Thrillist: Pizzeria Bianco is Arizona’s most important food innovation

Apologies to the chimichanga but the opinion-makers at Thrillist.com aren’t naming you the biggest food innovation coming out of Arizona.

Thrillist’s list of the most important food innovations from each state instead credits Arizona and its influence on an even more popular food — the pizza.

That’s because Phoenix is home to Pizzeria Bianco, the creation of Chris Bianco.

… THE ENTIRE ARTISANAL PIZZA REVOLUTION started right in Arizona in 1994, thanks to a high school dropout from the Bronx named Chris Bianco. If not for his absolute desire to craft the perfect pizza, a desire that sent him to Italy for two years in the ’90s, and the weird connection he felt upon visiting Arizona from NY, he could’ve just been another random pizzaiolo in NY, a drop in a bucket, and this thing would’ve never come true, and we’d all still be eating garbage ’90s pizza. But no …

That’s a pretty solid endorsement of this state and its impact on a pretty delicious food.

Other notable important innovations, by state, include Iowa (sliced bread), Georgia (Waffle House), Idaho (potatoes), New York (Buffalo wings), Oklahoma (Girl Scout Cookies), Washington (Starbucks) and Kentucky (bourbon).

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