Dué Cucina, a casual-gourmet Italian restaurant chain based in Seattle, announced today that they have secured a $2.5 million direct investment from Mac Haik Restaurant Group (MHRG), a Houston-based restaurant investment company, to expand into the Texas market. With the funding, Dué Cucina will open three locations in Texas within the next two years. Dué Cucina and MHRG will also form a joint venture to launch 10 additional units in the state by 2031. Specific locations for the new units have not yet been selected.
Founded in 2016, Dué Cucina specializes in providing fresh, authentic Italian cuisine in an informal dining setting—a unique concept that previously did not exist in the Seattle area. Its fast casual approach allows customers to design and customize their own pasta dishes, selecting from several pasta shapes, sauces and toppings. Customers can also choose from a selection of other authentic Italian entrees, appetizers, desserts, and beverages.
“This partnership with MHRG is a significant milestone that signals the start of Dué Cucina’s expansion into new markets across the country,” says Davide Macchi, CEO, and co-founder of Dué Cucina. “We’re looking forward to leveraging MHRG’s deep expertise in the restaurant space to rapidly accelerate our growth and continue proving our concept in Texas and beyond.”
Macchi and Filippo Fiori, Dué Cucina’s co-founder and executive chef, opened the restaurant’s first location in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. The company eventually opened another location in Kirkland, WA along with two more in Seattle’s Roosevelt and West Seattle neighborhoods. As it expands its footprint in Texas, Dué Cucina will continue expanding in the Seattle area with a fifth location scheduled to open in Redmond, WA in 2024.
“Dué Cucina is meeting demand for high-quality Italian favorites available in a casual setting and we’re thrilled to be part of supporting its expansion into new territory,” says Brandon Poynter, President for Mac Haik Enterprises LTD. “The Texas market shares a lot of similarities to Seattle and offers a significant opportunity to deliver authentic Italian cuisine in an affordable and accessible way.”
The menus for Dué Cucina’s Texas units are expected to be the same as its Seattle locations, including its pastas, appetizers, desserts, and salads along with a selection of beer, wine, and cocktails.
