Pizzicata Carefree Pizzeria Ristorante

Local Carefree Spot - Great Outside setting when the weather is nice 😊 great staff “friendly” and the food was decent. The price was high , but what do you expect in this demographic 🌵

Authentic Italian family owned. We had the pizza - very good crust. Eggplant Parma - a bit cold but delish. Tortellini pasta with cream sauce and sausage - very good.The calamari with shrimp was fantastic. Wine selection was good too. Temperature was a bit warm. Open environment. Hopefully they use the A/C when it’s warmer out. We’ll return for another meal.

Fun little spot. Was slow the day we went in, but the service was friendly and the food and drinks were great. I highly recommend the viola pizza, it was delicious. The pizza crust was really good too, thin, nicely cooked undercarriage,zero flop, nice crunch, great taste, maybe a little too much aioli sauce on top but I still enjoyed it. Moscow mule was good and the kids enjoyed a simple butter noodles. If you are looking for a pizza stop in Carefree/North Scottsdale, check this one out.

Date night with Mrs. V. I have had this Italian pizzeria and eatery on my foodie radar for a few weeks. We were greeted and seated immediately by their friendly staff. We began with the Fritto Misto di Mare (shrimp & calamari) for a starter, which was perfectly prepared, light and delicious. I ordered the meat lovers “Pinsa.” (Pinsa is healthier than traditional pizza) This is the best pizza I have eaten since moving to AZ seven years ago. Frannie ordered Gnocchi Bolognese. AH-mazing! Loved the vibe of the outdoor seating. However the star of the show was our server Peter, who was extraordinarily friendly, knowledgeable, and engaging. Also on staff was Mateo, who made you feel like family. I drove to Pizzicata from Gilbert, and it was well worth the 48 miles one way! We can’t wait for the new Mesa location to open!! Highly recommend!!!

Really good pizza is hard to find, so when you do find it it is hard to order anything else. I have probably ordered the pepperoni pizza from here the last five times I visited. I ask for it a little well done and it always arrives as pizza perfection. If you haven’t been to Pizzicata and are in the area, I strongly recommend the visit. The food is great and staff and service are always awesome. 👏

We’ve been here a few times now. It’s nicer to eat outdoors but the rain forced us inside. The inside could be generously called rustic. Dan the manager was our server. Nice guy. We started by sharing a Caesar. It was good but nothing special. We then ordered two pinsas, the Oceano and chicken alfredo. Both were delicious but the Oceano had maybe three shrimp per two pieces. But they were both crispy and the crust was excellent. We’ll wait for better weather so we can eat outside next time.

Beautiful setting in the mountains beautiful restaurant great food great service. When Josh the bartender is there he makes one hell of a Negroni. This is coming from a true Italian.

Food was delicious. The gnocchi gorgonzola was creamy and heavenly. For pizza (pinsa) we tried the 4 formaggi, inferno, and viola...all had lots of flavor. Our only complaint is that it was sooo hot inside and judging by the waiter's response this is normal to not have great AC. We truly would have hung around for more drinks and dessert had we not been sweating. We will return because it was yummy but will wait til late fall

I ordered Fettuccine with meatballs for takeout today ( 06/15/25 ) . The menu showed "Fettuccine with 5 meatballs" for $22. But when I went to pick up my food, the cashier told me the total was $30 didn't even include tax. I asked why, and she said the $22 is only for the noodles and sauce -- adding meatballs costs an extra $8. That's confusing, because that's not what the menu said. When I opened the container, I only got 4 meatballs, not 5 as listed. 1. The price on the menu and what the cashier charged are different. 2. The menu said 5 meatballs, but I only received 4. They overcharged me and gave me Less meat, but a lot of noodles. I didn't open and check the to-go box and gave almost a $6 tip, I really regret it. I ended up paying a total of $37.03 for disappointing food. I won't be coming back!

While the food continues to be good, the overall experience has cratered. It was packed last night and it was next to impossible to move around. There was always a line for the one unisex bathroom in the entire restaurant that snaked between the tables. And of course someone vomited in the bathroom so the line got worse. With all the people in the smaller room and with some of them drunk, it was hard to have a conversation. And finally one of our guest's food arrived 5 or 6 minutes after everyone else's. P.S. One item that irritated me was the price of a bottle of Peroni Zero Alcohol - $8. Excuse me but don't you think that's a bit overpriced?

