After 40 years, readers say this Arizona pizzeria is still the best

The Republic launched its second annual Phoenix Pizza Poll in September. The contenders included ten of the absolute best pizzerias in the Valley — minus last year’s winner, Il Bosco.

This year, readers chose a longtime local icon as their pick for the best pizza in Phoenix: Pizzeria Bianco, opened by lauded restaurateur Chris Bianco nearly forty years ago.

Sometimes, when something is so iconic and popular that it becomes part of the fabric of a place, it can develop a tendency to be overlooked in favor of giving a spotlight to an underdog or a newcomer. In that way, an OG can swing back around to being underrated. Pizzeria Bianco is kind of like that in Phoenix’s pizza scene.

Phoenix’s best pizza is still served at local icon Pizzeria Bianco

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After nearly 4 decades, Bianco is still Phoenix’s favorite pizzaiolo

When Pizzeria Bianco opened in 1988, it was one of the first artisanal pizzerias in Arizona. When Bianco won the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef — Southwest in 2003, he was the first pizzaiolo to do so. He won his second James Beard Award in 2022 for Outstanding Restaurateur.

Most recently, the pizzeria earned a Bib Gourmand designation in the inaugural Southwest Michelin Guide.

Bianco is undeniably a culinary trailblazer in Arizona. But he remains humble and said he has never stopped trying to make the restaurant better every day.

“There’s so much great pizza in Phoenix now,” Bianco said. “I’m just happy we have hopefully made a positive impact in the community.”

What sets Pizzeria Bianco apart?

Bianco said it would not be possible to make great pizza without the hard work of local farmers and ranchers who provide great ingredients.

“Our transparency sets us free,” Bianco said. “Whether you like or us or you don’t — we hope you do — but what I’m most proud of is we’re hopefully turning the label around on our food. Whether it’s our meat, our fish, our chicken, our vegetables, (you know) where they’re from, and that’s something that’s been our calling card forever.”

The menu comprises six staple pizzas: the marinara; the margherita; the Sonny Boy topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, salami and olives; the Rosa made with red onion, parmigiana reggiano, rosemary and pistachios; the Biancoverde dressed with mozzarella, parmigiana reggiano, ricotta and arugula; and the Wiseguy loaded with wood-roasted onion, mozzarella and fennel sausage.

How to visit Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix

“Getting people to the table is important,” Bianco said. “We do some DoorDash or delivery stuff, but sometimes it’s important to get out into your community, whether it’s at our restaurant or one in your neighborhood that you love and interacting with humanity. Food is a big part of that.”

Pizzeria Bianco has two locations in Phoenix: the original in downtown Phoenix’s Heritage Square and another in uptown at Town and Country. Both locations are open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, closed Sunday.

Details: 623 E. Adams St., Phoenix. 602-258-8300. Also, 4743 N. 20th St., Phoenix. 602-368-3273, pizzeriabianco.com.

All the stars: Every Arizona restaurant in the Southwest Michelin Guide

Reach the reporter at eddie.fontanez@azcentral.com. Follow @ERFontanez on Instagram.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: After 40 years, readers say this Arizona pizzeria is still the best