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The Yankee Express

Pizzeria Bruno brings a taste of Italy to Sutton

Marcello and Davide Bruno

By Amy LeClaire
Davide and Marcello Bruno, of Milano, Italy, learned a lot from their father. They learned how to perform in a rock band, make pizza and, ultimately, how to make things happen by believing in a dream. “Everything we do is a direct consequence of the example my father gave us,” said Davide Bruno. “This time it was our turn. We were first in line. We said, ‘let’s do it’.”
Inspired by Franco Bruno’s restaurant, Vox - named after the Latin word for “voice” due to the space being used (originally) for them to play live music at - a drummer (Davide) and trumpeter/bass player (Marcello) etched a blueprint on a napkin and did it. “We bought material, drywalled, painted, installed floors, hired electricians and plumbers and physically did it,” Davide said.
Despite the challenges of opening up a new restaurant during a global pandemic, Bruno’s Pizzeria opened its doors to the public on August 5, 2020, and, remarkably, found the experience to be enjoyable. “All the laws made it a challenge but we never backed down. People is a lot more enthusiastic while in Italy, most people are jealous of competition. Here it was fun because people really wanted us to open. The budget was a challenge. Everything we think it cost one, it costs three. Material cost less here than in Italy. The cost of services (for people) is much more than what we are used to in Italy.”
Amid budget and COVID challenge (fewer workers were available and paperwork/permits took longer than expected), the Bruno brothers chose to survive. “My brother more than me put everything into this,” said Davide. “He sold his house and car, and invested everything. For him failing was not an option. He gave up everything to make it work.”
Marcello Bruno, whose congenial temperament, hard work ethic and insistence that “it’s all in the ingredients” (hand-picked quality ingredients which include flour, meat, cheeses and even salt are imported from Italy), came to America in 2019. Meanwhile, Davide had been pursuing his current career in computer science engineering (since 2010). The brothers collaborated on the idea to bring to America a pizzeria designed with bare hands and a modern vision of Italy. “People in US have an idea about Italian restaurants that is fifty years old. They identify with a generation of people that came here from Southern Italy. That is the snapshot. They come here and ask for chicken parmigiana. Or chicken alfredo. There is no chicken alfredo in Italy,” admitted Davide. “We wanted to be authentic. Even the names of the pizza are the same as in Italy. We wanted music that is more lounge-style and relaxing, which is what you can find it Italy now.”
The Pizzeria Bruno menu is varied, tasteful, and infused with an Italian essence that’s as tasty as a signature wedge of focaccia bread dipped in peppery oil. Pizza is categorized as Red Pizza (No Cheese) Classic Pizza, which includes the Affumicata, boasting a blend of San Marzano, mozzarella cheese, and smoked ricotta cheese or the 4 Stagioni, with Parma’s ham, mushrooms, artichokes, and Kalamata olives, Gourmet Pizza and White Pizza (No Sauce). There are also various salads, paninis, Limonata (Italian lemonade) and Davide’s favorite dessert, a family recipe. “We make our own tiramisu, which is something I made passionately for a while. People liked it.” 
The Bruno Brothers, with nearly twenty years of cooking experience, have learned to master the art of the temperamental relationship between pizza and brick oven temperature. “We bought the oven from Milan because we used to have the same brand. We wanted to cook exactly how we were in Italy. We thought our way was better. You need to learn how the particular oven behaves. It’s not that easy. How you cook depends on how hot below, how close the fire is, and how to move the pan inside the oven. You need to know where to place the pizza, and what the temperature needs to be. It’s not easy to find someone who knows how to manage the oven.”  
Finding someone to manage the oven may be a challenge for the Bruno brothers but restaurant diners, reportedly, are enjoying themselves in the meantime. Said Bob and Pat Watkins, Pizzeria Bruno regulars, “The food is excellent. Everything is unique and we’ve tried everything. We don’t have a favorite. They are all favorites.”
Patrons of Pizzeria Bruno’s, along with a tasteful and varied menu, will also enjoy the ambience of a restaurant designed emotively. “We really built it. Our idea went from the brain to the napkin, to this. To see how much people appreciate it is the best thing for us. This wasn’t about coming here to be a millionaire. I want to be here. I want to be a part of this. Sharing and knowing people like it is what we wanted. Every choice we take is driven by the emotion it gives back, even the lighting. We didn’t go for what’s functional and cheap. Everything here was our idea and driven by the concept ‘I like it.’ We cannot ask for more.” 
Though satisfied, Davide Bruno confessed to a possible future goal. “We like dream. We can think of another business to open for gelato, or something like that. We’ll see.” 
Pizzeria Bruno is located at 27C Galaxy Pass, Sutton. Call them for an order: (508) 917-8182, or visit: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 11:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.; Saturday 4 – 9:30 p.m.; Sunday 12 – 9 p.m.; closed Monday.