Low key Italian with a cozy vibe, in the middle of the mountains of AZ! I was brought here by friends I was visiting and they had high reviews on the food and ambiance of Pizzicata, and after visiting I can see why! The owners are from Italy and have brought the authenticity to Carefree. Their food was delicious and their pizza crust is made of flour imported from Italy, making it gluten friendly (lower gluten content) I had the Delicata pizza ( prosciutto, arugula, and parm) and ranks as one of the bests pizzas I've had. I'll be craving this pizza for a LONG time! Our waitress was knowledgeable and friendly, giving us a run down about their menu and checking in with us enough. She also brought us a few extra cannolis at the end of our meal to make sure everyone got one. I'm not a cannoli girl but I'd eat these time and time again! Seating is mostly outdoors and is cozy and comfortable without being crowded. They have a very small amount of indoor seating, but enjoying the perfect spring evening on the patio put this place over the top! If you're in north Scottsdale and aren't afraid of a short drive, check Pizzicata out. It's worth the drive!

I did takeout so I cannot speak to the restaurant but from the photos - it looks super cute! I ordered the mozzarella sticks and the carbonara for my entree. I was staying in a nearby hotel and did DoorDash so I may have forgotten to say I needed utensils but I did not get any. The mozzarella sticks were super crispy. They would probably be better to eat at the restaurant as by the time I got them - the cheese was not as melty inside as I would've wanted. The carbonara pasta was a huge serving!! Definitely could have fed 2-3 people. It was loaded with bacon/pancetta. There were far more onions in it than I would liked. It was not as creamy as I have had carbonara before either. It was just okay.

My sister's family took me here. We were seated right away and on the outdoor patio. The patio was quiet and had heaters. We ordered a 1) Large Fig pizza, 2) Large Viola, 3) Chef's Bolognese, and a 4) Tiramisu for dessert. We also had a bottle of red wine (forgot the name)They were all good. The pizzas were not greasy at all. Tasted healthy. My sister told me they use 80% less gluten in their pizzas. The ambiance here was nice and romantic. Service was fine and very minimalistic. The food was fine. The tiramisu was good, wasn't too sweet and was in a coffee mug. My sister mistakenly forgot her leftover pizzas at the restaurant. The outdoor patio allows dogs and there were a couple of them hanging out.

This spot was gracious and fit in our big group at the end of a night. The service was amazing and the food was fabulous! We enjoyed every bite and would indeed go back there. My beet salad was perfect and many who tried their flatbread said it was the best they had eaten. It was a lovely night out and the atmosphere and food were amazing!

My first time sharing an experience at this restaurant which is tucked away among other shops but you'll find it with ease. I cycled up here yesterday to enjoy a delicious outdoor time with friends for Easter. There is both outdoor and indoor seating and they do have a bar. Staff was very accommodating and delightfully friendly and warm. I had their superfood salad which was spinach, walnuts, blueberries and a house made balsamic vinaigrette. Not a morsel remained on my plate. I also asked to have a seafood pasta dish made which was with a white sauce, shrimp and anchovies and they nailed. My friends have pasta con amore and they too cleaned their plates and caprese salad. If you're up in Carefree and hungry for some delicious Italian food, you won't be disappointed and experience la dolce vita.

Delicious food, friendly efficient servers. We stopped by here after being denied a patio table at Keelers as we had a small dog with us. So we walked over to Pizzicata and we were so happy they accepted us. We enjoyed a lovely meal of Bruscetta and Amicola (?) pinsa. Wow, so delicious! I had a glass of Sauvignon Blanc which paired well with the meal. Our servers were very nice. . They even brought a bowl of water for our dog. We'll definitely be back! We've dined all over Europe and feel Pizzicatas food was on par with meals we've had in Europe. So happy to find this little gem close to home! The only downside for me having a back full of hardware is that the patio chairs could use some seat cushions. We'll be back and will bring friends and family ! Thank you for a lovely afternoon, Pizzicata!

What a nice local pizza joint! I love their patio and their staff! They have a full bar with good variety of cocktails available. I glanced at the wine list. There were several that looked good. We had pizza and was able to add arugula to the top. Wow. Their crust is good! We are locals and will be back when the snowbirds go home!

