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Your favorite Phoenix Pizza restaurant is making a resolution we might actually stick to this year, and that’s to eat more pizza. We know, that this is an unusual (and honestly groundbreaking) idea for a resolution, but we have good reason for it. Keep reading to find out why we want to eat more margheritas.

1 – They give you strength

The delicious, creamy mozzarella found on the margherita pizza is chock full of calcium, other vitamins, and protein. Calcium has proven benefits for the body, keeping bones healthy and even helping to prevent cancer. Protein is also an essential part of your diet and is needed for muscle growth and repair. So next time don’t feel guilty when indulging in extra cheese!

2 – They fight cancer

A series of Italian studies showed that regular pizza eaters had lower rates of cancer than non-regular pizza eaters. Why? Lycopene, an antioxidant that comes from tomatoes, has a ton of health benefits, including fighting tumors and decreasing the likelihood of many different types of cancer. If you think you should just eat tomatoes and not pizza, think again – lycopene is more easily absorbed by the body when processed (like in tomato sauce on pizza) as well as when it is eaten with some oil. So basically a cheese pizza is the perfect food for optimum lycopene consumption.

3 – Healing properties

The margheritas at our Phoenix pizza restaurant are made with basil, which is an herb used in traditional medicine that has been show to help prevent arthritis and have anti-aging properties.

4 – You should eat your vegetables

The USDA considers pizza a vegetable – according to its guidelines, the tomato paste on the pizzas served in school lunches counts as a serving of vegetables. If that explanation is good enough for the US government, it’s good enough for us. So next time someone tells you to eat more veggies, just grab a slice because it’s basically the same thing.

5 – You’ll save money

Wait, you can save money by eating more pizza?! Statistics have shown that ordering a bigger pizza is almost always cheaper – because it’s a circle, its size increases exponentially, but the price from a small to a medium to a large is usually only slightly different. For example, one large 16 inch pizza has the same surface area as 4 small 8 inch pizzas. Price per square inch of pizza decreases dramatically as size increases, so you should almost always go for the bigger one. That’s science.

6 – It’ll make you happy

Happiness is linked to longevity as well as improved overall health – not to mention stress is very harmful for your body. Biting into a hot, cheesy slice of margherita pizza is guaranteed to increase your happiness and decrease stress instantly, and we think that’s a great reason to eat more of it.

With a New Year’s resolution as great as this one, 2015 is proving to be an amazing year for your favorite Phoenix Pizza Restaurant, and we’re pretty sure we’ll be able to achieve our goal of eating more margheritas. For a slice of the best pizza in town, head over to NYPD – and if you want more fun facts and news about pizza, follow our blog!

https://flic.kr/p/m8c5ew

The holidays are a time for family, loved ones, and the best pizza in Phoenix AZ. Why pizza, you ask? Well, it just might be the love of your life, and here’s why.

You can’t get enough of it

Pizza is the one food that is universally loved. People all over the world eat it, making it maybe the only thing that every nation can agree on. There’s even evidence to show that the caseins (a protein in cheese) found in pizza are addictive. And in the immortal words of Mae West, “too much of a good thing can be wonderful”.

It’s always there for you

Pizza is the ultimate comfort food. It always has time for you and comes whenever you call. Pizza doesn’t judge you or care about your mistakes, it just gives you joy and happiness. It makes us happy when we’re sad, and it picks us up when we’re down: we crave pizza when we’re tired because its calorific deliciousness gives us an energy boost. That’s science.

It’s been a part of your life since childhood

You and pizza share a beautiful relationship that has lasted a lifetime. It brought you and your friends together in elementary school and it stayed by your side during your awkward adolescent years. Your teenage years can be a rough time, and studies show that teenagers eat more pizza than any other age group. Pizza got you through high school lunch period and late-night college study sessions, and still is by your side today.

