Any chef creating extraordinary dishes is about enthusiasm and love of the craft; that is the situation in most cases. However, a husband-and-wife team in Henderson has taken this passion to a whole new level. Gabriele and Veronica Babini are about love, purpose, and creativity that you can taste in every bite at their Pizza Heroes restaurant.
From the outside, it appears like a typical pizza establishment. Upon entering, that image disappears with glimmering marble tables and countertops accented by white patterned flooring that reminds one of visiting Rome itself. But there is more, so much more. How about handcrafted authentic pizza with no sugar or salt in the crust or the sauce?
Taking a seat at our marble table, we met a wonderful, hard-working couple. Veronica is a native of Verona, an Italian law school graduate summa cum laude, and has traveled extensively worldwide. She eventually moved to the United States. After having her first child, Veronica developed a deep interest in baking. By studying with the great bakers, Chef Jeffrey Hamelman and Peter Reinhart, Veronica developed her own “natural-style” pizza with their significant influence. As Veronica so eloquently states, “I make pizza as pizza should be.”
Gabriele was born and raised in Rome. During his long career, he rose through the hospitality industry ranks as a food and beverage executive, having worked for many 5 Stars Hotels and Casinos on five continents. The culinary stars aligned for Gabriele and Veronica when they met and fell in love in Dubai.
In March 2019, due to the COVID shutdown, Gabriele was laid off from his job in the casino industry. He decided to open a little pizzeria with his wife despite the pandemic. “Pizza Heroes was established... where the ingredients are the heroes,” they said laughing.
After tasting many pizzas in the area, they were not impressed and wanted to showcase the best quality food that was true to their Italian roots.
“We use no sugar in our crust and sauce. We only use the finest tomatoes we can source with perfect ripeness,” said Gabriele.
Veronica explained that the sweetness comes from the ripened tomatoes. “99 percent of the pizza we taste-tested had brown sugar added to the dough. The dough loses its elasticity by adding the sugar,” Gabriele added. “We wanted to make a healthier, delicious pizza. It is particularly desirable for those who have diabetes and those concerned about sugar intake.”
There are many pizzas to choose from, such as beloved Cheese and Margarita. The signature pizzas are crafted with the layering of flavors and ideal ingredients. Fresh vegetables are chopped twice a day-ensuring the most nuanced flavors possible. Don’t pass up the Chicken Cordon Bleu or go all in the Supreme Pizza loaded with savory sausage, peppers, olives, mozzarella, and pepperoni.
There are also vegetarian and vegan options, hot heroes, calzones, and strombolis. For those craving wings, Pizza Heroes’ wings are crispy, meaty, and succulent. They only use the best quality chicken they can find. Baking the wings helps the fat to recede as flavor increases. When ordered, wings are flash fried to perfection.
For the grand finale, don’t forget the Cannoli. These iconic sweet treats are exceptional, with the shell coming from Sicily, then hand-rolled, and the filling from one of the best purveyors in New York!
Pizza Heroes has created an entire menu with only the highest quality products available and will not disappoint.
