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Pizzeria Bianco
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
633 reviews for Pizzeria Bianco
Review Highlights
"We shared Rosa (by far my favorite), Sonny boy and."
(in 61 reviews)
"loved the bar next door :) was very satisfied."
(in 113 reviews)
"WISEGUY - Wood Roasted Onion, House Smoked Mozzarella..."
(in 18 reviews)
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633 reviews in English
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Review from Matthew W.
Portland, OR
2/8/2012
If you have the time to wait for a seat, Pizzeria Bianco is something every pizza lover should experience at least once. The pies are that good.
The 43-seat restaurant in Old Town Phoenix is nationally known and the crowds outside prove it. You will need to get there around 2:00 or 2:30 in the afternoon to line up for a seat or you may be left waiting until after 6:30pm for the second seating. Really. If you get there after 3:00pm, forget about being in the first group of patrons.
While you wait, Bar Bianco offers drinks and there are a few places to escape the hot Arizona sun. Most people are nice enough to let you back in line if you need to move, so bring a good attitude and make friends with your line-mates. It will help, believe me.
The pizza is crafted in a wood-fired oven which, legend has it, was delivered from Italy brick-by-brick and rebuilt on site. The meats offered are gourmet and can be a tad salty. The other toppings and the cheese are also high in quality. The oven creates a wonderfully caramelized crust that the uneducated might call "burned." However, that's their problem...the crust is perfect.
I prefer the Sonny Boy, which has Salami and Olives, or the standard Margherita. However, the handful of other pizzas are equally as good. You might want to order two and take what's left home versus finishing and needing to order another pie.
If you're there during baseball season, you can walk to Chase Field to catch a Diamondbacks game...and you can park in the garage in between the two locations.Listed in: Good Pizza Joints I've…
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Review from Karri G.
Scottsdale, AZ
2/8/2012
I have to agree with my friend and fellow Yelper, Donald S. I don't get it. Don't get me wrong, the pizza is good but two-hours-wait good? I think not. And it could have been that she was having a bad day, but our service/server was terrible. Service with a groan. She couldn't have made us feel more unwelcome had she tried.
Now, having said all that, go next door!!! Bar Bianco is wonderful...cozy and warm, both the place and the service. I have been here before, and I always have a great experience! -
Review from Carol K.
Gilbert, AZ
2/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
The first time we ate here; we waited over four hours. One might think that is nuts but we had a few bottles of wine and bonded with the other waitees. The food was fabulous. Fresh, Fresh, fresh! Love the pizza with the arugula. Everything about it is right on.
Our second time through we went late afternoon and enjoyed it all over again. I am so proud this place is in our city. It inspired us to try the other Bianco eateries, stay tuned for those reviews. -
Review from Pattie C.
Phoenix, AZ
2/5/2012
This is one of the greatest pizzas I've ever eaten! The location is great. Staff was very nice. Prices are incredibly reasonable and the menu has a good variety. I will definitely be a returning customer. pizza is amazing. Great service. Very happy! Will be back and try the pizza!!
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Review from Erica G.
Falls Church, VA
1/25/2012
Ok, the five stars is for the margherita pizza- wonderfully fresh and mild mozzarella combined with perfectly flavored sauce (not too much or too little) and fresh basil. What I loved about this place was how fresh the ingredients were- the mozzarella is house-made every morning, and they were growing herbs outside in the front garden. This reminded me of my favorite pizzeria (in NY), where they have their own herb garden- this is a must to get the freshest ingredients (which is why I laugh hysterically when I see a Pappa Johns commercial touting fresh ingredients- as if!).
I am a devoted brick oven fan- there is no pizza that comes close for me. The crust is very thin and crispy here, just as it should be. I would not even try to compare other styles like deep dish.
Other things worth noting: I had a slice of the onion pizza, and I didn't like it as much- it had no sauce, rendering it a little dry for my taste. Also, we dined mi-afternoon to avoid crowds, and I wasn't able to order the anti-pasto, which was very sad (it's only available after 5pm). I would have loved to have tasted some of that fresh mozzarella straight up. Our waiter wasn't the best, but I don't really care that much, because I'm in heaven with delicious brick oven pizza.
So, if you appreciate the fine nuances of a good brick oven pizza, definitely check this out. If you appreciate fresh ingredients and the subtle differences between house made, fresh mozzarella and store bought, check it out. -
Review from Chrystalle B.
Tempe, AZ
1/6/2012
One word: OVERRATED
The pizza was subpar. Ive had much better for the price.
My group was smart and made a reservation, i really didnt enjoy the dirty looks and comments we got from some of the line that had been waiting (for what im still not sure) when we went in ahead of them.
