Melissa Dean was 15 years old and at her first job as a hostess at a restaurant when she realized that one day she wanted to own her own restaurant. And now after working in the industry about 15 years, Dean’s dream came true Nov. 9, 2012 when she and her business partner, Phillip King, opened Suwanee Pizza Tavern on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Suwanee.
King shared the same dream of opening a restaurant also having worked in the industry for about 22 years. Dean said the two complement one another as King handles the operational side and is the brain of the kitchen while she focuses on customer service and marketing.
Dean said her encouragement came from her grandparents. Her grandmother, with a maiden name Robilio and of Italian heritage, was the inspiration for the theme of the restaurant, and her grandfather, who was also a business owner, taught her a few things about making good business decisions. Sadly, Dean said she lost her grandfather in 2010 but wanted to do something to follow in his footsteps, make him proud, and carry on his legend.
“He was such a great man, believed in giving back to the community and always providing good customer service,” she said.
Dean said because her grandparents were such a big part in helping to make their dream a reality, they want to honor them in how they run the business through hard work, honesty and being involved in a community.
That led them to Suwanee because they wanted to be rooted in a community they could get involved with and give back to.
“…I love the fact that Suwanee is a giving community and they (city staff and residents) are very supportive to all of the local businesses,” she said. “We already have at least six families that come in and see us two to three times a week.”
Dean said hearing positive comments about the restaurant, the food and the service make all of the hard work worthwhile and she added that she loves getting to know the special and friendly folks in Suwanee.
“It is such a good feeling to know that your customers love your food and your atmosphere and continually come back,” she said.
And what makes Suwanee Pizza Tavern’s food special? Dean said it’s a number of things such as the wood-fire oven where pizzas are cooked to perfection giving them a unique flavor.
They also add fresh herbs to the dough, and to top it off they offer a full-service bar in what Dean described as an upscale and friendly atmosphere.
Specialty menu items include homemade fried mozzarella, garlic knots, Robilio House Special Pizza (The restaurant donates $1 to the Wounded Warrior Project for every large Robilio ordered), King – meat lovers pizza, Pizza Bianca – white pizza, jumbo chicken wings and cajun chicken pasta. Suwanee
Pizza Tavern also offers catering.
BY: Tana Christian Suggs
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Excited about your new venture! No doubt it will be a great success. Hope to see you with a gang of friends soon! XOXO.
Kay