The venture to establish Il Massetos, a restaurant dedicated to the legacy of the Phoenix culinary icon Tomaso Maggiore, has hit a roadblock as the Maggiore family has now withdrawn from the previously slated location. The quest for a new Valley space is now in full force, as reported by ABC15. Despite some initial progress, structural and logistical issues at the original site—a former Bank of America building on the northeast corner of 32nd Street and Camelback Road—proved insurmountable, prompting a withdrawal a year after plans were set in motion and half a decade since Tomaso's Italian Restaurant shuttered permanently.
Joey Maggiore, a prominent chef and restaurateur within the family, cited the exorbitant costs incurred—amounting to "half a million dollars" for demolition, plans, and equipment orders, paired with the realization that the location would be unable to accommodate the intended 7,500-square-foot design and the pressing parking woes—as the catalysts for the site relocation. These concerns echo the parking issues that spelled the end for the original Tomaso's, prompting the decision to shake hands with the landlord, and we walked away, according to a statement obtained by the Business Journal.
While the search for a new home for Il Massetos persists, the Maggiore family isn't stalled, as Joey Maggiore is set to inaugurate a new Scottsdale eatery dubbed the Italiano, a venue that embodies an opulent dedication to the senior Maggiore's memory with an immersive art display in its private dining quarters. The venture, described as the group's priciest undertaking—surpassing $6 million in development costs—is touted to enshrine Tomaso's legacy until the appropriate locale for Il Massetos surfaces.
In tandem, the Maggiore Group's expansion agenda is robust, with various concepts like Hash Kitchen and Sicilian Butcher primed for rapid expansion bolstered by a private equity investment. Notably, Food & Beverage Magazine highlights that the group anticipates the opening of eight Hash Kitchen locations and two additional Sicilian Butcher outposts prior to February 2025, while another branch of The Mexicano is slated for a Chandler debut come autumn. Furthermore, the group is navigating the legacy of cuisine and mentorship with the inaugural Tomaso Maggiore Culinary Arts Foundation Legacy Gala, intended to celebrate the valley's culinary patriarch this October, with proceedings supporting cultural and educational opportunities for the region's aspiring chefs—a testament to an enduring influence on Arizona's gastronomic canvas.