I really wasnt impressed. -
Review from Eric M.
Gilbert, AZ
1/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
I have been wanting to go here for yearsssssssssss. Typically when a restaurant has that much hype, you would expect to pay a ton of money to eat there, but I knew the pizza here is not crazy expensive, so I have no idea what held me back for so long.
So finally, on my b-day weekend, my girlfriend Abby treated me to Pizzeria Bianco, a place she been wanting to try out for a while as well.
As I'm sure many of the reviews probably already note, this place is now open for lunch. We went about 1:30 pm on a Friday and were able to grab a seat right away at the bar. The place stayed busy the whole time, even when we left at 3:00 pm, but you wouldn't have to wait more than a couple minutes for a table.
I started out with one of their draft beers, not too impressed so I switched to San Tan on the next one. I loved the coziness of the place, and completely understand why there would be such a long wait in the evenings.
I had the Wiseguy pizza and Abby had the Sonny Boy. Over all pretty good. I think we were both expecting to have some light shine down on us from heaven and the bartender bust out some harps as we took our first bite. The pizza was good, and in any other place I would be overly impressed but I think the years of hype stole away some of the pizza's thunder. I actually like La Bocca Urban Pizzeria better. Hope that don't break any of your hearts hearing that.
Everyone should go at least one time. I wouldn't mind coming back again as well, I wish I could go before Suns games. I could probably add my name to the list before the game and get seated after!
Protip: If you just want to try this place out, go for lunch. If you have time (and money) to burn, it would be a fun experience to drink next door for a couple hours, then eat some tasty fresh pizza. -
Review from Linda K.
Chandler, AZ
1/12/2012
Um, so what can I say about this place. Everyone loves it (well some on here aren't so impressed). I would actually give it a 4* for taste, but a 3* for value. I must say though, our server was great, just how I think excellent servers should be. He told us his recommendations and his favorites with his own personal twists.
We ordered the antipasto, margherita + fennel sausage, biancoverde + prosciutto, and since we weren't full yet (there were 3 of us) we got the sonny boy + mushrooms.
The antipasto was very delicious. I would recommend! Great mixture of veggies and cheese and olives.
The best rec from our server was the biancoverde + prosciutto. That's his ultimate fav and that was our ultimate fav! Too bad we didn't end with it. Maybe if we did, I'd push this up to 4* ;) (It is a must try! Flavorful and fresh ingredients. Superb!) We ended with the sonny boy and that was a big of a disappointment. Both my hubs and I didn't care for the Gaeta olives on the pizza. It was also a bit salty too. But we dont' regret trying something different. I do wish we would have just gotten the margherita alone instead of adding the fennel sausage. I wasn't a fan of the sausage. I think I would have liked it just normal.
Our last pizza, the sonny boy came out a bit burnt. Felt like that was a little unacceptable.
We didn't have a wait which was great and while we were there it didn't seem like there was a long way. Just depends on the day and hour. Not sure how often I would come back. Glad that I tried it at least once though.
I guess I was thinking of the wood fired pizza we had in Naples, Italy and still hoping for something close to that. It wasn't. And for the price, I'm not totally convinced that it matched, BUT the flavors were positive, ingredients fresh, service very good. -
Review from Jeff S.
Chicago, IL
1/13/2012
I had been waiting to try this pizza for a few years now. I used to live in the Phx area, and had squandered a few opportunities to go. The wait was not a deterrent, since I have waited to try other restaurants in the past.
Ignore the fact that I am from Chicago, because that didn't factor into this review. Comparing deep dish pizza to a thinner east coast style of pizza doesn't make much sense.
That being said, we got there late afternoon on a Saturday, and we got right in.....to put our name on the list for a 2 hour wait. We took a quick walk across the street to the bar that has more than beer and wine, because i wanted neither. After some minor drinking and an appetizer, and some less than enjoyable conversation from my "new friends", we went back over, 15 minutes short of finally being sat at a table.
We sat down, and i received the highlight of my meal. A Bubble Up. For those that don't know, this is pretty much Sprite made from real cane sugar. After I guzzled down my Bubble Up, my Pizza promptly arrived (Margherita with Fennel Sausage and Basil).
I looked for the biggest slice, and dug in. Although it was decent, it doesn't warrant the wait, and to say this pizza is nationally ranked is laughable. I would have been just as satisfied at Sbarro's. I would put this behind the likes of Grimaldi's and Grazie. Don't get me wrong, I would eat it again, just call me when you are about to be sat and I'll let you know what I want, that way when I get there my pizza will be ready, because it is far from worth a 2 hour wait. -
Review from Brian D.