Went to Lunch here while I was visiting the nearby Wellness Resort and Spa. I think my server's name was Gracie! She was very nice and recommended her favorites (although we didn't go with those selections) I honestly wanted to try everything on the menu. Our food arrived quickly it was sooo fresh and absolutely tasty! I loved the area it was in and the weather that day made eating on the patio a great experience!

We began coming to Pizzicata at the very beginning of the restaurant way back in 2019 or so? The pinsa dough was excellent. A very nice product. Calamari great as well. The service was always wanting, but in the last few yers, it has become especially poor. My wife wanted to eat there yesterday at lunch time, and so we drove up. We were seated and that was it. We waited for a while and then decided to leave, as there was a birthday party, and it appeared to take up the one server's entire attention. You have to have servers or you can't run a restaurant properly. We will likely never return, and it breaks my heart. Lars Hesse at Carefree Coffee Roasters recommended that place to us at its inception, and we loved it at first. But as I stated earlier, the service just continued to decline, to the point where it was frustrating eating there. Per your response, Federico-- My wife and I are both half Italian and we understand well the rhythm of Italian dining. My maternal grandparents came from Calabria, my wife's paternal grandparents from Umbria. We are not strangers to Italian "pace." Your service is slow and has been for a long time.It gives me no pleasure to say this. For the record, our son and his wife had their wedding party at your establishment in 2021. We have been fans of yours without doubt. But I think it is a legitimate concern that we express. We wish you success moving forward.

Loved the food. Absolutely will be back. Cute and cozy place. Service was good. Ate inside this time but patio area is dog friendly. We'll be returning with our dogs in the near future

This place is a hidden gem! And I mean hidden literally. We had a hard time finding it, nestled in to the surrounding shopping center. The place was bustling, but we were seated immediately in their covered outdoor patio. Our waitress was kind and the pizza was perfect! Just one bit of advice: don't order a margarita!

Sat outside for lunch in a beautiful day. Highly recommend this spot and we took all of our servers recommendations and we were not disappointed. The food was fresh and savory. Great lunch spot.

A nice detour from the steakhouse next door. Good food, fun patio, will return again.

Me and my sisters ordered Bruschetta and the Meat Eater's pizza, medium size. All I can say is WOW, the Bruschetta was mind blowing...6 pieces of bread all topped with delicious and fresh ingredients. We were surprised at the size of the appetizer and decided to take some of it home as we still had our pizza to eat. The pizza was not greasy pizza and had an amazing crust. Because we ate so much of the appetizer we opted to take half of the pizza home to consume at a later date. We were seated quickly and placed our order soon after being seated. We sat inside as the weather was cold on this February day. Our server was excellent. We highly recommend this place and we will be returning soon with other guests. Thank you for such a wonderful dining opportunity.

Delicious Pizza. We went twice to this place on our very short trip. Both indoor and outdoor seating available

We celebrated the holiday and my son's 24th birthday! What a charming restaurant! We loved the pizza and calamari. The wine was delicious and regional. Our server was delightful and very helpful. She was attentive too! I will be back. It was a tad hard to find, it's tucked into the mall so don't give up. You'll find it!

Very good Italian food! Great Service with indoor and outdoor seating! Pizza is excellent and Pasta is very good!

We came here for our monthly ladies who lunch group on a Friday. I had read a review that suggested reservations were needed. Not on a weekday apparently. I was excited to try the pinza as I'd never even heard of one. So I got the pepperoni lunch one that came with fries. A friend got got the margarita one, and we had a sandwich and regular menu one. Our server was delightful. He was not only amused by our rowdy group, but also amusing. We got cheesecake for dessert and another slice to go for later. If it were closed I'd be here more often.

This Pizzicata location is hidden inside a golf course in Mesa at 6210 E Mckellips Rd Mesa AZ 85209. This is the second location for this authentic Italian restaurant. Everything we tried was amazing. Packed full of fresh ingredients, full of flavor and made with love. What an experience you'll have once you step foot into the dining room. Family style seating, open spacious floor plan. Very nice patio area with view. Impeccable service and authentic eats. Fredrico has really mastered this dining concept for this east valley area. Be sure to get down to Pizzicata and give them a try! You won't regret this one follow us for more good eats on IG @azn8tive.eat.drink.play

What a great pizza if I can rate a 10 star I would. The staff were amazing and so friendly and welcoming. Their Travolta recommendation we spot on. A must visit place for sure.

