Italian Restaurant in Sedona — Roman Pinsa, Baked to Order
Hey there, food lovers and wanderers. If you’re looking for real Italian food in Sedona, you can stop looking. Imagine stepping into a small restaurant in the back streets of Rome — the espresso machine going, someone shouting an order, bread that smells like it took time. That’s what we built here, on 89A in West Sedona.
Family Operated in Arizona Since 1998
We’re not one of the many restaurants around here. We’re family operated, we serve with humility and pride, and we cook the food we actually grew up on — Sicilian from Palermo, Piemontese from Torino, Roman by training. Whether you’re craving pizza, a memorable dining experience, or a pinsa romana after a long hike, Vespa is your go-to destination. No doubt.
Food Is Our Love Language
What Actually Makes Us Different
Seventy-Two Hours of Patience
Our pinsa dough is imported Di Marco flour, water, yeast and sea salt, and it rests cold at 4–6°C for three full days before anyone touches it. That is what makes it light and crisp at the edge. We did the waiting so you don’t have to think about it afterward. How the dough works →
Flour From the Man Who Invented Pinsa
Pinsa romana was created in 2001 by Corrado Di Marco. We buy our flour from Di Marco — the original three-flour blend, not an American approximation. Milled outside Rome and certified GMO-free, confirmed to us in writing by Di Marco. Our pasta is made fresh in Italy and imported; we don’t pretend to do it better than people who have done it for generations.
Two Grandmothers
Nonna Pina taught this family the kitchen. Nonna Maria taught the coffee bar. That is why we are a café and not only a restaurant — the espresso here is its own discipline, handed down by its own teacher. Meet the family →
LIGHT, NOT HEAVY
Seventy-two hours of cold fermentation and a high-hydration dough give pinsa an open, airy crumb — lighter in texture than standard pizza. Guests regularly tell us it eats lighter than they expect, which matters when you’ve got a trail to get back to.
Perfect Location
1350 W State Route 89A, Suite 22 — West Sedona, not Uptown. Easier parking, and we’re open from 11am every day without closing between lunch and dinner.
A Culinary Journey Through Italy
Sicilian aubergine, Ligurian pesto, Roman flatbread, and the desserts that close an Italian meal properly. Our menu is a map of where this family comes from. See the full menu →
72-HOUR FERMENTED | THREE ITALIAN FLOURS | ROMAN FLATBREAD
NOT GLUTEN FREE: UNIQUELY BETTER.
Our menu is a trip through Italy — Roman flatbread, Sicilian aubergine, Ligurian pesto, and the desserts that end every Italian meal properly.
Some dishes live beyond the main list. Ask us what is available or explore our secret menu.
LA PINSA ROMANA
Roman Style Pizza
Ten varieties on a 72-hour, 85%-hydration dough. Oval, not round. Airy inside, shattering at the edge. Start with the Margherita if it’s your first time, or the Rucola e Prosciutto if it isn’t.
ANTIPASTI & INSALATE
Appetizers & Salads
Bruschetta Capri, Burrata Caprese, MIXED LEAVES WITH APPLE AND TOASTED PISTACHIO. Italian starters wake your appetite rather than blunting it.
SORRISI FARCITI
Sandwiches
Built on the same three-day dough, filled and folded. Lunch that doesn’t slow you down.
People come to Sedona and search for pizza. Then they find us and see the word pinsa, and reasonably wonder whether they’re about to be talked out of what they wanted.
YOU’RE NOT. PINSA ROMANA IS PIZZA — THE ROMAN VERSION. ROUND VERSUS OVAL. ONE FLOUR VERSUS THREE. A FEW HOURS OF RISING VERSUS SEVENTY-TWO. CORRADO DI MARCO REBUILT THE RECIPE IN 2001, WORKING BACK TOWARD THE OLD ROMAN FLATBREADS, AND IN 2025 THE LAZIO REGION ENTERED PINSA ROMANA IN ITS OFFICIAL REGISTER OF TRADITIONAL FOODS. THAT IS THE TRUE STORY, AND IT IS BETTER THAN THE MYTH.
