It all started in 1988, in the back of a Phoenix grocery store at a shop called Pizzeria Bianco. Here, chef Chris Bianco used fresh, local ingredients to top blistered, wood-fired pizzas that would later cement his reputation as a leader in the artisanal pizza movement. Bianco’s signature wood-fired pizzas quickly took him from those humble beginnings to a sit-down restaurant that opened in 1994. All along, an 800°-oven produced a crackling crust with charred air bubbles that give each pizza the perfect chewy pull.
Since then, Bianco has gone from strength to strength. He was named best chef Southwest at the 2003 James Beard Awards (the first pizzaiolo to receive that honor) and nabbed the outstanding restaurateur distinction at last year’s ceremony. 2022 marked several firsts: Bianco was featured on an episode of Netflix hit Chef’s Table, and he expanded beyond Phoenix to open Pizzeria Bianco in downtown Los Angeles.
At the Downtown Los Angeles location in a former coffee cafe, Bianco’s famed charred dough reigns supreme. Locally sourced ingredients such as pistachios and rosemary star on the menu and highlight Bianco’s continued commitment to working with local farmers. Stop by at lunch for a selection of sandwiches on housemade focaccia, salads, and thinner, New York-style pizzas by the slice. You’ll need to make your way over for dinner for the star attraction. Order one of Bianco’s signature wood-fired pizzas (also available at all Phoenix locations), small plates such as fontina wrapped in prosciutto, and a selection of wines and beer from the West Coast and Europe. Here are three pies worth trying at the restaurant.
Sonny Boy (tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, soppressata, Gaeta olives)
Sonny Boy is an ode to the classic pepperoni slice in New York, where Bianco grew up, and a nod to his father’s childhood nickname. Bianco’s pizza swaps out pepperoni for crisped, square soppressata that has the same spice and fatty notes of pepperoni, but gives the pie a distinct taste. He tops it with Gaeta olives, black, oval olives from Italy’s Gaeta region that have a tart and salty quality to them. “I love the coarse texture of it, all that good porkiness and salinity, which is so beautiful, married with the acidity of the tomato sauce, ”Bianco writes in his book, Pizza, Pasta, and Other Food I Like.
Margherita (tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, basil)
As you might expect from one of the country’s top pizzaiolos, Bianco’s Margherita kicks this standard up a notch. He steams whole organic tomatoes grown in Northern California and combines them with extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil leaves, sea salt, and pepper. That mix is then crushed by hand and put on the dough. Fresh chunks of mozzarella follow. Once the cheese melts in the oven, the pizza is finished with fresh basil leaves. This one’s a house favorite for a reason. The smokiness of the crust contrasted with the slightly sweet tomatoes shines through in each bite.
Pizza Rosa (red Onion, Parmigiano Reggiano, Rosemary, Santa Barbara Pistachios)
Bianco was inspired to create this pie after a visit to a focacceria in Liguria, Italy, 30 years ago. There, he ate bread filled with sesame seeds and parmesan that made him want to recreate that nutty taste in the form of a pizza. His pistachio-topped pizza rosa does just that. The nuts are put on the pizza halfway through cooking, ensuring they’re just warm enough to release their oils without burning. The pie is finished off with Parmigiano-Reggiano, rosemary, and red onions that are thinly sliced and tossed with olive oil until they wilt. “[It’s] a restraint that delivers tenfold on its first bite,” Bianco writes in his cookbook.
Kristin Braswell is a journalist and founder of CrushGlobal Travel, a company that customizes travel guides and authentic experiences around the world.