DO NOT GO HERE!! ESPECIALLY FOR HOLIDAYS. We had a reservation for Christmas Eve for 6:15, we ordered pretty quick and did not get our food by 8:00 PM!!! UNBELIEVABLE. We ended leaving soon after with no hope. The service and hospitality was AWFUL, zero empathy from the server and manager, UNREAL. We got few updates, and ZERO REFILLS. Worst service of all time, the appetizers we did get near the beginning also weren't worth going here anyway!! 0 apologies, 0 attempts to make it right when we displayed unhappiness. AWFUL

Their food used to be good enough to ignore the price they charge. It's not anymore. Bummer.

The folks at Pizzacata deliver a one of a kind pizza crust, beyond attentive & friendly service. Would highly recommend

Went for pizza and was blown away!!! Had the pepperoni and it was on a crispy "special" crust and loaded with flavor. Very reasonably priced. Our server was top-notch. Such a cute venue....we'll definitely be back!

This place is worth your drive if you don't live in Cave Creek. It'll be your new favorite Italian restaurant. Perfect for casual date night or grabbing a bite with friends. You can sit on the terrace or inside. Inside is smaller and if it's not too hot out I recommend sitting on the terrace to soak in the Italian terrace vibe. They have pinsa and pasta. Pinsa is a style of pizza and it's all about the crust. It's nice and crunchy on the outside, but soft and airy on the inside. They are on a the smaller side. Small is 4-5 slices. Large is 8-10 slices. Each slice is around 3.5". We had the amatriciana pinsa, homemade lasagna, caprese salad, tiramisu. Amatriciana does have a lot of bacon if you're into that. The lasagna had many layers to it, literally. The tiramisu was unlike a tiramisu I've ever had. I normally don't get tiramisus because the overbearing rum taste, but holy hell this isn't take like a normal tiramisu. It was creamy as hell. GET IT. We will definitely go back. Next time we'll be getting the carbonara and try another pinsa. Carbonara looked bomb and it was a mountain of pasta. Any who take a crack at this place. ENJOY!

The food was ok. Everything was appropriate temperatures. The ambience was very nice with a very good guitar playing doing nice music. The wait staff were very good. I think the food could be just a bit better

The staff are really great. Very friendly and personable. The food is incredible!!!! I've had the gnocchi and have just tried the pizza. Wow. Best of both I've ever had.

Fantastic Food, a must try! Patio is great and service was on point. We will definitely be back again soon!

This is a cool little place in the Spanish Village of Carefree. We had popped in here for a drink and a light snack as dinner was going to be quite late tonight. I don't drink a lot, so rather than have alcohol, I decided to have an Italian soda. The had orange, so orange it was. Tasted a lot like the Fantas that I've had in Europe. I do wish they had other flavors. I also had a half of a meatball, which was tasty! The patio area was spacious and lovely. The best part of this experience was our waitress. She was really quite funny.

We stopped here for a quick appetizer and something to drink before the dinner crowd turned up. Luckily they had a table that was open for an hour so we grabbed the opportunity. Although other members of our group ordered meatballs (excellent), all I wanted was a beer. I got the Menabrea amber, an Italian beer. It was delightful. I will be back to sample their food.

The food was extremely yummy ! Best pizza I have had in a long time . The owner was nice , my server was great ; my only complaint is the hostess ! She's extremely rude and unprofessional. She should not be in this kind of work . My husband and I almost left due to her rudeness . The owner did reach out to let me know that he did let that employee go

Awesome vibes! The owner comes around checking in on everyone, he would then go and play some live music which is nice. Food is great! Good selection of pastas and pizzas. Not many GF options for our friends but they were very accommodation and where able to enjoy a pasta with their homemade Fettuccine pasta. They patio is large, they have some shaded tables with umbrellas and dogs are welcomed to sit with you outside.