Las Vegas, NV
2/7/2012
4 stars is given because of service. Flavor was definitely there but my complaint is because of lack of information. There were 4 of us and we ordered 2 pizzas and needed to go eat again after we left. The server should have told us that 1 pizza per person is the way to go. It is a great place but make sure to ask questions.
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Review from Gregg S.
Surprise, AZ
1/14/2012
I managed Club Med resorts around the world for 26 years. We moved from Singapore to Phoenix four years ago and found our favorite pizzeria! Mr. Bianco has created pizzas exactly like Napoli, Italy!
After managing resorts in Bari, Ortranto & Sicily My wife and I found that the pizzas, salads and breads reminded us of Italy. So nice to see fresh products used on the pies!
I know some say the wait is long but dinner is supposed to be like that! Also want to say that the staff was very nice and the pizza chefs have been well trained.
Bravo! -
Review from Jeannine B.
Phoenix, AZ
12/19/2011
Went there a couple weeks ago.. Very uninspired to write this review.
So we just moved here from Portland and had eaten at the best wood fired pizza in the nation (see previous reviews if you're ever in the portland area).
Pizzeria Bianco was recommended by a friend that owns a wood fired pizza oven, so we definitely were expecting the best.
The wait is everything everyone says it is... 1+ hours. We waited in the bar next door and I asked if they had a Rose wine and was told that they had one not on the menu. Now here is where it's both our faults.. I never asked the price and she never offered it. I was a little shocked to say the least when I got the bill for $50, it was good but not that good.
We headed over and ordered our pizza. We got the Fennel Sausage pizza and honestly it wasn't that good unfortunately. The sausage wasn't crumbled and it didn't taste like fennel very much.. Just really uninspiring. Service was not that great either. We sat at the bar and the guy rushed us and I just didn't feel the love.
So hate to do it but yeah... two stars.. I really wanted to like it but it just fell short. -
Review from Jeremy S.
San Francisco, CA
12/30/2011
Don't go during dinner. It's definitely not worth a 2-3 hour wait. But, if you go after 9, this becomes a much better experience.
My second visit improved my memory of this place. Came after 9pm, so the wait was less than an hour, and passed quickly at the Rose & Crown. The mozzarella and tomato salad tasted fresh enough to be local and The Wiseguy pizza was very tasty. But, in summary, I think the best experience is to go late and just with one other person. -
Review from Lydia K.
Scottsdale, AZ
1/16/2012
Yes, this pizza really is as good as it gets! The flavors and the dough are epic. Service is friendly. They serve lunch now, so there is no need to wait in the long dinner lines!
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Review from Joe R.
Scottsdale, AZ
12/18/2011
OK...so I moved to town about 8 months ago and FINALLY made it to what I had heard was The Holy Grail for pizza. I was prepared for the wait and arrived a good two hours before I planned on partaking in the feast that I had heard so much about. I have got to admit, I LOVE the atmosphere and love the beer/wine bar next door as well as the English place across the street. Its all part of it....and the charm is unlike much of anything that I am accustom to in the Southwest. I almost felt like I was in New England or even the Carolina's. It has a wonderful old world charm.
OK. So its finally time and we get seated at a wonderful and cozy table by an absolutely charming hostess. Really made me feel special. We perused the menu and ordered three that seemed would be a perfect complement to one another and 15 minutes later they arrived.
Ehhh. So, so. Fair. One of them said on the menu that it came with a marinara based sauce had no sauce whatsoever. At least nothing recognizable. When we asked if there was any way at all that we could get some sauce on the side (and we knew that Bianco doesnt roll with that) we were politely told that they do not do that BUT they would make us another one if we wished. I mean that is a wonderful offer...but we couldnt bare to see a decent pizza get wasted. It just needed a little sauce! So we told them "no thanks...it's fine".
Ingredients are fresh, service great and atmosphere really kinda special but once again, the pizza isnt that out of this world. But I guess you've got to do it because it is after all "Pizzeria Bianco". And I will be back. Probably quite a few times. I loved the experience. But for a woodfired pizza...with quality without the ego (to not allow a side of sauce to come out) there are a few places I'd pick first.
So long and short (I have to believe) is that you should communicate with the waitstaff as to what you enjoy in a pizza without presuming that it comes with things we take for granted like a good red sauce. I have a hunch that if you do you are probably guaranteed to enjoy your za when it shows up.
Chow! -
Review from AC A.
Chandler, AZ
1/26/2012
Amazing pizza. Worth the wait - just head over the the wine bar next door to enjoy a glass of fantastic vino from their great list, along with some yummy apps. It's all part of the experience.
