Pizza and beer. For years, these two magic words have existed in delicious harmony. But in our grab-a-slice and chug-a-cold-one world, Taverna Rossa is here to take this tried-and-true pair to the next level.
Passionate about creating a remarkable experience through great food, drinks, service and atmosphere, Preston Lancaster, along with partner Tony Smith, set out to create their own favorite restaurant in a community they grew up in and are proud to be a part of.
Settling for nothing less than handmade goodness and hometown flavors, each pizza and entree is loaded with locally sourced ingredients like smoked Texas brisket and apple wood smoked bacon from Hamm’s Meat Market in McKinney, Lemley Tomatoes from Canton, Luscher’s Italian Sausage and Texas Wagyu sirloin.
The menu was created in collaboration with culinary consultant Brian Luscher, Chef/Owner of The Grape in Dallas, whose influence elevates every bite to pizza perfection.
Enjoy your pie with an ice-cold brew from our worldly craft beer selection. Or, for our guests wearing their fancy pants, we offer one-of-a-kind, handcrafted cocktails and a variety of wines.
Taverna Rossa is a place to make yourself at home and rest your feet, but make sure you can still tap ‘em along to the live bands that play 1 to 2 nights a week. From blues to country to rock, even the music has local flavor.
So grab your friends, grab your appetite and leave your old-school pizza principles at the door. Because at Taverna Rossa, we’ve crafted pizza and beer into a serious slice of amazing.
Thank you for your patronage, we truly appreciate it!
Founder / ceo
Preston was born and raised in Dallas, Texas with restaurant-centric DNA in him. His grandparents were in the business for over 50 years and his mom owns a pizzeria and wine bar where Preston worked as a kid, running food and bussing tables. Fast-forward many years, Preston earned a golf scholarship to the University of San Diego and left four years later with a Business degree and his sights set on entering into the hospitality industry.
Preston has always been an entrepreneur at heart, from starting a lawn-mowing business as a child to owning a financial services company to owning half a dozen restaurants in the DFW Metroplex. In 2007, Preston purchased Palio’s Pizza Café in Little Elm, Texas and subsequently opened up three more North Texas locations. Soon after came the purchase and rebuild of the highly acclaimed Cadillac Pizza Pub in Downtown McKinney, Texas. Next, the concept of Taverna Rossa was born and opened its doors in 2013 in Plano, Texas.
Tony Smith
VP of Operations / Partner
Tony has grown up in the entertainment and service industries all his life, having been mentored by his grandfather, regional executive with Metro Goldwin Mayer Motion Pictures. Tony was raised in Dallas, Texas, but spent many years traveling and living abroad before he met Preston Lancaster in 2006, and later joined the group with restaurant #1, Palio’s Pizza Café in Little Elm.
Getting to do what he loves every day, Tony has become VP of Operations and a Partner in the 33 Restaurant Group, and remains enthused about its giant future. Having worked in the country club and restaurant industries most of his adult life, He’s truly living his dream, while bringing the Craft Pizza & Craft Bar scene to the next level.
An extreme sports enthusiast and huge Dallas Cowboy fan, an avid golfer and always giving Preston serious matches on the golf course. Tony is also a pizza oven master and a Jedi bartender, resurrecting his grandfather’s favorite recipes, including his famous Bloody Mary. You never know what Tony might whip up behind the bar or in the kitchen, but you can be guaranteed that it’ll be amazing and leave you coming back for more.
Tony enjoys working with his wife and life-partner, Sarah, who coordinates private events and gatherings for the 33 Restaurant Group, along with creating inspirational design touches and décor for the restaurants. I look forward to seeing you in one of our locations.
Sarah Smith
DIRECTOR OF LARGE PARTY EVENTS AND CATERING
One of the most energetic, creative, and organized catering and large party directors that any company would be lucky enough to have. Sarah is the loving wife of owner and operating partner Tony Smith. You can see her decorating the restaurants and preparing events for parties that join us in the restaurants and at home.
Marketing and PR
Shannon is the creative lead behind {33} Restaurant Group’s Marketing and PR. With a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and a diverse background in the sports, entertainment, and restaurant industries, Shannon brings a new perspective to our community relations and strategies. She regularly finds inspiration at the restaurants, or should we say “the office”. So next time you are in one of our restaurants, and you see her making a desk at one of our tables, feel free to stop by and let her know what you think!
{33} Restaurant Group and Taverna Rossa strongly believe in giving back to the communities we serve. We are thankful to be a part of your community and appreciate the opportunity to serve you great pizza, great brews, and remarkable experiences.
