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7 Great Pizza Places for South Metro Denver Families

January 28, 2015


Pizza! 94% of Americans eat it on a regular basis, accounting for about 3 billion pies sold annually! With so many pizzerias in our area, it can be hard to decide where to go.

The Macaroni Kid publishers for Aurora, Englewood-Greenwood Village-Centennial, Highlands Ranch-Parker-Castle Rock-Lone Tree, and Lakewood-Littleton joined forces and took our own families to the places we'd heard the most "buzz" about.

We've got 7 family-friendly pizzerias (listed alphabetically) for you to try!

Coloradough Pizza (Aurora, Centennial, & Parker)
The Coloradough in Parker is a relatively new, small (and I mean small with only two tables inside the restaurant) pizzeria run by two brothers. This is not a fancy place with fancy pizza. It is a great take-out place that does their limited menu (pizza, wings, and salad) very well. 

We ordered their meat lovers pizza called "The 5280" which is piled with local Colorado-raised meats: pepperoni, Italian sausage, Canadian bacon, and bacon crumbles. The crust was flavorful, chewy, and just right. We usually get a thinner pizza but — YUMMO! — this was fantastic! The sauce was tasty with a nice mix of herbs, not too tomato-y or tart. 

We love great wings so we gave those a shot too. Baked (not fried) wings are my favorite and that's what they serve. They come in four different flavors; we chose the original and they were perfect ... not overcooked and moderate heat. 

Overall, this is a very good local place that makes such a great pizza that I think I will drive up to the north side of Parker a little more often when I am not in the mood to cook!

Fargo's Pizza Co. (Colorado Springs)
I grew up in Manitou Springs and have great memories of visiting Fargo's as a kid, so I was really excited to take my own boys there. It is a unique family restaurant with decent pizza and a good salad bar, but it really is more about the experience than anything else. 

It has an Old West Saloon feel to it, both in decor and employee dress, and it has a large array of leaded and stained glass art throughout the large two-story restaurant. This place is hopping on the weekends, but the line in the lobby moves pretty quickly, and it has an arcade with vintage games to keep the kids busy while you wait. 

Once you're taken to your table, you have to head back up front to order your food and drinks, and then your number appears in one of the "magic mirrors" decorating the walls (and is called out as well). The salad bar has lots of options, and they even give you a small bowl in addition to your salad plate so you can keep the sweet stuff (fruit or chocolate pudding) separate.

Marino's Pizzeria (Littleton)
This cute little pizzeria is owned and operated by Marino Marro, a chef born and raised in Italy, so you know this pizza is going to be authentic! It is a very popular neighborhood joint. 

The menu is full of a wonderful arrangement of pizzas featuring both both traditional toppings such as fresh mozzarella, sausage, and pepperoni, as well as unique combinations like the "Carbonara" with bacon, egg, and black pepper. 

Although they offer gluten-free options, you must come for the "real thing"! Mario creates his dough from scratch with special ingredients from Italy to make his pizzas light and flavorful. Everything is baked in the wood-fired oven that can be seen from the seating area. 

It's a small restaurant, off the beaten path, and well worth the trip. I highly recommend it for a date night, but older kids with a sophisticated palate will also enjoy it.

Mellow Mushroom (Denver)
I’ve been to Mellow Mushroom several times so obviously I'm a big fan! The first time, it was just my daughter and me, and we took two seats at the counter which faces the kitchen. My daughter loved the experience of being able to watch pizzas get made. It became "our place." 

The counter has limited seating, but there is ample space in the restaurant. However, be prepared to wait if you're going for dinner on a weekend. Our last visit was over the Christmas holidays on a Friday evening and there was a 45-minute wait. Kindly, they provide a pager that works outside the restaurant so we were able to visit some shops and enjoy the holiday festivities. A great plus! 

Their menu has a nice selection of options and they feature craft beers for the adults. We had a pretzel appetizer and "Mighty Meaty" pizza. Both were delicious and we had extra slices to bring home. Mellow Mushroom has a great family atmosphere and we will continue to be repeat visitors!

Parry's Pizzeria & Bar (Castle Rock, Englewood, Greenwood Village, and Highlands Ranch)
Parry's New York Pizza is a sports bar meets craft beer bar meets pizzeria, started by two brothers who were born and raised in NY. Other than the Englewood location (which was their first and is mostly a take-and-go pizza place), all their locations serve 40-50 craft beers on tap, but the restaurant still maintains a very family-friendly feel to it. 

Their most popular pizzas are the "5 Burroughs," which is basically a supreme, and the "Summer of 2010" topped with pepperoni, spicy sausage, jalapeños, and pepperoncinis (named after the hottest NY summer on record). 

They've won "Best Wings in Castle Rock" for four years in a row. The service was excellent... fast, friendly, and attentive. We fell in love with NY-style pizza the year we lived in the Big Apple, and this pizza is as authentic as any we've found here in Colorado. These brothers are Brooklynites through and through, right down to their desserts! Their most popular one is "Fuhgidabowdit Fried Dough" and they even have one called "Sox Suck Pie"!

Portofino Pizza & Pasta (Parker)
Good homemade Italian in the heart of Parker is a fitting short description for Portofino Pizza & Pasta. Located right on Mainstreet and Parker, Portofino provides a casual family-friendly dining experience. 

The restaurant offers more than just pizza, with a range from side and dinner salads to homemade Burrata, calzones, lasagna, chicken Parmesan, and even gluten-free pizza. My family enjoyed a little of everything — salad, pizza, lasagna, calzone, and garlic knots. The pizza and calzone had a tasty sauce and were not overly doughy. 

The food and the service did not disappoint and neither did the check, which was less than $50 for all of us with the tip. They don't serve alcohol; it would be nice to enjoy nice glass of wine with the pasta. But I have no doubt we will be back.

The Rock Wood Fired Pizza (Highlands Ranch and Lakewood)
You enter this place and you just know you're in for a rockin' time! Once we were seated, they delivered the cutest tiny pizza box filled with dough to keep the little one busy. Nice touch! 

The vast menu was filled with so many options. We started with the "Skillet Shrooms" as we were told they were a house favorite, and they became a family favorite as well. I could have eaten an entire plate myself! 

The pizzas are wood fired to make them extra tasty. You can get the Classic Rock with the standby pepperoni and cheese, or try one of their specialty pies like the "Revolution" (BBQ pulled pork pineapple, red and green roasted peppers, and drizzled with BBQ sauce), "Bang A Gong (grilled chicken, green peppers, onions, pineapple, cheese, and drizzled with a sweet red chili sauce), or "Stairway To Heaven" (baby arugula, diced tomatoes, prosciutto, and Parmesan cheese)! A generous gluten-free menu is also available. 

The atmosphere is fun, the music is loud (perfect for a noisy family of kiddos), and the food is tasty. A good spot for a fun family night out.