Phoenix, AZ 85004
602-258-8300
http://www.pizzeriabianco.com/
"The best" is a label thrown around quite a bit. Although it is rare to find something or somewhere that lives up to that description. Pizzeria Bianco has been named the best pizza in America by many. That being the case, we weren't about to visit Phoenix twice in two years without seeing what the fuss was about.
Arrived 90 minutes before the 5:00PM opening. Approximately 40 other people were already in line in front of us. That number about doubled by the time the doors opened. What happened to "no cut-sies?!" Where's the teacher??
We heard some lady in line say that this oven was imported from Italy. Not an expert in Italian pizza ovens or else I'd call her a liar.
1. handmade mozzarella, local tomato and basil with EVOO - even the most novice of chefs could whip this up. But we've never had any chef make a salad like this before. Hands-down, the best caprese salad we've ever had. The mozza had a firm texture and was incredibly flavorful for such a mild cheese. The total of this dish was truly greater then the sum of its parts. A great example of how great ingredients makes for a fantastic dish.
2. on the left: "rosa", red onion, parmigiano reggiano, rosemary, az pistachios - This was the least favorite of the four pizzas we tried (if you want to try different pizzas, ask them to split the pizza into two flavors). The parmigiano was a bit overpowering. The textures of the pistachios were nice, but pine nuts are my shelled fruit of choice when it comes to pizza toppings.
on the right: "margherita", tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, basil - THE WINNER!. Again, the fresh ingredients were at the forefront.
3. on the left: "sonny boy", tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, salami, gaeta olives - Each individual topping played a prominent role. The salami and olives played very salty roles. "sonny boy" was very one dimensional. Not to disparage the ingredients, as it was obvious that they were of high quality, the level of sodium felt a bit overwhelming.
on the right: "wiseguy", wood roasted onion, house smoked mozzarella, fennel sausage - The other pizza worth ordering again. Caramalized onions paired well with the sausage. The sausage was good enough to eat on its own. Quite delicious.
The staff were very friendly. Everyone was cognizant of each customer's long wait to be seated, so we were greeted multiple times with "thanks for waiting". Quality ingredients and cooking technique were what makes this pizza great. Freshness came through in all facets, from the dough to the toppings. The brick ovens makes for a evenly cooked, nicely textured crust. Not all the pizzas were top-notch winners but the margherita and the wiseguy were definitely two of the best pizzas we've ever had. Now, was it worth waiting nearly three hours for? No, but it was worth doing once. It's good to be in the know about the fuss.