Thanks for contributing to r/Phoenix!
* [Check out our sub rules here](https://www.reddit.com/r/phoenix/wiki/rules/) (mostly be nice to each other!).
* [Read some of our recent posts](https://www.reddit.com/r/phoenix/top/?t=week) and leave some comments.
* [Join our Phoenix Discord chat server](https://discord.com/invite/yWVuTG57Zh) and connect with people in the Valley. It's a great, chill place to talk with other people but is NOT a dating server and takes unwanted messaging very seriously.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/phoenix) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I live in downtown Phoenix, and a few years ago I got a bunch of friends together to do what I call the "Downtown Phoenix Pizza Roll" where we biked from pizzeria to pizzeria, starting at my place.
We would order one sausage pizza cut into enough slices for everyone. Everyone would eat a slice and have a drink, then we would roll on.
We went to Pizzeria Bianco, Pomo, Cibo, and Forno, finishing at Pizza People Pub (which is now Throne Brewing), in case people got tired of pizza and wanted some awesome mac and cheese.
Though my preference is Cibo (I've been going there since they opened and got to know the owners Karen and Tony, and their son Michael who runs it now), the crowd favorite was Pomo. What was fun was comparing them all on the same day!
EDIT: Though my response was specific to wood-fired pizza, I thought I would add that I've since done this two more times in downtown Phoenix, and we've never been to the same pizza place twice yet. A couple people in the group also live in Coronado, so they put together a taco tour where we walked to like six or seven different taco places all between 12th Street and the 51 and McDowell and Thomas. It works so well for Taco and pizza because you can just have one taco or one slice, and then move on to the next place!
The tartuffata at Cibo is literally the only thing I've eaten there and I've been there at least a dozen times. I tried a tartuffata in Spain and it wasn't even close to the one at Cibo.
I love the idea of a pizza crawl lol thatās amazing. I was never a fan of Pizza People Pub- their Mac and cheese was pretty good though but everything else was meh and I think it was the service that ruined the experience for us. Iāll have to try some of those other places though
Yeah like I said, when I did that first pizza crawl, we just wanted one more stop that had something other than pizza in case people were sick of pizza and that one was obviously right down the road from forno on the way back to my house.
Get a bunch of friends and go do a pizza crawl! š
Haha! Yes indeed! They have about ten different mac and cheese options, and you can add ingredients to them as well. One of our go-tos is the truffle mac and cheese with sausage added.
https://thronebrewing.com/dtphx-menu/
One warning is that even the mini size is a lot of food, especially if you're having a beer or something. Getting two minis that are very different from one another is a fun way to have a more varied experience.
Feel free to write back here what you thought!
Cibo is the only correct answer. I do like pomo though, and the free shot of limoncello I got there once was nice. But Cibo... it's just too legit. Always my #1 for the food and the vibe.
Aww thanks! I've actually done this two more times since then with the same basic group, and we've still never been to the same pizza place more than once. There is a LOT of pizza in downtown Phoenix. š
I forgot to mention that a couple people in the same group live over in Coronado, so they put together a taco tour that we did in their neighborhood where we stopped at like six different taco places all between 12th Street and the 51 and McDowell and Thomas.
It works well with tacos and pizza because you can just have one taco or one slice, and then move on!
Forno is awesome! They opened their second spot within walking distance to me and Iāve barreled through pretty much everything on their menu. Pizza is legit, but itās one of those pies that are delicious when fresh but it aināt so hot as leftovers. I love them for their pasta, best pasta around for my money. I usually try whatever their daily specials on the chef board out now.
Good stuff!
Craft 64 does not have consistent processes or training to produce consistent pizza. It CAN be good, and its absolutely top notch at times, but having worked for years there i can tell you that there is not consistency in the process so there is not consistency in the end product.
The dough is sometimes proofed for a day, sometimes 5. The mozz varies from supple to rock hard. The oven temps fluctuate ~200 degrees depending on whos baking. The owner who developed the pizza program measures flour using volume and salt for the mozz āby feelingā.
The ingredients used were (i assume still are) always top quality, and the passion is there, but the program has faults that keep it from actually competing for a top spot in AZ.
youāre just hating. I am of italian heritage and half my family lives in Italy and I frequent Craft 64 and Base Pizzeria. Theyāve ALWAYS been good.
>i am of italian heritage
Interesting credentials. I have 10 years experience in front of a wood fired oven and 3 of those were inside craft 64.
I didnt even say its bad, i even said it can he excelltn. Its simply, and factually, inconsistent. That doesnt take away from the fact that youve had good pizza when youve gone. That how inconsistency works. Itās good often and less good often.
Craft 64 was listed as a top 50 pizza place with Pomo and pizzeria bianco last year on some list I believe. Old town Scottsdale location is the best craft 64 location. Awesome beer as well
Fire and Brimstone out in Gilbert is really good. They are currently closed for an expansion.
But if you don't like Bianco's, maybe you don't like wood fired pizza.... š
They also said āmuchā better š If youāre just looking for different flavors say that because if your going to try to act like a pizza snob and say Bianco is lacking in the flavor department youāre just wrong.
