We came in on a Friday night with reservations. My first thought was we didn't need them but within 15 minutes of sitting down all the tables were full! After attending the Tucson top chef competition a few weekends ago we wanted to try out the restaurant of our favorite food we sampled during the top chef tasting. We got three different entrees and an appetizer. Hands down my favorite was the beef short rip pepiso! The flavors in this were melt in your mouth and kiss your mamma good! I did think the ratio of meat to polenta was slightly off but I'd order it again next time! We also got the ravioli, rotini, and the arancini. All were very good. I really enjoy the fusion of Italian and South West flavors the chef is able to bring forward in the food here. Bonus: The drinks here are also great. Margarita and sangria are on the top of my list. The Monsoon was a little on the sweeter side and not to my liking. They seem to have a good wine selection as well. read more

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I'm really bummed giving Zio Peppe 2 stars. I was hoping this would be the spot but it's not. The restaurant itself was probably 1/3 of the way filled but what caught my eye is no takeout which tells me locals aren't digging it. My wife and I had the figgy stardust and a summer type salad with greens and fruit but also wasn't very good. My son orders from kids menu cheese pizza and it came out the same size as ours! He did enjoy his pizza so I bump this from 2 to 3 stars. Over all sad to say we wouldn't go back. read more

My husband and I stopped for lunch on a weekday. The place wasn't busy, so we got a seat right away. We ordered drinks and apps; the elote arancini was really good, crispy outside, and hot flavorful risotto inside. The lime crema lightened the dish up really well, we enjoyed it and would order again. Downfall, I never got the cocktail I'd ordered, but I didn't bring it to the waitresses attention. I saw the bar was unattended and figured maybe they weren't serving until I noticed the drink on the bill and overheard the party next to us also remark they'd never gotten their wine. She did quickly modify the bill to remove it, which we appreciated. The entrees were unfortunately unexciting. I ordered the ravioli, and there was so much marinara sauce that it overwhelmed all potential flavor of the Chile ricotta filling, and I was digging through sauce to get to the pasta. While the marinara was good, there was at least half a bowl worth of sauce after the ravioli were gone. My husband ordered the alfredorado, and it too was swimming heavily in sauce that was bland even with the added red chile. If we head back, we'll likely go for their pizzas; those looked delicious and heard great remarks about them from diners. read more

Mexican-Italian inspired. My friends and I had a few items and they were all tasty. The elote arancini was excellent! The lime cream was strong and complimented the risotto, without the crema the risotto would be bland. The fettuccine Alfredo with red sauce was a bit spicy but it went well with al dente pasta. The margherita pizza and the el rústico pizza were my favorite!! The margherita had fresh mozzarella and the rústico pizza was literally like if you were eating birria tacos! I would come back again and again as the flavors were authentic, the service was welcoming and the restaurant has dim lighting which makes it feel intimate. read more

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This is a small interesting place. I'd call it Italian food with a southwestern US flair. We had salad, pasta, and bread. All were good. The tasty bread came with a tiny serving of garlic and olive oil - enough for one piece of bread not a loaf. They replenished it but they really need to be a bit more generous. The salad consisted of greens with pecorino cheese, a bit of fruit, and almonds. Greens were plentiful. Other items were scarce. Again, they need to be more generous with the enhancements. The pasta was good. It came with sauce and ricotta, but the amount of cheese was inadequate. There is a pattern here. Service was very friendly but quite slow and scattered. Overall the food was good and I'd try it again. read more

