Chris Bianco Shutters Pizzeria Bianco’s Tucson Branch

There’s now one less place to eat Chris Bianco’s legendary pizza: Bianco, one of America’s most lauded pizzaiolos, has shuttered the Tucson branch of Pizzeria Bianco.

Bianco launched his first pizzeria in the back of a grocery store in 1988, later moving to Italy to hone his craft; after returning to Arizona he developed a cult following for his pizza, snatching a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2003. With insanely long lines often forming outside his Phoenix restaurant, he expanded with a second location in 2013; the Tucson location opened in 2014.

Blog Tucson Foodie cites “a number of challenges with the space,” including difficult parking, a small kitchen, and bathrooms that were shared with a neighboring nightclub. Bianco and team had reportedly hoped to transition into a new Tucson location, but decided to take advantage of “an option in the lease allowing for an early exit at the two year mark.”

Pizzeria Bianco cooks its pizzas in custom-built, wood-burning ovens, and is perhaps most famous for its Pizza Rosa, a sauceless creation topped with pistachios, red onion, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bianco’s restaurant empire also includes Tratto and casual sandwich shop Pane Bianco, both in Phoenix.

Eater has reached out to Bianco for further comment.

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