This restaurant is my favorite to stop by when I'm in Carefree/ Cave Creek area. I have tried most things on their menu and they are all fantastic. The service is great and the outside seating area is very pleasant.

Pizza is amazing and although pricey, still worth it. The crust is perfectly chewy and substantial without being overwhelming. Moisture level and thickness of inner crust and crunch and crispness of the edge crust are perfection. Cheese is fresh, flavorful and not too salty. Pepperoni is definitely high quality with crisp edges. I also had the Tiramisu...let me start by saying this is my favorite dessert by a landslide and I try it every time it is in a menu. I had high hopes after loving the pizza. Sadly, I was VERY disappointed!! This is no better than of my child had made it at home. Tasted like cheap pudding, definitely not marscapone, and drip coffee soaked Hawaiian bread. I will give call edit as these were lady fingers, however the coffee was weak and so soaked that it seeped out and made the dessert watery. The cocoa powder on top was too heavily dusted. At $10 this is a HARD PASS.

My sister and I had a delightful lunch on the patio today after my neighbor recommended Pizzicata. Mateo, our wonderful server was so informative and friendly and I could listen to his beautiful Italian accent all day. We split a large Bufala Pinsa and salad and while the pizza was pretty small, it was the perfect amount of food for us. The crust was light and chewy with just the right amount of crisp. The salad was pretty basic but very fresh with a wonderful balsamic vinaigrette. We had an Affogato with vanilla gelato for dessert and it was also divine. The bill was $50 before tip which nowadays seems about right with this inflation. I would rather pay a little more for quality ingredients and I feel Pizzicata delivered that.

We were visiting town and staying at the Civana Resort and decided to order from here. The pizza was good & fresh upon pickup.

We enjoyed a great dinner at Pizzicata tonight. Cali was an excellent server, very kind and also funny. She was on top of the ball and we never even had to think about needing anything. The gluten free pasta accommodation is the best i've ever had, especially with the vodka sauce. I am so grateful Cali understood my allergy and provided such a great recommendation. I highly recommend giving Pizzicata a try and ask for Cali if you want to have the best time!!

When my fellow foodie, Italian NY buddy told me about this place I could not wait to try it. I was not disappointed. This is one of nicest eateries in the valley. Since it is always packed we decided to go for a late lunch. I want to say right away the owner is from Rome. This is an AUTHENTIC Italian restaurant that serves AUTHENTIC Italian food not Americanized dishes. One of those dishes is Pinsa. Do not go with Americanized attitudes and misconceptions what Italian food is and then write a bad review out of ignorance. My friend and I both ordered Pinsa since it is the only place around that makes the authentic Pinsa from Italy. It is not Pizza. Pinsa is different. It was amazing. My friend has eaten here several times and has tried several of them and says they are all great. Today we ordered the Boscaiola Pinsa and my friend had the Pizzicata. They were both so delicious but to be honest I liked hers even better. OMgosh, that sweet taste with the blend of fresh ingredients and the honey was just a blend of amazing heavenly, Yum! The setting is great. It is a cute building in a wonderful Spanish village style courtyard. It is still a little too hot to be sitting outside. But man that patio. Gorgeous courtyard with cool statues. I can imagine dining under the stars here nightly. Gorgeous surroundings. With that said, the inside is super original and cute too. We had no problem with the server. I am not sure what the other reviews were all about. Our server was delightful and the owner even waits tables. I am also not sure what the high cost reviews are about either. Last night I had 6 wings and a small desert fry bread that cost 21 dollar and a fast food meal costs 15 dollars now. So??????? Pizza in town is all pretty much about the same price. Well..... maybe if you eat at Peter Piper or Little Ceasars but then, well, you know. I plead the fifth. Again, this is not American pizza. it is a higher quality item using all fresh ingredients. I found the price pretty reasonable for that and not much more than lower quality and taste corporate chains. We will be back often.

One of my favorite places to get pizza. They offer "heathy" pizza which I enjoy. Can get fairly busy depending on the time of day you go.