I came here with coworkers, and we sat on the patio. Maybe the inside is more comfortable, but the outdoor tables feel cramped. The atmosphere is not very cozy or comfortable, but the food is the reason to come here. For the caliber of the food, it doesn't seem like this should be an order-at-the-counter joint either, but whatever. The drink menu is very limited, but I was pleased to see what looked like all local brews on their beer menu. I didn't find the service noteworthy, but I also didn't do any of the ordering. My extent of interaction with the staff was them dropping food off at the table. We started with Fundido and Calamarrones. Both were good; the Fundido was better. The Calamarrones were more chicharrones than calamari. We shared three pizzas between four people, and that was plenty of food with a few slices left over. We chose Figgy Stardust, Margherita, and El Rustico Birria. The Birria pie is in its own category. It was amazingly good. The other pizzas were tasty, but El Rustico was absolutely the best, a perfect taste fusion of (what I assume is a) wood-fired pizza and the rich birria with the freshness of the cilantro, lime, and onion. **Chef's kiss** I did like the Margherita, but there was nothing really unique about it. The Figgy Stardust was great, and the pomegranate drizzle was an unexpected but nice sweetness. Typically, in recipes of this type, you see some sort of balsamic reduction business. I really want to return and try some other items. Although I'm not usually one to order dessert when I eat out, the desserts look excellent. But I am probably going to order that birria pizza many, many more times. It's the priciest pie at $20 but worth every penny. Overall, I found the prices to be on par with similar establishments. Again, I really wouldn't come expecting a great service experience, but if you're in the mood for some really tasty and unique food, this may be your spot! read more

We were in town visiting my grandmother in the hospital and this meal was the highlight of our day so much that we went back the next day. I've never had such unique delicious food mixing Mexican and Italian flavors. The bread with the pesto and queso is delicious! So are the Arancini! The first time I had the birria pizza and it was delicious and the second time the Alfredo with red Chile which was also great! The flourless chocolate cake is amazing! Highly recommend!! read more

Initially, I wasn't going to spend time leaving a review for a place I'll never patronize again, but given that so much was wrong with my visit, I need to vent. My wife and I dined in on Tuesday. First visit. First impression wasn't good- we stood by the door to wait to order from the counter. One to-go order in front of us, two tables seated inside, one table outside. Not busy at all. We placed our orders (Shrimp Culichi Risotto, $24 & Fettuccine, $15.) with waters. I had to ask for drink glasses which were quickly retrieved from the back. My wife and I sat down and enjoyed pleasant conversation. I had a clear view of the bar, kitchen door, and back of restaurant. I watched a small group of employees talking in the back. The group grew from 3 to 6 employees so I had a good idea of staff count. We were still waiting for our food after 20 minutes. I was getting impatient. It's one thing if you're busy, another if you're standing around. I watched as the person that initially took our order would occasionally pop out if the kitchen with a plate. I was hopeful, but watched her disappear to the patio to serve the other table. What?! They were just now getting their food? After 35 minutes our food came. The gal that took our order quickly said, "we only have one cook tonight" and left. My fettuccine looked as if it had been setting under heat lamps. The sauce was dried up on top and the noodles a darker color. My wife's entree look great. I stirred up my noodles to refresh them and took a bite. A strong flour taste was overpowering. The sauce was somewhat bland, but having been to Italy a couple times, this would be inline with real Italian sauce. I struggled through my entrée. I waited too long to eat so hadn't planned on complaining and losing my food. I asked my wife about hers. She said it was very salty. I took a bite. Wow, very salty was an understatement! She finished less than half her entree due to the flavor. We were ready to go. We needed a to go box. No one was around. Just the guy behind the pizza counter. Eventually, the employee who took our order emerged from the kitchen. She walked by several times towards the front of the restaurant, never once looking over at our table. Someone else emerged from the kitchen. He came over to clear my empty dish, and asked how the food was. I commented about the texture and flavor of the pasta. He obviously misunderstood me and said, "Yep, only people familiar with true Italian pasta can appreciate that." I'm sure I had a confused look on my face as I had to reiterate, letting him know that the pasta was in no way a good flavor. He then said, "and you waited till you finished to let us know?" I told him it took 35 minutes to get our food in the first place. He then said, "I need to have someone come talk to you" and walked away. I yelled out for him not to worry about it. We eventually got a to go container, scraped our food into it, and headed for the door. As we were leaving, the same guy who approached our table called out to us and we stopped. He said he talked to the owner, and wanted to give us a gift card so that we would return to give them another try. He didn't apologize for the service or the food, but offered a gift card. I declined and he offered again. I once again declined. I may have accepted a partial/full refund of our money spent that evening, but had no intention of giving this restaurant another try. I think what resonated with me most is that no apology was offered, and that the owner was truly in the back, why didn't he come up front to offer a quick apology and explanation? Other takeaways; ordering from a counter and sitting down is tacky. The atmosphere is somewhat cold, with a very poor selection of music that was playing right over our table. Menu prices are in line with much nicer restaurants with wait service. This restaurant had neither. I would expect my fettuccine to be around $10-$12, not $15. And, they wanted an extra $4 for chicken. No way on earth could that ever be a $19 dish of fettuccine. I have vented. I feel better. We won't return. End of story. Thanks for reading. read more

