Sergio and Giuseppe Miele (pictured), the brothers who own the terrific Italian bistro Miele’s in Tempe, open a second venture – Amalfi Pizzeria – today in south Chandler.
Amalfi takes over the former Streets of New York space on the northeast corner of Alma School and Chandler Heights roads, the same corner as Cork and Blu Burger.
“It’s a good time to expand,” Sergio Miele says, adding that he and his brother spent eight months looking at potential locations in Tempe, Chandler and Gilbert.
The menu features almost all the same pizzas and pastas – at the same affordable prices – as Miele’s, which the brothers opened in 2005. But they opted for a new name “so people don’t think we’re franchising.”
Amalfi is a coastal town near the brothers’ home in southern Italy. They decided to add “Pizzeria” to get back to basics.
“In the beginning, it was pizza that made us what we are,” Sergio Miele says. “We decided to take a step back and focus on pizza again.”
To that end, the new location’s conveyor-belt oven was replaced with a traditional brick pizza oven. Otherwise, the five-week renovation mostly was limited to new paint and some faux brick.
The new location is 3,000 square feet – compared to 1,800 at Miele’s – with 22 tables inside and another 10 on the patio. There is no bar area, but the restaurant does offer beer, wine and cocktails.
Like Miele’s, Amalfi features house-baked breads, some house-made pastas and sauces made with tomatoes shipped over from Italy. Weekly specials will help determine new menu additions.
“The neighborhood is missing something like we have,” Sergio Miele says. “Just because it may look like a fancy place, you’ll still get a great plate of food at a good price.”
Amalfi Pizzeria is open 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
