Pizzicata, located in Carefree’s Spanish Village, reopened Oct. 12 following a four-week renovation.
(Pizzicata/Submitted)
Seven years after opening their first Arizona restaurant in Carefree, Federico Venturini and his wife, Viola Tagliaferri, are returning to where their American journey began, unveiling a completely renovated Pizzicata that combines modern elegance with traditional Italian hospitality.
The restaurant, located in Carefree’s Spanish Village, reopened Oct. 12 following a four-week renovation that transformed its dining rooms, bar, kitchen and outdoor patios while preserving the authentic Italian recipes that helped establish its reputation.
For Venturini, the renovation represents more than a new appearance. It is an opportunity to thank the community that supported his family when they first arrived in Arizona from Italy in 2018.
“Everything started at the Carefree location where I built this restaurant with my hands,” Venturini said. “After seven years, it was time to do a complete remodel.
“It’s a way that we say thanks to our loyal customers.”
The renovation includes custom porcelain tables imported from Italy, new booth seating, textured walls, updated flooring and an expanded black-and-gold bar. The restaurant also features an enlarged kitchen and improved outdoor dining areas.
Venturini said the improvements were designed to create a more sophisticated atmosphere while maintaining the welcoming environment that customers have come to expect.
“What has made Pizzicata successful is the hospitality, the warmth and the feeling that we want to give to our customers,” he said. “We like that they feel as if they are at my house.”
The redesigned interior offers a more intimate dining experience, with soft lighting and decorative features that complement the restaurant’s Italian identity.
Venturini said customers can now choose between the casual atmosphere of the outdoor courtyard and a more romantic setting indoors.
“Before, it was more casual and the winning point was the patio because we have a beautiful patio in the courtyard,” he said. “Now we can also offer a more intimate and romantic space inside with little lamps and low lights.”
Completing the renovation in just four weeks required coordinating multiple contractors responsible for flooring, painting, electrical work and outdoor improvements.
Venturini compared the process to building an entirely new restaurant.
“It wasn’t easy to put everything and everybody together,” he said. “We tried to complete everything as quickly as possible so we could reopen.”
Since reopening, Venturini said the restaurant has received enthusiastic feedback from longtime customers and Carefree residents.
“They love it. They didn’t expect a big renovation like that,” he said. “Everybody is very happy to have a kind of new restaurant with the same food and the same vibes.”
Federico Venturini and his wife, Viola Tagliaferri, previously operated restaurants in Italy before deciding to move to the United States in December 2018 with their family.
(Pizzicata/Submitted)
The restaurant will celebrate its transformation with a VIP grand reopening event at 5:00 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, featuring Italian cuisine, wines, cocktails and entertainment.
Venturini said the celebration is intended primarily as an expression of gratitude toward customers who have supported the business throughout the years.
“This makes it special to me to thank everyone, including my loyal customers,” he said. “It’s more for them. It’s a kind of thank you.”
The reopening also marks another milestone in the couple’s journey from Italy to Arizona.
Venturini and Tagliaferri previously operated restaurants in Italy before deciding to move to the United States in December 2018 with their family.
Despite arriving without speaking English, the couple opened their first Pizzicata restaurant in Carefree on Sept. 28, 2019, with business partner Phil Igneri.
Venturini said he discovered Carefree while exploring Arizona and immediately connected with the community.
During one of his visits, he met Igneri, who introduced him to the restaurant’s eventual location.
The business faced an early challenge when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted restaurant operations just months after opening.
Venturini credited Carefree residents with helping the restaurant survive through their continued support and takeout orders.
“We have a great relationship because Carefree is a small town,” he said. “Everybody knows each other and every local supports local business.”
That community support helped establish the foundation for the couple’s expanding restaurant group.
Since opening in Carefree, Pizzicata has expanded to Mesa and Glendale, while the couple also opened Pomodoro Italian Grill & Seafood in Cave Creek.
Venturini said the restaurants emphasize traditional Italian recipes, homemade pasta and high-quality ingredients.
The menu includes Pinsa Romana, a Roman-style flatbread made with a blend of flours and a fermentation process that produces a lighter crust than conventional pizza.
Venturini said Pizzicata was the first restaurant in Arizona to introduce the specialty and become a certified pinseria.
The restaurants also feature imported Italian cheeses, cured meats and tomatoes, along with homemade gnocchi, ravioli, pasta and desserts.
“The secret of our success is the quality of the ingredients with the traditional recipes,” he said.
Venturini and Tagliaferri have been selected to receive the 2027 Tomaso Maggiore Culinary Excellence Award.
(Pizzicata/Submitted)
Beyond the food, Venturini hopes customers embrace the Italian tradition of treating meals as opportunities to connect with family and friends.
“Having dinner is not just feeding your belly but it’s sharing your time with your family and friends,” he said. “It’s an experience. It’s a good time to taste food and spend time with your family and friends in a nice environment.”
The couple’s success has also earned recognition from Arizona’s Italian-American community.
Venturini and Tagliaferri have been selected to receive the 2027 Tomaso Maggiore Culinary Excellence Award during the Arizona Italian American Gala on Feb. 6, 2027, at Scottsdale Hangar One.
The award recognizes their contributions to Italian cuisine, hospitality and community involvement
Venturini said receiving an award named after the late Arizona restaurateur was particularly meaningful because of the similarities between their experiences building businesses in the United States.
“I was surprised. I didn’t expect it, but I was so proud,” he said. “Tomaso Maggiore came to the United States with nothing and then grew his businesses and we did the same.”
Looking ahead, Venturini said the couple plans to continue expanding their restaurant group, including a new project anticipated in Anthem in 2027.
However, despite the company’s growth, he said the original Carefree restaurant will always hold a special place in his family’s history.
“Carefree has a special place in my heart because it’s the first,” Venturini said. “Everything started from Carefree and I learned a lot from my first restaurant.”
He hopes the newly renovated restaurant will continue serving the community for years to come.
“I would like to thank everybody for all the support that they gave us and for all the love they shared with us,” he said. “We are part of this community now and we would like to stay here forever.”
Pizzicata Carefree
Pizzicata Carefree is located at 7212 E. Hum Road. The restaurant is open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. For more information, visit carefree.pizzicatausa.com.
Dining and Cooking