Zio Peppe - At one time, up to six employees gather to chat while we waited for our food. I am pretty sure one of them was the lone chef. - Pizza Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Delicious and unique za! We ordered El Rústico Birria and the Figgy Stardust pizza--both were SO tasty and savory. They also have RC Soda on tap which I was very thrilled about. Joseph was a great server and the ambiance was incredibly chill. We highly recommend and will be back for more! read more

Zio Peppe - El Rústico Birria and Figgy Stardust - Pizza Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Pizza was really good, with chewy crust and creamy ricotta cheese. It's as good, if not better, than the specialty pizza restaurants in town. The pasta was just ok and some of the appetizers were so so. Beer was cold and service was friendly. read more

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This restaurant is definitely different with a Mexican and Italian infusion. They have a twist on a bunch of classic Italian dishes. I really did enjoy the food. For the complexity and detail to the dishes I would have expected a higher level of service. I was surprised to find a counter order system found at lower establishments. I was planning on a dessert but I didn't want to have to go back up and get another table place card. Otherwise the staff where nice and the restaurant is trendy and hip. read more

Zio Peppe - Calamari - Pizza Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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First time to this highly recommend spot. O.MG so good! The food is southwestern Italian - seriously it work. It's a nice casual atmosphere, not overly loud but you are sitting at open tables. And service was spot on. Knowledgeable. Fun. Put this one on your list if you've not been. read more

I was excited to try Zio Pepe after reading many good reviews. We arrived at 4:45 & only 2 tables were seated. The waiter seated us next to the other 2 tables, who were having a loud conversation across the aisle. We asked for a more private location and were told all the tables were held for reservations. The tables were all 4-tops and none were marked reserved. Made no sense. We ordered arancini, birria pizza and roasted broccoli. The arrrancini were crunchy and flavorful, but almost too salty to eat. The broccoli was mushy - obviously steamed/boiled before roasting and also very salty. The pizza was okay - nice crust, but very smoky, the onions were raw and the sauce was extremely salty (note the theme here). My red sangria was watered down with so much selzter water, it was pink. We were disappointed with our experience, especially based on reviews. Salt is an objective taste, but why not be more moderate and allow those who want more to add it at the table? Perhaps our expectations were too high, but it felt like Zio Pepe tried too hard and didn't quite deliver. read more

Quite dissatisfied w their billing process. Payment was either cash or non-cash. They did NOT differentiate btwn credit or debit. I was charged $9 for a $250 meal. Nothing was posted at restaurant until I received my bill. How many people carry hundreds of $$$ to go to a restaurant???. I won't frequent that restaurant again read more

The pizza is amazing, actually the crust out of this world! It's definitely different from the average pizza place. The fig and goat cheese pizza was delicious. read more

First thing I noticed, no loud, blaring music that drowns out the conversation. The tables have table clothes, the bathrooms are stocked/cleaned, and they were able to accommodate us without a reservation. As I write this, we are waiting for our pizza, but judging off of other people's food, I feel like we will not be disappointed. read more