You’ll never get tired of pizza

Pepperoni, Hawaiian, Meat Lover’s, Pesto, Margherita, Buffalo Chicken. Pizza is exactly what you want it to be, whenever you want. It’s saucy. It can be spicy. It comes in all shapes and sizes. The best pizza in Phoenix AZ can be gluten free or vegan. Whatever you need, pizza has you covered.

It’s been with you through thick and thin

Some days you’re craving a thick, doughy pie smothered in sauce and piled with cheese. Other days you want a thin crust with fresh tomatoes and creamy mozzarella. Either way, pizza is there for you.

It’s Patriotic

Pizza became popular US when soldiers returned home from WWII in Italy after having eaten it there while kicking some fascist ass. Yes, technically pizza originated in Europe, but Americans made it our own, and made it popular all around the world. On any given day, 13% of Americans eat a slice of pizza. It’s so important to us, the US Department of Agriculture compiled a report detailing American’s consumption of pizza. Pizza has become an American tradition, so celebrate this great nation with the best pizza in Phoenix AZ today.

The holiday season can be stressful whether you’re single or spoken for, but just remember that you can always depend on pizza to get you through the tough times. It’s true that money can’t buy you love, but it can buy pizza – which is basically the same thing. So give a pizza your heart this holiday season and stop by NYPD for the best pizza in Phoenix AZ, or get a gift card and share the love with your friends and family.

https://flic.kr/p/5HqTcG

You may know all about the best pizza in Arizona, but there is another wonderful, cheesy and tomato-topped Italian delicacy that is beloved worldwide: and that is the pasta.

Italian-style pasta is popular in United States, but countries all over the world have different versions of the dish. Throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, different kinds of pasta are enjoyed, leading to questions about its true origin. It is still most popular in Italy, where Italians eat about 66 to 77 pounds of the dish per year. As a huge part of their culture and cuisine, and they would love to be able to claim the invention of the food. In fact, the origin of pasta is a subject of heated debate. We, the makers of the best pizza in Arizona, are now on a mission to find out: What is the true origin of pasta? Keep reading to find out.

Myth #1

Greece has their own version of pasta (orzo) and they have their own story for how it all began – it was literally a gift from the Gods. Greek god Hephaestus was said to have created a device that produced strings of dough that was then gifted to mere mortals who used it to make pasta, a food which can only be described as heavenly. This would certainly add to the millennia-long epic rivalry between Rome and Greece, and we could definitely get behind the idea that pasta is a divine gift. Unfortunately, records show that both civilizations already had pasta before the time this device was used, so it must have originated elsewhere.

Myth #2

Many Italians still cling to the idea that pasta originated in Italy. The basis of this claim is that archaeologists found a metal pin used by the Ancient Etruscans supposedly to shape pasta. However, most researchers agree this pin could have been used for many purposes that were not pasta shaping, and other civilizations had pasta before this time period anyway.

Myth #3

Marco Polo traveled East to China in the 12^th century going further into uncharted territory than any European ever had before. For two decades, he learned about silk, spices, and precious gems while charting trade routes that would be used by merchants for centuries. And, most importantly, he discovered pasta and returned with it as Italians rejoiced, changing epicurean history. At least, that is how the story goes. In reality, pasta already existed in Italy and Marco Polo simply returned with an Asian version of a food they already had.

Fact (?)

Most food historians (yes, that is a real job) agree that pasta originated in Northern Africa and was brought to Sicily in the 8^th century, when Arabs invaded Southern Italy. The rest is culinary history.

So while the Italians didn’t actually invent pasta, if pasta had never infiltrated their shores we may never have experienced the delights of fettucini alfredo or pasta puttanesca or even, dare I say, spaghetti. It may not have originated in Italy, but over the centuries Italians made their own version of it and made our lives so much happier in the process. So if you’re ever looking for something other than the best pizza in Arizona, stop by NYPD for our delicious pastas. If you want more fun facts and news about Italian food, follow our blog!

