La Piazza al Forno

High noon, hot sun, La Piazza al Forno is a welcome shady rest in old town Glendale. The staff works well together and our server Patti welcomed us like old friends. She showed a genuine enthusiasm and true joy that is often lost in most restaurants.
My lunch special was a hybrid pizza/​calzone that was perfectly baked and came piping hot with the best crust in town and freshest basil I’ve tasted. I make great pizza but I can’t compete with their knowledge and the beautiful imported oven that is the namesake of their restaurant.
Five star flavor in a tin star town.

Being from Italy, Florence, to be precise, my wife and I were curious about this much touted place as being authentic, to the point of resembling a pizzeria in Naples. I lived and worked in Naples for some years on the Italian hit soap opera Un Posto al Sole (a Place in the Sun). Much to our dismay we found this place to be dingy and unkept, and our table had scratch marks on it. The place could have used a paint job. Pizzerias in Naples may be small, but they are neat. This was 8 months back so maybe by now it’s been improved. I can only speak of our experience at the time. The pizza was adequate but nothing to drive more than five miles for. If you happen to be in the area and want a pizza by all means stop in, otherwise go to Pizza Bianco, named one of the top ten pizzerias in the country.

I you ever smelled a real Italian kitchen, that is the smell that greats you. The best smell in the world. We arrived a little after noon on Saturday. We ordered fried meatballs, and a margarita pizza with pepperoni. The fried meatballs were cooked perfect. They had a great bark on them. The sauce had garlic, oregano, rosemary and basil, just like grandma’s. The pizza was a true thin crust. It to had the same sauce as the meatballs. I did not care for the deli style pepperoni. I did like the fire taste on the crust, but wanted more crisp in my crust.

This little Italian place was so great! We had a last minute change of plans for a group of 18 and they got us in, provided top notch service, great food and the prices were not bad at all. The portions are big but not stupid big, the iced tea was REALLY good, and the menu had a good selection. We’ll be back!

Some of the best food I’ve had in a very long time. So tasty, fresh and fantastic. I will definitely be back for more! The special was a fig or prosciutto calzone and man I wish I would have tried it! We got the fried calamari, fried ravioli, bruschetta, stuffed shrimp, and the insalata piazza… all so delicious food!!!

Pizza from the streets of Italy. This is a fabulous Italian pizzeria. Their toppings, sauce to crust ratios are reminisce of my visit to Italy, to Venice and Carbonara. They have two types of margherita pizza. My favorite pizza the Salvatore with the prosciutto di parma and basil. I was told by other sources that if you want bread, you must explicitly ask for it, or you will get none. Ask and ye shall receive. Another must order is the ravioli. We ordered the 4 cheese ravioli, but next time, we are eager to try the mushroom and garlic stuffed full moon ravioli. The sauces are full-​bodied and so very tasty.

Hello perfectly crispy crust, subtly sweet marinara, and salty, stringy mozzarella! This may be my new favorite Pizza in the Valley.
Hidden in a small strip in Old Town Glendale, this cute little Italian place was a pleasant surprise that stole my Pizza loving heart.
The atmosphere here I found to be very pleasant. Simple but still cute. A bit of a rustic vibe.
The service was fast and friendly.
The Pizza with all of its fresh, homemade ingredients was perfection. We got the Margherita D.O.C. Their Homemade Mozzarella was fantastic. The crust was a bit sweet which went really well with the sweet and tangy marinara sauce. I really enjoyed every bite of this Pizza. My only complaint would be that I would love a bit more fresh basil. Mmm…
I cant wait to come back to try their homemade pastas and have some more of their perfect, wood fired, pizzas!

Best Pizza dough in the valley.

Didn’t even get to sit down. Walked in, walked out. Plenty of two seat tables open. She tried to seat us right next to the door. I asked if we could not sit by the door. I was brought to another table with the shittiest attitude. I didn’t even sit down. I wanted to spit in her face. Won’t be going back anytime soon. I can’t stand it when your job is to be a host and you cop an attitude.

Last day in Glendale and I found this place on Triple D. So I figure why not!
We got there around noon, wasn’t a wait which I was very surprised! Because after coming here, this place should have a line out the door ²⁴⁄₇! We ordered The Italian Stallion, stuff shrimp, and the brushsetta. The bruschetta was great, the ingredients wasn’t from a can and simply top on a piece of toast. My wife and I both reallyI like the stuff shrimp, it was seasoned just right. Next time we come here, we made the decision to get the shrimp over the bruschetta for the simply fact that it was just a great dish overall. NOW FOR THE STAR OF THE SHOW, THE MIGHTY ITALIAN STALLION! This have got to be the best pizza I ever had. It wasn’t very heavy on the sauce and piled high to where you can’t even lift the damn thing! The amazing taste of the dough from the wood fire grill is what really bring this thing all together! I saw other pizzas that came out that I added on my list to try next time, but this one will be hard to give up if given the opportunity again. The sauce and the selections of meats topped on the amazing charred thin crust… You got to try it!
The menu and cost wasn’t that bad, about on average as what you’d pay for a premium pizza. I found great value you in this place and would come here often for that reason.
The atmosphere here isn’t that bad. Cozy is what I probably say, not a huge place, but not small either. The seating was comfortable and thats all that matters to me.
The customer service was overall good. Our server was helpful with some suggestions and very attentive to our needs and drinks.
This is located in historic or downtown Glendale. Kind of a touristy area, lots of restaurants and bars near by. So parking could be an issue during due to its right in the middle of all the attraction.
Overall…A MUST TRY! If your in Phoenix area and looking for great pizza, look no further!

