Best Thick-Crust Pizza 2017 | Denver Deep Dish | Best of Denver® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Denver | Westword
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Best Thick-Crust Pizza

Denver Deep Dish

Chicago-style pizza isn't everyone's bag, and some folks get all red in the face while proclaiming that it's not even pizza. We say: Relax. What's not to like about a buttery, flaky crust, a good, garlicky tomato sauce and a blizzard of mozzarella cheese that forms molten banks against the high edges of the pan? We like Chicago-style even more when it's served at Denver Deep Dish, which nails the basics while bringing a little Southwest to the game with a green-chile-topped pie. What's even better? Deep-dish pizza for brunch, with scrambled eggs topped with all manner of breakfasty goodies, including Denver's own Tender Belly bacon and Polidori sausage. Enough with the Windy City hate; it's time to get with Denver's own Chicago-style pie.

Readers' Choice: Blue Pan Pizza

Best Fast-Casual Concept

Ohana Island Kitchen

Molly Martin

Ohana Island Kitchen's tiny storefront space is perpetually warm and sunny, fitting for a restaurant that takes its inspiration from the Hawaiian islands. While Denver is suddenly swimming in poke, this lunch-only joint's version rises to the top. Raw tuna is the anchor of Ohana's short counter-service menu, supplemented by other Hawaiian treats like Spam musubi (a bit like a Spam sushi roll) and Hawaiian king sliders (slow-cooked pork on Hawaiian sweet rolls). But we can't get enough of the spicy poke, whose crowning touch is the textured pop of tobiko roe mixed into spicy mayo. This simple menu begs to be replicated, and we'd be happy if we saw an Ohana in every neighborhood. As it is, though, Ohana is such a catch for LoHi that it often runs out of poke altogether.

Readers' Choice: Illegal Pete's

Best 24/7 Restaurant

McCoy's Restaurant

Mark Antonation

Watch daybreak over Denver or sunset over the Rockies from this all-hours eatery's perch above I-70 on Federal Boulevard. Slide into a vinyl booth or swivel on a stool at the counter while you wait for your chicken-fried steak or smothered burrito. The lonely lives of truckers, the frantic conversations of angst-ridden teens jolted with java, the slow shuffle of guests in their golden years: These are the sights and sounds of McCoy's every night of the week — sights and sounds that come with a free mini-loaf of bread and whipped butter. Pull an all-nighter with no-nonsense waitresses in this classic diner that hasn't changed in decades, then greet a new dawn with a Tequila Sunrise.

Readers' Choice: Denver Diner/Pete's Kitchen (tie)

Best Recycling by a Local Chain

Snarf's

With development on a tear in Denver, we're lucky that any mature building manages to survive this growth spurt. And we're lucky that Snarf's is doing its bit. Whether the Boulder-born sub chain acquires an old-school brick storefront in the University of Denver neighborhood or a dreamy Googie relic on West 38th Avenue, Snarf's knows how to treat vintage Denver right. Next up? Snarf's will turn a vacant Sinclair gas station into a sweet neighborhood hangout on South Broadway.

Best Food Truck/Cart

Churn & Burn

Barbecue and ice cream: that's a winning combination in any book. Churn & Burn offers both, plying Denver's streets with goofy but delicious creations like a cornbread waffle bowl loaded with smoked meat, mac and cheese, barbecue sauce and coleslaw. But the crew's traditional barbecue holds its own even without the bells and whistles: slabs of peppery brisket, pulled pork, chicken, hot links, pork belly and even smoked portabello mushrooms all satisfy our prehistoric urge to gorge on proteins cooked over fire. Ice cream flavors change regularly, but expect equally eccentric combos, like an ice cream sandwich made with shortcake cupcakes or brownies. First you burn, then you churn — or switch it up and have dessert first; you'll love Churn & Burn either way.

