DiMaggio’s Italian Restaurant, widely celebrated as one of Scottsdale’s most sought-after dining destinations, is officially expanding with its highly anticipated second location. Anchoring the courtyard at the historic Uptown Plaza, the team is building an elegant new flagship designed to build on the momentum of their original concept, located in McCormick Ranch in Scottsdale, with elevated design, classic culinary traditions, and an exclusive private dining room complete with a dedicated secret entrance for VIP arrivals.
Led by the restaurant’s namesake, Frank DiMaggio, who is a relative of legendary Yankee Clipper Joe DiMaggio, along with partners Brandon and Michele Gioffre, DiMaggio’s has quickly carved out a place in Phoenix’s restaurant scene by bringing a distinctly nostalgic take on Italian-American dining to the Valley. The expansion comes at a moment of continued momentum for the restaurant, which recently earned a 2026 Foodist Award for its bone-in veal parmigiana, building a devoted following for its commitment to classic Italian-American fare. Longtime hospitality industry veterans Justin Cohen, former COO of Riot Hospitality, and Kyle Carnine, a former Steak 44 manager, have also joined the team, bringing years of restaurant experience and elite front-of-house hospitality to the brand as it enters this next phase of growth and expansion.
At Uptown Plaza, DiMaggio’s will introduce a grander, more immersive setting while maintaining the energy and personality that have defined the original Scottsdale location. The restaurant is designed to function as both a lively neighborhood destination and a more discreet setting for private dinners, celebrations, and high-profile gatherings, with a private dining room featuring its own dedicated entrance.
“The love and demand for DiMaggio’s has been overwhelming, and we wanted our second location to really elevate what people already love about us,” said Frank DiMaggio. “Having lived in New York, I experienced and ate a very specific style of Italian dining. Uptown Plaza’s historic, mid-century backdrop is the ideal home for this next evolution, as its soul, in many ways, captures an era that we also capture. It’s a step back in time at Uptown Plaza, and a step back even further at DiMaggio’s, and we look forward to being the kitchen that serves the deeply rooted neighborhoods that surround us.”
For co-founders Brandon and Michele Gioffre, the move also represents a return to where the DiMaggio’s story began. The husband-and-wife duo launched the restaurant as a weekend pop-up at the Uptown Farmers Market in 2021, drawing crowds with Calabrese family recipes, hand-pulled mozzarella, filled-to-order cannoli, and nostalgic Italian dishes. The success of the pop-up eventually led to a Scottsdale brick-and-mortar, which officially became DiMaggio’s in 2024 following a partnership with developer and restaurateur Frank DiMaggio. Now, five years after its beginnings at the Uptown Farmers Market, the brand is returning to Central Phoenix with a new home just steps from where it first started.
Built in 1955, Uptown Plaza’s understated elegance, distinctive mid-century architecture, and long-standing role in the Central Phoenix community make it a natural fit for DiMaggio’s aesthetic. “DiMaggio’s represents the exact caliber of thoughtful, quality-driven dining our community is looking for,” said Andrew Cohn, principal at Levine Investments. “We’re grateful to have handpicked DiMaggio’s for this iconic space in our courtyard, and Frank and his team handpicked us for the heritage and stewardship we’ve shown to one of Arizona’s most iconic assets. Their dedication to classic hospitality makes them a natural fit for the Plaza, and we are proud to welcome them as a key anchor of this next chapter.”
DiMaggio’s at Uptown Plaza is slated to open in the Fall of 2026.
