Cottonwood AZ (June 17, 2013) – Restaurateurs and owners of the Tavern Hotel, Eric and Michelle Jurisin, are well on their way to opening their sixth restaurant. It started with the Haunted Hamburger (they call their business collection The Haunted Group) and it grew with Grapes in Jerome, the Tavern Grille in Scottsdale, the Tavern Grille and Nic’s Italian Steak & Crab House in Cottonwood and, opening in July, Pizzeria Bocce next to the stone bridge on Main Street in Old Town Cottonwood. The Jurisins engaged the services of Studio K restaurant designer Kimberly Harris who has had a hand in a very long list of the most popular establishments in Phoenix and Scottsdale including The Vig’s, Roys, Crescent Ballroom, Sapporo, Zinc Bistro, R&R, Axis Radius, and coming attraction Justin Beckett’s Southern Rail.
The Jurisins and Kimberly are creating a unique gathering place with a scrumptious palate of materials including black and white marble, two mural size historic photos, intricate mosaic tile, custom iron work, a stone patio with flaming torches, and of course the namesake bocce ball court on the patio alongside the stream.
Chef Michelle says, “There’s a piece of me in every one of our restaurants but Bocce is straight from my heart. I grew up in the family deli business on the east coast and I recently traveled back to the very roots of our family in Naples, Italy to become certified in the art of pizza by Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, AVPN. It all starts with the bread, and our pizza will be made with Caputo Flour imported from Italy. We will make the crust the traditional way, no twirling, every crust is hand kneaded into just the right consistency before it gets fresh toppings and bakes in a wood burning stove the way it has been done in Naples, the birthplace of pizza, for over 300 years.”
Slated for opening in July, news and opening specials for Pizzeria Bocce can be found at www.TheHauntedGroup.com