If you or somebody you know has a great cause they are supporting and they are looking for an opportunity to raise money, collect gifts, need volunteers, etc, then please reach out to us at and let’s see how we might partner together!
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Feels upscale without all the pretentiousness. The antler chandeliers, outdoor patio, & vintage light fixtures go a long way to get this place a unique yet comfortable feel.
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The Plano Chamber of Commerce is proud to recognize Plano’s best and brightest at its annual Best of Plano awards dinner.
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For the seventh year, the Go Texan Restaurant Round-Up showcases the state’s finest produce, meats and wine as part of a week-long celebration of all that’s raised, grown and cultivated in the Lone Star state.
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Plano is about a whole lot more than buying a house with a yard and settling down. The ‘burb to our north happens to have a terrific variety of restaurants to choose from.
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It’s time for a new edition (easy there, Bobby Brown) of the Thrillist 47, giving you the best new and new-ish places to eat and drink. Some had to go (we hardly knew ye, Private Social), while other hot spots could not be denied.
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You already know that everything’s bigger in Texas, but it’s also true that everything’s spicier here, too; the food, the personalities and even the drinks. Here’s a selection of must-sip cocktails that pack a punch.
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RESTAURANT REVIEW: TAVERNA ROSSA
With the name Taverna Rossa, we expected this new restaurant in Lakeside Market to look like a typical Italian restaurant. Boy, were we wrong!
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RESTAURANT REVIEW: TAVERNA ROSSA
Preston Lancaster’s goal was to make people happy. If you like pizza and beer, you will be.
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BEST BLOODY MARY IN DALLAS? TAVERNA ROSSA IN PLANO MAKES A DOOZIE
The best Bloody Mary in Dallas isn’t really in Dallas, it lives just across the city limits in Plano.
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For Booking, contact Shannon:
Thursday November 22nd • 11a
Both Taverna Rossa locations will be closed for Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 22nd so that our TR family can spend time with their loved ones. We look forward to re-opening on Friday, November 23rd at 11am. See you tomorrow for Tex-Italian and post-Black Friday shopping drinks!
Friday November 23rd • 9:00pm
Mary Margaret is a local singer/songwriter who recently moved back to Dallas after pursuing a career in Musical Theatre in NYC. She’s back to shake-up the Dallas scene with an eclectic mix of music anywhere from classic standards to pop to folk. Fresh off the plane, join us in welcoming Mary Margaret back to Texas and for her debut at Taverna Rossa – Craft Pizza & Beer.
Friday November 23rd • 9:30pm
We’ll be serving-up rustic thin-crust pizza, craft beer, and Manny & The Gringoderos. Check-out our menu, grab a cold one, and stay for some awesome live music!
Saturday November 24th • 9:00pm
Taverna Rossa is excited to be bringing you McKinney local, Kylie Rae Harris. Look forward to her original, Texas-Americana songs! If you love a new unplugged artist! If you like such local bands as Band of Heathens, The SteelDrivers, Slaid Cleaves, Darrell Scott, The Gourds, Kim Richey, The Sheepdogs, Kevin Welch, Radney Foster, Zane Williams, Mindy Smith, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Ryan Bingham, Sean McConnell, Andrew Ripp, or Steve Earle; than you’ll love Kylie!
Saturday November 24th • 9:30pm
One of the Best Female Blues Songstress Performing! Wanda King has the wow factor with her Hot Blues and Cool Jazz style. Wanda is the daughter of Blues legend Freddie King. She is the President of the Freddie King Blues Foundation. She’s also accepted the award for her late father Freddie King who was inducted into the ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME 2012.
Thursday November 29th • 11a - 11p
Friday November 30th • 9:00pm
The NM Jazztet is debuting on the Plano stage. Join us for pizza, beer, and funky jazz!
Saturday December 1st • 9:00pm
Missing Three is known for a wide variety of musical styles from oldie classics to today’s top hits! The entertainment is never ending with an inventive bucket percussion routines like the famous Broadway show “Stomp!”, unique artwork created right on stage, a guitarist who does handstands while playing, and a big voiced female vocalists, larger than Christina Aguilera!
This is going to be the cherry on top of your week. Come for the music, stay for the craft pizza and beer, including 24 local craft brews on tap.
Saturday December 1st • 9:30pm
We’ll be serving-up rustic thin-crust pizza, craft beer, and Manny & The Gringoderos. Check-out our menu, grab a cold one, and stay for some awesome live music!
