Molly Martin
Audio By Carbonatix
Last year, the internet went into a frenzy when a study by real estate company Clever ranked Denver the number-one pizza city in the country, ahead of well-known pizza destinations like New York City and Chicago.
While many people had strong reactions to the unlikely ranking, it seemed like a timely win for the Mile High, which has seen a vast improvement in pizza options in recent years – so much so that shortly before that study came out, we replaced our annual top-ten list with a full-on pizza guide, broken down by the many styles available in the metro area.
But oh, how the mighty fall. Clever just released an updated version of the study and now, Denver ranks nineteenth. Taking the top three spots are Rochester, Philadelphia and Boston. New York City is at eight while Chicago came in tenth. Detroit, which had been number one in 2022 and 2023, is now number four.
As with any study, it’s important to note what parameters were used to create the list. Last year, the rankings were based on a number of factors, including “pizza reputation” based on a survey of just 1,000 people, plus local search activity, average Yelp ratings for pizzerias and average prices.
We love the range of pizza styles in Denver, including White Pie’s Sicilian pizzas and New Haven-inspired pies.
Molly Martin
This year, Clever focused on “the number of pizza restaurants per capita; the average price of large cheese and pepperoni pizzas on thousands of pizzeria menus (and how they compare to local incomes); Clever’s Pizza Passion Score, which reflects Google searches related to pizza in various markets; [and] a city’s perceived pizza quality, as measured by a poll of 2,000 Americans.”
The study gave each city a score out of 100 – Denver came in at 93 with “10.5 pizza restaurants per 100,000 residents.” It also found that “pizza restaurants in Denver have an average Yelp rating of 4.22 out of 5” and “a large cheese pizza in Denver costs $19.39 on average, while a large pepperoni pizza averages $21.35.”
Scores and statistics aside, we will not stand for slander of the local pizza scene, which is thriving. From newcomers like the PZA and Mario’s Speakeasy to old-school joints that deliver on nostalgia and everything in between, there are a lot of reasons to throw a pizza party in Denver.
Rankings be damned.
