Photos by David Moore Butternut squash ravioli and mushroom pizza

This ‘Osteria & Pizzeria’ impresses with tasty pies, artful pastas, a comfy atmosphere and a buzzing bar.

Take one suave and seasoned Italian restaurateur (Tomaso Maggiore), add a young, creative American chef (Matt Alleshouse), stir in a New York pizza master (Vincenzo Desiderio), blend them together, and the tangy result is Tommy V.’s Osteria and Pizzeria – just about the perfect eatery for these unsettled times.

Located next to Maggiore’s flagship Tomaso’s, its unpretentious warmth wraps around you like a comforter. The front room, painted in soft colors, is sunny during the day and cozy at night. A buzzing bar that serves up both drinks and dinner for single diners dominates. The secondary dining room is darker and feels a bit more formal. Service is relaxed and extremely personable; it’s not unusual to find Tommy behind the bar pouring drinks or chatting with guests.

While this is much more than a pizzeria, those pies are mighty fine. Personal-sized, they are built on a thicker crust than the now omnipresent thin and bubbly variety. The sauce is well balanced and the primo ingredients carefully distributed. I am extremely partial to the sweet-savory fig and prosciutto ($15), the woodsy wild mushroom and the artichoke with smoky pancetta and creamy burratta (both $14).

The Osteria Board ($15) features a top-notch array of breads, salumi, cheese, olives and relishes. The citrus anchovies starter ($10) hits every elemental flavor note, including umami. Judging by a sterling salad composed of chiffonaded greens, beets, sweet goat cheese and toasted pistachios moistened by an intensely herbal vinaigrette ($8), this is a good place to get your greens.

the ‘Osteria Board’ with artisan meats, cheeses and flat bread.

And oh, the pastas! From the artful squash-filled, cheese- and sage-sauced packets ($14) to the creamy-yet-creamless Alfredo ($10) to the satisfying tagliatelle with a rich, shredded lamb shank ragu ($15), they all are peerless. So, too, are the braised short ribs with cloud-like gnocchi ($17) and flaky halibut Livornese-style ($18).

I was less than impressed with only two of the many items I tried. Tuna tartare ($12) consisted of fresh, quality fish, but the chopped, hard-boiled egg added zero flavor and textural contrast. And a serving of calamari ($10) was woefully pallid, flabby and under-fried.

Desserts break no new ground, but the cannoli ($7) is perfection – just like Nonna used to make – with a cookie-like shell, pistachio-drifted filling and a whisper of chocolate.

Plenty well-priced options can be found on the wine list (heavy on the Italians).

There might be a better place than Tommy V.’s to ride out the chilly, pinched days of the depression-recession, but I haven’t found it.

DETAILS

Tommy V.’s Osteria & Pizzeria
Cuisine: Pizza/Italian
Address: 3225 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix
Phone: 602-955-8900
Website: tomasos.com
Hours: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Thursday;
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Friday; 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday;
5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday
Highlights: Any pizza ($10-$18); ‘Osteria Board’ ($15); citrus anchovies ($10); beet and goat cheese salad ($8); butternut squash ravioli ($14); fettuccine Alfredo ($10); tagliatelle with lamb shank ragu ($15); cannoli ($7)