ABOUT US
Welcome to the Raptor Canyon Cafe!
A family owned and operated breakfast and lunch cafe, Raptor Canyon is a part of the growing movement to keep downtown Tucson homegrown, original, and unique. With the help of the Downtown Tucson Partnership and the many other small businesses that downtown Tucson supports, we at Raptor Canyon hope to one day be considered one of the many Tucson staples this city loves.
Meet The Calello Family
After graduating high school in 2003, oldest son Frank attended the University of Arizona, and three years later younger brother Ken followed along. Somewhere in the many visits to see their sons out west, parents Dennis and Konni fell in love with the mountains, canyons, and beautiful skies that make up southern Arizona, and instead of the boys returning to the nest, the parents decided it was time to build a new one.
In 2017 the Calellos were fully reunited once more, and instead of simply enjoying the warmth and watching the sun set on their working lives, Dennis and Konni were brave enough to follow their sons into the culinary world and open up the restaurant and bakery they always dreamed of.
Dennis spent most of his career on Wall Street, developing the financial skill set and people skills that allow him to be both the face and the finance for Raptor Canyon. It's his smile that greets you when you arrive, along with a hot cup of coffee or an icy sweet tea.
Konni has been cooking all her life, and inherited recipes older than she is from both sides of the family. A native of Chicago, her warmth and welcoming nature are just as present dropping off lunch as they are in all the hand made baked goods she churns out of the kitchen.
Frank has played every role imaginable in a variety of restaurants, from line cooking at international hotel chains, to staging banquets for weddings and conferences, to cooking Mongolian BBQ on giant iron grills. Frank is primarily the lunch cook, responsible for daily sandwich specials and the eclectic mix of traditional American and Southwestern cuisine, with a little Asian and Italian thrown in.
Ken's food experience is similar, and perhaps even more varied. He cut his teeth assisting resort chefs with breakfast buffets, studied with sushi chefs, and helped execute tasting menus in 5 star restaurants. His primary responsibility is breakfast, and his burritos and egg sandwiches are as fast and fresh as it gets.
For those of you wondering, there is indeed a new member of the Raptor Canyon Cafe family! Folks who know us know that this is a family affair, so who better for our first employee than Konni's original kitchen partner, her sister Kris!
Kris Battaglia has recently made the move to Tucson with her husband Dave, and we couldn't be happier to have her! Kris is a veteran of the food service game, and brings elements from working both in education and retail to the table as well. Which is really just a wordy way of saying she does it all. Whether baking with Konni in the back, dropping food off with a smile, or helping manage the bussing of tables and cleaning duties, Kris has made all our lives easier in countless ways. She has already fallen in love with Tucson and the wonderful community around us, and we know you will all love her too!
So come in and check out downtown Tucson's newest little secret and meet us, and more importantly, meet our menu!
