Rachel Ollhoff, I owe you.

I’ve never met Rachel, but she works with my sister — they’re counselors at Gilbert High School — and a couple of months ago, she gave me a tip.

“Rachel says you have to try Jimmy & Joe’s,” Jill said. “It’s her favorite pizza in the East Valley.”

Now, I’d never even heard of Jimmy & Joe’s. So I briefly checked out their Web site, didn’t find much information there and ended up filing it in my mental check-it-out-someday file.

In other words, I pretty much forgot about it.

That is, until two weeks ago, when I was cutting through a strip mall parking lot at McClintock Drive and Ray Road in Chandler, looking for a different restaurant. Instead, suddenly, hidden behind a CVS drugstore, I came upon Jimmy & Joe’s Pizzeria.

I remembered Rachel’s tip. Surely this tiny storefront pizzeria, with just a half-dozen small aluminum tables, couldn’t be the place.

I was too busy to stop right then, but I made it a point to come back the next day with several co-workers to try Jimmy & Joe’s daily lunch special: A large slice and a drink for just $4.

Now, I’m hooked.

So hooked that I made three more visits that same week.

So hooked that several of my co-workers are willing to regularly make the 24-mile round trip from our Mesa office to satisfy their midday slice joneses.

What makes Jimmy & Joe’s so special? In large part, it’s the simplicity of owner Terry Black’s approach:

Start with a perfectly cooked New York-style thin crust, add equal amounts of sauce and a special mozzarella blend made special for Jimmy & Joe’s in Wisconsin and top with premium toppings, such as their fennel-infused sausage, which has a trace of sweetness and a hint of spiciness.

The menu offers only a few diversions — chicken wings, calzones and two desserts — otherwise it’s just delicious pizza, ranging from single slices to 24-inch pies, with a choice of 24 toppings.

It’s not surprising that the family-run shop (Terry’s daughter, Amy, is the manager; both are pictured above) has built such a loyal following in just 10 months.

The slice-and-drink lunch special runs through 3 p.m., but slices are available until 5 p.m., drawing a steady stream of customers from nearby businesses and high schools.

At night, Jimmy & Joe’s delivers, but most people opt for curbside service — you can pull up to a side door and never leave your vehicle.

So good, so affordable, so convenient — it’s almost impossible for me not to stop for slice a couple of times per week.

But don’t blame me if you get similarly addicted.

It’s Rachel Ollhoff’s fault.

Jimmy & Joe’s Pizzeria
Where: 3950 W. Ray Road, Chandler (northeast corner of Ray Road and McClintock Drive)
Prices: Slice special $4 (until 3 p.m. daily), pizzas start at $9.95, calzones $5.95. wings $5.95/dozen.
Info:(480) 963-6633 or jimmyandjoes.com