What that means when it arrives: a base that’s crisp underneath and open inside, with a bit of chew and no grease. It doesn’t fold like New York pizza and it isn’t soupy in the middle like Neapolitan. It’s its own thing, and once people have had it they tend to stop comparing.
We bake it on stone over gas at around 608°F. Not a wood oven — Neapolitan pizza wants ferocious heat for ninety seconds, and this dough doesn’t. It wants steady heat, held exactly, from the first order at 11am to the last one at night. So if you searched for the best pizza in Sedona and ended up here: you’re in the right place. It just took us three days to get ready for you.
Nonna Maria taught this family the coffee bar, so the espresso here is not an afterthought. Italian beans, pulled the way it is drunk in Rome — standing at the counter, quickly, no ceremony.
The wine list is short and chosen to sit alongside this food rather than to impress anyone. We keep a proper range of amari, the herbal digestivi that close a meal in Italy — a little sweet, a little bitter. Italians will tell you an amaro settles a big dinner; we won’t make any claims for it.
Espresso That Wakes You Up: We use Miscela d’Oro, a Sicilian roaster, for espresso that’s rich, strong and authentic.
Wines for Every Taste: Red, white, rosé – we’ve got a wine to match your mood and your meal. Let us help you pick the perfect one!
Cool Cocktails and More: From Italian NA sodas, classic aperitivos staples like Aperol Spritz and Campari soda, to Locally sourced Mocktails, and Classic Martinis and Craft Cocktails, we’ve got plenty of ways to quench your thirst.
Amaros (Trust Us): These herbal liqueurs are a classic Italian way to end a meal. They’re a little sweet, a little bitter, and totally unique.
Planning Your Visit
WALK-INS WELCOME | DOGS WELCOME OUTSIDE | OPEN 11AM DAILY
No reservations, and that’s on purpose
We don’t take bookings. Walk in and we’ll find you a table. The quiet window is 11am to 12:30pm — hikers come off the trails around 1pm and every kitchen in Sedona gets slammed at once. Come before noon and you’ll barely wait.
Bring the dog — here’s how it works
Dogs are welcome at our outdoor tables. It runs a little differently from inside: order at the counter, we pack it up for you, and you carry it out. There’s no table service outside, and Arizona liquor law keeps wine and cocktails indoors. But after a morning on the trail together, you and the dog get to sit down in the Sedona air instead of eating in the car — and that’s worth knowing before you drive over.
Order ahead or take it with you
Order online through Toast and collect, or call and we’ll have it ready. Everything on the menu travels — the pinsa in particular holds up far better than pizza does.
Open straight through
11am to 9pm Sunday through Thursday, 11am to 10pm Friday and Saturday. We don’t close between lunch and dinner, which in this town is rarer than it should be.
Finding us
West Sedona, on 89A — not Uptown. 1350 W State Route 89A, Suite 22. Free parking in the plaza lot, though it fills up around the middle of the day like everything else in this town. Another reason to come before noon. Directions and landmarks →
CUSTOMIZED MENUS TO SUIT YOUR EVENT | OFF & ON-SITE EXPERIENCE
We cater weddings, private parties, corporate events and retreats across the Sedona area — the same kitchen and the same 72-hour dough, wherever you are celebrating.
Every event is fully custom. Tell us what you are planning and someone will reach out within ten minutes during business hours. That is the thing our clients mention most.
CAREER GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT | EMBRACE THE VESPA SPIRIT
Join our team at Vespa. We value excellence, creativity and a real commitment to hospitality — the Italian kind, where looking after people is the job rather than a policy.
The Zacchino family came from Piazza Sant’Onofrio in Palermo, by way of Sanremo on the Ligurian coast, and reached Arizona in 1996. Its first restaurant opened in Phoenix in 1998 — Tutti Santi by Nina, still going today. Vespa came later, and further north.
Leonardo is the patriarch. Matteo runs this kitchen. Over the years we have become the local’s favourite and a visiting must, and the reason is not complicated: we cook the way our grandmothers taught us, and we treat people like they have come to the house. More about the family →
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Fabulous place! We were 2 couples and went twice in 2 days! Great and heartwarming hospitality, exquisite and authentic Italian cuisine.