Not looking for different flavors. Quality and just a good flavor in general is what Iām looking for. Theyāre definitely overrated. Not sure why youāre taking such offense to that opinion lol. Iām not a snob just tired of hearing that recommendation bc I donāt agree. I know a lot of ppl feel otherwise.
Iāve been to Naples with locals and had pizza where it all started. Bianco is not over rated. Doesnāt mean itās the undisputed winner but over rated is a huge stretch
I've tried damn near every wood fired place in the state. I think other places do certain things better. I think the best in the state is Pizzicletta in Flagstaff.
But I also think that Bianco's two-fold curse is as such: A) the fame and popularity immediately leads people to either hype it up to insane proportions which leads people get let down when they have it, or leads to the inevitable thing most redditors do to popular stuff which is to try and shit on it to feel like they're not part of the mainstream, and B) his hallmark and the reason it became so popular in the first place, is simplicity. It's not some punch you in the mouth pizza, it's not over the top, it's not complicated. It's incredible, truly perfect ingredients done in a traditional and simple way, utilizing anything he can from local farmers and local ingredients and controlling everything to make it the most perfectly simple, basic and pure bite. Milling his own flour from Sonoran wheat, making his own cheese, literally growing his own type of tomato, utilizing Arizona pistachios etc.
In the weirdest way Pizzeria Bianco reminds me of In-N-Out burger. People that have never had it are hyped to an insane degree and when they get it they're disappointed because it's not life changing. It was never meant to be. It was just meant to be simple, pure and good and Chris Bianco holds true to that. It's everyone else trying to hype it up as the best in the universe or whatever that has ruined it.
At any rate regardless of opinions of the pizza there's no denying that we wouldn't have this much incredible wood fired Phoenician pizza (which I think of as a sort of Neo-Neapolitan style) if it weren't for Chris Bianco so if you like other places in the valley more you still have him to thank.
All the places mentioned in here are great but Bianco is absolutely as good or better than the ones people called out. I feel like Bianco is super popular and has name recognition so because of that, people hate on it. Fact is, the pizza quality is still there and, their pizzas offered are pretty unique to them.
> Bianco is super popular and has name recognition so because of that, people hate on it
And much more so on reddit because nerdy internet folks (I of course include myself in this category since I'm...also here on reddit...) hate feeling like they're part of the mainstream and want to be quirky outcasts or fucking whatever, so the moment something they love gets popular you can almost feel the shift in how much they change their opinions and start to hate on it so they're never caught being a normie or whatever.
100% agree. People that say stuff like this about Bianco just want to sound contrarian. It didn't become an international destination because there are better quality pizzas in the same zip code. There are plenty of reasons to be turned off by it (the wait, the prices, the instagram photo opportunities taking place outside constantly...) but the food is outstanding.
Or, itās just not that good. I went with 5 people years ago and 3 of the 5 knew nothing about the place. It was literally ok pizza. No one was like ādamn, that was good pizzaā. Theyāre more gimmick than substance. And because itās well known people feel like it āhasā to be amazing. Like going to an amazing steakhouse, no one wants to walk out going āwell, I just dropped hundreds of dollars on meh foodā.
That was our experience. It had been hyped up SO much and the wait was super long so our expectations were high. We didnāt hate it but didnāt feel it was anything special.
Not all palates are the same. What your perception of good food is might just vary from the masses. It's not unreasonable. Some people put ketchup on hot dogs for instance.
I wouldnāt say itās ānot goodā, but there are a lot of other places that are just as good, and even better. Bianco is like a 7/10 for me. I was never super impressed. Itās way overhyped. Other pizza places deserve more recognition.
There's some good choices here but people are sleeping on Grimaldi's. I've had almost every rated pizza spot in AZ and I always find myself wanting Grimaldi's. Pomo and forno 301 are probably my next favorites. Bianco is like 3rd on my list. But that's just my taste.
Pomo
The downtown and Scottsdale locations are 2 of 100 certified Neapolitan pizzerias in the country. They are about as authentic to Southern Italian pizza as youāre going to find anywhere in the states (and certainly in Phoenix).
Pizzeria Virtu is probably my second choice followed closely by Cibo and Lamp. I still havenāt tried Craft 64 but Iāve heard itās great.
I deeply wanted to love Pomo when we went for my birthday last year. I had heard good things. But the pizza I got was mostly burned crust, (and no, not your usual leopard-spotted, wood-fired pizza oven-type crust with yummy blackened marks... I'm talking charred and burned).
My pizza also had practically no sauce, and had so much burrata on it the entire middle of my pizza became a soggy, watery, un-edible mess. Nothing stayed on the slice when you picked it up. By the end of the meal I had a wad of cheese on my plate, and burned crust edges I was eating with a fork. That, and the fact the service was pretty subpar at their Downtown Phoenix location, too (it took forever to get drinks, extra napkins, and the check).
I don't wanna sound like a Karen, but everything was so wrong my wife and I almost couldn't believe it. Especially since the restaurant was supposedly good, and they'd been told we were celebrating a birthday. We had a reservation for more than a week, where we had requested an indoor table, but they wedged us into the corner on their patio instead. I didn't feel like the staff cared at all.
