Denver’s Oldest Pizzerias: 11 Classics to Try

The pizza scene in Denver is miles better than it was even a decade ago, boasting a wide range of styles. But before trendier places like Cart-Driver or newer additions like the PZA and Little Arthur’s joined the party, there were plenty of longtime staples that have been in the pizza game for decades.

This year, two classic spots for pizza said goodbye. In June, the over-sixty-year-old Frank the Pizza King in Engelwood was forced to shutter after its building was sold to a new landlord. As of this month, Guiseppe’s, which had been staple in Bear Valley for more than 35 years, is also gone for good, a decision made by Laura Frolick, who purchased the business from its original founder, Antoinette Russo, in 2022.

But some old-school spots remain. Here are eleven classics that are still slinging pies and other Italian American classics, listed in alphabetcial order:

Beau Jo’s
Multiple locations
Those who grew up on East Coast pizza may be skeptical of Beau Jo’s “Colorado mountain pies,” which are hand-rolled at the edges to hold in a pile of toppings, but since opening its first location in Idaho Springs in 1978, it’s gained a lot of fans and grown to seven locations in the state, including its only Denver outpost at 2100 South University Boulevard. Sold by the pound with honey on the side for dipping your crust, those pies are a favorite of outdoor enthusiasts taking an I-70 detour to sate their appetite after a long day in the hills. Nowadays, Beau Jo’s also offers more traditional “prairie pies” and cauliflower and gluten-free crust options alongside its menu of appetizers, salads, calzones and more.

Carl’s Pizza
3812 West 38th Avenue
303-477-1694
When north Denver was called simply the Northside, the area was filled with Italian eateries that fed the neighborhood for decades. And while most — including Patsy’s, Pagliacci’s, Carbone’s and Longo’s Subway Tavern — are long gone, Carl’s remains. Surrounded by trendy spots in what’s now called the Highland neighborhood, this spot that opened in 1953 hasn’t changed much since then. Now owned by John Ludwig, who landed his first job at Carl’s at age sixteen in 1976, its maintained its old-school, no-frills atmosphere – and still serves sausage made in-house, calzones, pasta, pizza on a not-too-thin, not-too-thick crust and more.

Lechuga’s
3609 Tejon Street
303-455-1502
A north Denver staple since 1961, Lechuga’s is a family-owned and -operated Italian restaurant that is well known for its sausage canoli and square pizza. It began as the bakery for Carbone’s, a now-closed Italian market and sandwich shop. From there, Lechuga’s evolved into a restaurant and has kept its recipes the same since day one. The “spanoli plate” is a unique dish that includes canoli paired with a side of spaghetti. Lechuga’s has successfully served the Northside for generations and remains a go-to for many Denverites seeking reliably good old-school pizza and Italian food.

Original Pizza Broomfield
1300 West Midway Boulevard, Broomfield
303-469-9117
Raffaele, Carmela and Carmela’s father, Giuseppe Aiello, opened Original Pizza in Broomfield in 1991. They were all born in Italy and came to Colorado with the goal of bringing the best pizza and Italian food to this region. The menu features both Sicilian and New York-style pizza, sandwiches, calzones and lunch and dinner specials.

Pietra’s Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant
9045 West 44th Avenue, Wheat Ridge
303-421-4100
Since 1964, the family-owned Pietra’s has been serving homemade Italian food, including pizza, soups, salads, sandwiches, canolis, pasta and more in northwest Denver. Its secret? It hasn’t changed a thing since opening 61 years ago.

Pizza Alley
3499 West 32nd Avenue
303-458-8415
Even as the Northside evolved into what is now named the Highland neighborhood, Pizza Alley remained consistent on the corner of 32nd and Lowell — until December 2023, when it abruptly shut down. Thankfully, the owner of Himchuli Indian and Nepali restaurant next door to the pizzeria in Highland Square took over the place, made necessary repairs and reopened it last month — and it’s still serving up the same recipes as the original owners did on day one. The menu features longtime favorites like New York-style pies available whole or by the slice, calzones, pasta and sub sandwiches.

Romano’s Italian Restaurant
5666 South Windermere Street, Littleton
303-798-4944
The Romano family came to America from Italy by boat in the early 1900s, and patriarch Giovanni pushed a cart on the streets of New York City. In 1967, his grandchildren, Neil and Ellie Romano, opened Romano’s in Littleton; it had only three tables at the time. Today, it’s owned by Neil and Ellie’s son, John, daughter Sue Romano Calhoun, and John and Sue’s niece, Jordan. The restaurant stays true to the family’s East Coast roots and has a wide-ranging menu that includes brick-oven Italian pizza and calzones, pasta, seafood entrees, and some of the best lunch specials around.

Santeramo’s Pizza
8410 Wadsworth Boulevard, Arvada
303-431-1895
Since 1977, Santeramo’s has been a locally owned neighborhood fixture in Arvada that prides itself on the quality of its New York-style pizza, which is baked in a stone oven. The menu also includes pasta, salads, sandwiches and Sugar Fritas, a sopaipilla-like treat made with pizza dough.

3 Sons Italian Restaurant
14805 West 64th Avenue, Arvada
303-455-4366
Susan and Michael Scarafiotti purchased 3 Sons in 2004 from its original owners, the Sannino family, which opened the restaurant in 1964. The Scarafiottis, with decades of restaurant experience under their belts, revamped the menu, redecorated the dining room, and made 3 Sons their own. Along with its specialty pizzas, the restaurant offers Italian staples like pasta, plus specials like fried chicken on the first Sunday of every month.

Vinnola’s Italian Market
7750 West 38th Avenue, Wheat Ridge
303-421-3955
Vinnola’s has been around for over fifty years and is a market, bakery, deli, bakery and restaurant all under one roof. When it was founded, original owners Mike and Lorene Vinnola focused mainly on the bakery; some of their original recipes, like the bread dough, are still used today. Along with pizza, which is available fresh and as a take-and-bake meal, some of the more popular items are the butter cookies, bread, cannoli and lasagna.

Woody’s Wood Fired Pizza
1305 Washington Avenue, Golden
303-277-0443
This popular Golden staple was opened by the late hospitality legend Bart Bortles in 1993 and is run by his son, Jon, today. While you can order pies a la carte, along with sandwiches, burgers, wings and other crowd-pleasing fare, Woody’s is best known for its buffet, where you can load up on salad, beer cheese soup and slices — topping requests are welcome.