A long-standing neighborhood favorite in north Phoenix with a devoted clientele, Brody’s Italian established its reputation long before Jason Brody put his own name above the door.
But his culinary talents helped develop many of the menu items its patrons return for. And when he had the opportunity to take ownership from his mentor Nick, he was eager to keep those traditional dishes — and, of course, add his own imprimatur.
Brody’s Baked Rigatoni is one of these new signature dishes — a personal favorite he has added to the menu. The rigatoni pasta is liberally covered in Brody’s creamy Spicy Pink Sauce and topped with mozzarella cheese, then baked for a crisp top. Offered as a starter, its size could suit as a light lunch entrée.
Grilled shrimp is another starter, a plentiful serving of bite-sized morsels of shrimp in arrabbiata sauce in which crushed red pepper gives traditional marinara sauce a sharp kick.
Expanding the menu for lunch by adding hot sandwiches and half salads (the half-salad option available on most of the regular salads), Brody notes, “Lunch doesn’t have to be heavy.” Portions, however, are still hearty. The Salmon Pesto sandwich is a succulent filet of salmon on focaccia bread liberally slathered with fresh pesto. Another sandwich option is Eggplant Parmesan, served with marinara sauce in a sandwich-sized loaf of Italian bread.
Pastas and gnocchi are made in-house. Among the pasta dishes is Linguini Clams, on the full menu, offered in a very flavorful garlic and white wine sauce with a liberal serving of clams in-shell — or an even more liberal serving for clams already shelled. This can also be ordered with marinara sauce.
The menu offers personal, 10-inch pizzas such as the vegetarian Vegetali; the four-cheese, sauce-free Bianca; and the BBQ Chicken with barbecue sauce.
Comfortable for business meetings or personal meetups, Brody’s dining room and lounge welcomes with a warm and cozy vibe in modern décor, with framed mirrors helping create a sense of spacious while wood and upholstered accents help modulate sound. The patio is a bright and cheerful space that is enclosed by a privacy shade that provides protection from the direct force of the sun. Easy parking is a plus during the busy business week.
Brody’s Italian
10810 N. Tatum Blvd., Phoenix
(602) 953-1110
 Chicken Parmesan Sandwich
Chicken breast, pounded, with mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce in homemade Italian bread; baked in the oven $16 |
Iceberg lettuce, Kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes and mozzarella in a vinaigrette dressing $16 |
Chicken, sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach in a garlic and white wine sauce $24 |
Did You Know: Jason Brody acquired one of the three Valley locations of Nick’s Italian, culminating 20 years of working in various positions at all three locations.
Photos by Joanie Simon, courtesy of Brody’s Italian
