We flew from Seattle to Phoenix to kick off state 43, Arizona. We planned the entire Arizona trip around two things, and eating at Pizzeria Bianco was number one. Chris Bianco and his pizza are consistently winning awards, from Top 50 Pizza to James Beard. We also use Bianco tomatoes for everything, so we knew we had to eat here.
They don’t take reservations so we went straight from the airport to Pizzeria Bianco, hoping to get a table. Luckily, it was early enough and we were seated right away. We started with some bread, and it was some of the best bread we’ve ever had, and we take our bread very seriously.
I had the margherita pizza and The Husband had cheese and salami. The dough and sauce were super flavorful, and the dough had a nice crunch. It was delightful, and lived up to the hype.
After lunch, we drove to Tucson, where we stayed at the Loew’s Ventana Canyon Resort. I’ve wanted to stay there for over a decade, and I was so excited to finally cross it off the list. And like the pizza, it far exceeded my very high expectations. (Separate post coming soon.)
We booked last minute (noticing a theme?), so we ended up with a two-queen-bed room, but it had a huge bathroom (check out the size of that tub!) and a balcony with a lovely view of Tucson.
The grounds were gorgeous! There are multiple pools, rec areas, and beautiful nature trails filled with birds and a waterfall! We could have easily stayed at the resort the whole time.
Tired from the flight and driving, we had dinner at the hotel’s Flying V restaurant. It wasn’t too busy, and we got lucky with a window table overlooking the resort. The food and service were awesome, and the cornbread with jalapeño jam stole the show.
We started the next morning off at Tohono Chul Sonoran Botanical Garden. This expansive 49-acre botanical garden and art center is known for local crafts and gorgeous plants, specifically its grand crested saguaro. Only one in 200,000 cacti has the rare mutation that creates the crest at the top, and Tohono Chul has a beautiful one.
After walking around in the hot desert sun, we were ready for lunch. We headed to Guadalajara Grill, a recommendation from my dear friend and Tucson local. Our lunch and spicy margaritas were fantastic, but the salsa was next-level delicious. It was so good that I fell deep down a Reddit rabbit hole to find the recipe. I make it at least every few weeks, and it’s the only salsa we eat at home now.
After lunch, we stopped at De Grazia Gallery in the Sun Museum. It’s a ten-acre gallery displaying Ettore “Ted” De Grazia’s art, famous for its provocative depictions of Southwestern living. It also includes Mission in the Sun, a small chapel that De Grazia built in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Instead of a full ceiling, it’s open to the sky to get closer to God.
The next morning, we checked out of the beautiful Loews Ventana Canyon Resort and stopped at Barista Del Barrio, where I had a Horchesso latte and the best breakfast burrito of my life.
After breakfast, we headed ten miles outside of Tucson to San Xavier Del Bac Mission. Founded in 1692 and completed in 1797, it’s a gorgeous example of Spanish Colonial architecture.
We loved Tucson and would have stayed longer on a normal trip. But we had more to see, so we headed to our next stop, Tombstone, AZ.
Shout out to my dear friend from my NYC nursing days, Isa Doughy, for all the Tucson recs!
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