Chef Anthony and The Pizza Man

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD ITALIAN
Redendo's Pizzeria and Pasta
Do not fear the tomato. The tomato is your friend. That's what we'd like to tell most Italian joints in Greater P-town. See, for their chefs, spaghetti and meatballs has become one of those quaint dishes of yesteryear, like baked Alaska and beef Wellington, that they've completely forgotten how to make. Judge them by what they serve up, when they bother to serve it up: chewy pasta, a meager amount of marinara, and meatballs like rocks. In fact, this situation is so bad in town that we have to hightail it to Fountain Hills for the best neighborhood Italian food in Maricopa County. At least Redendo's Pizzeria and Pasta makes it worth the drive. This spot serves Brooklyn-quality pizza and pasta in an environment that makes you feel like you dropped through the proverbial rabbit hole into 1940s America, with reproductions of anti-Hitler propaganda, World Series posters, and black-and-white photos of WWII fighter planes. But the best thing about Redendo's is the spaghetti and meatballs, with plenty of great-tasting marinara and pasta, and fat, tender meatballs that are unmatched in the Valley. For those whose neighborhood includes Redendo's, lucky you.

 

                      

The food is what counts

The December 2002 edition of The Arizona Sentinel's Let's Go featured a story on Redendo's Fountain Hills

Redendo's Pizzeria & Pasta
 It’s fitting that Anthony Redendo’s restaurant bears his family name.

He was born into a life of making people happy – pleasing them with delicious Italian fare.

His father, Tony, opened the first Redendo’s restaurant in New York nearly 25 years ago. His brother, aunts and uncles are in the business now.

In his new restaurant, his sister Ursula is part of the team, as is his wife, Carolyn.

Redendo has been in the restaurant business since he was a kid. He is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in New York, too.

But knowing the Redendo family history, or Anthony’s impressive background, isn’t necessary to enjoy the Redendo’s food.

The restaurant combines a fun, intimate atmosphere with time-tested favorites such as Sicilian pizza, hand-tossed and thick, stuffed pizza, generous calzones, salads, hot hero sandwiches, pasta specials and wings.

The atmosphere harkens back to the 1940s with images of a young Frank Sinatra, Flash Gordon and Big Band music playing in the background.

“I was looking to keep the lunch crowd and I wanted to make this a fun place and have sandwiches, salads and be relaxed,” he said. “It came out better than my expectations.”

A quick run through the menu reveals some of the family history too.

Two of the specialty pizzas are named for the ships that brought his family to America from Italy in the 1950s.

The Andrea Doria is a vegetarian pizza, and the Cristoforo Colombo is a sausage, peppers and mushroom pizza with fresh tomato.

And Redendo also shows his fun side with the Popeye’s Pizza, and The Moons of Mongo calzone (a Flash Gordon reference.)

Customers can create their own pizza with fresh ingredients such as Italian sausage, proscuttio, ham, feta cheese, California goat cheese, spinach, green olives, eggplant and dozens of other options.

While Redendo has worked hard to create the menu, he is quick to point out it was the hard work of his father, Tony, who did the brick-work inside, and his staff, which continues to make the pies and food for customers.

Redendo’s fun, clean interior is nearly unrecognizable from the former pizza restaurant that once did business there. The expanded menu also impresses his customers.

“I love to see people walk in and think this place is still just pizza,” he said.

Redendo’s is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday.

Dine-in, carry-out and catering are available. To place an order, call (480) 816-1356.

Original Article can be read here:
http://www.fhtimes.com/letsgo/dining/redendo.htm