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.
Review Source: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.
Three strikes. The first two times I went were on a Saturday after work and despite the hours on the door signaling they should be open, alas, the door was locked, the restaurant empty and the lights off. But they're still open, right?
So fast forward a year when I had hoped they had gotten their act together. Checked their very own website which said lunch hours were 11-2. I called at 1 p.m. and as there was an answer, began my request with "I'd like to place an order for take out..." I was brusquely interrupted with the gruff voice on the other end saying "Well I wish you COULD, but I'm closed now! Call back at 4:30!" Click. If I'm ordering a pizza at 1 I'm not waiting 3 and a half for my next chance, I'm going elsewhere. Rude and unacculturated way to speak to a potential customer, too. There are many other pizza restaurants in Denver who do not arbitrarily close and clash with the hours posted on their building and their website and they'll at least act like they want your business too.
I've tried their food, it was very, very good. But, I was refused service because of my participation in our church event (which apparently the owners VEHEMENTLY disapproved of... to the point of several visits by the local police department (which were all dismissed, as they were 'civiil matters').
If it weren't for the religious intolerance and discrimination (bordering on persecution, in my opinion) shown by the owners, I would recommend. Sadly, however, I can not support a business that treats potential customers in such a fashion.
Pete, the proprietor of Pantaleone's New York Pizza off Holy and Evans, escorted me to the brick half-wall by the kitchen to chat while he prepared the next customer's pizza. It confirmed what I had tasted minutes before. The spices for his house-made sausage were still on the counter. Crisp, bright, bell peppers and red onions were half chopped beside an enormous pot of red pizza sauce. All these ingredients made the combination pizza I had just eaten a delicious dinner.
Working in the food industry and four years of culinary classes have taught me a few things about high quality food. A restaurant can easily say their ingredients are hand-made and fresh when they are freshly thawed and the only hands involved cranked a machine or pressed a button. The best way to know the ingredients you are being served are fresh is to see the preparation and by taste. Pete Fafalios at Pantaleone's hides no part of his kitchen, and uses fresh ingredients masterfully.
Pantaleone's is a sort of hole-in-the-wall pizzeria in a strip mall with a checkered floor and plastic tablecloths. You may not want to face the creepy, 3-D clown picture on the west wall, and the Italy map placemats seem out of place(the proprietor is Greek), but the homey wood paneling and cleanliness show attention, and the food is the true star at Pantaleone's. The simple décor and authentic Italian music had little effect on the ambiance compared to the drool-inducing aroma wafting from the kitchen, however.
The energetic, gracious host seated me and served my water immediately. I was the only customer besides take-outs so I received a lot of attention. My glass was never less than half full despite Pete being the sole steward of the restaurant: cooking, serving, greeting, and answering phones. The menu was varied with salads, calzones, pasta, beer, and wine, but I had come hungry for pizza.
I ordered a medium Pantaleone's Feast, piled high with bell peppers, red onions, sausage, peperoni, black olives, and mozzarella. The sauce was spicy, bold, and not too sweet. I don't know how he made the bell peppers so mild (I generally think they overpower anything they're with) but they balanced perfectly with the crisp onions and the black olives. The crust was chewy and fluffy, not cracker-thin, not Chicago-thick, and it was crisp while soft. The sausage could have been made in Heaven. I couldn't help closing my eyes and exclaiming my pleasure over the fennel sausage. I asked the owner if I could buy a pound of it for forty dollars, but he said, "You just gonna have to buy more pizzas (sic)," with a Brooklyn chuckle. It was definitely a fork and knife pizza, too large and heavy for hands alone, and after three slices I couldn't eat another bite, despite how much I wanted to.
At any restaurant I like friendly, attentive service, cleanliness, and quality food. With any pizza, I like fresh, boldly spiced ingredients and a large quantity of food for the money I'm spending. Pantaleone's New York pizza has a gregarious and friendly proprietor, fast, alert service, both a clean bathroom and clean dining area, and superb, well-priced pizza. I can't speak for any items on the menu besides Pantaleone's Feast, but I will be back to try each and every one of them. Pantaleone's has a new life-long customer.
