15 FEBRUARY 23-MARCH 1, 2023 westword.com WESTWORD | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | Upper Crust THE TEN BEST PLACES FOR PIZZA IN DENVER. BY MOLLY MARTIN After eating dozens of pies at places old and new, it became clear to me that Denver’s pizza game is strong right now, even if it’s in a time of transition. In recent years, the city long without a pizza style of its own has continued to welcome regional styles while slowly and quietly developing a signature trend: sour- dough, or naturally leavened, crust, topped with seasonal and local ingredients that go beyond the basic pepperoni and sausage. The current pizza scene is so hot, in fact, that we had to set some ground rules in order to narrow this list down to ten. We opted to stick with brick-and-mortars that serve pizza every day they’re open — though there are plenty of specials, pop-ups and food trucks worth your attention, such as Taglio Tuesdays at Coperta, when it serves Roman-style pies, and the offerings from Get Sauced, Pizza Limbo and Simply Pizza. While old-school pizza spots that serve more traditional New York-style pies hold a nostalgic place in the hearts of many Denver diners, the newer joints have really stepped it up in terms of technique and quality of ingredients. And there are some solid slice- centric options that work particularly well after a drink (or fi ve), too, but we eliminated them from consideration for this list and focused on expertise in whole pies. Here are my picks for the ten best places to eat pizza in metro Denver this year, in alphabetical order (with an extra spot that’s worth the drive): Cart-Driver 2500 Larimer Street, 303-292-3553 2239 West 30th Avenue, 720-501-2264 cart-driver.com The 2014 opening of Cart-Driver in RiNo ush- ered in a wave of Neapolitan pizzas. These per- fectly charred wood-fi red pies shine whether you opt for a simple margherita (called the Daisy here) or a seasonal creation, loaded with ingredients like clams and pancetta or delicata squash and pecorino. A meal in the tiny, origi- nal shipping-container location is an intimate yet lively experience, while the newer outpost in LoHi is a little more spacious and low-key. Bonus: You can pair your pizza with tinned fi sh and oysters. Everyday Pizza 2162 Larimer Street 303-953-0631 weareeveryday.pizza It’s easy to assume that this vegan spot that opened in August 2022 is simply serving fl at- bread dressed up as pizza. But what’s coming out of the ovens is so much more than that. As with its sister restaurant, Somebody People, Everyday Pizza’s approach to vegan eats for- goes fake meats in place of simple, whole ingre- dients that somehow still give off classic pizza vibes, even if cheese is nowhere to be found. And those who love to dip will be rewarded with options that are far better than ranch, like garlicky aioli, tzatziki and lemon sauce. Bonus: Pizzas are $5 off during happy hour, from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Grabowski’s 3350 Brighton Boulevard 720-207-9615 grabowskispizzeria.com For years, deep dish dominated when most people thought of Chicago-style pizza. But now the secret is out, and the Windy City’s thin-crust tavern pies are on the rise. Grabow- ski’s brought this style’s signature square-cut pizzas to Denver in 2019, and its location at the Source remains the top place in town to get your fi x if you’re looking for that almost-fl aky texture topped with premium ingredients. Bonus: Giardiniera is available to add to any pie. The Greenwich 3258 Larimer Street 720-868-5006 thegreenwichdenver.com In 2021, owner Delores Tronco and chef Justin Freeman opened this homage to New York City. While it’s far more than a place for pizza, the pies stand out thanks to an expertly made sourdough crust loaded with toppings that push traditional boundaries, such as pickled pineapple and bacon jam, or whipped mascarpone, Gruyère and creamed leeks. Bonus: The Greenwich also excels at seasonal veggies, so skip the boring iceberg and olive salads that most pizza places serve and pair your pie with delectable options like smoked cabbage or braised greens with za’atar-spiced yogurt. Hops & Pie 3920 Tennyson Street 303-477-7000 hopsandpie.com Not only is Hops & Pie one of the best beer bars in the state and a favorite for its rotating sandwich-of- the-week special, but it stepped up its pizza game when it transitioned to an all-sourdough menu in September 2022. Now it offers three styles of pies made with naturally fermented dough. Choose from New York style, a thicker, pillowy Sicilian pie or square-cut Detroit style, complete with a light and buttery crust with crispy, cheese-covered edges and a superb sauce on top. Bonus: On Thursdays, a Detroit-style cheese pie is just $7 (additional toppings are extra), one of the best pizza deals in town. Joy Hill 1229 South Broadway 303-954-8784 joyhilldenver.com Co-owners Julia Duncan Roitman and Andy Templar set out to open a cocktail bar that happened to have pizza, but Joy Hill made its debut just days before the pandemic shut down all indoor dining in March 2020. As a result, it leaned on its pizza to stay in business — and that paid off. Made with such ingredients as heir- loom wheat from Dry Storage, locally sourced bison and seasonal produce, and hand-stretched mozzarella made in-house, these are some seriously high-quality pies. But the kicker is the char-specked, light and airy sourdough crust, which is wood-fi red and best enjoyed with a drizzle of honey or a dunk in green chile ranch. Bonus: Joy Hill also has a killer cocktail and wine selection, plus one of the best rooftops in town. Marco’s Coal Fired 2129 Larimer Street, 303-296-7000 10111 Inverness Main Street, Englewood, 303-790-9000 marcoscfp.com While many local pizza pros credit Cart-Driver for being a catalyst for upping the quality of Denver’s pizza scene, Marco’s Coal Fired has been churning out Neapolitan-style pies on Larimer Street since 2008. After a brief attempt to rebrand to avoid confusion with a chain by a similar name, Marco’s returned to its original moniker — and it’s always been a consistent source of bubbly, charred pies that cook in just sixty seconds in a 900-degree oven. Bonus: Need a pick-me-up? Order a Stabi- lizer shot, a caffeine-boosted favorite of the industry pros who work in the area. Pizzeria Leopold 1990 Wadsworth Boulevard, Lakewood 303-248-7208 pizzerialeopold.com Husband and wife Chris and Lindsay Lyons purchased the three-decade-old Deli Italia in 2018 and saw the potential to transform it from an Italian market to a full-service restaurant with an expansive menu that includes subs, appetizers, salads and a retooled version of pizza. In August 2022, the couple rebranded the eatery as Pizzeria Leopold, named for their son, who was born just after the restaurant reopened following the mandated pandemic shutdown of indoor dining in March 2020. To- day the Lyonses pride themselves on running a truly mom-and-pop-style pizzeria where everything is made from scratch — something that comes through in every bite. Bonus: You can also pick up imported Italian specialties for home cooking from Pizzeria Leopold’s deli case and small market. Redeemer Pizza 2705 Larimer Street 720-780-1379 redeemerpizza.com When Spencer White and Alex Figura, the owners of fast-casual pasta hit Dio Mio, started toying with the idea of getting large deck ovens in order to expand their baking capabilities, the concept morphed into a pizza place. Re- deemer debuted in the CAFE continued on page 16 FIND MORE FOOD & DRINK COVERAGE AT WESTWORD.COM/RESTAURANTS The pistachio pizza from Marco’s Coal Fired. MOLLY MARTIN The Greenwich does much more than pizza, but its pies are a must. MOLLY MARTIN
