Tucson, AZPizza

At Zio Peppe, pizza becomes a meeting point for southern Arizona and Italian American cooking. Mesquite flour deepens the crust, while the El Rustico pie layers birria into a format that still eats like pizza rather than a novelty. Red sauce standards and pasta give less adventurous diners an equally thoughtful route.

Reilly serves crisp artisan pies inside a restored funeral home, with a beer garden and basement bar extending the evening beyond dinner. Potato and pecorino, seasonal vegetables, and familiar cured meats sit comfortably on the same menu. The dough carries enough structure for generous toppings while retaining a light, blistered edge.

Fiamme follows Neapolitan technique with finely milled flour, San Marzano tomatoes, fior di latte, and a hot oven that leaves the rim airy and charred. Pizzaiolo Scott Volpe keeps the center tender and the topping combinations disciplined. The result is a pie meant to arrive quickly, be folded freely, and disappear while hot.

Anello works with naturally leavened dough and seasonal produce in an intimate Sixth Street room. The sourdough crust develops a crisp exterior, open crumb, and gentle tang that supports simple combinations rather than burying them. Vegetables often carry as much weight as cheese or meat, and the compact oven remains visible from the tables.

Rocco's gives Tucson a full Chicago vocabulary, from tavern style thin crust to deep dish and stuffed pies. The kitchen also handles wings, sandwiches, and salads, but the appeal is choosing exactly how much crust and cheese the evening requires. The Broadway room is casual, busy, and rooted in decades of local familiarity.