tasty pizza in Metro Phoenix (Glendale: lofts, eat, friendly)

[azriverfan.]

The best pizza in the entire valley is Vito's in Glendale. The chef is a fat Italian guy with missing teeth that looks like he was in Goodfellas . He makes his own sausage, sauce everything. He is from Cicero in Chicago. Both he, his wife and daughter actually make everything themselves. That's worth metioning because unlike most restaurants in Phoenix, he is not a chef that "supervises" the food while other workers actually cook it. It's takes 45 minutes to make. You can dine there but no one does. It's a pick up place. I will literally drive an hour just to get pizza there because it's so good.

[ibarrio]

Originally Posted by w1ngzer0

Any good pizza places near downtown? Besides pizza heaven, NYPD, and oreganos.

Pizzeria Bianco

[thedreamteam]

Originally Posted by Rubee

You should check it out, it's really amazing pizza, Neapolitan-style, cooked in a wood-burning oven and focusing on high-quality ingredients. Though be prepared to wait - 2-3 hours is the norm (it only sits 42), and people line up before it opens.

Oprah was just the most public figure to comment on it. I first heard of it when NYC food writer Ed Levine declared it the best pizza in the country, and in 2004 Chris Bianco won the prestigous James Beard award for best chef in the Southwest (for pizza!).

I like the classic margherita, but my favorite is the Rosa (red onion, Parmigiano Reggiano, rosemary, pistachios), with the Wiseguy (roasted onions, house-smoked mozzarella using pecan wood, fennel sausage) a close second.

Comments on our first visit:
Pizza Bianco. Worth it? - Southwest - CHOW

A couple of good articles:
The Road to Pizza Nirvana Goes Through Phoenix - New York Times

Pizza's been good to Chris Bianco | Operations | Pizza Marketplace (http://www.pizzamarketplace.com/article.php?id=6330&prc=137&page=118 - broken link)

is there jst the 1 location (downtown phoenix)??

[shiphead]

Last question. any self service pizza place? To get a slice in downtown tempe or downtown phoenix.

[Finger Laker]

Originally Posted by thedreamteam

is there jst the 1 location (downtown phoenix)??

yeah, just the one downtown location - if you are looking to go with a decent size group without reservations (or go at all) I recommend getting there well before it opens to line up

my wife and a couple friends of ours were heading that way on a random midweek day and it was raining out - we figured that the wait probably wouldn't be too bad given the circumstances - we got there about 30 minutes after the doors opened and were quoted a wait of 2 - 3 hours with the probability being closer to 3

we went to Cibo instead and had a really good meal

they do take reservations, but it's very limited and your really don't have much of a chance of getting in on reservations unless you are at least 6 weeks in advance

[Robert A]

Ate at The Parlor tonight - super good salad and pizza. 20th St/Camelback. Long wait, annoying crowd, but great food.

[KarmaPhx]

I really like Joe's next to Myst in Old Town Scottsdale.

For chains, I like Barros, great pizza.

[YAZ]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

The best pizza in the entire valley is Vito's in Glendale. The chef is a fat Italian guy with missing teeth that looks like he was in Goodfellas . He makes his own sausage, sauce everything. He is from Cicero in Chicago. Both he, his wife and daughter actually make everything themselves. That's worth metioning because unlike most restaurants in Phoenix, he is not a chef that "supervises" the food while other workers actually cook it. It's takes 45 minutes to make. You can dine there but no one does. It's a pick up place. I will literally drive an hour just to get pizza there because it's so good.

We're gonna have to check that place out. Thanks.

[azriverfan.]

Pizzeria Bianco is incredibly hyped. Everyone should try it once just so they can experience the hype for themselves and come back here and post that I was right. I realize these food critics have a perpetuating masturbatory praiseworthy machine that if one critic likes it then by establishment, the next critic must like it as well and so forth. Seriously, I could serve roasted feces with fennel and artichokes and if one food critic likes it, I promise you that critic's friends will claim they like it as well just so they can sound unique. I've learned with food critics, it has less to do with the food and more to do with the critic. If the masses like something, it's not good enough. It has to be an eclectic and artsy restaurant that no one else has been to that must be amazing. Oh well, everything else in our society is based on brand recognition like clothes, cars...why not food. I'm not suggesting that every famous place is not worth the hype because some places are definitely worth the hype such as Mario Batali's Babbo in NYC as an example.

Don't get me wrong, Pizzeria Bianco has great pizza but is it the best pizza in the country...no! Is it worth the 4 hour wait...no! Is it the best pizza in the valley...no!

[YAZ]

Word of mouth works for me....I'll take the roasted artichokes and fennel; hold the feces. LOL

Vito's it is....Friday night.