I really enjoyed the food the elote arrochini were amazing! I was a bit disappointed in the taco cannoli. It did not have enough sweetness or pistachio flavor. I will for sure go back! The pasta was yummy. read more

Good: my meal was good Bad: my husbands was not great. He was really looking forward to the steak which is no longer on the menu Service was just okay Used to love this place....not so much anymore. Menu needs more variety. read more

Disappointed!! On 8/25 we had dinner with my daughter, enjoying the delicious bread and goat cheese, the figgy pizza, the Margarita pizza and desert. Yum it was the best ever! Especially the margarita !! We liked it so much we returned to order take out last evening. It's hard to believe it was the same restaurant. The sauce was tasteless, the cheese not melted and the crust was just ok. We were so disappointed as we remembered how very good it was during our visit visit. Perhaps the chef had an off night or left? Either way we will not be returning any time soon. read more

I took my daughter there for her Birthday, February 2025. We had been looking forward to "trying" Zio Peppe. I was very disappointed. To begin, the tables are so small that every time one dish or drink arrived, our little table had to be completely re-organized. I ordered a glass of wine. Restaurant standard pour is 6 oz. Some give a choice of 6 oz or 9 oz, and price it accordingly. When my $12 glass of wine arrived the pour seemed less than standard. I asked the ounces. The waiter asked the bartender. She said "4 ounces." This is 2 oz short of standard, but there was no indication on the menu that the pour was less than the standard 6 oz. I declined the glass, and the waiter's response was rude. Food arrived. The fig-goat cheese pizza was delicious, as was the pasta. However, the three substantial meatballs were awful, very very dry and full of pepper, obviously overstuffed with breadcrumbs to appear bigger. Adios, Zio Peppe. read more

Unusual menu- new ideas done well. Mixing Sonoran and Italian tastes great. Friendly and competent staff. We'll go back. read more

One of our favorites in Tucson. Every dish we've ever ordered has been a treat. One of the best pizzas in town. Inside ambiance is fine, but the outside patio is a little noisy due to the traffic. Not a dealbreaker however. Staff friendly and accommodating. read more

Zio Peppe is fast casual, so you order at the front and they bring your delicious food. We ordered the bread with poblano chile queso, and it was so good. The bread was hot and fresh and the poblano Chile queso was such a good pairing. The other appetizer we tried was the elote arancini. While there wasn't a lot of corn in it, it was still delicious and the lime flavor really stood out. It wasn't as heavy as other arancini I've had. I had the umami tsunami pizza and loved the slight spice it had. The mushrooms on it were so flavorful and I will definitely order it again. My friend had the Bianca pizza which was cheesy goodness. The service was great and the staff was really friendly. read more

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When you're in need of some Italian food with a twist, look no further than Zio Peppe! The figgy stardust pizza was a blend of sweet from the figs and savory from the goat cheese. The birria pizza was a medley of Mexican and Italian flavors, the best of both worlds! The only challenging part of the experience is the parking lot, it was a little difficult to navigate, but don't let the extra time parking deter you from trying this unique place. read more

The food is delicious and unique. Everything is so well thought out right down to the croutons on the Caesar salad, which had be the best croutons I've ever tasted. Table spacing was a bit cramped, but the food and the service were superb. read more

First time and the food was surprisingly good. The restaurant is Mat Cable and Devon Sanner's new spot. Devon cooked for Janos Wilder for 15 years - most recently at Downtown Kitchen and Carriage House, while Mat owns Dante's Fire and caters for Z Mansion. We knew none of this before going though so it was a great surprise to discover how good it was. We had the Poblano Queso w/ Homemade Bread, Olive oil and Sea Salt. A pizza with figs, fresh mozzarella, goat cheese, pomegranate drizzle, honey and Chamomile. Plus a Caesar. Italian w/ a hint of Tucson. Loved it. read more

