Graziano's: A New Look and a New Menu

Graziano’s new 20th anniversary menu was inspired by customer feedback from a variety of sources including Yelp, OpenTable, Facebook and On The Spot customer surveys. This helped them refine a menu themed “For the way you eat today”. The new menu features half size portions and an expanded selection of low carb, vegan and gluten-free offerings. Also featured for the first time are gluten-free pizzas made in Graziano’s authentic wood-fired brick oven.

To mark the anniversary, Graziano’s has also partnered with Misericordia, Heart of Mercy, in Chicago in a goal to raise $50,000 over the next year. Misericordia is a residential community serving the needs of more than 600 adults and children with developmental disabilities.

Misericordia and Graziano’s have announced the “Have a Heart Campaign” where anyone who donates $10.00 to Misericordia can buy a voucher good for $10.00 off their next meal at Graziano’s. 100% of the proceeds go to Misericordia. Customers can purchase vouchers at Misericordia events and locations, and at Graziano’s that can be used on their next visit. The campaign will run through 2015.

Graziano’s started up in 1994. Owners Maria Gonzalez, Paul (Pauly) Cipolla and Steven Demet manage the restaurant and are onsite every day. The restaurant’s name was derived from Robert Graziano, a business partner who left the industry in 1997. Steven Demet grew up in the restaurant business working at his family’s restaurant in Morton Grove. He attended the Culinary Institute of America and obtained a Masters degree from the Hotel School at Cornell University in 1992. It was at Cornell where he would meet his future wife and business partner Maria Gonzalez. Prior to opening Graziano’s, Maria, a native New Yorker, held food and beverage management positions at several Sheraton Hotels in Chicago and Manhattan. Paul Cipolla is a graduate of Saint Patrick’s High School and De Paul University in Chicago. Pauly has been managing restaurants and pleasing customers for more than 25 years.

Graziano’s has a proud history of community involvement, supporting local schools, religious and charitable organizations. In addition, Graziano’s is actively engaged in raising money for charities for individuals with developmental disabilities such as The Adult Down Syndrome Center at Lutheran General Hospital, Orchard Village and Misericordia. When not working, Steven and Maria spend their time in the company of their four children ages 17, 16, 14 and 11. Their youngest child John was born with Down Syndrome in 2002.

About Graziano’s: Graziano’s, at 5960 W. Touhy in Niles, Illinois, is a neighborhood Italian restaurant featuring pasta, fresh fish, steaks and pizza made in wood-fired brick ovens. Graziano’s was one of the first restaurants in the Chicago area to feature wood burning ovens. The use of apple, cherry and oak hardwoods imparts a unique flavor and crisp crust. Graziano’s serves handcrafted foods, made to order, from fresh natural ingredients. They bake their own breads, make their own sauces, soup and dressings from scratch in the restaurant. They do not use whiteners, preservatives or MSG in any of their products. They deal primarily with local suppliers that share their commitment to quality. More information is available at www.grazianosrestaurant.com.