with locations in prescott arizona, palm springs and palm desert it was shortly after 11am that a stop was made at bill’s pizza on south indian canyon drive, the sizable parlor named one of america’s 100 best pizzas on several occasions having just unlocked the doors with slices still piping hot from the oven.
originally opened in 2010 and cash-only from the beginning, a policy intended to keep prices low while still allowing ownership to use top quality ingredients and pay their staff a good wage, bill’s philosophy additionally eschews any form of advertising in favor of the idea that good “food and service sell themselves,” the continuous crowds and accolades clearly showing bill is onto something even in an era of instagram-everything and public relations firms.
busy from open to close seven-days a week, the choice of slices or whole pies and dine-in versus take-out largely a matter of choice as free street parking and a nearby public garage offer guests the luxury of time to sit inside or on the patio to enjoy, it was after perusing the daily specials as well as a menu of over twenty custom pizzas that the decision was made to order just two slices, though were a larger party present there were at least a dozen other varieties that sounded equally or more desirable.
using gas ovens and imported “00” flour treated as sourdough, a short ferment opening up the crust structure and allowing for a crisp edge without a lot of rise or char but some flex, it was with water in hand that a plate featuring two slices was taken to a table overlooking the sunlit streets, first bites of the pepperoni taken carefully to avoid burning the roof of one’s mouth and the flavors coming across as expected, the cheese saline and the pepperoni slightly oily while the red sauce was good, though perhaps a touch sweeter than some purists might like.
moving next to one of bill’s pizza signatures, california’s bounty of beautiful produce playing tribute to sir elton john with house-marinated artichoke hearts, tomatoes, spinach and red onions amidst a blend of cheeses including crumbled sheep’s milk feta, suffice it to say that no trip to bill’s is complete without tasting this masterpiece, everything about it fresh and vibrant right down to the crust which bakes up cracker-crisp beneath a brush of garlic infused olive oil sauce.