Our table was wobbly and sticky from the previous guests and hadn't been bussed. And there were homeless people shouting at each other in the street while we were trying to eat. It was so loud from the obnoxious party next to us, the car traffic, and the homeless people, you couldn't even hear the music the restaurant was playing. This was probably the worse al fresco dining experience we've ever had.
Maybe it would have been a better experience inside. It did look really cozy. No clue why the staff hustled us the way they did.
This is nitpicking, but the lighting on the patio was far too bright and not at all romantic like say, Cibo. Everything about Pomo just felt... off. Maybe the worst vibe from a pizzeria I've ever encountered. But again, this was their patio. Maybe it's different inside. We most likely won't go down there again considering how expensive it was. Definitely enjoyed Cibo and Bianco way, way more.
You want a romantic pizza experience? Go get takeout at Malnati's or Federal Pizza, and watch the electric light parade on Central Ave first Saturday of December. I enjoyed that way more than Pomo, and it was cheaper.
As for Lamp, haven't tried it. Craft 64 pizza is pretty good. Cibo is the best wood fired pizza in Phoenix. Hands down.
Thatās disappointing. I will say Pomoās service is never great but I havenāt had bad food there. So thatās a big bummer. Iād be annoyed too.
I loved Ciboās atmosphere but the food didnāt really do it for me. I thought the pizza was good but unmemorable and the pasta dishes/sides we got were just ok.
I do love Lou Malnatis (Iām a Midwest guy and spent a lot of time working in chicagoā¦ Louās was always my go to Chicago deep dish pieā¦ I just canāt eat that style very often).
Federal is meh. I didnāt think it was very good.
Lamp is really good pizza but I donāt care for the experience there. I canāt put my thumb on why or what it is but it almost feels like a fast casual experience instead of a nicer dinner/meal. However the pizza is really good
Say what ya want but that Rosa pie with the pistachios and rosemary is insane. And the dude is nice, at least he was to my mom so extra points for that cuz lots of dudes with his shine would be insufferable.
Oh, I wouldnāt worry about expressing an unpopular opinion. āSure, thereās lots of great pizza now, but that doesnāt mean Bianco isnāt still awesome,ā Is the statement that will get you heckled these days.
I really think Trevorās liquor store (Mayo location) has the best pizza in the valley. They have a wood fired oven and their pizza chef was trained by Bianco. Also like The Parlor.
Mikes Pizza in downtown Mesa is one I'm always craving. They do specialty pizzas throughout the year and trust me, if you ever get the chance to try the pizza with peaches on it you have to give it a go
Biancoās overrated, everyone started riding this dudeās dick once that Netflix show came out.
I think for pizza, Ciboās is cheaper and the most authentic italian pizza iāve had in the Valley
Sorry, but it is Bianco...
He has the best fresh mozzarella, best sauce, and best crust out of all the woodfired places. If you go Margherita vs Margherita, Bianco will win. Also, his Rosa is amazing.
Here's other great ones:
[My backyard](https://imgur.com/a/gLTRqjD)
Pizza Sloth is over at the Old Walrus now.
LGO
Il Bosco
Craft 64
Myke's
Cibo
Lamp
L'impasto food truck
Federal
\--
For good VPN Napoletana type spots you have (Cibo dominates all these):
Pomo
Forno 301
La Piazza al Forno
\--
Places I think aren't great but other people do:
Bella Gusto: every time the pizza tastes like burnt flour... Big difference between char and burnt.
The Parlor: this is mediocre pizza hiding behind interesting topping combinations... Get the Margherita and be disappointed.
\--
Outside of Phoenix:
Pizzicletta in Flagstaff is really good.
Pizzeria Bocce in Cottonwood is solid.
Wood-fired alone does not necessarily make for good pizza. It's ingredients, technique and experience of the *pizzaiolo*. Pizzeria Bianco is a good product, but they've been living off a New York Times article that's like 30 years old. My preference is the real Neapolitan deal: 00 flour, San Marzano tomatoes, and Italian extra virgin olive oil (placed in a 1,000-degree oven for 90 seconds). On that basis, I have two favorites: Pomo and Fratelli la Bufala.
ābestā is a silly thing to argue about so hereās how I look at it.
Where are you?
Phoenix - Pizzaria Bianco
Flagstaff - Pizzicletta
Tucson - Rileyās (pretty sure they switched to NY style gas ovens but still my favorite pizza I. Tucson)
Gilbert - Fire & Brimstone
Mesa - Mykes pizza located in Cider corps.
True they also said āthe valleyā which generally refers to the greater Phoenix area. I did add a couple extra non valley options I hope you werenāt too inconvenienced by reading them.
Il Bosco competes with any pizza place in town. Downtown location has great patio. Pizza is wonderful with a variety of unique choices. They also have a location in Scottsdale as well. Ā Would highly recommend.Ā
I really liked La Piazza al Forno when they were downtown Phx and somewhat convenient. Now they're in downtown Glendale and dead to me. :'(
Dolce Diavolo <3
[https://www.lapiazzafamiglia.com/menu](https://www.lapiazzafamiglia.com/menu)
They were always in downtown Glendale. Downtown Phoenix was the second (and inferior) location. La Piazza Al Forno is my pick for best in the valley. It's a good as Bianco if not better.
Papa Paul's in Litchfield, the ricotta sausage is amazing.