The White Pizza with arugula is to die for. -
Review from Kris E.
Phoenix, AZ
1/19/2012
My pizza was delicious. The small size of the pizzeria is a good marketing tool, as the ever-present line to be seated contributes to the restaurant's intrigue, reinforces its popularity, and likely influences diners' (myself included) reviews. Although my pizza was good, I'm not interested in waiting a ridiculously long time to eat here again.
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Review from Irine K.
Glendale, AZ
1/22/2012
Believe the hype. Get a reservation with 7 of your friends and do it. Only downside, you will never look at pizza the same way again.
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Review from Steve M.
Atlanta, GA
12/13/2011
Half the fun is the wait.....If you are going to go, you may as well get into it. We get into it, at their Italian place next door and drink tons of wine. L and I later that night had a hot kiss and she lost her precious earrings. I even drove back the next day to look for them somewhere against the wall. Just kissing, but hot, if you lose earrings.
We went twice once alone, and the 2nd time with her sons and friends. We ordered every pizza imaginable. It seems almost every high end pizza now, is brick oven and more about the crust. I like everyone else will mention, I am from the East Coast and know pizza. Best in the United States, we have several that are at that level. You can flip a coin on which one is better. -
Review from Mike C.
It's a small pizzeria in the heart of downtown Phoenix. Luckily this place offers complimentary valet service so you don't have to park so far or actually pay for parking whether it's on by the nearby streets or the many pay parking structures.
The menu is pretty simple. They just have salads and pizza. Couple of beers, and they serve wine too. They have a small bar area and the big pizza oven is right there in the back.
The pizza ingredients are fresh too. I chose the Wiseguy pizza with wood roasted onion, house smoke mozzarella and fennel sausage. Nicely cooked. 13" that is the perfect size for one person. Maybe two. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
And they serve local brews too. I got their Santana brewery amber ale. Served in a can. For a relatively hot day, this brew was just right for the occasion. -
Review from Kate K.
Went with a meetup group, so we had a reservation for our group of 10 (reservations only allowed for groups of 6-10 folks), and we took up a good portion of the 42 seat place. It was definitely nice to go with a larger group so we could swap slices of the different types of pie!
Three pizzas come with sauce and three are sauce-less, aka white pizzas. The white pizzas can also be ordered with red sauce, but c'mon...do you really think you know this pizza better than the legendary Mr Bianco?? And don't you DARE ask for red sauce on the side because that just ain't happening!
Well...I tried the margherita...gotta stick with the classic. It was definitely one of the best margs I've had before, but not the best. Blasphemy for me to admit this in writing, I'm sure...but the crust was absolute perfection on this and the others I tried.
One gal did the unthinkable and ordered the Biancoverde with red sauce, so was able to try both the traditional white Biancoverde and her modified version. Both were fantastic (and preferable to my margherita!) but Chris had it right without the red sauce. No shock there!
Parking situation is pretty tight but they have super quick and easy (and free!) valet at the ready.
All in all, I most certainly would NOT wait in line for hours, but for a quick meetup WITH RESERVATIONS it's a great spot. -
Review from Holly R.
11/9/2011
Best Pizza in America. That's a big claim to live up to. And unfortunately, live up to it, Bianco did not. I don't even think it deserves Best Pizza in Phoenix.
After many years of not wanting to wait in the legendary 3 hour line for Bianco I decided to try it brave it and take an out of town friend to this famous pizzeria. It was a Wednesday night, about 6:30pm. We walked in and got a table immediately. Has the hype died down or did we just get lucky? Anyway, apparently Wednesday is a good night to go.
We ordered the market salad which was arugula with apples, goat cheese and a wine vinaigrette and a margherita pizza to share. The salad was delicious. Fresh ingredients, not too much dressing and the perfect amount for two to share. Following that came the pizza. It was good but honestly not that great. I was expecting to be wowed. I wanted to bite in and say "holy crap is this good." Instead I bit in and thought "yeah, it's pretty good." My out of town friend who had never even heard of the place (or the hype) agreed. Maybe if you wait for three hours it does taste amazing because by that time you're starving and any pizza would taste like the best pizza ever. I was just glad we didn't wait that long for pizza that was just good.
Don't get me wrong, I liked it. Overall I'd say the food was good but not worth all the hype. The salad was more memorable than the pizza. For a similar style pizza I'd recommend La Grande Orange instead. -
Review from Jessica s.
Mesa, AZ
1/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great pizza! Light but filling, super fresh homemade ingredients that you can taste and just delicious! It does get busy but we were able to snag a table around 1pm so some of the lunch crowd was starting to die down. they are very fast here and servers take good care of you. The caprese and Margherita pizza are fabulous!
