If there’s one thing you’ll have no trouble finding in downtown Phoenix, it’s a pizza restaurant. Whether you’re near Chase Field, Roosevelt Row or the Westward Ho, you will find a pizzeria within walking distance. The Downtown Devil staff is not sure what has drawn the bounty of pizza places downtown (we would love to talk about it too, but our mouths are filled with the cheesy, doughy goodness at the moment). Yes, we may not have enough grocery stores or shade structures, but anyone doubting the availability of a slice should just move to Italy, as it’s the only place with more pizza than us.
With all the convenient places you can get pizza downtown, you are likely to have an opinion on which spot is your all-time favorite. So we thought, why not put those opinions to the test? Enter the Pizza Bracket, Downtown Devil’s democratic quest to find downtown’s most cherished pizza makers. 12 must enter, but only one will win.
THE LOWDOWN
Our bracket features 12 of the most prominent pizza spots downtown. These are exclusively known for their takes on ‘za, which is why you don’t see other restaurants like Angel’s Trumpet Ale House or Hanny’s on here. Click on the names on the bracket above to visit each spot’s website.
After the first round, winners will move on to a 3-way battle. Only one from each side will advance to the final round, where downtown’s pizza king will be crowned once and for all (well, at least for the foreseeable future). Your votes matter, so use them wisely. If we somehow missed one of your favorite spots, please argue furiously on Facebook.
P.S. Here’s a quick tip on how we define our coverage boundaries of downtown Phoenix: Seventh Avenue to Seventh Street from West to East, and the southern railroad tracks to McDowell Road from South to North.
RULES
Some may love Cibo’s elegant charm, while others may find Grand Avenue Pizza Company’s chill atmosphere more appealing. Nevermind those factors. We are here to judge one thing and one thing only: pizza. The grease, the dough, the ingredients, that “it” factor. Keep that in mind as you pick those you wish to advance to the next round.
It is time to make your picks. If you still need to get more into the pizza mood, our friend Spongebob Squarepants will pep you up.
Look for the first-round results next week!
MATCHUP NO. 1
Pizzeria Bianco: 623 E. Adams St.
If this bracket was seeded, Pizzeria Bianco would have to be ranked number one. Known nationwide for top quality pizza and massive wait times during peak hours (don’t try to make reservations), Bianco has received acclaim and awards from the likes of the New York Times, Rachael Ray and even Oprah.
The joint loves its wood-fired oven and homemade mozzarella. Bianco offers six pizzas with prices ranging from $13 to $18, from the classic Marinara sans cheese to more involved pies like the Rosa, which features pistachios.
For the near-undisputed champion of Arizona’s pizza landscape, anything but a dominant victory in the Pizza Bracket would likely be a surprise. But what’s a bracket without upsets?
Fired Pie: 201 E. Washington St. #111
Fired Pie is a local chain located throughout Phoenix and Scottsdale. The shop operates as a sit-down, fast-food restaurant, where you either order from a small menu or create your own pizza Chipotle-style before receiving your 11” pies in a timely manner.
The $7.95 pizzas are thin crust, but lack the usual crunch or flakiness. The shop offers a variety of sauces from the typical marinara to barbeque. There is a similar variety of cheese, meats, veggies and herbs.
Although you have a multitude of options, some Downtown Devil staff have found the sauce and cheese to lack strong flavors.
MATCHUP NO. 2
Pomo Pizzeria: 705 N. First St. #120
The outside of Pomo Pizzeria Napoletana is flanked by colorful vespas that may or may not bring out a strong desire to start wearing scarves that flap in the wind. The inside transports the hungry patron into a different city, if not country.
Each pizza is authentic to its southern Italian area of origin. Take the Quattro Stagioni pizza for example. Its bounty of Italian sausage, olives and mushrooms can feel like a proper meal.
The MVP honors, however, go to that crust, which had the smoky flavor and round crisp that can only come from a hand-built oven like theirs.
Prices are typically $13.95. There are a few outliers, including the Gamberi & Rucola. But hey, if you’re asking for sauteed shrimp on a pizza, then you’re committing to throwing down some money.
Boka Pizza: 455 N. Third St. Suite 1030
In the former home of Cafe Roma Pizza, the rebranded Boka Pizza brought its take on build-your-own pizza forward into 2015. Moving away from slices and into personal pizzas wasn’t just to stay in-trend — the shift should bring fresh-out-of-the-oven ‘za to every single customer that orders there.
An $8 personal pie features an unlimited number of cheeses, veggies and meats on top of a choice of sauces. The whole thing is polished off with garlic butter on the crust — a staple of Tempe pizza places that’s less common downtown.
The store’s Arizona Center location should give it the best access to downtown ASU students of any of our competitors, but the sheer density of pizza restaurants downtown means that location alone isn’t enough for anyone to get by, the product has to be up to par too. Is the new year’s new direction enough to push Boka to the top?
MATCHUP NO. 3
Federal Pizza: 5210 N. Central Ave.
While not technically in downtown, Federal Pizza qualifies for the bracket by being in the light rail corridor. Nestled in next to Postino’s Phoenix location, Federal needs to bring a high level of deliciousness to draw customers away from the warm embrace of bruschetta.