Some decisions in life are easy. Deciding to order the best pizza in Phoenix AZ from NYPD pizza is simple, but unfortunately everything isn’t that obvious. The holidays can be stressful, and this November is election month – meaning you’re seeing political ads and posters everywhere you look at all times everyday. But rest assured: whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat, whether your candidate won or lost, NYPD pizza is here for you. We’re here to show you that you should be enjoying the best pizza in Phoenix AZ whatever the election results say, because pizza is better than politics. Here are some reasons why:

1. Everyone loves pizza
You might disagree with your friend about government policies or political parties, but you will always be able to agree on your mutual love of pizza while you both cherish its cheesy goodness. Politics might divide us, but pizza brings us back together.

2. Everybody wins
Pepperoni or cheese? Hawaiian or Barbecue? Sausage or Bacon? Deciding on toppings might spark some debate among you and your friends, until you realize that you’re being ridiculous and you should just order all of them. We’re all winners when the best pizza in Phoenix AZ is involved.

3. Politicians love pizza too
Pizza is non-partisan! Obama eats pizza. Romney eats pizza. Former presidential candidate Herman Cain actually owned a chain of pizzerias. NYC mayor Bill de Blasio eats pizza. Yes, he ate some pizza with a fork (does he think this is Chicago?) but we appreciate the sentiment – which is that pizza is delicious. Politicians from all different political parties are unified in their love of pizza, and we think this is beautiful.

Even the best pizza in Arizona will make you thirsty. So the question is: which beverage will you choose to quench that thirst? A cold beer or a glass of wine? And does anyone even care what you’re drinking when NYPD pizza is so friggin delicious anyway?

Today, we answer these questions. Here are the pros and cons of beer and wine, respectively, as pizza pairings.

Pizza and Beer
Pros: It’s pizza and beer! This combo is casual, friendly. Unintimidating yet unintimidated. It’s the choice of people who have a sense of humor. Plus, it’s versatile: you can pair beer with any kind of pizza, from pepperoni to caprese, and it’ll always be a match.

Cons: It’s pizza and beer. Think unsophisticated. Think playing-video-games-in-your-parents’-basement unsophisticated. Grow up, get a haircut, and try a real drink. But hey, we saw that NYPD box—nice taste in pizza!

Pizza and Wine
Pros: Pizza with wine is classy. One gets the sense that this is what people do in Paris or Rome. Why one gets this sense, we don’t know. There’s just something romantic and European about pizza with wine. Even when your pizza has ‘New York’ in its name. Go figure.

Cons: Is there anything more pretentious than wine with your pizza? It’s like caviar on a cheeseburger. How do you expect to act like that and still have friends? Don’t think people will like you just because you’re eating the best pizza in Arizona.

Have an opinion about beer versus wine to complement pizza? Hit us up on Facebook and let us know! Of course, the real problem with this whole debate is that we’re having it instead of eating NYPD, the best pizza in AZ. Live nearby? We can fix that.

Photo credits: Joe Shlabotnik and The Phoenix Ale Brewery

Photo credit: Marco Trezza

Hey, you there! Stop chewing your delicious Tempe AZ pizza for one moment—yeah, we said it—and listen up! Did you know that next month is officially National Pizza Month? We’re not making this up: Americans nationwide have been celebrating National Pizza Month, a.k.a. The Only Month That Matters, each October since 1987. Where’ve you been, right?

The month was originally inaugurated by Gerry Durnell, the founder of Pizza Today magazine, and a total pizza celebrity in his day. This year, thanks to Gerry, you’re going to celebrate October like you never have before. Why are we posting about this in September? Because you’ll need time to prepare. You’re going to really think outside the pizza box on this one.

Starting October 1, here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. Visit NYPD Every Day
Yes, even weekends. We don’t care if your family reunion is already scheduled for October—grandma will understand. Especially if you send her a Tempe AZ pizza of her own. Can we recommend the Brooklyn family style?