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Review from Tony H.
Wilsonville, OR
12/8/2011
Based on Yelp reviews, I drove by to see how short the lines were and WHAT? It was fully packed that night. So I quickly parked and got seated without waiting. Whew, after I got seated, groups of people started coming in so I guess I was lucky!
Well, based on the taste, I wouldn't have minded waiting at least 30 minutes for the food. it was amazingly good and I still talk about this pizza to my coworkers.
I had the WiseGuy and the server promptly informed me that it does not come with any red sauce but I can add it, which I did of course. The flavor was right on and the crust was thin but did not have the cardboard texture like other pizza places. The pizza was so good it needed nothing else added to it. Not even red pepper flakes!
I highly recommend this place as the food is great and the service is equally great.
Whenever I am in Phoenix, I go to Matt's Big Breakfast and Pizzeria Bianco. I am going to make this my routine. -
Review from Thomas D.
10/30/2011
I can now say I have reached the pinnacle of pizza perfection.
Pizza has always been one of my favorite foods and has recently become one of my obsessions after visiting Naples this summer. I have found some amazing people within the states most notably in the Bay Area, Southern California and Chicago, but was simply blown away by the perfection that is Pizzeria Bianco.
I came here on a Friday afternoon and there was no wait for a table of five. We sat down and were super excited to sample some of the best pizza in America.
I started off with a salad consisting of fresh mozzarella, basil, olive oil and tomatoes. It is probably impossible to make that list of ingredients taste bad and this salad did not disappoint. Everything worked perfectly together. The salad was light, so fresh and so damn good.
I had to order the margherita pizza because that's the best way to judge a place I feel. The pizza came out piping hot and it was absolutely beautiful. The crust was for sure a clear highlight. It had a beautiful char and a great chew to it. The combination of sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil made this easily one of the best pizzas I have ever had. So amazing.
I also tried a few slices of the Rosa pizza and that thing blew me away. The combination of onions, paremesan reggiano and arizona pistachios was a flavor I had never experienced. The pizza was rich and so ridiculously flavorful. It was one of the best specialty pizzas I have ever had.
I came into Pizzeria Bianco with insanely high expectations and I believe the restaurant exceeded them. The ingredients are what really set this place apart from everyone else and the pizza is simply amazing. Bianco sets the standard for Neapolitan pizza in the United States and I am not sure there is another place that could beat it....Listed in: PIZZA
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Review from Danny H.
Fairburn, GA
11/17/2011 2 photos
This place was recommended to me more than pretty much anything else on a trip I made out to Phoenix. Additionally, I was told that along with their supposedly legendary pizza, were the legendary wait times. With that in consideration, I strategically planned my visit to be on an in-between time on a Saturday afternoon well after lunch, but fairly before dinner time.
Being downtown, if there's any free parking, I didn't find it, and I parked in a pay garage easily within walking distance. Pizzeria Bianco would validate my ticket, and in the end, I still paid just a dollar to park for this place. Regardless, it's located in one of the nicer parts of Downtown Phoenix near all the sports complexes, and not within any eyesight of any of the slummy looking areas.
Regardless of my odd time I chose to show up, there was still a wait, but it wasn't to the extent of three hours as some other users may attest to. 30-40 minutes wasn't bad, mostly because of neighboring Bar Bianco we were suggested to wait at, which was definitely worth a trip in its own right, due to the smoking hot woman working the bar, the Four Peaks beers on tap, and the comfort of a relaxing outdoor country-style patio where I could people watch and enjoy some suds on a not-hot November afternoon.
When I got seated, the interior is very sparse, but an intimate, cozy feeling, and not at all pretentious as a place that might have three hour waits might make a customer feel. The centerpiece of the establishment is the giant stone oven where pizza is wood baked freshly to order.
I ended up ordering a Wiseguy, but my friend ordered a Rosa. Trying both pizzas, I'd have to say I preferred the Rosa, but my Wiseguy wasn't bad at all. If you're thinking of commercialized New York style pizzas with tangy sauces and the entire produce section on it, you probably won't like Pizzeria Bianco. Their's is definitely more along the lines of artisan, Italiano style, where everything is fresh, tastes fresh, and is absolutely delicious. The centers are soft and chewy, but the crusts don't make you feel like you're eating wood, either. $16.00 for my Wiseguy doesn't in the least bit feel steep at all, considering it's far less than what I'd pay for a satisfying steak dinner or something else considered "fine dining."
Ultimately, it was worth the wait. Classy downtown location, cheap validated parking, great bar with its own great attributes to wait at next door, fantastic bang for buck, and wonderful pizza. As easy of a five-star rating as I'd give. -
Review from Scott M.
