Issaquah chef prepares pizza for president to eat aboard Air Force One
February 28, 2012
Michael Cisneros (clockwise from left), Dan Piecora Jr., Brian Gojdics, Joe Fugere and Emily Resling stand on the steps of Air Force One. By Tom Schabarum
The unusual delivery order originated far from the Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria restaurants in Issaquah and Seattle — 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington, D.C.
Obama mentions Issaquah pizzeria at White House ceremony
October 5, 2010
President Obama offered another shout-out to Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria during a White House ceremony Sept. 27, a little more than a month after he highlighted the Issaquah restaurant in a Seattle speech.
Flanked by lawmakers and seated before a camera-toting audience of small business owners, Obama signed a small business assistance package. In remarks during the ceremony, the president referred to “Tutta Bella pizzeria in Seattle” as founder Joe Fugere sat in the East Room audience.
“I still haven’t tasted the pizza, but he promises I’m going to get some at some point,” Obama said.
The measure — the Small Business Jobs Act — includes business-oriented tax cuts, and accelerates payouts on loan programs.
Obama mentions Issaquah pizzeria at White House ceremony
September 29, 2010
NEW — 8 a.m. Sept. 29, 2010
President Obama offered another shout-out to Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria during a White House ceremony Monday, a little more than a month after he highlighted the Issaquah restaurant in a Seattle speech about small businesses.
Flanked by lawmakers and seated before a camera-toting audience of small business owners, Obama signed a small business assistance package. In remarks during the ceremony, the president referred to “Tutta Bella pizzeria in Seattle” as founder Joe Fugere sat in the East Room audience.
“I still haven’t tasted the pizza, but he promises I’m going to get some at some point,” Obama said.
Tutta Bella served more than $100,000 in free pizzas last week
August 27, 2010
NEW — 10 a.m. Aug. 27, 2010
Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizza doled out more than 8,000 free pies during a customer appreciation campaign last week.
The mini-chain offered free pizzas after garnering recent awards from the National Restaurant Association and the Washington Restaurant Association, plus the Independent Pizzeria of the Year honor from Pizza Today, a trade publication.
Tutta Bella served 8,451 pizzas — worth more than $100,000 — to about 20,000 diners during the weeklong campaign at pizzerias in Issaquah, Columbia City, South Lake Union and Wallingford.
President Barack Obama touts Issaquah businesses
August 24, 2010
Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria founder Joe Fugere (right, in black blazer) listens as President Obama talks to small business owners in Seattle. U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (left) also attended the discussion. Contributed
The restaurant President Obama mentioned in a Seattle speech about small business last week: Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria in Issaquah.
The lender the president referred to a few sentences later: the former Issaquah Community Bank.
President Obama touts Issaquah businesses in Seattle speech
August 18, 2010
Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria founder Joe Fugere (right, in black blazer) listens as President Obama talks to small business owners in Seattle. U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (left) attended the discussion. Contributed
UPDATED — 2 p.m. Aug. 18, 2010
The restaurant President Obama mentioned in remarks about small business Tuesday in Seattle: Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria in Issaquah.
The lender the president referred to a few sentences later: the former Issaquah Community Bank.
Tutta Bella serves free pizzas to celebrate national award
August 17, 2010
Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria is serving free pizza through Aug. 22 to celebrate the latest honor the Seattle-based mini-chain has received: Independent Pizzeria of the Year.
Tutta Bella bested more than 33,000 independent pizza restaurants nationwide to earn the title from Pizza Today, a trade publication. Founder Joe Fugere plans to celebrate by offering a free pizza to every table.
The offer applies to both lunch and dinner for dine-in guests only. The freebie is not valid with any other offer.
Last June, Fugere opened a restaurant in Issaquah at 715 N.W. Gilman Blvd. The chain includes three pizzerias in Seattle.
“I have personally visited Tutta Bella four different times over the years, and I’ve never left any of the company’s four locations without feeling absolutely blown away by the superior food quality, service, attention to detail, ambiance, you name it,” Pizza Today Editor in Chief Jeremy White said in a news release. “This might well be the perfect pizzeria.”
Tutta Bella is the first Vera Pizza Napoletana in the Pacific Northwest. The certification means pizza made at Tutta Bella pizzerias meets exacting standards set by the Italian government.
Tutta Bella to serve free pizzas next week to celebrate award
August 12, 2010
NEW — 6 a.m. Aug. 12, 2010
Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria will start serving free pizza Monday to celebrate the latest honor the Seattle-based mini-chain has received: Independent Pizzeria of the Year.
Tutta Bella bested more than 33,000 independent pizza restaurants nationwide to earn the title from Pizza Today, a trade publication. Founder Joe Fugere plans to celebrate by offering a free pizza to every table from Monday to Aug. 22.
The offer applies to both lunch and dinner for dine-in guests only. The freebie is not valid with any other offer.
Last June, Fugere opened a restaurant in Issaquah at 715 N.W. Gilman Blvd. The chain includes pizzerias in Seattle in Columbia City, South Lake Union and Wallingford.
Find a little piece of Italy at Issaquah’s Tutta Bella
August 18, 2009
Though Issaquah is more than 5,000 miles from Italy, you don’t have to travel that far to find your own slice of Italian heaven. Read more
Off The Press
July 7, 2009
Pizzeria gets Italian seal of approval
Warren Kagarise Press Reporter
City leaders, so fond of the sister city relationships Issaquah forged with cities in Morocco and Norway, might want to consider extending the olive branch to a municipality in Italy.
Though city officials might be too late. Ambassadors from Naples, birthplace of pizza, have already forged ties to Issaquah.
How? With pizza, of course.
Issaquah staked claim to specialty pies last month when Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria and Zeeks Pizza opened within a day of each other. Read more