So… it’s been awhile since I have written a review for this place. I have been back probably a dozen times, and it’s still my favorite Neapolitan style pizza in Phoenix. My buddy was in from out of town, and I wanted to take him somewhere good. I was also going to branch out and try something new. I had been eyeing their Linguini with Clams in red sauce for awhile now and decided that I would order it during this most recent visit. We drove down, parked, walked down the block and then made our way inside. We were seated immediately and placed our order. I went with an order of the Linguini and Clams in Red Sauce, my buddy went with the Chicken Marsala, and we split a Dolce Diavolo pizza.
Before we even get to the food, I would like to give some props to all the employees that work here. I have always had great service, and they always remember who you are. There is a guy named Sean (not sure on the spelling of his name) who is flat out awesome! He is always very personable and we always shoot the shit for a few minutes whenever I am in there. He recognizes me every time I come in and asks how I have been etc. Great, great, great customer service! All the other servers are great too. Even had a chance to meet the owner, Justin, and we talked NY Giants football for a minute. They have a great group of people working here! On to the food…
Linguini and Clams in Red Sauce– Like I said earlier, I had been eyeing this one for awhile now. Problem is, their pizza is so damn good, I never branched out to try anything else. I had my mind made up though, and knew I was going to get it. I was glad I did! This pasta dish comes loaded with clams! It had whole clams as well as diced/​chopped clams. This was piled on top of perfectly cooked linguini and mixed with a delicious red sauce/​broth. It also came with 2 triangular pieces of bread. Man… this dish was fantastic! Portion size was huge, the clams were awesome, and the red sauce had a bit of spice to it. It was probably the best pasta dish I have ever had at a restaurant. Yes, it was that good! The kicker, it was only $ 11.00. That is a steal for this dish! I’m sad I never ordered it sooner. I will order this from here on out! My buddy said he loved his chicken marsala, too! He was very impressed.
Dolce Diavolo Pizza– This is my go to pizza. I either go with a plain Margherita, or this one, 90% of the time. This pizza has sopressata, Calabrian chiles, mozzarella, basil and honey! This pizza is fantastic! The combo of flavors are absolutely awesome. You get the spicy sopressata, the creamy mozzarella, the heat from the chiles and the sweet from the honey. This is all laid upon a great crust. A little bit salty, a little bit soft, and a great chew. It’s a very unique pizza and its incredibly delicious. It is also the only place in the Valley that I have contemplated ordering a second pizza once I was finished with my first. I can put down pizza like nobodies business, but am usually content when its gone. I have never actually ordered another one, but always think about it. and only here! The pizza is that good!
I don’t know if I could have asked for a better meal! The pasta and pizza combo was insanely awesome! Out the door with tip and everything, it was less than $ 25.00. For that quality of food, friendly service, and huge portions, it’s an incredible bargain. I can’t say enough great things about this place. You should definitely check it out!

Great little nugget of a place… tucked away in Glendale. We had a pizza as an appetizer (great crust and sauce) and shared the pesto lasagna and Bolognese — both also very good.
To make this very simple — this place is solid. The service was excellent, the food was delicious and I just don’t know what else to add. I’d hit this place without a doubt the next time I’m in the area. I’ve eaten Italian good twice the price and it wasn’t half as good — trust me, this place takes a lot of pride in their food… and it shows.

This place is amazing authentic Italian food it was featured on diners drives in and dives that’s what made me want to try it. I had the spaghetti Pomodoro and my brother had a calzone both which were delicious if you find yourself in Glendale Arizona this is definitely a place you should try

I love their margherita pizza, the crust is perfectly crisp, the sauce is flavorful and tangy and the basil and mozzarella are fresh just like they should be.
The inside is pretty small and the tables and chairs aren’t particularly comfy. I’ve driven by and seen a line down the sidewalk and although it’s good, I wouldn’t wait in a line to eat here.
The service is great, very sweet people working here. I once called in to order a pizza togo and they wouldn’t do it because they said the pizza would be soggy by the time I got there. I told them that I had been forewarned and to do it anyway but they refused. That didn’t make me happy but I see their point, they want their food to be enjoyed as it supposed to taste.

When in town for a run and short on time, our go to restaurant suggestion list is, of course, the Diner’s Drive-​ins and Dives web site. It has been a hit or miss at times, but this time Guy did not disappoint. This mom and pop restaurant in downtown Glendale (about 30 minutes from Tempe where we were staying) is da bomb. Pasta sauces cooked to order, stone oven pizza made to perfection, and chill dining experience made this spot perfection. Please make sure to top off your dinner with one of their bomb cheesecakes.