Scottsdale, AZ
Updated - 12/7/2011
Unfortunately Chris is no longer preparing the pies. This sucks bad, but is not the end of the world. He can't do it b/c of health reasons and no matter how much I love this man and his pizza, I wouldn't want to lose him. So get well Chris, we love you.
That being said, the food is not the same. The pizza tastes different ( I think they are using new tomatoes and the cheese tastes different). It is very hard for me to accept this as you can see I rated this my favorite restaurant in the country. Because pizza is such a simple food, even the most basic changes (like the guy making it) hurts. But when you change the ingredients and the guy making, it you have a different product.
This place still wins on ambiance, character, and cool, but the food is not the star anymore. There are better pizzas in town now.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/22/2010
Sooooo much hype they don't need my review, but this is one of my favorite places to eat in the… Read more »
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Review from Frances L.
Los Angeles, CA
We lucked out with their lunch hours and snagged one of the last tables with a...ZERO MINUTE WAIT. If anyone knows anything about Pizzeria Bianco is that the line to get a table can get quite long.
It's been nearly two years since I have been to PB, but I'm glad that nothing's changed. The service is incredibly attentive, the atmosphere is rustic/casual-chic, and the food is both delicious and reasonably priced. Bianco has high standards for quality and so every aspect of our lunch was flawless. From the table bread which was soft on the inside but with a good crust on the outside, the high-quality olive oil that came with it, and the locally sourced produce they use, an experience at Pizzeria Bianco is unsurpassed.
We started off with one of my most favorite things: the Spiedini appetizer. Traditionally, spiedini are the Italian equivalent of kebabs or yakitori; skewered meats grilled or baked in open fire. Bianco's version is sinful-prosciutto wrapped fontina cheese on a wooden stick, grilled in the oven. Lusciously gooey cheese encapsulated in salty, fatty pork and served on a bed of peppery local arugula.
Since we were having lunch so late and we had big dinner plans, we decided to split one pizza (which was more than enough). We went with the Wiseguy which featured wood-roasted onions (sweet and tender), house-smoked mozzarella, and fennel sausage. The smoke on the mozzarella was perfect; not too overwhelming, but very distinct, and the sausage was dense and locally made by Schreiner's Phoenix. Although the toppings on this pizza were delicious, the highlight was really in the dough. I've always thought that what really sets Bianco's pizzas apart from everyone else was the quality and texture of the crust. Crisp, yet delicate; soft enough but with a slight chew. Pizzeria Bianco has mastered pizza dough.
LOVE.
TIPS: Try and make reservations for groups of 6 or more or try to make it for lunch. If coming for dinner, come prepared for a bit of a wait. Bar Bianco next door is a great way to kill some time.Listed in: Valley of the Sun: Phoenix, AZ, Date Nights: Phoenix, AZ
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/8/2010
Definitely one of the most amazing pizzas I have ever had in my life, and that's coming from someone… Read more »
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Review from Rudy W.
Oakland, CA
11/22/2011 2 Check-ins Here
great pizza. I'm not a pizza fan, but since this place is one of the list I have to try, so I have to give it a try.
the best time to get here is. Lunch before 11:15. otherwise, expect 20 - 40 min wait time.
I wouldn't go as the best pizza in the US. but it is one of the best pizza in Phoenix.
been here a couple of times and tried a couple of their items on the menu.
the best thing about their pizza is the sauce. where most places the sauce is sour and too bland (like regular tomato paste). -
Review from Casey M.
Washington, DC
1/12/2012
The hype is accurate; this pizza tastes amazing. It is also expensive, and requires at least a two-hour wait for dinner because the place is only slightly larger than a phone booth. So long as you can tolerate the wait, you'll probably love it.
If you ever visit DC, Mia's might be the only place I've been that has better pizza:
http://www.yelp.com/bi... -
Review from Kelly A.
10/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
The pizza gods must have been looking out for us because we got into Pizzeria Bianco in less than an hour on Zombiewalk night! The boyfriend and I rolled in here on a whim since it looked less busy than usual. I love the look of the place. Small, cozy, lined with brick and warm colors. Loud, busy, but everyone seemed to be having a great time.
We started off with some bread, oil, and olives. All very good, but it's hard to go wrong with bread and oil. The pizza was where the real litmus test would be. We went for the Sonny Boy, Rosa, and the Wiseguy. The Wiseguy was sort of boring. The sausage didn't have great flavor and I usually love Schreiner's sausages. The Rosa was very interesting--not something I'd eat very tie but definitely worth seeing what the hyper is about. My favorite, the Sonny Boy. How can you go wrong with Salami and olives?
