A Must‑Visit Local Pizza Restaurant Since 1987
Silly Al’s Pizza is a pizza business located in Quartzsite, Arizona. For more than 30 years, we have been dedicated to serving top‑quality, gourmet pizza to residents and tourists in the city.
A Brief Overview
When you’re living in the parched west‑central Arizona desert, you need a fair measure of grit and ingenuity. The seemingly quirky nature of Quartzsite's inhabitants isn't a new development; for 100 years or more, the area has been a magnet for miners and misfits, rovers and, roustabouts. A handful of resilient entrepreneurs reside in Quartzsite, serving the population's needs and braving the 120°F temperatures common to the region’s summer season. Most manage tourist shops, which blooms during the cooler months.
Late in the year, Quartzsite is jolted out of its repose. The first rumblings begin in November when RVs and trailers begin filtering in, many from northwestern states. By December, the one main street is swollen with traffic. In January, all hell breaks loose. That's when rock hounds, tourists, flea market tailgaters, and RV snowbirds from across the United States and Canada arrive to attend the mega markets and the Rock & Gem shows.
For the restaurants in town
It means filling to explosive levels. A line may form at the door that quickly fills into the parking lots. Few people seem to mind the wait, since the weather is almost always pleasant and every restaurant in town is in the same shape.
A Brief Overview
When you’re living in the parched west‑central Arizona desert, you need a fair measure of grit and ingenuity. The seemingly quirky nature of Quartzsite's inhabitants isn't a new development; for 100 years or more, the area has been a magnet for miners and misfits, rovers and, roustabouts. A handful of resilient entrepreneurs reside in Quartzsite, serving the population's needs and braving the 120°F temperatures common to the region’s summer season. Most manage tourist shops, which blooms during the cooler months.
Late in the year, Quartzsite is jolted out of its repose. The first rumblings begin in November when RVs and trailers begin filtering in, many from northwestern states. By December, the one main street is swollen with traffic. In January, all hell breaks loose. That's when rock hounds, tourists, flea market tailgaters, and RV snowbirds from across the United States and Canada arrive to attend the mega markets and the Rock & Gem shows.
For the restaurants in town
It means filling to explosive levels. A line may form at the door that quickly fills into the parking lots. Few people seem to mind the wait, since the weather is almost always pleasant and every restaurant in town is in the same shape.
Silly Al's Story
Silly Al's Pizza has been family‑owned and operated by the Robertson family in the same Quartzsite, Arizona location since 1987. “Silly Al's” was the brainchild of Al Robertson, an Arkansas/Los Angeles citizen who moved with his family to nearby Ehrenberg, Arizona in 1980.
He and his wife Joanie had never been in the pizza business. Their lifeline in Los Angeles was a chain of beauty shops and two beauty schools, while in Arkansas, they raised two young boys along with Charolais cattle from 1972 to 1980.
What About the Name?
A sign along the highway beaming the name “Silly Al's” proves an effective way to catch the eye of passing motorists.
Al's son and current owner Robbie explain the name’s origin. "My dad noticed there were some places around town with these strange names like a truck stop called Crazy Otto's and some others. He always liked names that grabbed people's attention. So he said ‘I'm not really silly, but if I call the place Silly Al's people will think I'm silly and it'll be good for business.' He really wasn't that silly then." Robbie goes on to say "My father was sort of our landmark, our mentor, our Godfather."
Al's Guide to Making Dough
“Silly Al” Robertson always felt, and insisted, that the dough is the critical thing. With a good foundation. Robbie describes the dough-making and other prepping: "We open at 10, and everybody's prepping, chopping veggies, and making sure the meat is ready."
The menu is simple: pizza, calzones, several kinds of pasta, gourmet salads, and sandwiches. Robbie estimates that certainly during the busy months 300 or more pizzas are sold each day and washed down with two to three kegs of beer; the number of cases of beer we sell is difficult to say.
Get in Touch With Silly Al’s Pizza
We would love to hear from you! Feel free to send us a message if you have any questions about our restaurant.