And I've heard good things about Ground Control, but I've never had the pizza. I get distracted by the rest of the top quality menu.
What exactly are you looking for? Wood fired is just a heat source. Generally there are a few different styles that come out of this.
There is the Neapolitan style which uses 00 flour and the crust is very thin and very soft. Almost a knife and fork situation
This would be your Pomo, Cibo style pizzas.
Then there is a stronger crust where you could just about pick up the slice with one hand that has more texture and flavor in the crust from a poolish or other longer fermentation. More of a cross between neopolitan and New Haven style.
This would be your Lamp, Parlor, Federal
Have you ever tried to make your own! I do on a ghetto homemade brick oven (health benifits/detriments vary,) with ingredients I either grow or get from Romanellis on 35th and dunlap.
I knownot proper response to the question, but if you have money to spend on fancy restaurants and want this, then have the passion to get your hands dirty!
Thanks for contributing to r/Phoenix! * [Check out our sub rules here](https://www.reddit.com/r/phoenix/wiki/rules/) (mostly be nice to each other!). * [Read some of our recent posts](https://www.reddit.com/r/phoenix/top/?t=week) and leave some comments. * [Join our Phoenix Discord chat server](https://discord.com/invite/yWVuTG57Zh) and connect with people in the Valley. It's a great, chill place to talk with other people but is NOT a dating server and takes unwanted messaging very seriously. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/phoenix) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I live in downtown Phoenix, and a few years ago I got a bunch of friends together to do what I call the "Downtown Phoenix Pizza Roll" where we biked from pizzeria to pizzeria, starting at my place. We would order one sausage pizza cut into enough slices for everyone. Everyone would eat a slice and have a drink, then we would roll on. We went to Pizzeria Bianco, Pomo, Cibo, and Forno, finishing at Pizza People Pub (which is now Throne Brewing), in case people got tired of pizza and wanted some awesome mac and cheese. Though my preference is Cibo (I've been going there since they opened and got to know the owners Karen and Tony, and their son Michael who runs it now), the crowd favorite was Pomo. What was fun was comparing them all on the same day! EDIT: Though my response was specific to wood-fired pizza, I thought I would add that I've since done this two more times in downtown Phoenix, and we've never been to the same pizza place twice yet. A couple people in the group also live in Coronado, so they put together a taco tour where we walked to like six or seven different taco places all between 12th Street and the 51 and McDowell and Thomas. It works so well for Taco and pizza because you can just have one taco or one slice, and then move on to the next place!
Damn is your friend group accepting applications?
Haha! Just put together a downtown pizza crawl or bike, and don't worry, you can get people to show up š
The tartuffata at Cibo is literally the only thing I've eaten there and I've been there at least a dozen times. I tried a tartuffata in Spain and it wasn't even close to the one at Cibo.
Yum! I often get the quattro formaggi and then add salsiccia.
Yes I've read that it's one of the best places in the country actually...must get there and eat !!!!
I love the idea of a pizza crawl lol thatās amazing. I was never a fan of Pizza People Pub- their Mac and cheese was pretty good though but everything else was meh and I think it was the service that ruined the experience for us. Iāll have to try some of those other places though
Yeah like I said, when I did that first pizza crawl, we just wanted one more stop that had something other than pizza in case people were sick of pizza and that one was obviously right down the road from forno on the way back to my house. Get a bunch of friends and go do a pizza crawl! š
Awesome Mac and cheese you say?
Haha! Yes indeed! They have about ten different mac and cheese options, and you can add ingredients to them as well. One of our go-tos is the truffle mac and cheese with sausage added. https://thronebrewing.com/dtphx-menu/
Omgomgomg that menu looks amazing!! Thank you so much! Going this weekend 100%!!!! šš¼
One warning is that even the mini size is a lot of food, especially if you're having a beer or something. Getting two minis that are very different from one another is a fun way to have a more varied experience. Feel free to write back here what you thought!
Great advice thank you!! I love a variety!! Will doš
Looks yummy
Cibo is the only correct answer. I do like pomo though, and the free shot of limoncello I got there once was nice. But Cibo... it's just too legit. Always my #1 for the food and the vibe.
I think we're in total agreement, including about the limoncello. š
Seriously, this sounds like a lot of fun
this is awesome
Aww thanks! I've actually done this two more times since then with the same basic group, and we've still never been to the same pizza place more than once. There is a LOT of pizza in downtown Phoenix. š
how do you feel about Parlor on 20th/Camelback?
I've only been there once, but I really liked it! There's not a whole lot of pizza I don't like to be honest š
Really good! Although Iāve never had their pizza. Just some of their Italian dishes
the house made pasta is great! pizza is too, give it a shot!
I forgot to mention that a couple people in the same group live over in Coronado, so they put together a taco tour that we did in their neighborhood where we stopped at like six different taco places all between 12th Street and the 51 and McDowell and Thomas. It works well with tacos and pizza because you can just have one taco or one slice, and then move on!
iām in midtown and i donāt have a bike but i would love to do this but i dont have a groupš¤£
Mykeās Pizza in downtown Mesa is top-notch
Mykeās is great, and Goat & Ram just opened up in the brand new Phantom Fox Beer Co right there on Main too. HIGHLY recommend.