I meant to write a review when we ordered takeout on February 3rd of 2022, but I was fuming so much about the quality of food that I forgot. Firstly, the photos on their website are not an accurate representation of what the food actually looks like. The owner has taken stock photos of authentic Italian food and claimed them as his own. Had we known that the food looked nothing like the photos online, we would've never ordered. We ordered two pizzas and some Caesar's. The salad came directly from a Sysco "salad kit"--disgusting mass manufactured croutons and all. I would expect this salad from a Little Caesar's pizza or a gas station. No effort was put into the salad and had we known the photos online were nothing like the actual salad, I would've had my dog make me a better one at home. Both LARGE pizzas were four inches in diameter. I was expecting Buffalo mozzarella, fresh ingredients...not at all what we received. The sauce tasted like they opened a can of pizza sauce from Safeway and spread it on. It was so gross, no flavor just sweet tomato paste. It was so ridiculous when I got home and opened everything that we all started laughing!! I called the restaurant and had them refund my card the full amount because if I wanted a gas station level dinner, I would've gladly paid .99 for a hot dog. Not $75 worth of trash. Of course, our card was never refunded. One thing that was a plus, was that after we threw our disgusting food out, we spent the whole night reading through the business owners responses to bad reviews on his restaurants. What a joke! I was fuming at the fact that this guy gets away with serving this dog food to people and taking advantage of the older clientele in Carefree. Tough guy business owner: Respond, I dare you! I want my $75.00 back that your manager said she'd refund me. At this point you are a CROOK. I went to Les Roches in Switzerland and you should be ashamed and embarrassed at your responses to disappointed customers and your fraudulent attempt at serving food that is no where NEAR the quality of the photos you claim to pass on as your own. Instead of insulting those that don't enjoy your restaurants, work on getting better and stop scamming people into thinking your food is edible. I've attached three photos of what we received, versus the photos the owner claims to be his own. I didn't take a photo of the second pizza because my dad had thrown it out as soon as he opened the box. Fresh ingredients are clearly advertised and clearly, trash was served.

Great waitress, delicious pizza... very positive experience. It's has a regular pizza restaurant ambiance, nothing special, but the food and the service made up for it.

My daughters and I were staying in Carefree and wanted a nice relaxing dinner.. I had the house made gnocchis with pesto.. pillowy tiny bites of deliciousness Equally delicious was the spaghetti and meatballs.. generous serving on both these entrees and enough to share! We capped our meal off with desserts.. tiramisu is divine!!! The night we were there we were serenaded y live music.. nice!!!

My family and I used to come here a lot and the food was great but the last few times it has simply not been good. Thought at first it was just a bad night but went there again last night and it was terrible!! Lasagna was almost frozen in the middle, pizza was burnt and noodles were so undercooked! The dishes are not worth the money! The service was okay at best. Definitely sad to see a favorite restaurant of mine is now just not the same. An alternative that is right now the street is Oreganos, they have great food and it is also Italian!!

Went here to check out the hype with their Roman pinsas. Pinsas are cracker like flatbread pizzas served in Rome. As a former resident of Rome, I can attest that the crust was spot on. I wasn't too keen about the Amatriciana because they didn't use guanciale and pecorino cheese. Perhaps change the name and it would be just fine. I had high expectations. I was a little apprehensive about their authenticity when they brought the red pepper flakes and faux Parmesan cheese to the table. My son had their lobster ravioli and it tasted fine. I also had their affogato and it was not bad. We ordered the lasagna and gnocchi Gorgonzola to go. Gnocchi was pillowy like it was supposed to be. Extensive wine list. Service was fine.

Ate lunch at Pizzicata a few days ago, as always the food was phenomenal but what made the dining experience top notch was our server Caitlin. Caitlin was the lone server during the lunch hour (don't let this stop you) and she took prompt care of every table with efficiency, took time to talk and always had a smile on her face. Her attitude made the experience a 5 star plus lunch. The world needs more people like Caitlin. Thanks Pizzicata. (And Caitlin).

Not bad . Good food. Service was fine. Ambiance was good. A bit pricey but that's why I dine out less.

So GOOD! Hidden in the historic courtyard. Plenty of outdoor seating very nice size bar & about 10 tables indoor.. I cannot tell you how good this is but I'll try.. I got the large Atomica: is kinda a flat bread style but thicker crust that's very light & buttery topped with onions, sausage & more great flavor! When you get here, ask for Conner, he's terrific & knows his pizza.. Great feel restaurant, cozy, local & wonderful layout.