From his homey Italian storefront in Peoria, chef-owner Fabio Ceschetti turns out antipasti, handmade pastas, and light Neapolitan-influenced (but not strictly Neapolitan) pizzas, topped with ingredients imported from Italy. Ceschetti calls it “Pizza Italiana,” although his pies do have the soft, soupy quality associated with Neapolitan pizza. It’s worth noting, too that Ceschetti makes the dough from his grandfather’s starter, brought over from Italy before the restaurant opened. Check the pastry case for classic Italian dessert options such as tiramisu and cannoli.

Out among the farms of Laveen, Domenico Cavallo runs a southern Italian trattoria featuring antipasti, homemade pasta and wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pizza, 19 varieties in all. Cavallo stays true to the pizza traditions of Naples, using Italian 00 flour and high-hydration dough to give a light, softy quality to his soupy-centered pies. He also owns a small farm in Laveen, where he grows figs, melons, basil, garlic, arugula, and many other fruits, herbs, and vegetables, all of which he uses in the restaurant. Consider one of his excellent white pies — maybe the uovo e tartufo (a white pie topped with bacon, eggs, mushrooms, cheeses, and truffle oil) or the fiche (mozzarella, dried figs, speck, Brie, and white wine honey).

Tanner Locust keeps it simple at his chill downtown Phoenix pizza shop, where he offers wings, one focaccia-based sandwich, a seasonal salad, calzone, a deep-dish Grandma pie (or slice), a daily dessert, and eight extra large pizzas sold by whole pie or slice, The place is often slammed, which begs the question: what makes the pizza so good? Maybe it’s the lengthy fermentation that gives Locust’s supple, crispy crusts so much flavor. Or maybe it’s inventive combos such as the green pie (homemade pesto crema, jalapeño-pineapple marmalade, mozzarella, pistachio crumble, arugula and Parmigiana), the vodka pie (sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and three kinds of cheese, smoothed in vodka sauce), and the white pie (caramelized onion, mozzarella, Parmigiana, basil, and white sauce on a sesame seed crust).

Housed in a century-old bungalow downtown, Guido Saccone’s pizzeria is a cozy haven from the bustle of the city. In good weather, the bricked patio, lush with trees, plants, and flowers, is the best place to be. Saccone learned the pizzaiolo’s art at his brother’s restaurant in Caserta — which is the same province (Campania) as Naples — so his pizza has the soft center and puffy, blistered rim of classic Neapolitan pizza. Pizza choices are varied and interesting. Cases in point: the Genova (topped with basil pesto, mozzarella, onions, roasted potatoes, and grated Parmigiana) and the Procida (topped with mozzarella, prosciutto, Asian pears, arugula, and goat cheese.

This low-key restaurant, owned by Luca Gagliano and family, feels like the simple, neighborhood cafes of Italy, devoted to spritzes and strong coffee, handmade pasta and wood-fired pizza. Many of its 14 pies (nine red, five white) are traditional, including the margherita, quattro stagioni, diavolo, and quattro formaggi, but the popular Testosterone — topped with prosciutto, a tangle of bell peppers, and two eggs — goes off-script in the best possible way.

Call it nostalgia or hometown bias, but for many who grew up in the Valley, Barro’s was the go-to spot for parties, sports nights, and family gatherings. While Barro’s touts a non-deep-dish Chicago style, what it really offers might be the most quintessentially Phoenix pizza outside the neo-Neapolitan wave. The pillowy yet dense crust sits somewhere between New York and tavern styles, while the red sauce stays balanced — its sweetness offset by a bit of tang. Skip everything else on the menu and stick to the pizza: The original crust Barro’s Special arrives piled with toppings like pepperoni, ham, mushroom, green pepper, and caramelized onion. It might not be the city’s single best pie, but when Barro’s is on, it’s a homegrown favorite that feels as Phoenix as it gets.

Tammie Coe has long been famous for her ooey-gooey cupcakes, giant cookies, and whimsical fondant-draped cakes, but at her tiny Roosevelt Row pizzeria, she proves she can make excellent pizza dough as well. Her crusts are reminiscent of a sturdy baguette, airy and chewy at once. Coe doesn’t settle on an established pizza style, preferring to say “New York meets California” and leaving it at that. There are six pizza selections on the menu, sold whole or by the slice, but customers can build their own version of the perfect pie with toppings such as pesto, giardiniera, garlic butter, or spicy artichoke. Don’t miss the lasagna pizza, or the corn-y baby-elote pie, topped with roasted corn, cilantro, mozzarella, cotija cheese, and chipotle oil.

