Cheese the Day
If you're searching for the best pizza in Denver and Boulder, you're in luck. These Front Range metros dish up a diverse pizza scene, everything from classic, foldable New York slices to cheesy, hearty, Chicago deep dish. Whether you're craving a quick bite or a sit-down meal, Denver and Boulder have plenty of top-rated pizzerias to explore.
Just as every home has its own unique character, every great pizza has a story, shaped by ingredients, preparation, and tradition. Here are just a few of the most popular pies around.
- Classic New York-Style – For this pizza, hand-tossed dough results in a thin, foldable slice with a crispy yet chewy crust. The sauce may be slightly sweet with a balance of tangy tomato and herbs, and the cheese (traditionally whole milk mozzarella) bubbles to perfection in a high-temperature oven. To preserve the crust perfection, toppings should be minimal.
- Neapolitan Pizza – Simple and rooted in tradition, this is a purist's pizza. It has a soft, thin dough with puffed edges and is typically made with just a few high-quality ingredients: 00 flour, San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, and olive oil. It's baked in a wood-fired oven at extremely high heat for just 60-90 seconds, resulting in a perfectly blistered crust.
- Chicago Deep Dish – Perfect for winter, this one to three-inch thick pizza is typically baked in a round, cast iron pan that perfectly crisps the sides. The crust is more bread-like yet light, buttery and flaky. It's completely covered in tons of cheese then toppings (sausage is popular) and smothered with chunky tomato sauce. Yes, the cheese is under the sauce!
- Chicago Tavern-Style – Also hailing from the Windy City, this pizza is the exact opposite of the deep dish. This pie features a thin, almost cracker-like crust and comes cut into squares for easy eating and sharing while sitting at the bar and enjoying a cold beer. It can be topped with all your favorites along with a spicy giardiniera for a little extra kick.
- Detroit-Style Pizza – Known for its thick yet crispy, airy, chewy crust, Detroit-style pizza is baked in a rectangular pan that creates caramelized cheese edges. While mozzarella is often used, mild Wisconsin brick cheese is traditional. Like a Chicago deep dish, yet not as thick, this pizza comes with generous stripes of sauce poured over the toppings and cheese.
- Sicilian Pizza – Thick, square (or rectangular), and full of flavor, this pizza features a spongy, focaccia-like crust baked in an oiled pan, so the edges and bottom brown and get some crunch, but the middle stays soft. It comes with a robust tomato sauce and a generous amount of cheese, and unlike its cousin in Detroit, the sauce usually goes under the cheese.
Now that you're hungry, let's get to the best pizza places in the Denver and Boulder areas. Here you'll find favorites like Rosalee's on Main Street in Longmont which serves a variety of east coast pies and slices, as well as highly addictive garlic knots. And then there's Blue Pan which seems to top everyone's list for its Detroit-Style pizza perfection. You'll find them in Highlands, Congress Park, and at their newest location in Golden, Colorado.
Best Pizza in the Denver Metro
- Benzina, Park Hill South
- Blue Pan, Multiple Locations
- Brooklyn’s Finest, Multiple Locations
- Cart-Driver, RiNo
- Dough Counter, University Hills
- Esters, Multiple Locations
- Gusto, Sloan’s Lake
- Hops & Pie, Berkeley
- Joy Hill, Overland
- Kaos Pizzeria, Platt Park
- Marco’s Coal-Fired, Ballpark
- Redeemer Pizza, RiNo
- Rosso Pomodoro, Central Park
- Walter’s 303, Multiple Locations
- White Pie, Uptown
Best Pizza in the Denver Suburbs
- Benny Blanco’s, Arvada
- Big Bill’s NY Pizza, Centennial
- High Society Pizza, Highlands Ranch
- Homegrown Tap & Dough, Multiple Locations
- Jimano’s Pizzeria, Englewood
- Marino's Pizzeria & Wine Bar, Littleton
- Mici Italian, Parker
- Osteria Alberico, Englewood
- Pizzeria Leopold, Lakewood
- Pizzeria Lui, Lakewood
- Pomodoro Pizza Pasta, Aurora
- Via 313, Centennial & Littleton
- Virgilio's Pizzeria & Wine Bar, Littleton
- Walter’s 303, Multiple Locations
- Wood Paddle Pizza & Tap, Aurora
Best Pizza in Boulder & Beyond
- 12Degree Brewing, Louisville
- Audrey Jane's Pizza Garage, Boulder
- Babette’s, Longmont
- Barchetta, Boulder
- Basta, Boulder
- Crosscut Pizzeria & Taphouse, Nederland
- Ghost Box, Lafayette
- Original NY Style Pizza, Broomfield
- Pizza Colóre, Boulder
- Pizzeria Alberico, Boulder
- Rosalee’s, Longmont
- Rock City Pie & Ice, Broomfield
- Shopey’s, Louisville
- Urban Field Pizza & Market, Longmont
