Our Guild For The Top 5 Pizza Places Around Denver
Apr 13, 2026, 1:49 PM
A recent study named Denver the best pizza city in the country. Whether or not you buy the hype, the local scene has never been deeper — Detroit pans, wood-fired sourdough, New Haven oblongs, and everything in between. Here are five spots worth the drive, the wait, or both.
1. BLUE PAN PIZZA — The Award Winner (West Highland / Congress Park / Golden)
They keep winning awards and for good reason. Since opening in 2015, Blue Pan has been synonymous with Detroit-style pizza in the Mile High — thick, rectangular, square-cut pies with caramelized cheesy edges that shatter and stretch in the same bite. Three neighborhood locations plus concession spots inside Empower Field mean you’re never far from a fix.
2. PECKISH — The DTC Sleeper (Denver Tech Center / Boulder)
Don’t sleep on Peckish. What started as a wings-and-sports-bar concept at Belleview Station in the Denver Tech Center has quietly built a pizza reputation that punches well above its weight class. The must-order is the Signature Double Pepperoni — a double layer of pepperoni and red onion finished with Peckish’s house-made honey garlic sauce that ties sweet, savory, and heat into every bite. I dream about this pie! They were also named a Westword Best of Denver 2026 finalist for Best Wings, so you can build a full spread while you’re at it. With a second location in Boulder and over 20 house-made wing sauces alongside the craft pizza menu, Peckish is the kind of place that rewards repeat visits.
3. CART-DRIVER — The Wood-Fired Date Night (RiNo / LoHi)
Cart-Driver built its name in a converted shipping container in RiNo, and the newer LoHi location — which make it feel like a pizzeria in Italy. The wood-fired sourdough crust is one of Denver’s best: thin, blistered, crispy, with a fluffy chew. Pair the Clam pizza or the Peppers pie with freshly shucked oysters and a glass of natural wine on the back patio.
4. MARCO’S COAL-FIRED — The Neapolitan Standard (Ballpark)
Marco’s sits atop Tripadvisor’s Denver pizza rankings with more than 850 reviews and a 4.6 rating. It’s also the only pizzeria in Denver certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, meaning its Neapolitan pies meet the strict standards set in Naples itself. The coal-fired oven produces intense heat and a crust with perfect char and chew. The Ballpark-adjacent location makes it a natural game-day stop, but it draws a crowd seven nights a week.
5. HOPS & PIE — The Craft-Beer Pairing (Berkeley)
Pizza and beer is an ancient alliance, and nobody in Denver executes it better than Hops & Pie. Westword’s 2026 Best of Denver readers voted it the Best Restaurant in Berkeley. The rotating tap list rivals any standalone taproom in town, and the pies — creative, seasonal, built on a crust that holds up under heavy toppings — more than keep pace. If you can only go once, go on a night when the specials board is full.
Who did I miss? -Fizz