I am coming to Denver this summer for a trip. Â Almost 20 years ago I worked in a building about 3 blocks from Pete's place. We ate lunch at least once a week there and I have been coming back even though I now live in Houston. Â Every time I come to Denver I go at least an hour out of my way to eat at this place. Â Pete still remembers me!! Â Much talk about the pizza but the calzones are the secret. Â See you in a few weeks.
Review Source:i came in rather early only 30 mins after opening but we all know fresh food is best. although no lunch specials the slice makes up for it. i got Neapolitan slice with olives & a side of ranch. the 2 guys working there were friendly & i was informed the older mans been open for 25 years. i happily took my slice back to work, and it was HEAVEN. i loved the sauce and i am a stickler for sauce. the ranch was GREAT i judge off that too, hey we all got our make or breaks for food. needless to say i WILL return & enjoy another slice. they have won me over .
Review Source:Quite frankly, this was the pizza I have ever had in Denver and quite possibly the US. In Seattle, we have an officially recognized pizza restaurant (by the Neapolitan Institute of Pizza or whatever the hell it's called that requires restaurants to use Ovo mozarella and San Marzano tomatoes, etc etc) ... and Pantaleone's equals or even betters them. Yes, high praise indeed!
The restaurant looks like your usual old-school pizza joint (checked table cloths etc) in a strip mall, but it's the food that really speaks for it. The owner is a likeable and quite talkative greek guy who was fun to interact with and we ended up ordering a pizza with lots of meat on it.
Quite simply? Fabulous! The pizza had those wonderful bubbles around the edges which were a hint charred and crispy, the ingredients tasted fresh ... and the sausage was handmade by the owner the day before! Delish!
We will not being getting pizza in Denver anywhere else in future. This place is IT!
Pizza was Ok.......
Me and my wife went here for the first time last Friday around 5pm... The restaurant wasn't too busy, it seemed like it had alot of repeat customers. The waitstaff consisted of 2 people..so service wasn't too speedy, albeit the restaurant seats about 30-40 max it's pretty small.
The food, I ordered a Pizza and my wife ordered the Chicken Parmesan. Our pizza and entree took about 35 min from order to table... The Pizza it was advertised as "NY Style" so on and so forth etc. etc. Well this pie is more of a thick crust style pie. The pizza sauce was pretty spicey lot's of oregano, and something else I couldn't quite pin point it maybe chile powder? Anyhow the crust was too thick for my liking, and the sauce was a little too spicy. The topping on the Pie was Pepperoni & Sausage... I don't know what type of Mozzarella they use but the crust became wet and soggy before I even started on the second piece... I think it had to do with they type of Mozzarella they use.
A dryer Mozzarella eliminates the "sweating" during the cooking process. This is why most "NY Pizzerias" use the more expensive imported "Mozzarella Di Bufala" i.e. Buffalo milk mozzarella...then blended with provolone etc. Â
So my opinion of a real NY Pizza i'm giving 2 1/2 stars...
Maybe it was an off night maybe..but this is definitely not the best pie in Denver.
As for the Chicken Parmesan and sauce, it was absolutely wonderful..if I go back to Pantaleon's I will order a pasta dish, it was awesome!!! The Chicken was seasoned to perfection, the sauce beautiful and the pasta was nice and flavorful....as well as the link sausage.. even the garlic bread... Sorry about the not so good review of the Pizza Pie (like mentioned, maybe an off night?...)
Had lunch here the other day and it was awesome. Best New York style pizza I've had in Denver. The owner is a Greek that used to own a pizza place in New York with his brother, but decided to migrate west (to our benefit!). One of my coworkers worked there when he was in high school and told me I had to try it out. Definitely worth it.
It looks like a "hole in the wall" place, in a strip mall, off of the main street. Don't let the look fool you, it's worth stopping in. It's not necessarily the fastest service I've ever had, but when I was there it was just the owner running the place without any help (there are more people working for dinner hours when it's busier), but the service was friendly and casual. And the pizza definitely made it worth the wait.
I highly recommend the Roma, and even more the White Aegean....soooo good!
