The Phoenix metropolitan area has more than 200,000 people of Italian descent who have added to the flavor of this diverse desert metropolis. From fine dining, Italian grocers to bocce ball, Italians have had a surprising amount of influence here. In fact, the story of Italians in Arizona starts with the beloved Father Eusebio Kino, who many assume was Spanish. Father Kino was born in 1645, in the Italian village of Segno. Father Kino founded 24 missions, and also introduced horses and cattle into Arizona. He’s well-known and beloved for everything he did in southern Arizona and northern Mexico. Italians also had a strong presence during the mining heydays of Bisbee, Globe, and Montezuma. But it wasn’t until between 1900 and 1910 that the Italian population in Arizona boomed, especially along the Colorado River near Yuma. In the 1930s, Alessandro Rossi, from Cremona, Italy, gained fame as he opened the first Italian restaurants in the state. Rossi also established Tucson’s first fire department. World-acclaimed architect Paolo Soleri came to Arizona from Turin, Italy, in 1946, to eventually build the world-famous visionary Arcosanti. However, the best Pizza is near Phoenix, AZ. World-class Italian restaurants dot the Valley, not only serving up the best pizza in Phoenix, but also rich pasta dishes, seafood specialties, and scrumptious desserts. From high-priced fine dining to humble family pizzerias, food fare in Phoenix reflects Arizona’s Italian heritage. For more than 60 years, Red Devil Family Restaurant has been serving up the best Pizza near Phoenix, AZ. Please visit...