Marco's Coal Fired Family Debuts New Pizzeria, Dough Counter

What: Dough Counter

Where: 2466 South Colorado Boulevard

When: Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily

For more info: Visit doughcounter.com
What we saw: The new counter-service restaurant located in a former Garbanzo-turned-BurgerIM in front of University Hills Plaza has the nostalgic feel of a classic pizza joint, with its black-and-white checkered floor and red accents. And that's no accident. "We wanted to create a real neighborhood type of spot," says brand manager Samantha Monterosso, whose parents, Mark and Kristy Dym, opened the original Marco's Coal Fired in the Ballpark neighborhood fifteen years ago. (That concept landed on our most recent list of the best pizza places in the city.)

Since then, the family has added a second Marco's in the Denver Tech Center and also a Racca's Pizzeria in Cheyenne, both of which specialize in Neapolitan-style pies.

But during the pandemic, "we were confronted with the reality that Neapolitan pizza is really best for the dine-in experience," Monterosso explains. That's when Mark Dym began reminiscing about a Sicilian-style pie he'd had at pizza master John Arena's Las Vegas restaurant, Metro Pizza; with Arena's help, he learned how to make it.

"It was frustrating," Mark admits of the experience, adding that it took eighteen months to perfect the recipe. But once he did, he added the pies to the Ballpark Marco's roster a couple of days a week. Ultimately, though, the family decided that they wanted to create a new venue for the Sicilian-style pizzas, as well as a place where they could offer their version of New York-style pies.
The result is Dough Counter, which opened on September 5 and has a menu that's fun-forward. Like Marco's, "it's a process-oriented concept — the proof is in the proofing," Monterosso notes, explaining that the dough for the Sicilian pies requires a five-day rise. But while you won't find toppings like pineapple or jalapeños on the menu at Marco's — where paying homage to Italian traditions reigns supreme — Dough Counter offers both. "We even have fresh and pickled jalapeños," Monterosso adds.

While guests can build their own pies, there are also options like the New York-style loaded baked potato complete with French fries on top, as well as the Sicilian Big Mac pie drizzled with burger sauce. Two sizes of whole pies are available, and big, New York-style cheese and pepperoni slices are served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

"It's been a real passion project for the whole family. Everybody was so involved," Mark says of creating the brand. His son, Zach Dym, who will be running the location, made sure that a Philly cheesesteak pizza made the cut. Kristy suggested adding green chiles to the cheesebread.

Monterosso is particularly proud of the Bumpy Cake, a Detroit specialty made famous by Sanders Confectionery that she learned about after moving to the Motor City with her late partner. "It's a chocolate sheet cake with buttercream piping and fudge icing on top," she explains. "It's a little bit of a tribute to my late partner and a little bit of a nod to the Midwest."
Fans of Detroit-style pizzas may notice some similarities between that regional specialty and the Sicilian pies at Dough Counter. While there are some key differences between the two, including the fact that Sicilian dough is par-baked in a much deeper pan and comes with the sauce under the cheese instead of on top, Mark did borrow two key components from Detroit: using brick cheese on some of Dough Counter's pies, and putting that cheese all the way to the edge of the pizzas to create a crunchy, caramelized edge.

He also created a gluten-free version of the Sicilian dough. "We're very proud of it," Monterosso notes. Also gluten-free: the chicken tenders.
What surprised us: While pizza is the star at Dough Counter — and it's clear how much time and effort went into nailing down both styles of pies on offer — the non-pizza items are winners, too. Whether you're gluten-free or not, the hand-battered chicken tenders are a treat, with a nice crisp to the breading while still juicy inside. There are plenty of homemade dips for them, ranging from classics like ranch and a honey mustard made using Monterosso's recipe, to a raspberry sesame chili that Zach created.

While salad is often an afterthought at pizzerias, here they shine, with plenty of fresh ingredients in options like the ’80s throwback Mandarin chicken and a loaded antipasto salad. Even the simple house salad with shredded iceberg, cucumbers, scallions and feta gets a boost of freshness thanks to a light and zippy lemon dill vinaigrette.
While there are other pizza places in the neighborhood, including an outpost of the Detroit-style chain Jet's, Dough Counter differentiates itself enough to stand out, and it's poised to up the pizza game in this part of town.

Eventually, it might expand, too. "Marco's is great for what it is, but I don't really think I can grow that," Mark explains, noting challenges like the labor costs involved in operating a large, full-service restaurant. Dough Counter has a smaller menu and footprint, and was more affordable to build. "It's got all the ingredients I've been thinking about over the years," he notes, "so I can build something for the family and our legacy."