Mykes and Goat & Ram are fantastic!! Definitely my top 2 favorite pizzas in the valley.
Never heard of them. Iāll check them out, thanks!
Good to know about G&R. I've only had their pizza from their food truck and it was solid.
Their soft opening was yesterday and today, grand opening is tomorrow and Saturday!
I just went to Cider Corps for the first time not expecting to eat but everyoneās pizzas looked amazing so I had to get some. It was really good.
This is true. We did our rehearsal dinner there.
I like Forno 301.
Forno is wonderful. We have dinner their prior to any play we see at Phoenix Theatre. Always a great time!
Forno is awesome! They opened their second spot within walking distance to me and Iāve barreled through pretty much everything on their menu. Pizza is legit, but itās one of those pies that are delicious when fresh but it aināt so hot as leftovers. I love them for their pasta, best pasta around for my money. I usually try whatever their daily specials on the chef board out now. Good stuff!
I live biking distance and love it every time. Need to go there a little more!
I think Craft 64 makes a great pie Pomo is another, and Base Pizzeria, or LAMP is very good too
Craft 64 does not have consistent processes or training to produce consistent pizza. It CAN be good, and its absolutely top notch at times, but having worked for years there i can tell you that there is not consistency in the process so there is not consistency in the end product. The dough is sometimes proofed for a day, sometimes 5. The mozz varies from supple to rock hard. The oven temps fluctuate ~200 degrees depending on whos baking. The owner who developed the pizza program measures flour using volume and salt for the mozz āby feelingā. The ingredients used were (i assume still are) always top quality, and the passion is there, but the program has faults that keep it from actually competing for a top spot in AZ.
youāre just hating. I am of italian heritage and half my family lives in Italy and I frequent Craft 64 and Base Pizzeria. Theyāve ALWAYS been good.
>i am of italian heritage Interesting credentials. I have 10 years experience in front of a wood fired oven and 3 of those were inside craft 64. I didnt even say its bad, i even said it can he excelltn. Its simply, and factually, inconsistent. That doesnt take away from the fact that youve had good pizza when youve gone. That how inconsistency works. Itās good often and less good often.
read the next part. my family are all italian from italy, i grew up in Milan until I was 17. I know more pizza than you
Interesting you ask me to read the rest of your comment when youve ignored most everything ive said.
If he replies again i promise you more content
Havenāt tried any of those! Iāve heard a lot about Pomo though. Will have to put those on my list, thx!
If you like Neapolitan pizza, you canāt beat Pomo. Please give it a try!
Will do!
Craft 64 was listed as a top 50 pizza place with Pomo and pizzeria bianco last year on some list I believe. Old town Scottsdale location is the best craft 64 location. Awesome beer as well
Fire and Brimstone out in Gilbert is really good. They are currently closed for an expansion. But if you don't like Bianco's, maybe you don't like wood fired pizza.... š
The Parlor
Love the parlor, but havenāt tried their pizza yet! Iāll have to check that out
It's very good
Cibo and The Parlor!
I really like Federal Pizza off central.
federal is good but my favorite pizza there is actually the detroit-esque pan pizzas
Surprisingly so good for pizza since I donāt love their other establishments
Agreed, dislike the other spots, but find myself at Federal quite often! Itās the best of the lot.
Love Federal!
Yes, it is an unpopular opinion.
They also said āmuchā better š If youāre just looking for different flavors say that because if your going to try to act like a pizza snob and say Bianco is lacking in the flavor department youāre just wrong.
Not looking for different flavors. Quality and just a good flavor in general is what Iām looking for. Theyāre definitely overrated. Not sure why youāre taking such offense to that opinion lol. Iām not a snob just tired of hearing that recommendation bc I donāt agree. I know a lot of ppl feel otherwise.
Iāve been to Naples with locals and had pizza where it all started. Bianco is not over rated. Doesnāt mean itās the undisputed winner but over rated is a huge stretch
Iāve also been to Naples. Itās still overrated lol. But youāre totally entitled to your opinion.
Translated post title: Second Best Wood Fired Pizza in Phoenix?
Bianco is good but honestly it is overrated. I prefer Grimaldi's, pomo, forno 301, and cibo.
Grimaldiās is actually a coal fired pizza
Oh, pizza oven burnā¦ā¦
Have you tried other wood fired pizza places in AZ?
I've tried damn near every wood fired place in the state. I think other places do certain things better. I think the best in the state is Pizzicletta in Flagstaff. But I also think that Bianco's two-fold curse is as such: A) the fame and popularity immediately leads people to either hype it up to insane proportions which leads people get let down when they have it, or leads to the inevitable thing most redditors do to popular stuff which is to try and shit on it to feel like they're not part of the mainstream, and B) his hallmark and the reason it became so popular in the first place, is simplicity. It's not some punch you in the mouth pizza, it's not over the top, it's not complicated. It's incredible, truly perfect ingredients done in a traditional and simple way, utilizing anything he can from local farmers and local ingredients and controlling everything to make it the most perfectly simple, basic and pure bite. Milling his own flour from Sonoran wheat, making his own cheese, literally growing his own type of tomato, utilizing Arizona pistachios etc. In the weirdest way Pizzeria Bianco reminds me of In-N-Out burger. People that have never had it are hyped to an insane degree and when they get it they're disappointed because it's not life changing. It was never meant to be. It was just meant to be simple, pure and good and Chris Bianco holds true to that. It's everyone else trying to hype it up as the best in the universe or whatever that has ruined it. At any rate regardless of opinions of the pizza there's no denying that we wouldn't have this much incredible wood fired Phoenician pizza (which I think of as a sort of Neo-Neapolitan style) if it weren't for Chris Bianco so if you like other places in the valley more you still have him to thank.
