Pizza and Patio Time at Bisbee’s Screaming Banshee

A pizza called Thai You Up Thai You Down tells you quickly that Screaming Banshee is not aiming for a standard red-checkered-tablecloth routine. This lively Bisbee restaurant puts pizza at the center of the meal, but gives it a playful, highly individual menu of specialty pies, sauces, fresh cheeses and toppings alongside the comforting basics.

The setting helps. Screaming Banshee occupies a converted former-service-station space, now filled with colorful, eclectic details and a distinctly local, hippy-style sense of fun. You can settle into the decorated interior, head for the patio, or claim a table in the back garden and make a longer evening of it.

The specialty-pizza names are half the entertainment. Options that have appeared on the menu include the Screaming Banshee Supreme, Cadillac Margherita, Spicy Motha Chicken, Thai You Up Thai You Down, Big P pepperoni and Meat Lovers. For diners who prefer to keep it simple, there are familiar choices such as cheese, pepperoni, supreme and meat-lovers pizzas.

The Screaming Banshee Supreme is a full-bodied, classic-style pie: red sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, salami, red and green bell peppers, and black olives. It is the order for a table that wants plenty going on without wandering too far from a recognizable pizzeria formula.

The Cadillac Margherita offers a gentler route and has been a hit with children, as has a straightforward cheese pizza. That range matters when one table includes adventurous eaters, traditionalists and someone who mainly wants a good slice of pepperoni.

Toppings can move beyond the usual suspects, too. Fennel sausage is one of the ingredients that gives the pizza list a little more character. The crust, sauces and cheeses are a big reason to come here, so even a less flashy order need not be an afterthought.

Before the pizza lands, Mango Ginger wings make a strong case for not rushing straight to the main event. The wings are generously sized, and the sauce brings a memorable sweet-savory punch rather than merely coating them in heat.

Other wing flavors give a group an easy excuse to split an order or two and compare favorites. Wings, pizza and cocktails are a natural combination here, especially at a table where no one is in a hurry to leave.

Garlic knots arrive with marinara for dipping, an uncomplicated pleasure that suits the restaurant’s relaxed mood. The ranch dressing has also drawn notice for having more flavor than the ordinary side cup often found at a casual pizza place.

Meatballs with sauce and the Fancy Salad offer two more ways to round out the table. The salad is useful when a meal needs something crisp alongside all that cheese and dough, while the meatballs keep the Italian-American side of the menu in view.

Pizza may own the spotlight, but calzones and pasta keep the menu from becoming a one-note affair. Gorgasiago pasta is served in a generous portion, substantial enough to share alongside a pie or a few appetizers.

Vegetarian diners have found a broad selection of meat-free choices, another helpful detail for mixed groups. A table can build a meal around a couple of pizzas, a salad and a shareable pasta without making everyone order the same thing.

The bar menu follows the kitchen’s cheerful, offbeat lead. Cocktails that have been offered include the Chupacabra, Lipstick On My Lover, Bloody Marys and several margarita variations.

The Chupacabra brings a sweet-and-spicy profile, a nice companion to wings or a pizza with a little heat. Lipstick On My Lover goes in a brighter direction, combining elderflower liqueur, pomegranate juice and champagne.

This is a place where a pizza dinner can easily turn into a second round on the patio. The drinks make the room work as well for an informal date night as for a family dinner or a loose, catch-up-with-friends gathering.

Screaming Banshee has several seating areas rather than one single dining room, which gives the place welcome flexibility. Families and casual groups can spread out, while a smaller party can find a corner that feels less like a crowd scene.

The outdoor options are a major asset. A patio, terrace and back garden offer a more open-air way to take in Bisbee between bites, and the garden setting is especially pleasant for an unhurried meal with friends.

Inside, the visual mix is intentionally far from generic. Eclectic décor and local art give diners something to look at while waiting for the next slice, and some of the art is available for purchase. The room has the mildly wonderful clutter and color of a place assembled by people who did not want every wall to match.

On colder days, the outdoor tables can feel cool, and busy periods may make some areas feel tight. Still, the mix of indoor and outdoor seating gives the restaurant more range than a typical small pizza stop.

Screaming Banshee fits naturally into a day spent roaming Bisbee. It has served as a meal stop after time at Queen Mine and after the demanding Bisbee 1000 stair climb, when a big pizza, pasta or plate of wings sounds especially sensible.

The restaurant sits in hilly Bisbee, where parking can be limited and a short walk may involve an incline. Calling ahead has helped diners secure a table, though the pace and availability can vary with the crowd.

Current menus and hours are worth checking before heading over, particularly if a specific specialty pie or cocktail has caught your eye. The changing choices are part of the pleasure: order a familiar favorite, then leave room for one of the names you would not normally find on a pizza menu.