I know there is an endless Cibo vs Bianco debate so I'll jump in to give my two cents. Both are excellent but I'll give Cibo a slight edge. I like the di Notte pizza at Cibo more than any pizza I had at Bianco. Also, I like the variety of things that you can get at Cibo. Although the small menu at Bianco works, I do wish there were more appetizers or desserts to choose from.
I had a great time. I went in with few expectations, just wanted to see what the hype is about! Would I come back? Absolutely. Would I wait three hours? Probably not. I think this is a great destination spot to take guests who want to know what everyone is talking about. -
Review from Kellie G.
Corona del Mar, CA
11/23/2011
Every time we are in Phoenix we have to go to Bianco's , we got to met Chris the owner and his girlfriend and got the grand tour before opening.
Everything is fresh, very local and very organic. The wait is insane but this is by far the best pizza I have ever had outside of Naples. Chris has been reviewed in the NY times by Mario Batali as his favorite restaurant. -
Review from Michelle L.
Scottsdale, AZ
1/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Brought the kids here for lunch during a Science center day. Managed to sneak in before the lunch rush and got a table for 6. Woohoo. We ordered the regular cheese pizza for the kids, and my other nanny friend and I had this other pizza with sausage, onions and smoked cheese. I'd have to say I liked the kids pizza better than the adult pizza. The adult pizza was just too smokey tasting for my preference. My favorite part about Pizzeria Bianco- the cats wandering around outside the place. :) My overall opinion, doesn't live up to the hype. Good pizza, don't get me wrong, but I am glad I didn't wait hours for it.
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Review from Heather W.
San Diego, CA
12/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
i had heard this place is just a little bit famous...
and consequently attracts herds of people and long waits (no surprisingly).
but with time to kill before my flight home, 2:30 on a monday seemed like a safe bet to dine without the crowds they are known for. Success! the place was virtually empty.
there is something magical about pizza cooked in a wood fire oven - it really has the best taste. obviously that great taste stems from the organic ingredients and homemade mozzarella though! and on top of the wonderfully charred outer crust, it comes out in mere minutes. happiness for the A.D.D in us all :)
you can never go wrong with margarita, but for something a bit more unique we decided to get the biancoverde - ricatto cheese on pizza is always a good thing, and the arugula piled on top only added to the deliciousness. It's traditionally served without sauce (server warned when we ordered, which was nice since we didnt realize), but they will add sauce to it if you like. im sure its great as its intended but i enjoyed it with sauce.
we split between 3 of us for 2 slices each. decent for a small meal (since the crust is really thin). saw several people ordering a whole pie for themselves but i think splitting between 2 people is perfect to finish completely and be satisfied.
i was kickin myself we didnt order the caprese salad that comes with their fresh baguettes sliced along with it. so bright, so fresh and delicious-looking.
the chocolate shaved ice was a nice ending...light and airy.
i loved the building, part of the historic buildings in Heritage Square of downtown phoenix. The little garden boxes out front and around the corner are charming.
Free valet parking for customers.Listed in: P to the IZZA, Adventures in AZ
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Review from Merritt B.
Portland, OR
10/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
Fucking delicious pizza. What else do you need to know that hasn't been said?
They have a good wine list. And they make really good salads. And the bar next door (that they also own) is rad too.
What are you waiting for?? -
Review from John Q.
Phoenix, AZ
I had heard of Pizzeria Bianco some time ago and even tried to visit once, but there was a 3-4 hour wait to get in. However, we happened to pass by this time on a Saturday at 4 PM and walked right into the last table.
The service here is simple and fast. There is really only one server, host, chef, and busser working the entire place. Although it is small, I am still impressed at how they coordinate and work together to serve everyone. Right when you need them, they are there and when you don't, they're gone. Why do other places have such trouble figuring this balance out? Clearly, the employees at Pizzeria Bianco are sharp, skilled, and care about meeting customers' needs. Our pizza arrived literally three minutes after we ordered.
The pizza is cooked in a brick oven, which leaves the crust nice and crispy, the cheese gooey, and the toppings juicy. We tried the Sonny Boy, which comes with tomato sauce, mozzarella, olives, and salami. Everything was cooked perfectly and the thin crust is much appreciated. The olives are quite powerful, so be careful if you aren't a fan of those. The salami topping was crispy and flavorful. The pizza came with a ton of toppings that covered the whole thing. The sweet organic iced tea was refreshing to drink.
The pizza had six large, thin slices and was perfect as a light meal for two. Heavy eaters and larger parties will probably need to order a few pizzas. We came just before the dinner rush and got in without trouble.
