There aren't many truly great pizza places in Denver. There are some good ones, but until recently, nothing that really stood out. Now, we have Proto's and The Oven to add to the short list, which also includes Enzo's. The Oven is actually a chain out of Arizona and I usually eschew corporate owned restaurants. This is different, though. For starters, it's not corporate owned. The owner of Phoenix-based Tarbell's restaurant, which is organic, is the brain behind The Oven, which tends to use organic, local ingredients. The pizza is reminiscent of authentic Italian pizzas, but also seems to have something of a funky, California flair, because of the somewhat unusual, organic toppings. It is a small spot, located within a sprawling outdoor mall, but retains all of its indivdual character because of the friendly, quick service and the short, but interesting wine list.
Pros: Freshness, quality, taste, wine list
Cons: Family style dining tables
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