Housed in a repurposed midcentury beauty parlor, The Parlor (a name that clearly works for pizza too) has had a cool factor since it opened in 2009, its retro-modern design supported by great cocktails (and a chill, multi-windowed cocktail bar in which to drink them) as well as a raised garden planted with basil, sage and other ingredients used in the restaurant’s bar and kitchen. That’s next-level local. Owners Dan and Aric Mei, the father-son team behind local favorite Nello’s Pizza, use a wood-fired oven here, cranking out thin-crust pies with charred bottoms and crisp-tender edges. Of the restaurant’s ten pies, most are classics given an upgrade or twist. The margherita, for example, is topped with heirloom tomatoes, the funghi with goat cheese and truffle oil, and the salsiccia with local Schreiner’s sausage blend, grilled radicchio, sage, and saba.

Bronx native Chris Bianco, a giant in the pizza universe, has tirelessly worked to improve the product he started in a grocery store nearly four decades ago, refining his techniques and using local ingredients as much as possible. Bianco makes his own mozzarella, grinds his own blend of Western grains for an elastic, high-protein dough and uses his own brand (Bianco DiNapoli) of organic California tomatoes. His pizza defies category, displaying a rusticity that conjures the ancient flatbreads from which pizza evolved. The rosa (red onion, rosemary, pistachio, and Parmesan) and Wiseguy (roasted onion, smoked mozzarella, fennel sausage) are probably his two most famous pizzas. Ask the man himself to pick a favorite, however, and he’ll go with the supremely simple, utterly perfect marinara…something to consider.

Technically a high-end liquor store with a full-service restaurant on the side, Trevor’s Liquor is an unassuming spot to find standout pizza. After a certain internet agitator/online pizza reviewer drew attention to Trevor’s, lines were out the door, but the initial frenzy has since calmed and it’s now easier, finally, to find a table. Pizza remains the main draw: Made with flour from Hayden Flour Mills, the crust has an earthy, complex flavor and nails that elusive crispy-chewy balance. Cooked at a lower temperature in a combination gas-and-wood-fired oven, these pies aren’t fully Neapolitan — but come close. There’s no carryout for pizza, so plan to dine in (and possibly wait) if it’s busy.

For a classic California pizza, it’s hard to beat LGO, a neighborhood favorite for nearly 20 years. Its light, puffy pies are built on a sourdough crust and cooked in a deck oven. Of the 11 pizzas here, eight are vegetarian, including the avocado (avocado, hand-mixed cheese blend, tomatoes, basil, and lemon zest) and the more florid Mother Earth (topped with cheese blend, green pepper, black olives, artichoke, roasted peppers, broccolini, mushrooms, fennel, and onion). There’s even a vegan pizza, called the Dalai Lama, topped with vegetables and their own cashew cheese.

At his Old Town pizzeria, chef-owner Gio Osso (whose mini-empire includes high-end Virtu and crudo-driven Piccolo Virtu) adheres strictly to the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana’s official rules, using 00 flour and San Marzano tomatoes on his thin-crust pies, which are wood-fired in a 900° oven for 90 seconds. Miraculously, his pizza centers are generally not soupy, unlike those found at other AVPN-certified pizza shops on this list. Among nine stellar pies, the Milano — topped with stracchino cheese, smoked pancetta, caramelized onion, and chestnut honey — is a standout.

This tiny, charming pizzeria with patio has been turning out terrific Neapolitan-style pizza since 2012, recently expanding to a second location with larger digs in downtown Phoenix. Both venues feature over 20 pies with crispy, charred crusts, made from pizza dough that includes 20 percent organic wheat, which lends structure, color and taste. Can’t handle the wheat? Il Bosco also offers gluten-free crusts and vegan cheese. There’s also a take-home kit (dough ball, red sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, choice of two additional toppings, plus instructions) for DIY pies.

Back in 2010, Steffano Fabbri introduced Scottsdale to true Neapolitan pizza, made according to the strict guidelines set and certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana. Emerging from an Italian-made, wood-fired oven, his pies had charred, puffy rims, soupy centers, and an airy, delicate bite. They caught on, and now Fabbri owns three casual Pomo outlets (as well as downtown’s new Rosso Italian restaurant, which also serves pizza) each turning out simple salads, pastas, and Neapolitan pies with classic toppings. The Scottsdale location also offers Rimini-style pizza, wafer-thin pies with cracker-like crusts, a specialty of Fabbri’s hometown, Rimini.