churnandburn.siterubix.com

Readers' Choice: Steuben's

Best Food Truck for Dogs

Smart Cookie Barkery Cart

Denver-based Smart Cookie makes all-natural small-batch dog treats from scratch that are available for purchase online and at many local pet-supply stores. But with luck and a little research, you and your pooch just might happen upon the Smart Cookie Barkery Cart — a treat-vending cart on a giant trike — at a variety of flea markets and other public events around town. Or you could throw a doggie birthday party and hire the trike to come to your home. If food trucks are for everyone, shouldn't dogs have their day, too? Hell, woof!

smartcookietreats.com

Best Kids' Menu

Chop Shop Casual Urban Eatery

Courtesy Chop Shop

.For chef-owner Clint Wangsnes, the aha moment came after his child was born. "There were just no real options for the family...to get good food," he recalls. Fast-forward two and a half years, and his fast-casual spot, Chop Shop, now has two locations and a loyal following of folks who can't get enough of his heaping salads and globally inspired plates. But Wangsnes didn't just set out to feed adults. He's cooking for little ones, too, which is why the kids' menu includes a range of options for picky and slightly more adventurous eaters, all with a healthy bent. Traditionalist tots will enjoy mac and cheese, a cheeseburger or a grilled cheese sandwich. Others will appreciate food that looks more like what the adults are eating, such as grilled chicken, steak or fried tofu, with sides of fresh fruit and mashed potatoes. Milk and apple juice provide a welcome change from sugary, carbonated stuff. Before you know it, your kids will be old enough to appreciate the short ribs with hoisin demi-glace that you're having for dinner. Until then, the kids' menu at Chop Shop is something you — and they — can feel good about.

Readers' Choice: Steuben's

Best New Coffeehouse

Prodigy Coffeehouse

Chelsea Keeney

The best coffeehouses are more than spots to grab coffee or plug into the wi-fi; they serve as community gathering spots, places where people get together and talk about real life. Prodigy is even more than that: It's also a nonprofit workshop where paid youth apprentices looking for a foot up in the employment world are put to work, learning from experience and pre-employment training. That training starts with the fine art of making a better cuppa joe, from the locally roasted Allegro beans forward; Prodigy also instills the tenets of customer service and running a successful, community-driven business. This east-side gathering spot serves coffee with a conscience...and plenty of flavor.

Readers' Choice: Corvus Coffee DTC

Best Coffee Roaster

Huckleberry Roasters

Courtesy Huckleberry Roasters

If you haven't given much thought to what coffee roasting does to change the flavor of your morning caffeine, we implore you to buy a bag of whole beans at Huckleberry. As you ponder the head-spinning number of varieties, a barista will swoop in to help: Do you like fruit or chocolate? Light or rich? Something unusual or a straightforward cup of joe? You'll eventually home in on something unique, perhaps after hearing a story about the growers behind the beans, and later sip it with newfound appreciation for the nuance possible in coffee's flavor. Mark Mann and Koan Goedman, the masterminds behind this operation, began roasting as a hobby, and as they've grown it into a business, they've continued to up the quality and expand choices. Coffees rotate seasonally here, so there's reason to stop by often — or get a subscription and let the shop send you a new brew every month.

Best Old-School Coffee Shop

Caffe Sanora

Cross the threshold of Caffe Sanora and the rowdiness of East Colfax fades away. The place is quiet but not library silent, as a chatty mix of business-casual regulars trickle down from the offices above, gaggles of students meet up for a board game, and other characters pop in off the street for a beer or cup of fresh-brewed coffee and stay for the food. The menu at this small-but-mighty operation includes incredible salads with fine cheeses and seasonal berries, thick and creamy soups, bold breakfast items and quiche options. The atmosphere encourages lingering: Large windows let in the sunlight and a mix of couches, tables and a perfect-sized porch ensure ample seating. The service is far from pretentious, a throwback to a time when "What can I get ya?" was the kind of affectionate greeting that could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

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