Brendan Ruvolo
19 September 2026
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We had the most amazing experience at Vespa. The food was excellent and Arien our server was not notch. Definitely the real taste of Italy. Thank you for a wonderful evening.
Maurizio Motta
4 July 2025
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The REAL Italian Café!!!!
Audrey O.
15 March 2024
Verified
I was pleasantly surprised to find amazing itslnian food in the heart of Sedona! I can't say that anything about this meal seemed especially healthy, but that was good news for my boyfriend who doesn't love "health food." The focaccia is so good! We did takeout, but the servers were very nice and the ambiance was good for the short period during which we were inside.
Gerald H.
27 April 2025
Verified
Visiting from OOT. Mariposa and Hudson were both very good. But, Vespa stole the show. Really reminded me of the food I had in Italy. Highly recommend!
Anurag T.
2 January 2024
Verified
+5
This place is awesome. The negative reviews are wrong or overly critical.
Food (A++++)
Awesome. Like awesome. It's really good. We ordered five different menu items and they were all excellent. My wife got the no.10 vegetarian sandwich - she substituted the balsamic vinegar for garlic aioli and said it was the best sandwich she has ever eaten. She is usually very critical of food. The table next to us decided to order also. I tried a bite and it was awesome. So good that she may fly out to eat here.
I got the no13 Argula and prosciutto pizza. It was really good one of the best ones ever. The rest of the table ordered the Sicilian no18, the Genoana no15 and the chicken parmigiana no20. All were excellent dishes the no15 was my favorite.
I don't know how they do it but they combine simple ingredients into an awesome taste experience. This is the right way to eat. We are all full and content but not stuffed or bloated like eating at other restaurants.
We liked this place so much we came back for dessert after exploring Sedona for the afternooon. And those desserts were just as good if not better. I don't have the names of all of them but the dessert with chocolate and strawberries on a piece of bread was awesome. The tiramisu was some of the best ever and the lemon pie/cake was awesome also.
The food is beyond excellent that you can randomly pick items and you will be impressed.
Service (A-)
The owner is super nice and accommodating as our the individuals who make the food. The servers/waitress could use a bit more training but I think it's also a bit of a small
market to find great talent. The food for us came out pretty quickly, but I could see some folks getting frustrated with how long it takes to get a waitresses attention. I might be being overly critical.
Value (B)
Not going to sugar coat it - it's expensive. I think got five of us to eat and have dessert with tip and tax it was around $175. The food is awesome and they have a good number of customers so they can get away with the pricing but it's not cheap - expect to spend around $25-$35 per person.
Note - we really really like this place. I think if we lived in Phoenix we would come once a week. I wanna try everything. If you don't mind spend a few extra $$$s on super high quality food - then check this place out.
Message for the owner - sorry for not getting this review out sooner. We were the table of 5 who came in twice is one day a few days before the New Year.
Once for lunch and the second time to try your desserts. You were kind enough to allow my puppy in. (Yorkie)
We were in Sedona celebrating my wife's birthday and your kindness and excellent food made for a memorable day.
My wife loves visiting Sedona and we will come and visit your Cafe Everytime we are visiting.
Juliet Trnka
3 June 2026
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BEST pizza in Sedona! And that's saying a lot! We have many great pizza places in Sedona, but Vespa blows them out of the water. Not only am I starting to drool just thinking of the pizza we had, but the atmosphere is amazing - it is Sedona-core in every way. The service was incredible - a rare thing these days. This is an absolute gem you should not miss!
Nathan Rudd
22 May 2024
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I felt like I was in Italy! I've never been there, but wow! Amazing food, precious time and care spent with ingredients and preparation. The owner seems like a man from a movie, super rad. I was a bit underwhelmed when first ordering just the flatbread pizzas. However, I then tried the entrees and fell in love. Epic, I wish great success for this business.
Exploration677322
6 August 2024
Verified
To die for pizzas
Absolutely to die for food. Bruchetta out of this world with flavor and pizza great. It is the bread that is crisp but flavorful.
Florian S.
18 July 2023
Verified
Best Italian food I had in years, if not ever. Super friendly service, and just amazing food. My new favorite restaurant in Sedona. Don't miss it!
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