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This place is new, so I stopped in to get a large Margherita pizza for take-out. It was just okay. Traditional Margherita Pizza is pretty simple, with crust, sauce, cheese, and basil. I had them add sausage, and I think there were only four pieces of sausage, total. The sauce had almost no flavor. I've seen good reviews on here for the Umami Tsunami, so I'll go back for that, but I won't have their Margherita pizza again. It also looks like they have some pretty good pasta ideas, so I'll try some of those. The place looks good, and the staff was polite and helpful. read more

I have been anxiously awaiting the opening of this restaurant, and it was worth the wait!!!! Two chefs collaborated to bring forth something completely off the hook amazing and perfect. We went on a Saturday early afternoon (I was prepared for a wait based on all of the reviews I've read). One places his / her order at the counter (time to get used to this due in part to personnel shortages). The menu is super interesting - I would say southwestern Italian fusion. I'm certain that someone will correct me on that. The beer / wine license hasn't been given yet. No worries - RC cola products are available. We started with elote arancini, and I chose the fettuccini alfredado. What is that you ask? It is an Alfredo sauce with chili Colorado. That sounded great! I got it with chicken added. My husband ordered the rigatoni arrabiata (but no bread bowl). We also ordered two fountain drinks. Music was playing, and it was at a pleasant volume. Ample seating to choose from, and it is super clean. It is decorated with vintage photos of Italian food being made. And there is a huge pallet of Caputo flour in the middle of the floor - now that's awesome! The chef brought out the arancini and then brought us side plates. These little balls were a perfect fusion of delicious ingredients. Risotto with corn kernels, and they seem to be coated in tempura before being fried. Then, they are on a plate with a lime crema and topped with a little cotija cheese. I had to share with my husband, but darn it, I wanted all of them! They are light and flavorful, and the acidic notes in the crema were tart enough to break up the richness of the risotto. And the coating! Light and airy and just crispy!!! Ok, then the mains came out. Beautiful, vibrant colors and scents encompassed both dishes. Mine also has roasted garlic cloves. Pure savoriness with no bitter notes. The sauce was complex with both cheese and red chili spice, but not overly hot. The fettuccine was perfectly prepared. The chicken breast bits were still moist after being grilled. Just a great dish. I was so good I'm not licking the plate. Tasty!! My husband's dish was equally perfect. Freshly-made rigatoni was the perfect vehicle to capture that spicy sauce. Sometimes arabiatta can have an undercooked tomato sauce with a lot spice that leaves one sad. Not here!!!! It was a sauce that had time to cook those tomatoes down to a great flavor. The spice level was great! My husband ate all of the dish. Every tiny bit. I'm really looking forward to going back, as the menu is insanely inventive. We should have ordered a pizza, as the oven looks like the giver of marvelous things. This could be a restaurant to stalk several times a week to just try everything. Oh, and there is a patio, when Tucson isn't 100 degrees. Again, so much goodness! So, sit back and enjoy, and let the two chefs that own this restaurant delight you!!!! read more

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Placed a pickup order. Got home and the pizza was black on the bottom, burned. This should have not been sent out like that. Two other dishes were ok, shrimp pasta had very little shrimp in it, tiramuse was not good! Too much money for the quality. Will not go there again. read more

A friend had posted about this new restaurant on her Facebook page and since I live on the other side of town, I had not heard about it. I happened to be on the east side of Tucson for work one day so my husband and I stopped in. We had the elote arancini balls and the umami tsunami pizza. I thought both were really good! I especially liked the pizza and the crust was really good with a nice chew to it. We will be back and give a few more items a try. I am not a fan of going up to a counter to place an order so I hope once everything gets back to "normal" they will have a full waitstaff along with a full bar as I believe they only offer beer and wine now. read more

Had to try it out. The place has been remodeled and the service good. Wife had the shrimp risotto I had the mac-n-cheese bowl we had the elote appetizer and it was the best dish for me. The risotto was good wife said she would definitely go back for it. The elote was definitely a taste pleaser for all. Unfortunately the place is just not for me. The menu has few choices and I really didn't see anything for kids on it. Could be your next favorite, just not mine. read more

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Food and service were both excellent. We shared a margarita pizza with added sausage and it was delicious. Nice cocktails as well.

