The Roman Pizza Blueprint: Engineering Authenticity for the Suburbs

SCHAUMBURG, IL – June 10, 2026 – The pizza arrives at the table not with a cutter, but with a pair of scissors. A server snips decisively through a tall, cloud-like crust, a crisp rim that stands almost an inch high, ensuring the airy, delicate structure within remains uncrushed. This is the tableside ceremony that defines Piccolo Buco, a century-old Roman pizzeria making its debut in Chicago’s northwest suburbs on June 29.

But the opening of its fourth U.S. location in Schaumburg is more than just the arrival of a new restaurant. It’s a masterclass in strategic expansion, a carefully engineered project that grafts authentic, old-world craft onto a powerful, modern business engine. It’s the story of a partnership between Chef Luca Issa, the third-generation guardian of a Roman institution, and Tim McEnery, the founder of Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants, who is leveraging a hospitality empire to bring a very specific slice of Rome to the American suburbs.

The Roman Blueprint: A Century of Craft

To understand the Schaumburg restaurant, you must first go to Rome. Steps from the Trevi Fountain, where tourist traps are the norm, the original Piccolo Buco has operated since 1916. It's here that Chef Luca Issa, after taking the reins from his father in 2015, transformed the family eatery into a culinary destination, earning accolades like a spot in the prestigious Top 50 Pizza in Italy guide.

The secret is the crust—a project decades in the making. The dough, made from just three core ingredients, relies on obsessive precision. It starts with Italian-imported '00' Caputo flour, considered the gold standard, and undergoes a slow, 48-hour rising process that develops its complex flavor and signature airy texture. This isn't Neapolitan-style pizza; it's a unique Roman variant, substantial yet light, with a puffy, golden cornicione that demands to be eaten, not discarded.

This dedication to the core component is matched by a meticulous sourcing philosophy for everything else. While the U.S. locations adapt to local supply chains, the blueprint remains the same. Organic San Marzano-style tomatoes grown in California are harvested and jarred at peak ripeness to preserve their sun-drenched flavor. Artisan salami and spicy ‘nduja are crafted in Chicago by a salumi maker using Italian spices and Luca’s grandmother’s recipe. This approach—simple things, done with mastery—is the foundation upon which the entire menu is built, from Mama Luca’s Meatballs to classic Cacio e Pepe.

The Engine of Expansion: Cooper's Hawk's Strategic Partnership

Authenticity provides the soul, but scale requires an engine. That engine is Cooper’s Hawk. The partnership began in 2019 when founder Tim McEnery, on a culinary tour of Rome, stumbled upon Piccolo Buco. He wasn't just impressed; he was captivated.

"The first time I sat down with Luca at his original restaurant in Rome, I knew I had come across something very special," McEnery stated. "The pizza was incredible, but it was Luca's passion, hospitality and sense of community that really stayed with me. I immediately started thinking about how we could bring that experience back home."

This vision led to the integration of Piccolo Buco into the Cooper's Hawk brand portfolio, a strategic diversification beyond its core winery-restaurant model. It’s a key part of what the company calls its expanding "hospitality ecosystem." The crown jewel of this ecosystem is the Cooper’s Hawk Wine Club, a formidable force with over 865,000 members nationwide.

This built-in community is the strategic linchpin for Piccolo Buco’s expansion. For any new restaurant, attracting the first wave of customers is the highest hurdle. For Piccolo Buco, a massive, loyal customer base is already in place. Wine Club members earn points on every purchase, receive preferred pricing on wine, and can redeem their monthly complimentary tastings at Piccolo Buco's unique Gusti Bar. This creates a powerful incentive for hundreds of thousands of people to visit, effectively de-risking the launch and ensuring a steady flow of traffic from day one.

Building for the Local Market: A Slice for Schaumburg

The new 158-seat restaurant, with an additional 30-seat patio on Golf Road, has been designed to translate Roman charm for a suburban audience. While Schaumburg's dining scene includes established Italian-American eateries and wood-fired pizzerias, Piccolo Buco is carving out a distinct niche. It offers neither the red-sauce comfort of a classic family spot nor the rustic simplicity of a Neapolitan pizzeria. Instead, it presents an elevated yet accessible experience built around its unique product and the allure of its Roman heritage.

The menu extends well beyond pizza, featuring a full slate of antipasti, pastas, and entrees like Braised Short Ribs. A lunch-specific menu even features Toasted Sardinian Sandwiches made from the signature pizza dough. This broad offering is critical for the suburban market, providing options for various occasions, from a quick lunch to a celebratory dinner.

The design incorporates a large tasting bar and a semi-private dining space, catering to both casual drop-ins and planned gatherings. It’s a physical manifestation of the brand’s goal: to be a community hub built around food, wine, and conversation.

More Than Pizza: The Gusti Bar and Wine Program

Central to the Piccolo Buco experience, and the synergy with Cooper's Hawk, is the wine program. The Gusti Bar, inspired by the Italian tradition of Gusti di Vini (small wine tastings), serves as an interactive introduction. It offers rotating tasting flights that allow guests to explore Italian varietals, from light Lambruscos to bold Super Tuscans. For Wine Club members, this is a familiar and welcome concept, allowing them to use their monthly tasting benefits to explore a new, curated list.

The list itself is intentionally Italian-focused, with every dish on the menu carrying a specific pairing recommendation. The program's centerpiece is the Buca Riserva, a Super Tuscan-style blend made exclusively for the restaurant in partnership with Italian winemakers. This, combined with a selection of Cooper's Hawk's own award-winning wines, creates a program that is both authentically Italian and deeply integrated with the parent brand.

As Piccolo Buco prepares to open its doors in Schaumburg, it represents a fascinating case study in modern hospitality. It demonstrates how to take a hyper-local, deeply authentic concept and scale it without losing the essence of what made it special. By pairing Chef Issa's generational craft with McEnery's powerful business platform, they have engineered a model for growth that respects the past while building for the future, one scissor-cut slice at a time.