Few cities in the world lay claim to a best restaurant in the US title. Phoenix has Pizzeria Bianco. We also have Pane Bianco, the take out lunch and dinner restaurant from Pizzeria Bianco’s owner, Chris Bianco.

Pane Bianco, located in uptown Phoenix by Lux Coffee, easily won a seat on our list of best places to have lunch in Phoenix. Simply stated, the sandwiches are delicious and the focaccia bread has no equal. Chris’s brother Marco is a consummate bread baker and when combined with the tastiest mozzarella and organic accompaniments you have something very special special.

The sandwiches are served on Pane Bianco’s wood fired focaccia bread. OMG. They drizzle the hot bread with olive oil and add wonderful things like real homemade mozzarella, tomato, basil, spicy red onion, roasted peppers and other farm fresh delights, generally from local producers such as McClendon’s.

I had a chance to chat with Marco Bianco yesterday… it is always a treat. He is a passionate man, especially when you get him talking about his wood fired oven, bread and cheeses.  My lesson was on Burrata, a type of mozzarella from Puglia in southern Italy. When making Burrata, the still-hot cheese is formed into a pouch, which is then filled with scraps of leftover mozzarella and topped off with fresh cream. It is great when served with Prosciutto, basil, a bit of eggplant or simply with olive oil and a sprinkle of ground salt.  Burrata is available at Pane Bianco as well as a number of other artisan food items.

Pane Bianco’s lunch menu is elegant and simple. They offer a but a handful of sandwiches including their ever changing “Market Sandwich” as well as a few fresh salads served with country bread… YUM.

Seating is outdoors on the mist cooled patio. I usually take my sandwich next door to Lux, buy a giant Latte and settle in for a great lunch.  Pane Bianco is now open for dinner as well, but that is the subject of a future article.

Pane Bianco Info:

4404 N. Central Ave  (near the Central and Campbell light rail station)
Phoenix, AZ 85012
602-234-2100  (you can call in your order for pick up)
Open Tuesday_Saturday 11 am – 8pm  (Check their web site as they plan on expanding their hours)

Pane Bianco is on the Urban Connection 100 Things to Do and Places to Go in Downtown Phoenix AZ.

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