I recommend Pizzeria Bianco for a light and tasty brick oven pizza in a local, friendly atmosphere. Visit during off-peak hours to avoid long wait times. -
Review from Angelica P.
Avondale, AZ
1/26/2012
Everything I've had here is been really good. The issue was always lack of parking and the long waits. But yesterday we arrived at 5pm, found not only parking, but waited less than 10 minutes for a table. So glad they're open for lunch too.
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Review from Mary Y.
State College, PA
10/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
We had a friend from Italy who came to visit, and heard PB is the best in town, so we thought this would be the restaurant of choice. There really is a lot of HYPE about Pizzeria Bianco that I don't really understand now that I've eaten here.
Came here on a friday night and put our names down. We were told it would be about 1 hour to 1:45 minute wait. It really is a tiny place, that fits only about 30 people maximum. So we walked over to Bar Biano next door.
Once we finally got seated after waiting about 1:30 minutes, we ordered fairly quickly since we were famished.
I ordered the biancoverde pizza & added red sauce. My italian friend said you can't have a pizza without red/tomato sauce. It also came with ricotta, mozzarella cheese topped with argula. My friend ordered the Margarita pizza (mozzarella & basil).
The food took another 20-25 minutes. We thought bread was complimentary but apparently you have to order it.
No matter how great the food is, a 2-hour wait to me is just ridiculous. I was forewarned but I didn't free like this was a one-of-a-kind pizza place. Don't get me wrong I LOVE wood-fired pizza but it's just too long of a wait.
My Italian friend said the pizza crust was good, but he had an issue with the cheese saying it wasn't ''authentic''. My guess is many places in the Valley won't truly have ''authentic'' Italian cheeses.
The pizza was definitely delicious.. my crust was slightly burned but I ate the whole pie by myself!
Bottom line: Don't come here hungry. Expect to wait. and Come with good friends since you'll have PLENTY of time to catch up. -
Review from Asina G.
10/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Overrated? Yes. But is it still good? Yes. When I moved to Phoenix 3 1/2 years ago, Pizzeria Bianco was one of the first restaurants I was told I had to try. But I also heard about the ridiculous wait times, so that always prevented me from going. My dad was in town, and after seeing PB on Food Network, he wanted to try it, so that's where we went.
First, I had no idea where PB was located, and I had a difficult time trying to find it. Unbeknownst to me, I drive by it literally every day, but the closed gate on Adams off of 7h street threw me for a loop. But alas, I finally found it! There is free valet parking right next to the restaurant, right before that closed gate.
It was a Thursday evening around 5:45, and I was mentally prepared for a 2 hour wait; so I was pleasantly surprised when I found out the wait was only about 20 minutes! Nice! That made me very happy!
We started off with the Caprese salad. The mozzarella and tomatoes were really fresh, and the salad was refreshing overall. We then ordered 2 pizzas, but we were able to try 4 different pizzas because we took advantage of the half and half ordering. Let's see, we had the Rosa, Wise Guy, Margherita and Biancoverde. The Wise Guy has big slices of grilled onions and pieces of fennel sausage. It was really good! The Margherita was probably my fave -- the ingredients were really fresh, and the sauce tasted like it was freshly made. The Rosa was my least favorite. Although it tasted good, the combination of red onions and pistachios was a little too pungent for me to enjoy more than one slice.
NEWSFLASH: The chocolate icee (which has a much fancier name that I can't remember) is a MUST! Oh my....I'm not even a chocolate eater, but this icee was absolutely delish! It was so refreshing, and the perfect after pizza treat!
My only gripe is that we felt like we were being rushed at the end, and not by our server, who was male. The moment we emptied a glass or cleared a plate, some chick would immediately come by to take it off the table. I understand that they're trying to move tables, but when we spend $16 each for medium size pizzas, we'll take our time getting up from the table. Nice try, though.
All in all, the pizza was good, I can't take anything away from that. But for me, it didn't live up to the hype of being "the best pizza in the country." I've had similar quality pizza right here in Phoenix (i.e., try the prosciutto and artichoke pizza at Amano Bistro in South Mountain). -
Review from C N.
San Diego, CA
11/1/2011
There's a reason Cibo is rated higher than Bianco. Cibo's pizza blows Bianco's away. Period.
Good but absolutely NOT worth waiting more than 30 minutes in line for.
This place is the classic "conventional wisdom" / "group-think" place. Seriously, if you're looking for the best pizza in town, and my GF would kill me for telling more people about this, get the Diavola at Cibo. But it's that good I'm willing to endure her wrath. End of discussion.