2. Eat Every Meal At NYPD
Now that we’re serving breakfast, you have no excuse. What’s that? You’re sick of pizza? Yeah, right. We’ve even got you covered for dessert, with our new zeppoli sundae. It’s a zeppoli with a cherry on top, come on.

3. Visit NYPD Multiple Times Every Day
Okay, this is a revision to #1: you really ought to be visiting NYPD more than once per day. Once per day would be understandable if it were, like, national broccoli month, and we were a broccoli restaurant. But this is pizza we’re talking about! You’ll want to make multiple daily visits.

4. Live At NYPD
This is just the logical next step, right? We’re expecting to host a sort of live-in pizza-Woodstock this October. No tents, please.

And that just about covers it: you’re gonna be set for National Pizza Month. All that’s left to do is build up your pizza tolerance. We can help. Remember, our Tempe AZ pizzas are made with authentic New York water, for that Brooklyn flavor all the way out here in the desert!

Photo credit: larryfishkorn

Man oh man, what are they teaching in school these days? Apparently not the history of the glorious Tempe AZ pizza, that’s for sure. Many of our customers seem to have this very strange and confusing idea that pizza comes from Italy, which is a small European country that’s shaped like a boot. Obviously, no country shaped like a boot could have invented pizza. Breadsticks, maybe.

Get ready: today, NYPD is challenging the little boot-country! We alone will serve up the truth, ending the propaganda and misinformation once and for all! Prepare yourself for the real history of pizza. What you’re about to hear may shock you.

Boot-myth #1: “Pizza comes from Italy”
False. Pizza does not come from Italy. Pizza was invented in New York in 1905 by a guy named Gennaro Lombardi. Wacky name, right? But hey, “pizza” is kind of a funny name, too, if you think about it. Say it a few times. Pizza. Pizza. Where did Gennaro come up with a crazy word like that? We’ll probably never know—probably it was his grandmother’s maiden name.

Boot-myth #2: “Pizza comes, more specifically, from Naples, Italy”
False again. Let’s talk about Naples for a second here. Naples is a town founded a long time ago by Bill Naple, a man who enjoyed lying to other people for fun. He had many Napley children, all of whom also lied. Fast-forward to today: everybody thinks pizza originated in Naples. You connect the dots, okay? We’re not pointing any fingers.

Boot-myth #3: “Pizza was brought to the United States by Italian immigrants”
Actually, pizza was brought to Italy by American immigrants, who happened to be from New York. When these New Yorkers arrived at their destination, they found that every Italian in all of Italy was starving, so they quickly whipped up hundreds of pizzas using the very same methods we use, today, in our delicious Tempe AZ pizzas. “Ciao from New York!” they said, flinging dough, and everyone was very pleased, except the Naple children, who were pure evil.

And there you have it! This exhaustive history of pizza since the beginning of time probably has you hungry for one of our New-York-style pies, so pick up the phone and call us! Your Tempe AZ pizza is waiting for you.

Every AZ pizza restaurant knows this saying: there’s no party like a pizza party. You don’t need an occasion. You’re young and wild and it’s Friday night—so stay in and let the pizza come to you. This 5-step guide to pizza partying will make sure this one is a night you remember for the rest of your life.

1. Order a pizza

This step is crucial. You’re free to place an order from any AZ pizza restaurant, but remember that New York pizza is the only true pizza, and only NYPD serves authentic New York pizza. But really, go ahead—order from some other AZ pizza restaurant. We don’t care; it’s just that your guests might.

2. Invite some friends

You have friends, don’t you? Well, get them over to your place! It’s pizza night! Acceptable modes of invitation include a phone call, an email, a Facebook invite, or a Snapchat of a pizza captioned ‘$$$ come n get it’

3. Choose a movie

Obviously you’ve got to watch a movie on pizza night. The ideal film for this kind of event is any horror movie that cost even less to make than your pizza did. Examples include ‘Thankskilling’ and ‘666: The Demon Child.’ You and your buddies will enjoy that pizza so much more while watching one of these classic films.

