The Best Italian Restaurants in Phoenix, Arizona | Eater Phoenix

"Racan Alhoch, a New Jersey native with Syrian roots, brings his take on Italian-American classics to downtown Phoenix with Saint Pasta. What started as a cult-favorite food truck is now a full-fledged restaurant, and since going brick-and-mortar in 2024, it’s been a line-out-the-door hit. The menu launched with three chicken cutlet variations, rigatoni vodka, spaghetti pomodoro, and spaghetti garlic and oil, but as the team finds its stride, the offerings continue to grow — recent additions include pillowy potato gnocchi in pesto cream and the absurdly good Vampire Slayer Fries, doused in house garlic butter and lemon-dill aioli. Sauces are slow-cooked for hours, pastas come from a small local producer, and the kitchen keeps things taut with a strict no-modifications policy. Expect the menu to keep evolving, though the approach stays the same: no fuss, no shortcuts, and a deep respect for the classics. Just eat it how they make it and finish strong with a stracciatella cheesecake from local Chaconne Bakery." - McConnell Quinn