Nook Kitchen

An improbably low-profile restaurant in Arcadia's Gaslight Square, Nook is a kind of trattoria speakeasy: a nice spot for a glass of wine and satisfying Italian eats but still inconspicuous enough to stay off East Phoenix's who's-who restaurant radar. You'll want a Neapolitan-style pizza here, perhaps the Porco e Funghi lit up with a near-perfect house-pulled mozzarella you can taste in every bite, or the Calabrese decorated with Parmesean, Taleggio, caramelized onions, sweet sausage, and spicy and fruity Calabrian chiles. Along with the pizzas, stellar service and signature desserts by Tracy Dempsey are the best things about the place. Read our review.