News

''Slice of Heaven' book rates Pizzeria Bianco tops in U.S.

February 13, 2005

The Arizona Republic: If Ed Levine could have just one pizza before dying, it would be one from Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix.

Levine, a food writer for the New York Times, calls the artisan pizzeria's pies the best in the country in his just-published book, Pizza: A Slice of Heaven (Universe Publishing, 2005, $24.95 paperback).

"In many ways, it's the definition of a perfect pizza," Levine said Friday from his Manhattan home. He waxed poetic over the creations of the shop's owner and pizzaiolo, Chris Bianco, a native Brooklyner (read also Who's Who: Chris Bianco).

Declaring that the nation's best pizza is found outside New York bothers some Gothman pizza makers.

"I know it's not true," said L. Goldberg, one of the partners in Totonno's Pizzeria Napolitano. "It's the water. New York's got the best water. And yeast," Goldberg said. "Does he cook over coal? We use coal."

Read more ...