La Piazza al Ferno is a brick oven restaurant that serves certified pizza napoletana that Guy Fieri loved. Myself on the hand thinks it is was average at best.
We ordered a Margherita D.O.C. Pizza. This pizza comes with San Marzano Tomatoes D.O.P., House Made Mozzarella, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Fresh Basil. House made mozzarella was good but pizza lacked over all flavor. I feel this is another over hyped food network restaurant. It’s hard to find good pizza outside of Chicago.

We’ve paid numerous visits to La Piazza al Forno and have always been satisfied with the quality of their pizza. Their Regina Margherita D.O.C., Salvatore, and Dolce Diavolo are all excellent pies, with high quality ingredients and a nice, charred and bubbly crust that’s full of flavor.
Their appetizers, including their fried meatballs and ravioli are also worth mentioning. I also like that they offer the giant coke (medio litro) bottles in contrast to the standard-​sized ones that most places have.
The place seems to be very popular for the area and service has always been good. So, why not a perfect five stars, you ask?
There’s massive inconsistency with their bread policy. We always like to start off with some house made bread and olive oil as an appetizer. They have it and it’s actually very good. Although whether or not they let you have it seems to vary based on the server. One server refused, claiming it was only for people who ordered pasta. So, even though we’re ordering multiple pizzas, we’re not allowed to have any bread beforehand? Interestingly enough, another server gave us some without any fuss. On another visit, the server refused due to the pasta-​only policy, but then was kind enough to smuggle some out to it after she felt bad. Personally, since we’re paying for the bread, I don’t see why this would ever be an issue.
The only other gripe is that their housemade dessert menu isn’t really all that impressive. They need that «killer dish» that everyone recommends, but I’ve yet to discover it. Strangely enough, their sister restaurant (La Piazza Phx) offers a dessert menu that features an absolutely amazing Angioletti Con Nutella that I wish they’d considering adding to their Glendale menu.
These gripes aside, I still highly recommend their pizza!

My uncle was in town visiting and wanted to go to a restaurant that has been featured on Triple D. After a little research we ended up here. I have been by in the past and know this place gets packed so we came in close to when they opened for dinner. We had no wait and were greeted and seated immediately.
It smelled amazing and made me even more hungry! Our server was super friendly and guided us when we asked for ideas on things to order. We started out with the Bruschetta which was amazing. I could have just eaten that and the bread for dinner. Delicious.
We decided to each order an entrée and share. We had the Italian Stallion pizza, Pesto Lasagna and the Linguini and clams with white sauce. We all loved everything! The pizza was not the best I have had but it was definitely up there with the best. The Linguini and clams was really good with just enough spice to give it a nice kick at the end. My favorite was the lasagna. It was different and delicious. The creamy pesto sauce was so good I dipped my pizza crust into my bowl to get the last bit of sauce. The lasagna was made up of chicken and cheeses. We enjoyed beer and wine with our dinner and everything was priced appropriately for the portion size. Can’t wait to return because I am going to crave that lasagna again very soon.

During my stay in Phoenix with family, I insisted we check out La Piazza. Because 1. They serve VPN certified Neapolitan pizza and 2. It was featured on Triple D. and 3. I love wood fired pizza and 4. it wasn’t far from our resort and 5. I am full blooded Italian and 6. I love Neapolitan pizza and 7. I love pizza (like crazy)…oops…already said that. and 8. I have eaten excessive amounts of pizza… So, yeah I was brimming with excitement and very determined to get here.
While everyone was exhausted after the drive back from visiting the Grand Canyon and hadn’t eaten anything for over 5 hours, we were both super hungry and super *car-​lagged*. It was pretty late and we wanted some fast eats. No dining in. No fast food. So I pleaded (& begged to my sister) that she join me in grabbing some pizzas to bring back for all to eat. It was only another 20 min. car drive anyway… We easily found it and happily arrived! Placed our order to the very friendly & personable server and waited while listening to some good Italian jams (I might add). The restaurant was cozy & wood oven was in clear sight. #Happiness ;)
Most (as I) ordered the Regina Margherita (san marzano tomatoes, bufalo mozzarella & fresh basil) and Salvatore (same as Margherita but w/​prosciutto). Got pizzas, arrived in suite, broke open the boxes and boy oh boy — Guy was not kidding around! (for a change). While we didn’t eat it piping hot from the oven (best way to eat this kind of pizza) it was still delicious. Crust was somewhat chewy, had that ‘pull’ you’d expect, & nicely charred. Light, fresh sauce, and the bufalo cheese combined with basil. This was music to my mouth. Pretty outstanding. Kudos to Arizona (or Glendale) & La Piazza al Forno & Guy (for that matter) for this superb pizza!!!
So, the moral of this review is 1. I will beg for pizza 2. I will travel for pizza, 3. I am a pizza gluten, 4. I will continue to watch Triple D and 5. I will DEFINATELY be back the next time I am in Phoenix!!!

Best pizza I’ve had in the Phoenix area yet. The closest thing to a real pizza I’ve found. Also. Fried meatballs! Nice!
The place was clean and not too busy. The prices are good for the quantity of food you get and the service was prompt and friendly. I’ll be back! Thanks!