Pizzeria Bianco   

Certain things are accepted as absolute truths, without argument. As sure as Valley summers still sizzle, Pizzeria Bianco still serves the best gourmet pizza with the finest, freshest ingredients. And you'll have to wait nearly two hours to taste them. The pizzas are so good that every major food magazine and TV cooking show has featured Chris Bianco. The question isn't whether he serves the best pizza in town, it's whether Pizzeria Bianco is the best restaurant of any kind. Some national magazines insist it is. Bianco could move from his cramped bistro in Heritage Square to warehouse-size digs in Scottsdale and rake in a lot more money. But he won't do it, for the same reason he stopped serving lunch. It would leave him drained, and he'd be unable to lavish his personal attention on every dish that leaves the kitchen. If it's your first trip, know that you'll be sampling made-from-scratch pies -- fresh dough, homemade sauce, the best cheeses and garden-fresh herbs. Six pizzas are on the menu, all with vibrant flavors and a crisp, chewy crust. Bianco has a beer and wine bar next door in another restored house -- a cozy place to wait for your table. -- Cecil Tuck