Local chefs, Devon Sanner and Mat Cable, have officially announced the opening of what they’re describing as their “culinary bromance” restaurant project.
Zio Peppe, located at 6502 E. Tanque Verde Rd., is opening up the restaurant for takeout and delivery — lunch and dinner — on Monday, May 10.
The new spot that’s located near the eastside is considered to be the Old Pueblo’s take on Italian-American cuisine, a “love letter to Tucson”, according to Tucson natives Sanner and Cable.
Zio Peppe, which means “Uncle Joe” in Italian, is in part a tribute to Cable’s uncle, Joe Sottosanti, who opened Tucson’s first Sicilian pizza place, Tesseo’s Pizzeria, nearly 50 years ago. Once the dining room opens to the public, you’ll notice some black and white photos of Joe and his pizzeria on the walls.
So, what’s on the menu, you ask?
The centerpiece of the new restaurant is its unique gas and wood-fired oven, equipped with a rotating stone hearth — perfect for firing up the pizzas, which have an emphasis on house-made and locally sourced ingredients. The pizza dough is constructed with the traditional Neapolitan formula, but with the addition of mesquite flour and hard red wheat grown and milled in Marana.
You’ll discover some classics on the menu, including the Margherita with basil and hand-pulled mozzarella, and keep an eye out for the Pizza Bianca, made with house-made fennel sausage and BKW Farms blue oyster mushrooms.
Ordering something other than pizza is also a pasta-bility. That’s right — pasta.
The pasta offerings at Zio Peppe are said to ‘similarly underscore Cable and Sanner’s ethos of culinary confluence.” The two have incorporated several ingredients into the pasta, such as wolfberry, green chile powder, and local Pima durum wheat.
A couple of dishes that really stand out on the menu include the Green Chile Pappardelle and Peppe Marinara — a Sonoran-Italian future classic — and familiar comfort dishes like the Fettuccine Alfredo.
With the dessert menu, it’s asked that you call (520) 888-4242 the day of when ordering.
Cable has been the owner of Fresco Pizzeria & Pastaria since 2008 and First We Eat Catering and Confections since 2019. He is also a partner in Dante’s Fire, the house caterer for Z Mansion, and a two-term President of Tucson Originals. Devon Sanner has spent the past 15 years cooking with Tucson culinary legend Janos Wilder, serving as chef at DOWNTOWN Kitchen + Cocktails and The Carriage House.
Zio Peppe’s hours of operation will be 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily for takeout and delivery, and dine-in inside and on the patio will be announced in the coming weeks.
Zio Peppe is located at 6502 E. Tanque Verde Rd. For more information, call (520) 888-4242 or visit ziopeppeaz.com.
Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
