Allegro goes beyond the dough-cheese-sauce formula to deliver lasting value.

Sometimes pizza is more than just pizza. Hot cheese plus tomato sauce and crispy dough tempts almost everyone; it brings families and friends together for everything from quick, easy dinners to group nights out.

At Allegro Gourmet Pizzeria in The Barnyard in Carmel, pizza values go beyond the bread. When owner/chef Jeano Abraham opened the spot in 1988, he instilled a sense of family along with quality ingredients, and he’s had some of the same cooks (and Italian vendors) ever since.

It started with pizza, lots of creative pizza. Then he added pasta, since the oven was so full. Then some slightly secret entrees that are only on the menu for those in the know to request.

And there are plenty in the know, as Abraham has seen generations of guests coming through. Not only are they longtime customers, but the Allegro community is connected by the same families whose kids come back to work each summer, the ones who come each year when their relatives fly in to reunite at Allegro during the holidays. “We’re at the grandchildren stage,” Abraham explains. “And the grandchildren are in high school and university.”

Abraham acts as more than a boss to his employees; he’s something of a father figure. “It’s more like a ministry than a restaurant. I help parents raise their kids – give them values, give them work ethic, a sense of responsibility.” Abraham’s style is to let young workers make decisions on their own, but only once he’s trained them enough that he can trust they’ll make the same decisions he would.

“They say every dog runs to the end of its leash. What I do is, I don’t provide a leash, so no one’s at the end of the leash tugging, trying to get away. They appreciate that – it gives them a chance to self-actualize and be the best employee they can be,” he says. “As long as the place is clean, the customers are happy, and I can guarantee every meal.”

Abraham does guarantee every meal, and good ingredients are the reason he can. Everything is made in-house, including sauce from local tomatoes and high-quality cheese from Wisconsin that holds moisture to prevent excess oiliness on top. “We’re trying to be a place that has the kind of food your grandmother made,” he says.

And despite the reference to grandma’s cooking, Abraham has always been game to experiment. Allegro was the first place around here to add chicken, shrimp and even scallops to their pies. He credits Allegro’s success to a willingness to change with the times.