Proto's Pizzeria

2401 Platte St. Denver (also in Boulder and northern suburbs)
Let's start by saying we eat a lot of pizza. A lot. of pizza. We've got dozens of pizza places in our little black book. Pizza is kind of like scrambled eggs: Anyone can make it, and generally it tastes okay. But it takes real talent to create a pizza that actually distinguishes itself from every other pie out there. That's why we like Proto's.

Proto's is located just down the road from the big REI downtown, right on Platte St. It's a small place, with a big hot brick oven in the back. They start you out with a hot pillowy piece of bread to share. It's looks huge, but it weighs like an ounce.

The pizza here is Neapolitan style, so the crust is pretty thin, and the sauce a little light. Teri's favorite pizza ever, the White Pie, is made with olive oil, mozzarella and oregano. That's it. They also frequently top the pizza with stuff that's "infused" with other stuff, which I'm generally not a fan of. But the results are excellent. It's a kind of pizza that you actually feel good after eating it.

The service isn't always awesome at this place, so be prepared to calculate 11% of your bill for the tip.

Rating: lllll
For delicious, unique pizza, good atmosphere, and located in a cool neighborhood.