Pantaleone's New York Pizza

Like other reviewers, I'm of the opinion that Pantaleone's is the best pizza in Denver.  The crust is magical.  I don't know how they achieve the perfect combination of crispy, chewy, flaky, and tender but they do and it will rock your world.   The problem with Pantaleone's, and the reason I'm not giving them more stars, is their pizza is ridiculously expensive.  The one and only time I went there I enjoyed the white Greek pizza.  It was a revelation, to be sure.  But the SMALL pizza came with a price tag of about $20.  Yes, I said a small pizza.  And it did not contain any meat.  And the small size is really enough for just one person as a meal.  If you plan on sharing it with someone, I think you'll want a salad or other side or else you'll both be hungry.  Unless you and your friend are either children or supermodels.  The pizza at Whole Foods is cheaper than at Panty's.  And how often can you say that anything from Whole Foods is CHEAPER?!  And since I used to make pizza at Whole Foods, I'm relatively certain that they use higher quality ingredients than Panty's.  That being said, they still make the best pizza in Denver.  It's just a shame that their prices do not allow for me, or what I'm  guessing is too many other people struggling in our economy, to enjoy their delicious pie on the regular.  But it will definitely be the place I'll go when I've saved up some money and I'm looking to treat myself with a truly spectacular pizza.

I have been going to enjoy pete's pizza for nearly 25 years!!!! although a bit far from my home I do make the trip about once a month. Pete's pies are the best. He's a pizza genius, from the crust to the sauce and his cheese combination cannot be beat!!!!

Let's get a few things out of the way right now: I am Colorado-born and -bred, I've never been to New York or Chicago, and I didn't know pizza could be as good as it is at Panty's. The sauce is balanced and flavorful, all of the ingredients taste fresh (the menu alleges some are flown in weekly from New York), and the crust has an almost pastry-like multidimensional texture that is an experience in its own right: crisp outside (but not so crisp that it cuts the roof of your mouth), soft enough to sleep on inside. My friend, a professional chef, took me for my birthday and still sends me texts messages just to fondly reminisce about the crust.

This pizza is the best I've ever had in my whole life as a sheltered mountain girl. I don't even have the vocabulary to describe pizza like Pantaleone's, as they probably do in other regions. That being said, the pizza is almost prohibitively pricey. Don't mistake it for the kind of pizza you order on a lark because it's pizza night and the kids are hungry: You have to save up for this. It's a special occasion pie.

The other problem with Panty's has been Yelped about before: Before the stars finally aligned and my friend and I were able to gain admittance for my birthday, I went twice before during posted business hours and they were closed. One time they were sealed up tighter than a drum, and the other time staff members were bustling around in the restaurant and apparently unwilling to open the door to even speak with my family and me as to why they were closed and when they would be open again.

It's really hard to recommend a place with such spotty hours, but the power of the pizza compels me.