Slices on Mill
Looking for the best pizza by the slice in Tempe? Slices on Mill has been a Downtown Tempe staple for over 20 years. Anyone who has attended ASU or spent time on Mill Avenue likely knows the greatness of Slices on Mill. They serve a huge variety of New York-style pizzas as well as Calzones and are widely known for their wild late night bites (open until 3am Thursday–Saturday) and their budget-friendly lunch specials for ASU students. Owner Nate Cruz shows off his creativity and a nod to his Baltimore roots with some Maryland inspired creations on the menu, such as the Old Bay Chicken.
Hot Daisy Pizza
Hot Daisy opened in February of 2021 on downtown Phoenix’s Roosevelt Row. The shop is headed by well-known Phoenix pastry chef Tammie Coe. On the menu you’ll find the classics alongside some of the valley’s most unique slices. Options include a Lasagna Pizza, Firefighter Pepperoni, Italian Stallion, and of course, the Corny Baby-Elote Pie. My personal favorite addition to any slice is making it what they call “Fire Fighter Style Chunky.” It brings the heat to your slice with a sauce mixed of Calabrian chili, pickled jalapeno, chipotle, and pepperoncini.
Squared Up Pizza
Squared Up Pizza is located inside the Tucson mall food court. Owner Pat McColley raves about his staff and how they pride themselves on making true New York-style pizzas. They even go as far as using a NY water maker to build their ingredients, sodas, and ice. To go even a step further, top shelf ingredients get shipped in from the east coast to give it that authentic NY pizza taste. From now until the end of the year, be sure to hit them up for happy hour from 4-6pm, Monday-Friday for $5 square slices!
Via Della
Via Della Slice Shop is located in downtown Phoenix on the southwest corner of 5th Avenue and Van Buren. Via Della, although relatively new to the Arizona pizza scene—open for business for 2 years—has been in this space for 5 years now and weathered the covid storm. Additionally, a true master of his craft, Chef CZ has been working in pizzerias his whole life and is now making what is regarded as some of the best pizza by the slice in the entire state. There are a wide range of pizza slice options you can find here from a classic cheese to a squared grandma pie, white pies, and most notably, my favorite, the spicy Phoenix pie; spicy soppressata & peppers, topped with basil and a hot honey drizzle. Be sure to check them out and believe me when I say, the hype is real!
Crisp Premium Pizza
Located in Old Town Scottsdale, Crisp Premium Pizza is a slice shop that exclusively features Grandma style pizza slices. If you’re not familiar with Grandma style pizza, it is a square pizza that is cooked in a well-oiled rectangular pan. The sauce is typically layered over the cheese and it is known for its crisp and airy crust. My personal favorite is the Meat D-Lux featuring cupped pepperoni, sausage and meatballs. Crisp is a delightful hole in the wall and is a great stop for a bite during an Old Town wine tour.
written by: steven larson | photographed by: isaac stockton & luke irvin
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