Denver’s obviously not Chicago, Detroit or New York when it comes to pizza lore or traditions. But what the city lacks in a signature style — unless you count the “Colorado-style” mountain pies at Beau Jo’s — it makes up for with sheer variety.
Denver is a melting pot for pizza. We’ve got the popular sourdough crust at spots like Joy Hill and Hops & Pie; Detroit and Sicilian-style, which is cooked in a pan for a crispy golden cheese crust; and Neapolitan, of course, for the folks who still wish they were on an Italian holiday.
Many restaurants have stuck to a classic New York-style, where East Coast transplants feel at home, or New Haven-style for that specific niche. And there are a few making the attempt to re-create the thin-crust, square-cut Chicago tavern pie, or even a deep dish.
“Denver’s pizza scene is maturing and growing,” said Zach Parini, owner of Lakewood’s Pizzeria Lui. “It’s always been good, and now it’s just getting better.”
In honor of National Pizza Month this October, we’ve put together a list of 11 of the best pizza shops in and around Denver, no matter the style:
Pizzeria Lui
Zach Parini left his gig as a baker at Golden’s Grateful Bread to focus on what he loves most: pizza. In 2017, he bought a small building in Lakewood and opened Pizzeria Lui. “It’s just a shame because I don’t crave pizza as often now,” he joked.
Pizzeria Lui is popular for its neo-Neapolitan-style pizza with a crisp crust that can hold up any pile of ingredients, like his father’s homemade sausage recipe on the Mamacita pie with ricotta, or the butternut squash on the current fall seasonal pie.
The counter-service joint, which does have a few picnic tables, blew up during the COVID-19 pandemic, selling out by 7 p.m. and running out of dough almost every day. So Parini switched from a wood-fired oven to an electric one to keep up with demand. He limits his hours — 3 to 9 p.m. — however, so he can spend time with his wife and two kids.
What sets Parini’s pie apart is the time he puts into making it and the ingredients he sources from around the country, like Palisade peaches from Colorado, Bianco Di Napoli tomatoes from California or Ezzo pepperonis from Ohio. He comes in every Sunday, his “day off,” to prepare the dough for Tuesday. “It’s important to stay consistent in this industry,” he said. “The days off will come later.”
5380 W. Mississippi Ave., Lakewood; pizzerialui.com
Benzina
Who knew you could find such good pizza in an old converted muffler shop? Benzina, which means “gasoline” in Italian, has been surprising pizza lovers since 2021 with its Neapolitan-style pizza with a wafer-thin base and bubbly crust. I’d highly recommend falling in love with the Spicy Sopressata pie, which uses Bianco Di Napoli tomatoes, with honey, mozzarella and basil on top.
4839 E. Colfax Ave., Denver; benzinadenver.com
Marco’s Coal-Fired Pizza
Marco’s Coal-Fired Pizza has been setting the standard for the tomato pie scene since it stepped onto it in 2008, introducing the Mile High City to a truly traditional Neapolitan pizza. Even the Michelin Guide recognized the fine pizza artistry, adding Marco’s to its list of 30 recommended restaurants around the state this year. Marco’s has also been “certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana — a stamp of approval from the Italian birthplace of this beloved foodstuff,” as stated in the Colorado Michelin Guide.
2129 Larimer St., Denver; 10111 Inverness Main St., Englewood; marcoscfp.com
Blue Pan
You either love Detroit-style pizza, or you hate it. There’s really no in-between. But if you are one of the many who do crave the golden cheesy crust goodness that can be eaten like a lasagna, I’m sure you’ve heard of Blue Pan. Try converting your pan-hating friends with a slice of the restaurant’s best-selling Brooklyn Bridge pie with ricotta, sausage, pepperoni, chopped garlic, mozzarella, pecorino romano and oregano. (Keep an eye out for an upcoming Golden location.)
3934 W. 32nd Ave., and 3509 E. 12th Ave., Denver; bluepandenver.com
White Pie
White Pie has brought New Haven, Conn. (what some consider to be the pizza capital of the U.S.), to Denver and Colorado Springs with its thin, round, flatbread-like pizza. While New Haven is known for its white clam pie, White Pie makes a signature pizza with crème fraiche, mozzarella, garlic oil, mushrooms, bacon, Pecorino, oregano and a sunnyside-up egg.
1702 Humboldt St., Denver; 330 S. Nevada St., Colorado Springs; whitepie.com
Cart-Driver
No one can deny Denver’s love for Cart-Driver. I mean, there’s nothing better than a slightly blackened, pillowy Neapolitan-style crust topped with littleneck clams and a side of a dozen oysters. The joint, originally founded by Michelin-starred chef Kelly Whitaker, has been stealing the hearts of pizza connoisseurs since 2014.
2500 Larimer St., and 2239 W. 30th Ave., Denver; cart-driver.com
Pizzeria Leopold
Pizzeria Leopold, formerly Deli Italia, won The Denver Post’s 2021 March Madness bracket with its East Coast-style thin and crispy pie topped with made-from-scratch sauce. The Lakewood shop, owned by couple Lindsay and Chris Lyons, isn’t afraid to get creative with its pizza toppings, like pineapple chili-marinated onions on the P.W.A. or fresh Palisade peaches in the fall.
1990 Wadsworth Blvd., Lakewood; pizzerialeopold.com
Joy Hill
Sit on the rooftop of Joy Hill, soaking up the sun and the sweet, sweet smells of wood-fired sourdough pizza. Owners Andrew Templar and Julia Duncan-Roitman opened the business in 2020 with a focus on cocktails, but with pizza as an afterthought. When the pandemic hit, however, the naturally leavened 12-inch pies, made with milled heirloom wheat flour, became the star of the show for customers taking it to go. It’s no longer an afterthought.
1229 S. Broadway, Denver; joyhilldenver.com
Walter’s 303 Pizzeria & Publik House
This local chain with four locations around the Front Range makes its own self-proclaimed Walter’s-style pizza, “always funky, never dull,” according to the website. Buzzfeed might have recognized the spot for its chicken wings in 2019, but the pizza and taproom’s hand-tossed crust is prize-worthy itself, and won’t empty out your pockets with prices ranging from $13 for a 12-inch or $17 for a 16-inch.
1906 Pearl St., and 200 Quebec St., Denver; 5194 S. Lowell Blvd., Littleton; 2690 North Gate Blvd., Colorado Springs; walters303.com
Rosalee’s Pizzeria
Rosalee’s makes the drive to Longmont all the more worth it. The “old world, East Coast-style” pizza doesn’t need to distract diners with fancy toppings to get them hooked on the simply delicious pie. It’s got a perfect slight char on the bottom, uses high-quality tomatoes and features hand-grated cheese and homemade pork sausage (if you choose).
461 Main St., Longmont; rosaleespizzeria.com
Redeemer Pizza
If you want a bite of the Big Apple, grab a truly authentic New York-style slice (best when folded from the crust to avoid any grease drips) from Redeemer Pizza in RiNo. Even Barstool’s Dave Portnoy, popular for reviewing pizzas around the country, said it was one of his favorite spots in Denver, giving it a high score of 7.8 on his pizza scale. The owners of Dio Mio pasta, Alex Figura and Spencer White, put their (quite-literal) spin on another Italian carb in 2021, and invite diners to grab a naturally leaved sourdough slice through the back alley or a whole pizza in the front, both better dipped in homemade dill ranch or drizzled with the chili honey.
2705 Larimer St., Denver; redeemerpizza.com