Friday night feeling like upgrading from Costco pizza so after yelping for a while, ended up in Pantaleone's. Â
It's just my bf and I but I'm a greedy eater, so I ordered a medium pizza and a fettuccine alfredo with chicken. Â Maybe because I was craving for a thin crust, and they say New York pizza, so when the pizza came (we ordered the white pizza with chicken and veggie), it was thicker than I expected. Â Don't get me wrong, the crust was good, not superb, but still pretty good, it just didn't satisfy my craving. Â We had a side of marinara sauce for the doughy crust, it worked out well. Â The pasta was ok. Â The sauce, I think, is homemade so I liked the effort. Â It was creamy and all, but I don't know, again, it just kinda missed the spot. Â
Service wasn't bad, but it was just ok.
I would go back again, since it's pretty close by my work, so I think I'll try their lunch special some time, and I think they have thin crust for their lunch. Â But otherwise, with similar distance from where I live, I'd rather go to Papou's on Leetsdale.
"Denver's Best Pizza"
This place does have that on the front sign--for a reason!
I "Yelped" (?) ---is that a verb ? pizza/ Denver and this place came up
Thank You fellow Yelpers in the 303/ 720 areas for giving me the opportunity to learn about this AMAZING pizza place!
I agree
This place ROCKS!
I FINALLY got food from there yesterday.
Take away
No Problem as the Pizza=AMAZING!!
At 1pm on an Saturday-- there were about 15 other people patiently waiting for their take away orders from Pantaleone's
The lady next to me assured me that I would be back for the remainder of my life for pizzas as long as I live in the Denver are--evidently she and her husband have been eating and telling everyone they know about Pantaleone's for some time now.
Now I know why!
NY Style pizza with a bigger-puffy but delicious outer crust.
The sausage=bliss
Tomato sauce a bit spicy and tangy =perfect.
Cheese--CHEESE GROMMIT!! Yes- gooey generous CHEESE!!
How do they do it all??
I dunno.
I really don't care -- I'm hooked.
I consider myself a pizza connoisseur. I'm somewhat obsessed. It might be one of my favorite things and I think the most perfect food on the planet. What's not to love when you really think about it? Melted cheese, tomato sauce, fresh chewy crust...when done right...it might be the closest thing to taking a bite of heaven. Even when it's done wrong to paraphrase Woody Allen talking about sex..."it's not that bad."
At Pantaleone's New York Pizza it's done exactly right. For all of us who have been fortunate enough to have a pie from this establishment...it reaffirms the belief that good pizza can be made anywhere. You don't have to be in NYC...but you just have look harder. I consider this place a real gem in a very large ocean of average pizza places. That is if oceans had pizza...which would be really cool when you think about it. I think Dolphins would really dig the sausage and onions.
The cheese here is just superb. It tastes as fresh as any homemade mozzarella I've had anywhere in New York or Italy. The sauce has just the right amount of spice and acidity to liven up the party. The crust though, might really be the best thing about this whole situation. It has a slightly artisan crisp and chewy texture that makes this place unforgettable. I usually only get a couple of toppings and every one of them is as fresh as the core ingredients. I think you can really tell how good a pizza joint is by ordering meatballs as one of the toppings. So many places make it an afterthought and they end up dried out and tasteless. Here, they are homemade, moist, delicious, and a great compliment to the cheese, sauce and crust.
If you want to impress you're out of state east coast friends when they come into town bragging how they have the best pizza...take them here and you just might change their minds...or at least a dolphin or two.
Pantaleone's is a wonderful family owned establishment w great pizza, killer pasta, and a homey atmosphere. I've been eating in and taking out from here for 20+ years, and have come to know Pete and Paulette quite well. They are wonderful hard- working people who make a mean pizza, (Scilian square or Neopolitan), awesome calzone... you name it! Andiamo!
