Count one less Italian restaurant and pizzeria in East Phoenix. Gaspers Casual Italian Dining has shuttered.
Opened in July of 2010 at 4117 North 16th Street (16th and Indian School Road), and in the spot that used to be Zest, the restaurant was owned by Gasper Manno, co-founder of Sapori D'Italia in Fountain Hills. Manno renovated the space and created a "pizza bar" where diners could watch him make his Neapolitan-style pies.
Favorites at Gaspers included the Panzanella Bread Salad with fresh mozzarella, roma tomatoes, basil bread, and pesto vinaigrette; crispy fried calamari; minestrone soup; mushroom pappardelle with roasted mushrooms, roasted garlic, white wine butter sauce, and truffle oil; and rigatoni and ricotta.