A New Iteration of Enzo's Is Now Serving Pizza on Colfax

Last June, we reported the end of Enzo's End, an East Colfax Avenue staple. At the time, founder Charlie Puma told Westword that he was "just looking to do some new things and go on some adventures" after 28 years of running the business connected to one of our favorite dive bars, PS Lounge.

Puma also said that he and Pete Siahamis, who owns the bar and the building, including the Enzo's space, hoped that someone might want to step in to keep Enzo's going.

For months, though, fans mourned the loss while Enzo's spot sat empty. Then two weeks ago, when I walked into PS Lounge at the end of a bar crawl down Colfax, I noticed something: People were inside, eating pizza.

But not Enzo's End pizza. Instead, the space is now open as Enzo's on Colfax. "Enzo's End has nothing to do with whatever is happening there now," confirms Puma.

The owner of Enzo's on Colfax is Bob Cherenzia, who has "worked in restaurants for a very long time," he says. He once owned a bagel shop in Park City, Utah, ran Locanda Del Borgo for five years, and was partners with Wheat Ridge mayor Bud Starker at West 29th Restaurant, which opened in 2013.
"I literally read your article saying that this place was gonna close and they were going to retire," CherenziaI recalls. "I got in my car up by Boulder, drove down here, walked in next door and found Pete, and I said, 'Hey, you need somebody over there?' And he said, 'Yeah, you're gonna make pizzas?' And I said, 'Yeah!' We talked a couple of times, and I went to Italy for three weeks and he went to Greece for three weeks. I came back. We talked a few more times, and about five months later, he finally was like, 'Yeah, let's give it a go.'"

Siahamis wanted to keep the Enzo's name, and while Cherenzia admits that's not what he would have preferred, he does have a son named Enzo, so "it works. My son's happy, my daughter's not," he jokes.

For the last month, Cherenzia has been perfecting his dough recipe, which he describes as more New York-style than Enzo's End's thin-crust pies.
Among the signature pizza options on the menu is the Pig and Cow, topped with prosciutto and a whole ball of burrata. It was inspired by a pie that Cherenzia had in Italy and is made on a thinner, more cracker-like crust.

Cherenzia's current favorite is the Juarez, topped with jalapeno cream cheese, mozzarella, sausage, basil, mint, micro greens and a drizzle of lemon oil. Signature pies start at $16 for a 12-inch and $18 for a 16-inch. Enzo's on Colfax is also offering pizza by the slice for $6, with additional toppings for $1.50 each.

The menu has also been expanded to include salads and paninis made on housemade focaccia that is light and airy, with a nice chew.
The space got a bit of a refresh — the old carpet is gone, as are the purple booths. There is still work to be done, though, including getting art for the walls and adding a custom wooden menu board, which is in the works.

The opening has been challenging between the recent cold weather and the BRT construction project. "It's an interesting fight," Cherenzia admits. "We need to get our name out more, but I can't complain."

As for the legacy of Enzo's End, "I know people loved Charlie's pizza, and I'm happy to try to build on that," Cherenzia concludes.

Enzo's on Colfax is located at 3424 East Colfax Avenue and is open from 1:30 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, though it will stay open later as needed when PS Lounge is busy. There are also plans to add Sunday hours in the future, and a website is coming soon. Delivery is currently available via DoorDash, Postmates and UberEats.