Beau Jo's

Beau Jo's-the original of which is in Idaho Springs-is a Denver institution, both for the thick pizzas and for the way you finish them off: with a bottle of honey to use with the remaining crust (what they call a "built-in dessert"). Both the honey-white and whole-wheat crusts come in four thicknesses-from an extra-thin to one so extra-thick you can hardly get your mouth around it. You can go with the original Mountain Pies, which come with thick crusts that are rolled at the edge, or a Prairie Pie without the roll but with a thinner layer of toppings. Both come with a variety of sauce options, including the standout regular sauce (a sweet, herb-flecked red), roasted garlic and olive oil, and garlic cream. The usual pizza toppings are offered along with a couple of signatures such as the red-hot chicken and tofu. Beau Jo's also does fat calzones and linguine or penne pastas topped with a variation on their red sauce. And on the rare occasion that you aren't bursting at the seams at the end, the tuxedo brownie is delicious. Leave your mark at each casually decorated, antiques-filled site by drawing on a napkin and hanging it on the wall.

Reservations not accepted. Kids' menu. Full bar. Serving lunch and dinner daily.

"Known for its Rocky Mountain-style pizza, impossibly thick-crusted pies topped with a slew of traditional and gourmet ingredients and served in round deep-dish pans, this pizza chain is a beacon for the hungry masses, little league teams and burgeoning families." - Gayot