Review Source:Must've been the post Christmas cravings...it was very busy Saturday night.  We had a wait to get seated but it was orderly and the hostess/owner was very gracious  Once seated, we ordered a Valpolcello and they comped us a better one that was great, had the large Greek Salad that was unique in having a dressing so terrific that even my "never eat salads" daughter had two helpings, and had the feta in slices which was nice for the guy that didn't like feta.  The pizza with sausage, olives, onions, red and green peppers, can't recall the name, but it was fabulous--the peppers were slightly pickled, maybe giardina,  and we all loved that pizza.  I ordered the clams with red sauce and it was wonderfully arrabiata (spicy).  We finished with a cannoli which was uber real, and I've had them in Little Italy in NYC during the festivals.  Wonderful dinner, wonderful prices.
Review Source:I really love the pizza here. Â It's out of the way and I don't think enough people find it - too bad, it's really a great discovery. Â I used to live nearby and we had their pizza at least once a week. Â Unfortunately I moved back back towards downtown and don't get out here as often as I would like. Â For me (and if you read much Yelp you know that peoples' vision of the perfect pie varies WIDELY), this is definitely one of the top pies in Denver. Â The perfect combination of flawless crust and incredibly good toppings. Â As others have commented, this is a saucy pie suitable for knife and fork consumption. Â Don't be tempted to try and eat it in the car unless you want to do some upholstery cleaning. Â You'll be tempted though because if smells so damn good.
I'm kind of purist though and I'm happy with a pretty simple pepperoni or sausage pie, sometimes just plain cheese. Â Their sauce is so flavorful I could just eat it with a spoon. Â In addition to the great pies, they also do a very excellent job with salads and some Italian standards. Â Check it out - you won't be sorry. Â Oh, and it is not the cheapest pie in town, but no more expensive than their current serious competition.
HUGE Combination Pizza $26. Â Definitely enough to feed 5 people.
The smell from this small pizza parlor fills the parking lot, Â expect your mouth to water as soon as you arrive. Â
This Pizza is great! Â The sauce is very flavorful, the veggies are fresh, the Italian sausage could be homemade. Â The crust is airy, and fluffy, but has that crunch when you first bite into it. Â Definitely, a knife and fork kinda pie, its juicy. Â Only improvement would be dicing the peppers and onions they're kinda big.
I've been here twice now and I'll keep coming back. Â The minestrone soup was EXCELLENT!! Â I am excited to try some of their pasta dishes. Â It's a small dining room, probably not the best for groups over 10 or 12.
Actually, 3.5 stars for what i like to classify as a 'greek pizza place' (there are many in Denver...).
Pantaleone's has been on our main list of Good Pizza for many years. In addition to pizza they've got classic Italian standards such as chicken parm, spaghetti and meatballs, and baked ziti.
Their salads are very fresh and you can order either a dinner salad or greek salad for up to four people. No bagged lettuce at this place - yea!
Pizza ingredients are fresh and delicious. Don't be greedy - a small pizza is more than enough for two people with leftovers to take home.
The atmosphere and service is very friendly and the food and drink is cheap to mid-range in price. Â
One thing my husband and I had to admit - the crust is a bit soggy, and we've just gotten around to acknowledging this deep in our hearts since we love this place. It seems as if they really need to leave the pizza in an extra -- say -- 7 minutes? That way, the cheese would brown up a bit too.
And watch out for the freaky-deaky 3D clown art on the west wall. It will seriously play with your mind if you've got a view of it during your meal.
I consider garlic one of the essential food groups. At Pantaleone's I'm never left wanting.
A friend brought me here, touting its pizza as the best in Denver. I agree it leads the pack with a couple other strong contenders. I usually prefer a little meat on my pizza but here I order only the margherita. Delicious thick cut fresh tomatoes, lots of basil and fistfuls of fresh garlic mash swimming around in a thick pool of cheese and sauce barely contained by a chewy & flavorful crust. Â It's a unusually soupy pizza experience but the quality fresh ingredients make it something to remember. . . Â and crave.
Did I mention the garlic? We're talking about tongue curling amounts here but trust me the flavor combination is perfect. With great delight I brought a friend here for lunch just before her dentist's appointment.
The greek salad is superb, order one of those to share.
The service is family style, very professional and friendly. They have wine and beer, including Moretti and Peroni if you like that stuff.
They close early at 9:00 on weeknights, something to be aware of. And not the easiest place to find, one block south of Evans on Holly tucked away in a tiny strip mall. But it's well worth seeking out.
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