Pizza Is Returning to Former Benny Blanco's Space

When Benny Blanco's shuttered after serving its last slice of pizza on August 31, a pie-shaped hole was left in Capitol Hill. But the universe abhors a vacuum just as much as it loves a good slice of pie. A new takeout eatery called Tua Mama's will be taking over the same spot — and like Benny's, New York-style pizza will be its bread and butter.

Benny's had occupied the tiny space at 616 East 13th Avenue for 24 years. Since its closing, fans have been going through every stage of grief. (Granted, there is still a Benny's outpost in Arvada, but it's a little hard to stumble to at 1 a.m. after bar-hopping on the Hill.) James Bedwell, owner of the adjacent nightclub Your Mom's House, felt that absence himself, so he partnered with chef John Mora to put a plan in motion.

Mora's family has been in the pizza game for decades in New York City and the Northeast at large, and he's been slinging his creative vegan pies in Denver via pop-ups and a short-lived Colfax outpost for the past few years.
While Tua Mama's menu will be centered on traditional, thin-crust, New York-style pizza, Mora plans to offer various vegan and gluten-free options as well. He and Bedwell have also cut a window in the wall that separates the pizza joint from Your Mom's House. Eventually, patrons of the club will be able to order pizza without having to go outside.

For now, though, there's still a lot of work to do. "As soon as we figure out an opening date for Tua Mama's, we will have a grand-opening pizza party," Mora says, though he's quick to point out that he has no idea when that will be. Regardless, Capitol Hill will be eager to see if Tua Mama's measures up to, or even outshines, the legacy of Benny Blanco's.

If all goes well, Bedwell and Mora will be rolling in the dough. Follow @tuamamaspizza on Instagram for updates.