By Julie Turner
They are known for their pizza, pastas and scratch-made desserts, and Café Piazza is our Collierville Readers’ Choice for Best Restaurant.
Café Piazza is located on the Collierville Town Square, 139 S. Rowlett St., in a house that was built in the early 1900s. Owners Pat and MaryBeth Lucchesi renovated the house before the restaurant opened in July of 2005.
Diners eat in one of three rooms – “yellow,” “green” or the enclosed porch area with a view of the Town Square and passing trains. Areas of the restaurant still feature the home’s original coal-burning fireplaces and hardwood floors.
Pat Lucchesi is flattered by the Best Restaurant Award for his restaurant.
“It’s humbling – we all work hard together,” he said. “It’s good that the community has embraced us.”
“We all try hard, and there are other restaurants who try hard as well but for whatever reason come up short,” Lucchesi added.
He credits their success to three things – good food, good customer service and the restaurant’s cleanliness. He prides himself on Café Piazza’s health department scores, which have been 100s for the last six inspections.
Some customers are so fond of their baked lobster penne and crab artichoke dip that they call ahead of time to see when those menu items will be available, according to Lucchesi. Café Piazza has lots of regular customers.
“There’s a gentleman who brings one of his daughters in for lunch every Tuesday and Thursday, and then brings his whole family in on Saturday,” Lucchesi said. “Some customers come one time a week, and some come two times a week.”
The Lucchesis live in nearby Germantown but have enjoyed seeing the growth in Collierville in the decade that Café Piazza has been in town.
“Everything is moving out this way,” he said. “This whole area is phenomenal the way it’s growing, and the growth since we have been here has been amazing.”
Café Piazza’s busiest nights are, not surprisingly, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Pat and MaryBeth passionately refer to the restaurant as “Our House” and invite everyone to come out and dine with them soon.
“We appreciate the support of the community and plan on being here awhile,” Lucchesi said. “It’s been great for us.”
Café Piazza is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and carryout is also available. No reservations are taken but guests will be seated as soon as possible.
For more information about Café Piazza and for a full menu, visit cafepiazzaonline.com or call (901) 861-1999.
