The Wichita neighborhood that lost DeFazio’s last fall is getting a new pizza restaurant
The neighborhood near 21st and Amidon that’s still missing DeFazio’s — which closed suddenly in October — is about to get a new pizza and pasta restaurant.
Bronx Pizzeria, which is taking over the former Mizu Sushi space at 2140 W. 21st St., won’t have as extensive a menu as DeFazio’s did, its owners say, but it will be a sit-down restaurant where people can get pizzas, calzones — including a deep fried calzones — sandwiches, salads, a rotating selection of pastas, and specials like chicken marsala and chicken piccata.
The owners hope to have the restaurant open in another month or so.
The cook at the restaurant will be Anthony DeSisto, whose family members and some partners are opening it together. DeSisto’s family, which hails from the Bronx in New York, is also part owners in Neighbors Bar & Grill, which operates across the street at 2315 W. 21st St.
They’re completely remodeling the interior of the restaurant, which when complete will have lots of powder-coated steel finishes. They’re also adding a large patio on the west side of the building.
The restaurant will serve 12-, 19- and 20-inch pizzas as well as a personal sized pizza and a thick Sicilian-style pie. It’ll offer all the expected toppings — mushrooms, sausage, pepperoni, etc. — and the kitchen will also put out white pizzas and possibly a chicken marsala pizza.
Bronx Pizzeria also will have a full bar that serves 30 types of wine, 15 types of tequila and 20 types of bourbon.
The building it’s taking over has been vacant since Mizu Sushi closed in February 2020. It was originally built in 1977 to house a Bonanza restaurant, and over the years it’s also been home to restaurants like Taiwan Chinese Restaurant and Sake.
This story was originally published May 3, 2022 at 10:55 AM.
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