Mimi Forno Italiano

"Laveen may not be a restaurant hotspot, but its deep farming roots make it a natural fit for a restaurant like Mimi’s Forno Italiano, which sources produce from its own nearby Cavallo Vineyard. Open since 2018, this neighborhood trattoria sticks to Southern Italian staples, with owner Domenico Cavallo pulling from family recipes rooted in Salerno. The menu delivers well-executed classics, from pappardelle alla bolognese to rigatoni with sausage and ricotta, plus wood-fired pizzas topped with imported cheeses and cured meats. The antipasti lineup doesn’t miss — crisp arancini stuffed with mozzarella and meat sauce, light and tender calamari, and housemade meatballs that are an easy standout. And for dessert, the blueberry cheesecake, with fresh berries blended right into the batter for a naturally deep purple hue, is a must." - Mcconnell Quinn, Nikki Buchanan

"Out among the farms of Laveen, Domenico Cavallo runs a southern Italian trattoria featuring antipasti, homemade pasta and wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pizza, 19 varieties in all. Cavallo stays true to the pizza traditions of Naples, using Italian 00 flour and high-hydration dough to give a light, softy quality to his soupy-centered pies. He also owns a small farm in Laveen, where he grows figs, melons, basil, garlic, arugula, and many other fruits, herbs, and vegetables, all of which he uses in the restaurant. Consider one of his excellent white pies — maybe the uovo e tartufo (a white pie topped with bacon, eggs, mushrooms, cheeses, and truffle oil) or the fiche (mozzarella, dried figs, speck, Brie, and white wine honey)." - Mcconnell Quinn, Chris Malloy, Nikki Buchanan

"Out among the farms of Laveen, Domenico Cavallo runs a southern Italian trattoria featuring antipasti, homemade pasta and wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pizza, 19 varieties in all. Cavallo stays true to the pizza traditions of Naples, using Italian 00 flour and high-hydration dough to give a light, softy quality to his soupy-centered pies. He also owns a small farm in Laveen, where he grows figs, melons, basil, garlic, arugula, and many other fruits, herbs and vegetables, all of which he uses in the restaurant. Consider one of his excellent white pies — maybe the uovo e tartufo (a white pie topped with bacon, eggs, mushrooms, cheeses, and truffle oil) or the fiche (mozzarella, dried figs, speck, Brie and white wine honey)." - Nikki Buchanan, Chris Malloy