What Makes Beau Jo’s Pizzas Unique
Pizza has been a favorite for centuries, since the early flatbreads the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans popularized. Later, around the 17th century, modern-day pizza was developed in Naples, Italy. In the United States – Chicago and New York are well known for their types of pizza, , but for a unique approach to pizza, look for a Colorado-style from Beau Jo’s.
A Slice of History
Colorado is famous for its mining industry, which brought people in from around the continent around the same time pizza became popular in the states. While New York and Chicago were fine-tuning their versions, people coming in from the mines needed a different style of pizza, and they settled on a thick crust that was crispy on the outside and subtly sweet, with toppings piled as high as the Rocky Mountains.
The Mountain Pie: A Colorado Favorite
There are a few reasons why this pizza style is so unique. The first thing you’ll notice at Beau Jo’s is the crust, rolled high to create a barrier for the mountain of fresh toppings. Once you order your pizza, you’ll find we don’t have your typical sizing, with Mountain pies ranging from 1 to 5 pounds. The next difference is one you won’t notice until you dig in. Instead of sugar or high fructose corn syrup, a Colorado Mountain Pie uses honey as a sweetener.
Charles Shields established a small building on Miner Street in the late 19th century, which housed numerous tenants over the first few years. When Beau Jo’s entered the scene, things finally took off, albeit at a slow start. Legend has it that Beau Jo’s founder, Pete ZaPigh, invented the Colorado Mountain Pie. Due to its success, the restaurant expanded to several municipalities in the state. The first Colorado Mountain Pie was introduced to the public in 1973.
What Makes Beau Jo’s Better
Of all the pizza styles you can choose from, Mountain Pie from Beau Jo’s stands out in every way. However, we have plenty of other options on our menu – so there’s always something for everyone to enjoy! Our traditional-style “prairie pizza” is just how it sounds: a prairie full of toppings, but not piled Mountain high. For those with dietary restrictions or preferences, we offer alternatives such as gluten-free crust, plant-based cauliflower crust, or even a crustless option. In our humble opinion, our pizza is better than the competition. Refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup are the core of most pizza crusts, but at Beau Jo’s, we use Colorado honey as a natural alternative. Our ingredients are always the freshest they can be, and we operate sustainably to keep serving mountain pies for decades to come.
But it isn’t just the pizza that makes us better. For more than 50 years, people have flocked to our restaurants for the friendly ambiance and the sense of community we provide. That’s the best thing about making each pizza by hand: without assembly-line production, we create each pie with a specific person in mind.
The Pizza Adventure: Try Different Flavors at Beau Jo’s
The final thing that makes Beau Jo’s unique is the huge number of ways you can customize your pizza. In addition to our signature Colorado-style crust, we offer a more traditional prairie pie option. We also offer cauliflower crusts and a celiac-safe gluten-free option. In addition to tomato sauce, you can go on an adventure with basil pesto, ranch, or barbecue. Instead of just mozzarella, you can blend up to four cheeses from our list of seven (including ricotta, feta, and dairy-free cheese). And when you pick toppings, you can go with traditional pepperoni or branch out with Hatch chilies or artichoke hearts. No matter what adventure you go on, we’re glad to offer a truly unique Colorado pie every time you visit. Give one of our locations a call or contact us online to find out more!