010 S. Hulen St., opened in 2020.
Caregnato, formerly of the Texas de Brazil steakhouse chain, had the idea to try the same concept with pizza. The $24.50 dinner includes bisque, salad, meatballs and entree and dessert pizzas.
Up to 14 pizzas are brought around to tables, including chicken tikka, Buffalo chicken, lamb, elote and soppressata.
The brunch menu includes a croque madame pizza, spinach-bacon quiche pizza and a smoked salmon-and-capers pizza.
“Delucca exceeds expectations and then some,” Star-Telegram reviewer Anna Caplan wrote in 2018. “I can’t wait to go back.”
This story was originally published May 8, 2023 at 7:30 AM.
