Quinto, Westminster's Newest Pizzeria, Has a Style All its Own

Don't try to pigeonhole the pies at Quinto Neighborhood Pizzeria & Taphouse in Westminster, because owners Pedro and Laetitia Cueto aren't trying to replicate any classic style. "Pizza is Italian, but I do think pizza is also American, since it's a big part of the culture," says Pedro, who grew up in Mexico City. "Me, with my Mexican expertise in the cuisine, I was like, why not mix Italian with Mexican? What's more American than that?"

With that sensibility in mind, the Cuetos have created their own style of pizza, which stands out for its freshness, flavor and accessibility. While they do serve simple options like plain cheese and pepperoni, the menu also includes combinations such as the Western Slope, with burnt ends, Spam, roasted peaches and a housemade chipotle red sauce. For the Pepperoni With a Twist, Quinto uses a julienned version of the cured meat along with roasted jalapeños, red onion and its signature red sauce.

All of the pizzas are wood-fired in a Fiero Forni oven from Italy. The same oven is used to make just about everything else, too, including fresh bread for sandwiches, a cauliflower appetizer and the chicken used throughout the menu.

While pizza might be the star of the show, Quinto offers equally well-thought-out dishes such as chipotle meatballs; crispy, smoky Gouda arancini; and a chicken pesto sandwich. Desserts range from a sharable s'mores skillet to an array of gelatos, and just about everything is freshly made in-house, unless, says Pedro, they find someone who does it better.
This is the first Colorado restaurant for the Cuetos, who have three young sons, but it's not their first time running an operation like this. Pedro and Laetitia met while studying hospitality at Les Roches in Switzerland. After they got married, they moved to London and, later, to Mexico City, where Pedro helped launch the restaurant group that opened Terraza Cha Cha Chá and its offshoots in Los Angeles.

After six years, "we knew we wanted to leave Mexico and looked all over, listing the pros and cons, wanting a place with mountains and seasons, a farmers' market and a good community," says Laetitia, who was born in New York but grew up in the Netherlands. "In my whole life, I never lived anywhere longer than I had in Mexico, and now we have a ten-year lease on this place, so we are committed."

"Quinto is completely different from my other concepts, but I like the simplicity of pizza," adds Pedro. "Really, we wanted to create a place where I could come on a date with [Laetitia], that we can also come to with friends, with kids, without kids, come for lunch. I can come by myself or get take out."
Aside from its regular crust, Quinto also offers a gluten-free and a grain-free crust, the latter of which was developed by the couple. A driving force for this diet-friendly dedication is that their older son, who suffered from a type of bone cancer called Ewing's sarcoma, can't have grains. A portion of the sales from one pizza on the menu, the Little Warrior (fire-roasted chicken, pesto blanco, red sauce and ricotta), goes to the Little Warrior Foundation to help find a cure for Ewing's sarcoma.

Quinto officially opened at the beginning of the year, and it has been going strong for lunch and dinner ever since. The space has a partition in the center, creating a more kid-friendly side with lower tables and a clear view of the outside area, which has giant Jenga and cornhole games, and another side with a clear view of the pizza counter.

"I wanted this to be a neighborhood gathering place. It's where you go after your kid's soccer game, or whatever the family event is," says Laetitia. "Or you're a mom and you're overwhelmed, and we bring the pizza to your car." 
One thing you can't get to go are beverages from the tap wall, though it's a nice touch for those dining inside. When arriving at the restaurant, guests can get a special card to use on the twelve-plus taps, which include everything from a housemade margarita and local beer to cider, wine and a couple of non-alcoholic options. This allows diners to sample small pours of many options without having to wait for a server to come take a drink order.

Quinto also runs a lunch special from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, which includes any salad with either a sandwich or a starter-sized pizza plus a soda for $15. Kids eat free on Mondays, and there is a complimentary Mario Kart competition in house — just one more way that the couple is showing their dedication to serving families in the neighborhood.

Quinto Neighborhood Pizzeria is located at 10443 Town Center Drive in Westminster and is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit quintopizzeria.com.