Friday December 7th • 9:00pm
Droo’s Peace Crush has been active in the Dallas music scene for well over 15 years. While he began his career playing bass with numerous local & national acts, for the past 8+ years, he’s successfully navigated the local cover music scene, becoming known for his pure, raw vocals, full rhythmic guitar voicing’s, and being able to perform all kinds of pop music from all different styles, genres, and periods. Starting out, he mostly performed solo, but throughout the years, an incredible band has organically formed around him,and now you will often hear 2-4 of them playing out together in bars and venues all over North Texas. Their full sound stems from many various backgrounds, ethnicities, musical styles, and all-around walks of life. Since their musical elements are as eclectic as the Peace Crush-ers themselves, sonically the band is like nothing else that you’ve ever heard before…and because of the extremely diverse cover song selections they’ve performed over the years, their original tunes are a pop-heavy beautiful mix of energetic melodies, sounds, and collaborations that they derive from all these influences.
Friday December 7th • 9:30pm
Faithfully retrieving yesterday’s classics! RETRIEVER growls like Billy Idol, barks like Led Zeppelin, and chases The Cars while keeping the audiences’ tail wagging. Featuring an eclectic mix of music from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s – Beatles, Stones, Bowie, Cream, Traffic, The Police, U2, Billy Idol, Peter Gabriel, Cheap Trick, Clapton, Petty, McCartney plus much more. Come run with the pack – RETRIEVER!!
Saturday December 8th • 9:00pm
Devin Leigh is a Fort Worth, TX based singer/songwriter/guitarist. He’s a true one-man-band, incorporating percussion and harmonica into an already dynamic solo show. The Fort Worth Weekly said of Devin’s live show, “The singer songwriter is a one man wrecking crew at live performances.”
Saturday December 8th • 9:30pm
MOJO FILTER is a Beatles Cover band presents a full tribute show, which includes the familiar outfits that the Beatles wore during their live performance years, as well as replicating the music note for note, using period correct instruments, including Rickenbacker and Gretsch guitars, Hofner basses, Ludwig Drums and Vox amplifiers. This truly is a band you don’t want to miss!
Join us at Taverna Rossa for MOJO FILTER’s return. We’ve got the best thin-crust pizza in North Texas, cold beer on tap, and fresh artists.
Wednesday December 12th • 6:30p
Taverna Rossa-Plano has partnered with Peticolas Brewing to bring you a 5-course dinner paired with their best brews. Michael Peticolas will be talking craft beer and hand-out goodies including Peticolas Brewing glasses and TR treats. Join us as we explore the many flavors that Peticolas Brewing has to offer. Space is limited so reserve your spot today! Contact Plano@TavernaRossa.com for details.
Thursday December 13th • 6:00pm
Friday December 14th • 9:00pm
Travelin Jed is a Blues/Rock group made up of four young men that have been playing across DFW for the last two and half years. This is a group you do not want to miss out on if you like to have a good time!
Friday December 14th • 9:30pm
Saturday December 15th • 9:00pm
Saturday December 15th • 9:30pm
Whether described as a classic rock band with a strong Texas boogie and blues influence or a Texas boogie and blues band with a classic rock influence, the Spencer Cole Band brings energy and originality to every show, especially when the sax tears into one its dreamy or wailing solo riffs.
On any given night, the Spencer Cole Band cruises through tunes from artists such as: Delbert McClinton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Tab Benoit, Jonny Lang, Santana, Chuck Berry, ZZ Top, and Van Morrison. There’s even time set aside to flirt with a little music from Mindi Abair, Richard Elliot, and Stevie Wonder … just to keep the musical palette cleansed before the next serving of hot rock, boogie, and blues, Spencer Cole style.
Monday December 24th • 11a-3p
Both Taverna Rossas will be open for lunch, until 3pm, on Christmas Eve. Let us take care of any last minute lunch, dinner, and holiday catering for you. Happy Holidays everyone!
Tuesday December 25th • 11:00am
Merry Christmas! Both Taverna Rossa locations will be closed on Tuesday, December 25th so that our family can spend time with their loved ones. We will be open at 11am on Wednesday, December 26th for your favorite Tex-Italian and craft beer.
Monday December 31st • 11a-10p
Raise one last pizza and beer in 2018! We’ll be open for lunch, dinner, last minute party orders, and evening drinks. It’s been a wonderful year and we’d love to sincerely thank you for all of your love and support this year. Have a happy and safe New Year’s Eve!
Monday December 31st • 11:00am
Raise one last pizza and beer in 2018! We’ll be open for lunch, dinner, last minute party orders, and late night drinks! Join your TR Crew as we rock-in the New Year. Have a happy and safe New Year’s Eve!
Tuesday January 1st • 2:00pm
We’ll admit it: We stayed up a little late last night. Both Taverna Rossas will open at 2pm today to serve all of your hangover favorites. Happy New Year!
