Phoenix has always loved Italian food. In fact, 40 years ago, Italian restaurants — along with steakhouses — dominated the Valley’s food scene. These days, our dining options in every genre are blessedly more varied, and that includes Italian restaurants, where diners may now choose from the genteel, old-school places, humming along for decades; the buzzy new ones offering modern Italian cuisine, fancy cocktails, and a trendy vibe; and restaurants that fall somewhere in between, planting one foot in the modern world while keeping the other rooted in Old World traditions. Here are the 11 most interesting Italian restaurants in town.

Fabio On Fire
Admittedly, this North Peoria restaurant’s name is open to interpretation, but chef-owner Fabio Ceschetti, a third-generation pizzaiolo, does, indeed, cook with fire, turning out excellent pizza as well as soulful Italian classics such as cioppino, lasagna, and wood-roasted porchetta or lamb. It’s entirely possible to make a meal of his bread alone, but that would mean missing out on gnocchi Bolognese, butternut squash-stuffed ravioli topped with sage-scented cream sauce, and veal piccata, tangy with lemon and capers.