Via Della Slice Shop, a New York-style slice shop in downtown Phoenix, was just named one of the best pizzerias in the country by USA TODAY.
“That’s going to take a few days to sink in,” said owner Tanner Locust upon receiving the news.
Before opening Via Della in 2021, he had no prior restaurant experience.
“People ask me all the time, what inspired you to open a pizzeria? And I honestly think that life has a mysterious way of putting you where you’re supposed to be,” Locust said.
Locust fell in love with restaurants while living in Rome for a few years during his childhood. His mother moved to Italy from Arizona for work and took Locust with her.
“That’s kind of what opened my eyes to homemade ingredients, homemade sauces, that entire flavor profile,
and also family restaurants,” Locust said. “When we first moved out there, we didn’t know anybody and our first friends were the restaurant down the street.”
When he returned to Phoenix, he never forgot about the hospitality and warmth he felt at those local Roman pizzerias. When he got a job for the city of Phoenix as an adult, he made a habit of walking around the city on his lunch breaks, scoping out old buildings and “imagining what they could be.”
When he first found the old brick building at Fifth Avenue and Van Buren Street that is now Via Della Slice Shop, Locust knew immediately that it was something special.
What sets Via Della apart?
“At the time when I opened this place, there really wasn’t a New York-style pizza that had the Neapolitan flair,” Locust said.
Via Della Pizza is also one of the only traditional slice joints in downtown Phoenix. Locust said he saw it as a “hole in the market” that he wanted to fill.
All of Via Della’s pizzas are built around a “parmesan, reggiano and basil profile” with lots of Italian trademarks like cured meats and cheeses.
“Arizona’s pizza culture is a lot different,” Locust said. “It’s kind of the build-your-own style that everyone’s used to. We always knew we were going to curate pies, present things to people and spend our time on flavor profiles, things like that.”
Offering pizza by the slice gives guests the opportunity to taste a variety of pies in one sitting, Locust said, as well as allowing guests to enjoy a satisfying lunch for under $12.
Individual slices range from $4 to $6.
What's the vibe at Via Della?
Locust said the shop is busiest on Saturday nights, when guests stop in to fill up before heading out to nearby music venues or bars.
Located directly across the street from The Van Buren music venue, Via Della draws much of its regular crowd from downtown concertgoers. The music theme extends to the pizzeria's personality, from restaurant merchandise resembling tour T-shirts and guitar picks to coupons printed to look like concert ticket stubs.
Other aspects of the physical building marry Phoenix history with modern flair. A New York-style neon sign lights up the entryway near the order counter. Prohibition-era alcohol bottles line the exposed brick walls accented by family photos.
What’s on the menu at Via Della?
Via Della offers thirteen specialty pies. The most popular is the Phoenix topped with tomatoes, mozzarella, soppressata, peppers, hot honey, basil and parmesan.
But Locust said his personal favorite is the traditional cheese pizza.
“There’s nothing you can hide behind,” Locust said. “If you have a good cheese, it’s only upwards from there.”
If pizza isn’t your thing, Via Della also offers wings, salads and a few cannolis for dessert.
How to visit Via Della Pizza
Via Della is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Details: 222 N. Fifth Ave., Phoenix. 602-341-6327, viadellasliceshop.com.
Reach the reporter at eddie.fontanez@azcentral.com. Follow @ERFontanez on Instagram.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Downtown Phoenix slice shop named one of the best pizzerias in the US
