Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – Jan. 17, 2025 – Jonesboro residents can soon enjoy authentic Italian cuisine at one of the newest restaurants in town, La Bocca Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria.
Located at 2915 Kazi St. in Jonesboro, this new restaurant is owned by Rinor Neziri of Jonesboro and his cousin Tony Avanzare of Paragould, who also owns the Avanzare Italian Dining in Paragould.
Neziri and Avanzare are both natives of Sicily, Italy, where Neziri said he grew up with a passion for cooking as he helped his mother and grandmother in the kitchen.
“I always wanted to come to the States. Everybody talks about it. I just wanted to see how it is, and I really liked it here, so I decided I wanted to stay here. That was eight years ago,” Neziri said. “I always had a passion for cooking and so I used to cook with family and just to be able to bring those recipes in America is amazing.”
Although this is Neziri’s first restaurant, he said he has six years of experience at his cousin’s other restaurant as well, with two years in the kitchen and four years as manager.
They decided to open the restaurant in Jonesboro, after multiple customer suggestions, Neziri said.
“I live here in Jonesboro, and I worked at Tony’s [Avanzare Italian Dining] for a long time,” he said. “We had a lot of people from Jonesboro coming to Paragould, then trying the food there. They keep saying ‘You guys need to come to Jonesboro. This is the best food in Northeast Arkansas.’ So, we decided that we were going to open a fine-dining Italian place. There’s a market for one here.”
La Bocca, which Neziri said means delicious, will carry a full menu from select beer and wine to homemade cuisine and desserts. He also noted the authentic homemade Italian food they will serve on their menu.
“Everything is made in the house,” Neziri said. “The sauce is made in the house. The meatballs are going to be made in the house, and we’re going to start making videos [for social media] of us making the meatballs, making the meat sauce, making lasagnas. So, people know that we’re not just saying it, we’re actually making it.”
Going for a more “romantic atmosphere,” the restaurant will feature white tablecloths, adjustable ambient lights for each table, paintings and Italian-themed decor along the walls and a baby grand piano.
Although somebody would be playing the piano on the opening night, Neziri said the business won’t feature much live music to allow people to talk to each and enjoy a calm atmosphere with friends and family.
“We’re going to have music on the speakers, like Sinatra and old school Italian music, and piano occasionally for like opening night or Valentine’s Day,” he said.
As for the staff, he explained that it would take about six months to get everyone completely trained. Kitchen staff have already been hired, and the business is working to hire more front-of-the-house staff.
Neziri said he plans to open the restaurant around Jan. 27, but that the official opening date will be posted on the business’s Facebook page soon. To stay updated, follow them on their La Bocca Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria Facebook page, where Neziri said they’ve seen a positive response.
“The posts that said we’re opening… a lot of people are like ‘Yes, finally, a good Italian restaurant,’” Neziri said. “There’s Mexican restaurants on every corner now and Chinese restaurants are about the same. The people needed a good Italian [restaurant].”