In a city dominated by Neapolitan pizza — and where many attempts at a “New York” slice in Phoenix wind up too greasy or paper-thin — Yo Pauly’s hits the sweet spot, fold and all. The dough, left to ferment for an extra-long length of time, develops a tangy chew, while a gas deck oven imparts crispiness without veering into over-charred territory. The sauce leans savory with a restrained sweetness, and somehow keeps the grease in check. Toppings range from classic pepperoni (Da Midtown Meltdown) to specialty pies nodding to city landmarks, like the Madison Square Garden or Four Boroughs barbecue chicken. Walls draped in Big Apple memorabilia and a menu echoing corner slice shops give Yo Pauly’s an unmistakable East Coast vibe — one that feels surprisingly at home in the desert.

Lindsey and Matt Pilato (LAMP in acronym form) operate one of the most popular pizzerias in North Scottsdale, offering a dizzying array of Neo-Neapolitan pies (19 reds, 9 whites) baked in a red-tiled Italian pizza oven. Lamp’s crusts offer lightness and chew, thanks to a blend of flours, including 00 from Italy. All pies are topped with their own mozzarella and finished with Parmigiano-Reggiano, and any may be topped with add-ons such as capers, figs, pine nuts or Gaeta olives. The Geppetto — a white pie topped with Sicilian sausage, gorgonzola, and caramelized onion marmalade — is a favorite for good reason.

With locations in Scottsdale and Chandler, Craft 64 remains a stalwart of metro Phoenix’s robust neo-Neapolitan pizza culture. Josh Ivey oversees both kitchens, using local produce for pizzas, pastas, and salads, and offering local craft beers to drink alongside them. Signature thin-crust pies include the smokehouse (a white pie aromatic with smoked onions and smoked sausage), the aji (smoothed with spicy aji-jalapeno sauce), and the fico (a luxurious vegetarian pizza topped with three cheeses, arugula, fig sauce, and truffle oil).

Former accountant, Proof Bread apprentice, and part-time sidewalk pizzaiolo Myke Olsen moved to a full-time oven in downtown Mesa early in 2019. Olsen ponders the fine points of pizza’s artistry on a level that calls to mind Chris Bianco, Arizona’s longtime pizza master. Olsen employs a neo-Neapolitan style marked by American flour blends, long fermentations, and shaved aged gouda on finished pies. When the season is right, he doesn’t hesitate to add fruit, like pineapple (for a pie with Jersey pork roll) or sliced peaches (for one with sage and pistachios). Other standouts include a marinara, inspired by eating garden tomatoes with his grandfather, and a white pie with potato and garlic cream.

Is it the best pizza ever? Probably not. But is Organ Stop Pizza one of the most memorable dining experiences around? Absolutely. This decades-old Mesa institution leans heavily on spectacle, reminiscent of Denver’s Casa Bonita or Las Vegas’s Superfrico, where the show often eclipses the meal. Around in various forms since 1972, the restaurant claims the world’s largest Wurlitzer theater organ. The pizza might remind you of a kid’s arcade slice (slightly tacky crust and all), but after a beer or two, any flaws fade into the background. For anyone craving some greenery, there’s also an old-school self-serve salad bar. Meanwhile, the wall-to-wall live organ performance — complete with dancing puppets and hundreds of moving parts straight out of a Rube Goldberg dream — offers enough distraction that you won’t dwell on any underwhelming bites. All told, it’s a nostalgic, over-the-top, and irreverent experience that’s become a true Valley legend for those seeking a one-of-a-kind night out.

At his small, sleek restaurant and market in the new Epicenter at Agritopia, Claudio Urciuoli does what he does best — focaccia, cibatta, flatbread, pizza, in short, anything involving flour. At his former restaurant Pa’La, he was famous for cooking everything in a wood-burning hearth. Here he makes use of a Swedish oven (better for bread-baking, he says), and it works incredibly well for his four, 11-inch pizzas too, each a lesson in simplicity. The house pizza, topped with nothing but mozzarella, tomato, imported oregano and imported olive oil, proves the point nicely. This is the best pizza in town for the price.  – more at eater.com