The food is outstanding this was my second visit!! I had the Figgy Stardust pizza. The goat cheese and the pomegranate drizzle is a great combination read more

Zio Peppe - Figgy Stardust Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The worst thing is that I live on the other side of town (45 minutes). The is one of the best pizzas I've had (including Italy). Tried the Ziggy Stardust. Amazing pizza. The flavors all mesh perfectly. By far the best pizza in the Tucson area. read more

Zio Peppe - Pizza Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Stopped by this place today to try it out because I read some of the review of the awesome food. Well let me just say we were seated and after waiting 10 min for service they tell us you have to order up at the front. Odd! But ok. Anyway we order appetizers, pizzas and pastas. We wanted to give it an alll round review on the food. Appetizer Elote! These things are amazing, so many flavors and textures. We all loved it. The pizzas. We tried the margarita and a pepperoni pizza, but we really Mediocre, no flavor in the sauce or toppings and the crust was floppy and not what we were expecting. Don't believe the hype this pizza is not good, you can get better pizza at Peter piper so save your $. Pastas: we tried the fettuccine alfredorado and the wolf shrimp linguine. In my opinion. The cook in the back does not believe in salt and pepper or any seasonings or they don't taste the food they are service. I had to get up and ask for salt pepper, ow how about some Parmesan cheese to add to it. The pasta was fresh and homemade it seems but the bland flavor ruined our experience. On a scale of 1-10 this place gets a 4.4 some items were good, but the failed on some others very badly. Would we go back, no. Would we recommend, yes for appetizers but not for anything else. read more

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I've been here three times now, and every single time I am never disappointed! Amazing staff, menu and atmosphere! Highly recommend! read more

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We went for my boyfriend's birthday and it was Amazing! Food was so good! Service was good and everyone was very friendly.

Zio Peppe is a new restaurant located on Tanque Verde near the Cow Pony. Theycl have a variety of pastas and pizzas. We ordered online and their menu didn't seem to have all their offerings. I didn't see the standard pepperoni pizza, but when I went to pick up our order I noticed someone ordering a pepperoni pizza. The umami tsunami was a flavor bomb and was by far the best pizza out of the two we order. The broccoli was $8 (not worth it) and the portions were small for the overall cost we paid. I will give it a couple of months and give this business another chance. Cheers! read more

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Wow! Just... wow! I consider myself lucky for being able to get a parking spot right out front and only waiting maybe 10 minutes for a table on a Saturday night. The place was packed! The food was absolutely incredible. The salad was the best caesar I've had in a long time, those huge garlicky croutons were yummy, and the salad was lightly dressed, not soaked in dressing, just perfect! The Elote arancini were so good; crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside, and the lime crema gave it that nice pop of citrus. The seafood pasta was a never-ending bowl of deliciousness, loved the sauce and the peas for that added sweetness. The the birria pizza had such good flavor as well. Will absolutely be back, next time I'm in town. This has to be the best restaurant I've tried in Tucson, And I've been living in the desert since 99. And for how busy it was, the staff was always attentive and really friendly as well; always nice to see. read more

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Absolutely delicious. This place is unassuming and happily chill inside, and the food is really really really good. The birria pizza seemed to be calling my name, so I had that. Pizza plus aj jus? Turns out this is thrillingly yummy. We also got the elote as an app, which was perfectly done: light and dreamy. My wife had the green chili pasta, and that was probably the star of the table. Tucson flavors somehow transfigured into an Italian pasta dish, yet eating it you didn't care at all. It's just lovely. read more

Zio Peppe - Pizza Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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