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 →
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Wonderful food and service. Fresh food, hospitality and warmth. Highly recommend!
Mimi M.
26 March 2022
Verified
The space looks wonderfully comfortable and the food smells amazing, but the reviews that say that their crust is gluten-free is not accurate. They are gluten friendly so about 80 to 90% gluten free. If you have a severe allergy, you cannot have the pizza crust here, but the staff was wonderfully clear on that for me!
Matthew Hansen
7 September 2026
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Best vegan pesto pizza I've ever had! An amazing vegan options great variety.
Gioele Gregis
24 October 2024
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The place has really nice vibe, they managed to capture the italian way of life.
The pinsa is excellent and the staff is really kind.
Moreover the espresso was really on point, i couldn't find anything even close to this in the few weeks that i've been in Arizona.
I cannot recommend more this place if you are looking to having a relaxing true italian meal.
Quinten Van den berg
5 August 2022
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Best Italian pizza I’ve had in America since holiday from over a month
Zach Gibson
24 November 2025
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+1
Vespa Italian Café brings Italy to Sedona, Arizona. The attention to detail by the owner and staff is exquisite. From the organic ingredients to the atmosphere, no detail is overlooked. Francesca was attentive, sweet, and provided the best experience we’ve had in ANY RESTAURANT EVER! This bistro is a must for anyone traveling to Sedona.
Lacey S.
4 April 2024
Verified
+3
Vespa was great! A local recommended it to us and I am so glad that we went. My son got a cheese pizza and my husband and I shared a salad, lasagna, and a pizza. It was all delicious! The service was great too! If we ever come back to Sedona, we will come back for sure!
Garrett Clark
30 November 2025
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Fresh and amazing ingredients, would for sure go out of my way to eat here again.
Eunhye An
23 May 2025
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+1
Lovely restaurant!
We were seated right away as soon as we walked in. The ambiance and decor were both very nice. The customer service was excellent—friendly, attentive, and made us feel very welcome. We ordered the burrata, Margherita pizza, and cacciatore —all of them were fantastic! If you’re in the area, I highly recommend stopping by. (Also, focaccia is a must have)
Ariel A
21 October 2024
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If you’re a human, who is normal and loves Caesar – you have to get the Cesarina here. The focaccia bread that it’s made with is mind blowing. I also order the bread by itself because it’s maybe the best bread I’ve ever had? I realize that’s a lot to say, but it is insanely good. They use that same bread for the pizza. I highly recommend trying it out, you’ll want to keep going back.
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