Pisano’s Pizzeria & Italian Kitchen

The family and pizza capital of Cobb

Written by SKYLER HEATH

When Michael Judvytis and his business partners Matthew and Joseph Hsiao bought a local pizza joint in 2018, they had a vision for the space — creating a comfortable, collective atmosphere centered on family and the community. Pisano’s Pizzeria & Italian Kitchen, located in the heart of downtown Kennesaw, is a restaurant staple in Cobb County known for its authentic Italian cuisine and genuine hospitality.

The pizza parlor at 2740 Summers St. placed No. 1 in six different categories for this year’s Best of Cobb contest, voted on by readers and customers in the community.

“ We aren’t a franchise. We aren’t a part of a larger brand,” Pisano’s co-owner Michael Judvytis said. “We’re just a neighborhood pizzeria. We are the token of this community.”

Readers voted Pisano’s as the winner of Best Italian, Best Pizza, Best Happy Hour, Best New Bar, Best Outdoor Dining and Best Overall Bar in this year’s contest.

But the pizza joint’s popularity isn’t just for its fresh ingredients, insatiable garlic rolls and homemade pizza — Judvytis said the Pisano’s team runs the restaurant like it’s an extension of their own home.

“ We’ve created a culture that is based on family,” he said. “When you come here you’re comfortable… just like when you’re at home.”

“As managers, we make it a priority to really get to know our customers,”

TOP: A sneak peak of some of the many authentic Italian dishes and New York-style pizza pies that are made fresh, in-house daily at Pisano’s Pizzeria & Italian Kitchen.

FAR LEFT: Left to right, top to bottom: Pisano’s staff Hunter, Javier, Adyson, Maddie, Sara, Cindy, Jenna, Mackenzie, Tiffani , Michael and Matthew come together for a group photo on the outdoor patio.

MIDDLE: Sitting on the corner of Summers Street in downtown Kennesaw, Pisano’s Pizzeria & Italian Kitchen is family-oriented staple in the Cobb community.

RIGHT: The inside dining area of Pisano’s has an open-kitchen concept and comfortable atmosphere where customers sit back, relax and watch the chefs in action — there’s an art to making their award-winning pizza and authentic Italian cuisine.

front of house manager Cindy

Lamme added. “We don’t just walk by and say, ‘hey, how’s your food?’ We take the time to talk to them and get to know them and their families.”

And it seems the restaurant’s family dynamic is also practiced between the managers and employees — so much so that Pisano’s staff calls Lamme “Grandma”.

“I have a family at home and six grandchildren, but I also have a family here,” she said. “These kids are great.”

Lamme has been with Pisano’s for seven years, but has worked in the restaurant industry for over 30. She said the tight-knit community and staff at Pisano’s is incomparable to the rest.

“This place is very inviting and family oriented,” manager Javier Malone noted, who has been a part of the Pisano’s team since 2015.

Pisano’s opened for business in 2012 and the restaurant’s namesake is the original owner, Mark Pisano. Back then, the restaurant had a quaint indoor and outdoor dining area and a minimal beer and wine menu.

But when Judvytis and his long-time friends Matthew and Joseph Hsiao took over ownership of Pisano’s in 2018, Lamme said the like-minded trio appreciated the restaurant’s comforting, at-home feel and envisioned a future for the space.

The co-owners pictured adding a covered outdoor dining area with more tables, a massive patio and a full-service bar. Lamme said Judvytis sketched out the blueprint and came up with an action plan to mobilize the renovation.

Joseph and Michael Hsiao “were kind of like my role models and mentors,” Judvytis said, adding that their extensive restaurateur experience and entrepreneurial spirit fueled the entire operation.

The Hsiao brothers are owners and operators of six restaurants in metro Atlanta including the two original Flying Biscuit locations in Candler Park and Midtown and the

West Cobb Diner, which also won three categories in this year’s Best of Cobb contest: Best Business Lunch, Best Fried Chicken and Best Southern Food.

Once the restaurant’s renovations concluded last year, Lamme said opportunities came knocking and business accelerated.

“When we added the extra seating and bar area, it created so many more opportunities for us to host larger parties and banquets,” Lamme said.

Now, Pisano’s is a destination restaurant that hosts sports teams, business meetings, holiday parties and even wedding receptions.

Steve Burns, a Pisano’s regular, said he’s been coming to the restaurant for six years and started dating his future wife, Angela Burns at the pizza joint. He later proposed to her at Pisano’s and the couple then hosted their wedding reception at the restaurant on Feb. 22, 2022 at 2:22 p.m.

“These people are amazing,” Burns said. “We come up here every week and definitely on Wednesdays and Thursdays for the live music and $2 beer.”

Pisano’s also garnered a reputation for its daily lunch and dinner specials making it a hot spot for local college students. Every week, customers who dine at Pisano’s can listen to live music, sip on craft beer and domestic drafts for less than $2.50 and enjoy half price wine by the glass.

Despite the restaurant’s recent success, Pisano’s management said they want to build an even stronger foundation with the Cobb commu- nity before they consider opening new locations.

Joseph Hsiao said if they open a new store in the future, the co-owners have their sights set on downtown Woodstock.

“We don’t really know what the future holds, but right now we just want to focus on growing this,” Judvytis added. “We still have plenty to do with this restaurant and still want this to remain a unique token of the area.”

TOP: The pizza joint has daily lunch/happy hour specials including $2 craft beer, domestic drafts deals, half price wine by the glass, live music and so much more every week.

MIDDLE: From local craft beer and whiskey coke to signature cocktails including the refreshing Pink Flamingo, Roman Mule with Amaretto and Margarita Italiana, Pisano’s has a full-service bar that offers a little something for everyone.

BOTTOM: In spring, summer and when Georgia weather permits, Pisano’s customers can soak up the sun and dine outside on the vast patio.

Appetizers

Light Fare

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Honeysuckle

Biscuits & Bakery

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BBQ

Dave Poe’s BBQ

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Breakfast

Honeysuckle

Biscuits & Bakery

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Brunch

1885 Grill - Acworth

2nd Place: Douceur De France

3rd Place: Reveille Cafe West Cobb

Burger

BurgerFi Kennesaw

2nd Place: MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes

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Business Lunch

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Carr y Out

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Adriane’s Delectables

Catering

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Chicken Wings

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3rd Place: The Wing Cafe & Tap House the lu family, house of lu