Red Devil Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria opened in Phoenix in 1960 and is still family owned more than six decades later. Today the business runs four locations, including one in Tempe, and is led by the founding family’s second generation.
For diners in Tempe, that history explains a lot about how the restaurant operates now. This piece looks at how the business started, how it grew, and what family ownership tends to mean for local Italian restaurants in general.
Who Founded Red Devil?
The restaurant was founded by two partners known as “Big Joe” and “Little Joe.” Their website describes them as two Italian men with roots in Sicily and New Jersey who opened their first restaurant together in Phoenix in 1960.
One detail stands out in their own telling of the story. The name “Red Devil” wasn’t something they created. It was already on the sign out front when they bought the place, and they kept it.
What Was the Restaurant Known for Early On?
According to their published timeline, the first Red Devil became known for its oversized pizzas. Money was tight in the early years, so the founders brought their families into the business.
The restaurant’s own account credits long hours, personal sacrifices, quality ingredients and loyal customers for keeping it going. It’s a common pattern in family-run restaurants of that era, where relatives filled roles in the kitchen and dining room.
How Did One Restaurant Become Four?
Growth came slowly. Their timeline notes that a second restaurant opened in Phoenix in 1987, 27 years after the first, and that two more followed.
Today the four locations are:
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McDowell Road in Phoenix
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Bell Road in north Phoenix
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Southern Avenue in Tempe
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White Mountain Boulevard in Pinetop-Lakeside
The Phoenix-area restaurants share a main menu, while the Pinetop location runs its own.
Who Runs Red Devil Today?
Both founders have since passed away. Leadership has moved to the second generation of the founding family, and the restaurant describes its traditions and flavors as being carried on for generations to come.
The business still identifies as family owned and operated. Their menu notes that many dishes come from family recipes passed down through generations.
What Is on the Menu Today?
The current menu mixes Italian-American staples with pizzeria favorites. It includes:
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Pizza on homemade, hand-tossed dough in 10-, 14- and 16-inch sizes, plus calzones.
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Pasta such as spaghetti with meatballs, baked lasagna, manicotti and shrimp scampi.
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Entrées like Chicken Marsala, Chicken Romano and Eggplant Parmigiana.
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Subs and salads, from an Italian sub to an antipasto salad.
Some locations also offer gluten-sensitive and keto menus, and the restaurants handle catering and banquet events.
What Does “Family Owned” Mean for Diners?
Family ownership doesn’t guarantee a particular meal, but it often shapes how a restaurant runs. A few patterns are common:
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Recipe consistency. Dishes tend to change slowly, because they’re tied to the family’s history rather than to trends.
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Long tenure in one area. Family businesses often stay in the same neighborhoods for decades, building regular customers.
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Direct accountability. Owners are frequently closer to day-to-day operations than at larger chains.
When people search for an authentic Italian restaurant or a traditional Italian restaurant, they’re often looking for exactly these qualities: a menu with history behind it and a business rooted in the community.
How Can Tempe Diners Find a Family-Run Italian Restaurant?
Tempe has a wide mix of Italian restaurants, from newer concepts near ASU to long-standing neighborhood spots. A few questions help separate them:
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How long has the business been operating? A long history usually signals a loyal local base.
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Who owns it? Many restaurants share their ownership story on their website.
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Does the menu explain its dishes? Clear descriptions show what’s actually in each plate.
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Is there more than one way to eat? Dine-in, take-out, catering and delivery options make it easier to return.
Red Devil’s Tempe location on West Southern Avenue, for example, offers dine-in and take-out, with delivery available through DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber Eats. Readers who want to learn more about this Family Italian restaurant can find the Tempe location’s details and menu online.
Why Do Long-Running Restaurants Still Matter?
A restaurant that has stayed open for more than 60 years carries a piece of a city’s history, from the neighborhood it started in to the families who worked there.
For Tempe diners, eating at one is a simple way to connect with that history over a familiar meal. It’s also a reminder that some of the area’s most lasting businesses began with one small dining room and a family willing to work in it.