This post was originally published in September 2019 and was most recently updated in September 2021.
Although I haven't made it to Italy yet, I have eaten plenty of delicious pizza on my travels. I've tried the iconic coal-fired pizza at Grimaldi's in Brooklyn and taken a pizza tour in Milwaukee. I've enjoyed Quad City-style pizza where it originated and Neapolitan-style pizza in Bismarck, North Dakota and Winnipeg, Manitoba.
But my all-time favorite pizza can only be found in Colorado: the Mountain Pie from Beau Jo's Pizza. Of all the pizza I've eaten, why is Beau Jo's my favorite?
Two words: that crust.
While you can order a standard pizza crust (referred to as a "prairie pie"), Beau Jo's is renowned for their mountain pies, which feature a distinctive hand-rolled edge. My favorite thing about pizza has always been the crust (I will never understand how anyone can leave it uneaten on their plate), and a mountain pie has about four times as much crust as the average slice. It is a truly glorious thing.
You can order either a honey white or agave wheat crust. As far as toppings, you can build your own custom pie or pick from a long list of specialty pizzas. I do wish they had more than three vegetarian options on the specialty menu, although both of the ones I've tried are excellent. The margherita pizza has a tasty roasted garlic olive oil sauce and is loaded with provolone, Parmesan, tomatoes, and basil; the vegetarian combo is the classic mushroom/olive/green pepper/onion/tomato situation, with a decent housemade tomato sauce and mozzarella.
Once you eat through the savory section of your slice, it's time to polish off the crust Beau Jo's style: by drizzling it with honey. Some people save up all of their crusts and eat them at the end for dessert. I like to mix sweet and savory and eat my crusts as I go.
Pro tip: although it's more expensive, Mike and I prefer to each order our own personal-sized 8-inch pizzas instead of splitting a single 10-inch pizza. This ensures the ideal crust-to-slice ratio.
If you've finished your pizza and still haven't satisfied your crust craving, order the cobbler for dessert. It's a mountain pie topped with your choice of apple, cherry, or peach pie filling, as well as sweetened oats and icing. The six-inch individual size can be split generously between two people, and it's best with a scoop of ice cream on the side.
While I don't know when I'll get back to Colorado, I do what one of my first stops will be: Beau Jo's Pizza.
Beau Jo's Pizza
Locations in Idaho Springs, Arvada, Evergreen, Fort Collins, Longmont, and Steamboat Springs, Colorado
beaujos.com
This post isn't sponsored by Beau Jo's—I've paid for all of my mountain pies out-of-pocket, and it's genuinely my favorite pizza.
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