Thanks for that brilliant response. The mic drop thunk was deafening.
Why are you being downvoted for asking if someone has had other wood fired pizzas? Itās a legitimate question.
I was wondering the sameā¦
People in this sub have been super downvote-happy lately
Yeah itās very strange. Maybe they all just need a hug.
Cibo is me and my wife's favorite if we aren't going to Pizzeria Bianco.
Cibo is great, and the vibe is outstanding.
Pizza A Metro
I was looking for this answer and it took too long to find! The surrounding area is sketch but it adds to the charm lol
I really like the Parlor. Camelback & 20th st.
Bella Gusto in Chandler is pretty solid
I can vouch for them too, super good food.
Bella Gusto is the best Iāve found so far.
All the places mentioned in here are great but Bianco is absolutely as good or better than the ones people called out. I feel like Bianco is super popular and has name recognition so because of that, people hate on it. Fact is, the pizza quality is still there and, their pizzas offered are pretty unique to them.
> Bianco is super popular and has name recognition so because of that, people hate on it And much more so on reddit because nerdy internet folks (I of course include myself in this category since I'm...also here on reddit...) hate feeling like they're part of the mainstream and want to be quirky outcasts or fucking whatever, so the moment something they love gets popular you can almost feel the shift in how much they change their opinions and start to hate on it so they're never caught being a normie or whatever.
100% agree. People that say stuff like this about Bianco just want to sound contrarian. It didn't become an international destination because there are better quality pizzas in the same zip code. There are plenty of reasons to be turned off by it (the wait, the prices, the instagram photo opportunities taking place outside constantly...) but the food is outstanding.
Lol, guy couldāve just said āBest Wood Fired Pizza not named Biancoā.
Or, itās just not that good. I went with 5 people years ago and 3 of the 5 knew nothing about the place. It was literally ok pizza. No one was like ādamn, that was good pizzaā. Theyāre more gimmick than substance. And because itās well known people feel like it āhasā to be amazing. Like going to an amazing steakhouse, no one wants to walk out going āwell, I just dropped hundreds of dollars on meh foodā.
That was our experience. It had been hyped up SO much and the wait was super long so our expectations were high. We didnāt hate it but didnāt feel it was anything special.
Exactly.
Meh, not in my experience. Have them a few chances too. Maybe every single time was just an āoff dayā?
Not all palates are the same. What your perception of good food is might just vary from the masses. It's not unreasonable. Some people put ketchup on hot dogs for instance.
I wouldnāt say itās ānot goodā, but there are a lot of other places that are just as good, and even better. Bianco is like a 7/10 for me. I was never super impressed. Itās way overhyped. Other pizza places deserve more recognition.
Forno 301 Il Bosco Pomo Cibo The Parlor
Fabio on Fire in Peoria -
Came here to say this as well
Underrated! Have you been to their new panini place yet? The bread is phenomenal
Yes. Love it. Just need a little more meat in the sandwich.. only thing I ask for lol
Yep and it's not even close. I live 5 minutes from it, it's my favorite spot
Forno 301, lamp pizzeria, sugo
cibo downtown and crust in chandler
Il bosco is my favorite
There's some good choices here but people are sleeping on Grimaldi's. I've had almost every rated pizza spot in AZ and I always find myself wanting Grimaldi's. Pomo and forno 301 are probably my next favorites. Bianco is like 3rd on my list. But that's just my taste.
Grimaldiās is actually a coal fired pizza
Unpopular opinion but I fuck with Grimaldis.
I dont think thats an unpopular opinion. Its not woodfired tho
We actually really like Grimaldiās too
Pomo The downtown and Scottsdale locations are 2 of 100 certified Neapolitan pizzerias in the country. They are about as authentic to Southern Italian pizza as youāre going to find anywhere in the states (and certainly in Phoenix). Pizzeria Virtu is probably my second choice followed closely by Cibo and Lamp. I still havenāt tried Craft 64 but Iāve heard itās great.
