Gennaro’s Pizza Parlor of Saratoga Springs recently expanded their brand in the Capital Region by opening a second store in Guilderland.
Their current restaurant is at 46 Marion Ave., Saratoga Springs. The new one is at 1704 Western Ave.
Gennaro’s is a family owned and operated, wood-fired pizzeria and Italian restaurant. Gennaro’s serve the classics from margarita-style pizzas to new artisanal pizzas. Gennaro’s also offers an array of Italian-American favorites like chicken parmesan and penne al a vodka.
Owners Alex and Carina Rodriguez have both spent their careers in hospitality. Alex began his career in 1995, owning and operating a neighborhood bar and grill in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. From there, he went on to own, operate and/or partner in nearly 20 restaurants nationwide, including Greenwich Brewing Co., 121 Fulton Street, Sushi Samb and Bocadillo.
Before relocating to the Capital Region, he was the COO of a national hospitality group based in New York City. His passion for food, service and hospitality are his career’s driving force.
Owning Gennaro’s Pizza Parlor has been one of Alex’s most loved projects to date, he said, and as a SUNY Albany graduate he knew expanding to Albany would be a good fit for the growing business.
Carina’s passion for hospitality began at a young age. She worked her way through all levels of the business since the age of 15, and eventually found her calling in event planning. She worked as the Event Planner of 121 Fulton Street Restaurant in the Financial District in Manhattan and as director of events for a hospitality group’s New Jersey properties. She hopes to share her expertise of party planning and social media marketing to both the Saratoga and Albany communities.
Alex and Carina Rodriguez relocated from New York City with their son, Beck, to Saratoga Springs in the fall of 2018. The family just welcomed their second son, Jet, in November 2020.
Their website is www.gennarospizzaparlor.com.