The restaurant’s expansive beer pairings and drive-thru (not to be used at the same time, mind you) bring a little extra pizzazz to the restaurant, but the top-quality ‘za is what’s most important here. Most pies come in between $13 and $15, with the topping-piled Big Star leading the way as a signature option.
Our most downtown-centric voters might have to go a little out of their way to get to Federal, but it’s well worth it — a different take on restaurant-style pizza and, most importantly, the ability to make an informed Pizza Bracket vote are worth the journey.
Forno 301: 301 W. Roosevelt St.
The newest entry into the downtown pizza scene, Forno 301 opened in late March. The pizzeria wants to be more than just a restaurant. The Italian owners plan to host singers and entertainers for Italian music nights. The newcomer aims to be family friend with a modern touch.
The pizzas are affordable for college students. A Margherita costs $9 while the Margherita topped with spicy salami slices, called the Diavola, will only set you back $10.
Though still new, Forno 301 may start cutting into Grand Avenue Pizza Company’s late-night pizza crowd with its midnight closing. It’s newness may hurt this shop’s chances, but who knows, crazier things have happened (I mean, Kentucky, am I right?).
MATCHUP NO. 4
Cibo: 603 N. Fifth Ave.
Cibo, known as one of the prime date spots in downtown Phoenix, has just about everything you need for a romantic night: Lovely outdoor seating, prime lighting and the setting of a quaint home-turned-restaurant. But we’re here to judge pizza.
You’ve got your white and red pizzas ranging between $11 to $17. One of the cheaper options is the go-to Margherita. (DD tip: Add ricotta cheese to this classic. The combination is both light on the stomach and rich on the tastebuds.) You’re looking at some crispy crust here.
Cibo’s pies are appreciated by college students, urban professionals and older patrons alike. We’ve even heard a rumor that the ASU Italian professors eat there.
Focoso Pizza: Truck, various spots around downtown
Despite being confined to food truck dimensions, the Focoso Pizza food truck creates an impressive sense of place. “Big Blue,” Focoso’s custom-made wood fire oven, consumes most of the inside.
The truck offers three main stays. First is the house special Focosita with spicy sausage, fresh jalapenos, cherry peppers, pepperoncinis and ricotta cheese. The other two are Hawaiian and Caprese, and the truck also features seasonal specialty pizzas. All specialty pizzas run from $8 to $13.
Focoso’s crust is the star of the show. It’s an ideal blend of crunchy and doughy, toasted perfectly by the wood fire oven. The truck locally sources its sauce and cheese that hold their flavors.
MATCHUP NO. 5
Grand Avenue Pizza Company: 1031 Grand Ave.
It’s the craving. The drunk-at-2 a.m. pizza craving. Grand Avenue Pizza Company knew the craving and took it upon themselves to comfort the wandering souls, drunk and sober alike, who are up until the wee hour of 4 a.m.
The pizza joint offers slices of a different special every day as well as the staples pepperoni and cheese. Other classics come in whole pizzas, such as the Diana Ross, mixing pepperoni and sausage with some veggies, and Ono, the Hawaiian ‘za of ham, bacon, bell peppers and pineapple.
Slices are typically $3, while the daily special typically ranges upward. A 12” pie wavers between $10 and $18 while the 18” hovers around $18 and $28.
Pizza Studio: 11 W. Washington St. #120
Pizza Studio brought its build-your-own pizza concept to CityScape about a year ago, championing the freedom of creative pizza lovers everywhere. With a style straight from assembly-style burrito or sandwich places, the restaurant certainly brings a unique element to pizza creation.
For $8, customers can put whatever they want on an 11” pizza. There are multiple crust flavors to choose from, a selection of sauces, cheeses, vegetables, cruelty-free meats and some finishing herbs and seasonings.
While it might be tough for such a different concept to hold up against the appeal of traditional pizza, the potential value and variety of unlimited toppings could carry the day in this Pizza Bracket. Plus, happily throwing Old Bay seasoning on a pizza has to be worth some points, right?
MATCHUP NO. 6
La Piazza PHX: 1 N. First St.
Located kitty-corner to CityScape, La Piazza PHX offers many options for the pizza-hungry. The Neapolitan-style pizzas, priced from $9 to $15, are proud of their Italian origins.
There’s the Burrata with basil that, as their menu boasts, as uncut “just like in Naples!” The love of Italian food is strong. So strong, in fact, that they even mixed two Italian classics in one. That’s right. There’s a lasagne pizza for only $14. (DD tip: Bring loose pants.)
Some of the pizzas carry the DOP seal. Don’t worry, we had no idea what that was either. Denominazione di Origine Protetta basically means the pie meets specific Italian standards and characteristics.
Pizza People Pub: 1326 N. Central Ave.
Although it started as the popular food truck Pizza People, the restaurant now hosts a brick-and-mortar restaurant called Pizza People Pub. We’ve heard mumblings that the physical location pales in comparison to the food truck. We call the taste buds of the naysayers into question.
True to its food truck roots, the physical restaurant has a variety of pizzas extending beyond the traditional. Take the Happy Mac, a pizza with macaroni and cheese, the Date Me, a pie that mixes prosciutto and Arizona dates, and the From Brussels with Love, a ‘za topped with brussels sprouts and bacon.
The crust typically lives in the middle of doughy and crispy. With a reasonable price point, the 10” pizzas waver between $9.55 and $11.25.
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