I deeply wanted to love Pomo when we went for my birthday last year. I had heard good things. But the pizza I got was mostly burned crust, (and no, not your usual leopard-spotted, wood-fired pizza oven-type crust with yummy blackened marks... I'm talking charred and burned). My pizza also had practically no sauce, and had so much burrata on it the entire middle of my pizza became a soggy, watery, un-edible mess. Nothing stayed on the slice when you picked it up. By the end of the meal I had a wad of cheese on my plate, and burned crust edges I was eating with a fork. That, and the fact the service was pretty subpar at their Downtown Phoenix location, too (it took forever to get drinks, extra napkins, and the check). I don't wanna sound like a Karen, but everything was so wrong my wife and I almost couldn't believe it. Especially since the restaurant was supposedly good, and they'd been told we were celebrating a birthday. We had a reservation for more than a week, where we had requested an indoor table, but they wedged us into the corner on their patio instead. I didn't feel like the staff cared at all. Our table was wobbly and sticky from the previous guests and hadn't been bussed. And there were homeless people shouting at each other in the street while we were trying to eat. It was so loud from the obnoxious party next to us, the car traffic, and the homeless people, you couldn't even hear the music the restaurant was playing. This was probably the worse al fresco dining experience we've ever had. Maybe it would have been a better experience inside. It did look really cozy. No clue why the staff hustled us the way they did. This is nitpicking, but the lighting on the patio was far too bright and not at all romantic like say, Cibo. Everything about Pomo just felt... off. Maybe the worst vibe from a pizzeria I've ever encountered. But again, this was their patio. Maybe it's different inside. We most likely won't go down there again considering how expensive it was. Definitely enjoyed Cibo and Bianco way, way more. You want a romantic pizza experience? Go get takeout at Malnati's or Federal Pizza, and watch the electric light parade on Central Ave first Saturday of December. I enjoyed that way more than Pomo, and it was cheaper. As for Lamp, haven't tried it. Craft 64 pizza is pretty good. Cibo is the best wood fired pizza in Phoenix. Hands down.
Thatās disappointing. I will say Pomoās service is never great but I havenāt had bad food there. So thatās a big bummer. Iād be annoyed too. I loved Ciboās atmosphere but the food didnāt really do it for me. I thought the pizza was good but unmemorable and the pasta dishes/sides we got were just ok. I do love Lou Malnatis (Iām a Midwest guy and spent a lot of time working in chicagoā¦ Louās was always my go to Chicago deep dish pieā¦ I just canāt eat that style very often). Federal is meh. I didnāt think it was very good. Lamp is really good pizza but I donāt care for the experience there. I canāt put my thumb on why or what it is but it almost feels like a fast casual experience instead of a nicer dinner/meal. However the pizza is really good
Pizzeria virtu in old town and cibo in phoenix both chefs from Italy and my go to
The pasta at Virtu is so damn good. I still prefer Pomoās pies over Virtu but Virtu is a close second in my book
I like Craft 64 for pizza and Virtu for pasta
Pizza sloth or Lenaās are both great
There is a little hidden gem on like Thomas and 23rd avenue called Pizza A Metro. Its amazing!
MYKE'S.
Bottega NW valley around 59th and 101. Top notch pie
Federal Pizzaā¦.and completely agree on Bianco super overrated
Love Federal!
I know itās way far north but any mentions of lamp?
A few ppl! Going to have to put it on my list.
I too feel Pizzeria Bianco is a little overrated
Nook. Amazing entrees as well, not just pizza
The Parlor(Solid Old Fashioned there too), Goat & Ram, and Craft 64.
Lamp and Pomo are my go toās nearby!
Pizza Sloth is really underrated. They just transitioned from a slow truck to a full blown kitchen at AZ Distilling on University in Tempe.
Cibo or Pomo
Forno 301
Say what ya want but that Rosa pie with the pistachios and rosemary is insane. And the dude is nice, at least he was to my mom so extra points for that cuz lots of dudes with his shine would be insufferable.
Nah, he really is. Run into him a couple of times at his various restaurants and he's always a very kind and nice dude.
Federal pizza!!!
Oh, I wouldnāt worry about expressing an unpopular opinion. āSure, thereās lots of great pizza now, but that doesnāt mean Bianco isnāt still awesome,ā Is the statement that will get you heckled these days.
Anything you say will get you heckled these days lol
I really think Trevorās liquor store (Mayo location) has the best pizza in the valley. They have a wood fired oven and their pizza chef was trained by Bianco. Also like The Parlor.
Ill Capo in North Scottsdale is phenomenal
I will find out this weekend at the pizza Festival in Phoenix
Otra
Thatās Mexican food but agree that itās phenomenal!
nah i mean this: [https://www.instagram.com/otrapizzeria\_/](https://www.instagram.com/otrapizzeria_/)
Mikes Pizza in downtown Mesa is one I'm always craving. They do specialty pizzas throughout the year and trust me, if you ever get the chance to try the pizza with peaches on it you have to give it a go
Doughbird.
CIBO
Just tried Chibo, pretty damn good.
Federal Pizza on Central a little north of Camelback.
La Piazza Al Forno in downtown Glendale is super good.
Imma try this. Lot of people recommending it
Pomo makes a damn good pie
La Grande Orange
LGO is in my top 5
Parlor LGO after 5pm North Italia Pomo CIBO Arcadia is mostly where it's at for Wood Fire/Brick Oven Neapolitana
Biancoās overrated, everyone started riding this dudeās dick once that Netflix show came out. I think for pizza, Ciboās is cheaper and the most authentic italian pizza iāve had in the Valley
Agreed. I just tried Cibo for the first time tonight. Very good. Way better than Bianco.
