Italian-style pizza is back in Bettendorf and coming to a familiar spot.
Inferno Pizza & Pints will open Thursday at 2561 53rd Ave. in Bettendorf. The storefront was formerly home to Mio Russo Sicilian Bar & Table before it closed in April.
New owner Brian Islami has a long history with business success in the Quad-Cities, as he also owns the Flip’s Pancake House locations. The decision to flip from pancakes to pizza, he said, came to him while traveling in Italy.
After his brother moved there a number of years ago, Islami said he began to visit yearly and grew accustomed to the food. A few months ago, the leasing agent for the Bettendorf building reached out and asked if he was interested. Instead of doing “steak and eggs,” Islami said, he decided to bring Italy back with him.
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“This opportunity came up, so I thought why not try real Italian-style pizza. So that’s what we’re going to do,” he said.
Islami went back to Italy and took cooking lessons from a local chef in order to prepare. With that connection in mind, he’s able to bring in authentic ingredients, like the flour and the sauce.
Imported cheese and fresh mozzarella will top the pizzas, with all dough made fresh in-house. The pizza will be made “romana alla pala,” or Roman-style on a paddle. The crust is stretched thin into a rectangle and baked slowly on a wood paddle with oil to provide a crunchy crust, resembling a flatbread.
The menu will also have pasta, sandwiches, soups and salads. Behind the bar, Islami will have Italian cocktails, wine and about a dozen Iowa beers on tap.
Inferno Pizza & Pints will officially open on at 3 p.m. Thursday. Regular hours will be 3-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 3-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3-9 p.m. Sunday. Islami plans to open for lunch in a few months, once staff members are comfortable and ready to add hours.
Photos: It’s Food Truck Fight time
Kerry Glynn, Shawnen Smith and Zach Bolin man the Big Black Box Food Truck during the Food Truck.
John Deere employees volunteer to distribute food from a River Bend food truck to families in the parking lot of the TaxSlayer Center in June in Moline. Food banks are always looking for donations, especially during the winter months.
Victoria Young of Davenport serves customers cold treats from the Here’s the Scoop food truck during the Food Truck Fight.
David Bane, left, Frankie Joe Willderman and Joel Preston sing with the band Frankie Joe and Kinfolk as entertainment at the Food Truck Fight.
The Twilight riverboat heads up river past the Food Truck Fight presented by Quad City Area REALTORS on Saturday in LeClaire.
David Bane, left, Frankie Joe Willderman and Joel Preston sings with the band Frankie Joe and Kinfolk as entertainment at the Food Truck Fight presented by Quad City Area REALTORS on Saturday in LeClaire. Proceeds going to the National Assessment Center Association.
Customers start to line up at the various food trucks.
Customers start to line up at the various food trucks during the Food Truck Fight presented by Quad City Area REALTORS on Saturday in LeClaire. Proceeds from the Food Truck Fight going to the National Assessment Center Association.
Customers start to line up at the various food trucks during the Food Truck Fight presented by Quad City Area REALTORS on Saturday in LeClaire. Proceeds from the Food Truck Fight going to the National Assessment Center Association.
Customers line up at the various food trucks during the Food Truck Fight.
Tim Harris of Davenport takes a bite of a Philly Fakeout pizza from Lopiez food truck during the Food Truck Fight presented by Quad City Area REALTORS on Saturday in LeClaire. Proceeds going to the National Assessment Center Association.
Randl Besse, known as the Hot Dog Guy, tops off a hot dog and Cade Collier serve up hot dogs to customers at the Food Truck Fight.