4. Choose a board game

This is an optional substitute for a horror movie, if you’ve got a weak stomach. Or, for the totally stimulation-starved out there, a board game can be a way to keep things going post-movie. ‘Cards Against Humanity’ has been a popular choice lately: think ‘Apples to Apples’ but way more offensive.

5. Clean up, after

Please don’t leave empty pizza boxes all over your house, after your friends leave; it’s unseemly. Do the dishes and vacuum up those crumbs. We’ve got lots of ideas for how to recycle those old pizza boxes—if you’re stuck, see our blog.

Is it party time yet? Give us a call and we’ll get to work on your New York style pie right away. Don’t forget to check out our menu before you order, because we’re always rotating our seasonal favorites!

Not everyone trusts us, you know. Sure, everybody who eats at our restaurant agrees that we serve the best pizza in Arizona, but there are those occasional patrons who wonder aloud, licking their fingers and patting their sated bellies, whether it was really the water that made it so good.

You’d better believe it, pal.

New York City’s tap water is pretty much a magical elixir, and its inclusion in our dough recipe is what’s catapulted our pies to the tops of more ‘Best of Phoenix’ lists than you even knew existed. Having trouble believing that the origin of the tap water actually matters? You’re not alone—the Food Network didn’t believe it either. So they put the idea to the test.

A few years ago, Chef John, from the Food Network Show ‘Food Detectives,’ ran the following experiment: he made three pizzas that were identical in every way, except that he used tap water from a different city to make the dough for each one. There was a pizza made with Chicago water, another made with Los Angeles water, and a final one made with New York water.

Chef John then invited three New York pizza experts—Mario Cantone, Joe Ciolli, and Tony Muia—to help him conduct a blind taste test. You can check out the results for yourself, in the video embedded below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGs8LUZIgco

Clearly, we’re not the only ones who know that New York water makes great pizza dough. If you want to experience the difference firsthand—well, you know which local pizza joint uses New York water, don’t you? That’s why ours is the best pizza in Arizona. Head on down to NYPD today.

Even the best pizza in Phoenix (pssst, NYPD!) isn’t recyclable. And neither is the box it comes in.

The oils and greases on a pizza box can ruin an entire batch of recycling, which gets expensive quickly—in fact, annual costs associated with such ruined batches reportedly total more than $1 million in the city of Phoenix alone.

So keep your pizza boxes away from that blue bin. Instead, consider recycling used pizza boxes “unofficially,” by trying one of these 3 fun DIY projects! We’ve kept the projects so simple that you won’t even need any tools or materials except the pizza boxes themselves. Take a look!

1. Pizza Box Throw Pillows

Pizza box throw pillows are better than traditional, cushiony throw pillows because with these babies, you’ll never get too comfortable. That sharp pain from resting your head on the corner of the box will always remind you of your true purpose in life: to acquire more NYPD pizza.

2. Pizza Box Welcome Mat

Nobody wants a rectangular welcome mat anymore, and certainly nobody wants a rectangular welcome mat that actually says “Welcome.” Hel-lo, 1970. Why not a welcome mat that says “NYPD Pizza”? It’s brave, daring, even avant-garde.

3. Pizza Box Drain Plug

Sure, this stopper won’t fit quite so perfectly into your sink’s drain as a plastic one from Home Depot might, but where’s the satisfaction in that? Besides, what your drain plug may lack in functionality, it’ll more than make up for in style. You’ll be so excited, you’ll wash your hands all day. Well, when you’re not eating more NYPD Pizza, that is.

Are you ready to decorate your home with these 3 easy projects? You’d better arm yourself with a stack of NYPD Pizza boxes, huh? Drop by any one of our many locations or give us a call for delivery today for a taste of the very best pizza in Phoenix, AZ. And some of the most attractive boxes, to boot.