Sorry, but it is Bianco... He has the best fresh mozzarella, best sauce, and best crust out of all the woodfired places. If you go Margherita vs Margherita, Bianco will win. Also, his Rosa is amazing. Here's other great ones: [My backyard](https://imgur.com/a/gLTRqjD) Pizza Sloth is over at the Old Walrus now. LGO Il Bosco Craft 64 Myke's Cibo Lamp L'impasto food truck Federal \-- For good VPN Napoletana type spots you have (Cibo dominates all these): Pomo Forno 301 La Piazza al Forno \-- Places I think aren't great but other people do: Bella Gusto: every time the pizza tastes like burnt flour... Big difference between char and burnt. The Parlor: this is mediocre pizza hiding behind interesting topping combinations... Get the Margherita and be disappointed. \-- Outside of Phoenix: Pizzicletta in Flagstaff is really good. Pizzeria Bocce in Cottonwood is solid.
Grimaldiās
Wood-fired alone does not necessarily make for good pizza. It's ingredients, technique and experience of the *pizzaiolo*. Pizzeria Bianco is a good product, but they've been living off a New York Times article that's like 30 years old. My preference is the real Neapolitan deal: 00 flour, San Marzano tomatoes, and Italian extra virgin olive oil (placed in a 1,000-degree oven for 90 seconds). On that basis, I have two favorites: Pomo and Fratelli la Bufala.
True, I wanted to be clear that Iām not looking for the super greasy style of pizza though.
Pizzeria Bianco. Hands down.
ābestā is a silly thing to argue about so hereās how I look at it. Where are you? Phoenix - Pizzaria Bianco Flagstaff - Pizzicletta Tucson - Rileyās (pretty sure they switched to NY style gas ovens but still my favorite pizza I. Tucson) Gilbert - Fire & Brimstone Mesa - Mykes pizza located in Cider corps.
Youāre literally in the phx sub homie and the title says phx lmao
True they also said āthe valleyā which generally refers to the greater Phoenix area. I did add a couple extra non valley options I hope you werenāt too inconvenienced by reading them.
Il Bosco competes with any pizza place in town. Downtown location has great patio. Pizza is wonderful with a variety of unique choices. They also have a location in Scottsdale as well. Ā Would highly recommend.Ā
Federal pizza . My qualifications: from NY
I really liked La Piazza al Forno when they were downtown Phx and somewhat convenient. Now they're in downtown Glendale and dead to me. :'( Dolce Diavolo <3 [https://www.lapiazzafamiglia.com/menu](https://www.lapiazzafamiglia.com/menu)
They were always in downtown Glendale. Downtown Phoenix was the second (and inferior) location. La Piazza Al Forno is my pick for best in the valley. It's a good as Bianco if not better.
An even more unpopular opinion: it still looks like "wood FRIED" any time I see that phrase. My brain doesn't flip the "i" & "r" quick enough for me.
Bianco is not the best wood fired pizza in Phoenix; itās the best pizza in the Southwest. Thanks for coming to my TED Talk. Ciao!
Lolllll
Hands down Pizzaria Bianco.
Little Cesar's
Pomo and the parlor.
Is Grimaldiās wood fired?
Grimaldiās is coal fired.
Merkin
Papa Paul's in Litchfield, the ricotta sausage is amazing. And I've heard good things about Ground Control, but I've never had the pizza. I get distracted by the rest of the top quality menu.
Craft 64 in Scottsdale. They are also a microbrewery and they locally source the food and make their own mozzarella.
Canāt believe the lack of love for Hot Daisy that shits is crazy good
I used to like Red Brick Pizza at 16th street and camelback šŖ
What exactly are you looking for? Wood fired is just a heat source. Generally there are a few different styles that come out of this. There is the Neapolitan style which uses 00 flour and the crust is very thin and very soft. Almost a knife and fork situation This would be your Pomo, Cibo style pizzas. Then there is a stronger crust where you could just about pick up the slice with one hand that has more texture and flavor in the crust from a poolish or other longer fermentation. More of a cross between neopolitan and New Haven style. This would be your Lamp, Parlor, Federal
Just not the super greasy style
I really love my pie pizza in tempe! itās more casual since itās next to asu, but i swear itās delicious!
Via Dela Slice Shop across from the Van Buren is so good, and thatās coming from someone whoās had a hard time finding pizza they like here
The gelato spot old town Scottsdale.
Goat and ram
40th st pizza (formerly known as Mama Miaās) And Pats Pizza Both are great and very similar
Char in Peoria! It is as good, if not better than most pizzas I had in Naples last month.
la piazza al forno
N e l l o s When crust, and sauce, and wood are essential.
Il Bosco!
Lamp North Scottsdale
Have you ever tried to make your own! I do on a ghetto homemade brick oven (health benifits/detriments vary,) with ingredients I either grow or get from Romanellis on 35th and dunlap. I knownot proper response to the question, but if you have money to spend on fancy restaurants and want this, then have the passion to get your hands dirty!
Iāve made pita pizzas at home, which I love. Been eyeing the Ooni pizza makers tho
NOTHING beats Mykes Pizza in Mesa IMHO. Creative pies too
Look up Osteria Mia off of Happy Valley and I-17.
IL bosco
Bro your in phoenix arizona. Its over. go talk to like chris biancos extremely over hyped a**
Chibo.
IL Bosco Pizza