SliceWorks LoDo: Neapolitan-style thin crust pizza in Denver, Colorado

Looking for the best slice of pizza in Denver? Come to SliceWorks LoDo

SliceWorks LoDo, located near Union Station in downtown Denver, is a popular spot for a quick, delicious, and affordable slice of pizza. SliceWorks is best known for their Neapolitan-style thin crust pizzas made with homemade pizza dough and fresh, high quality ingredients. But that’s not all. Other than pizza, SliceWorks is popular for their Italian dishes including lasagna, chicken parmigiana, and ravioli to name a few.

In 2012, the Scileppi family founded SliceWorks just to the southeast on Colfax Avenue. Lou Scileppi and his family relocated to the Denver area from Long Island after operating New York-style pizza joints and Italian restaurants in both New York and Connecticut. With locations in Colfax, LoDo, and Castle Rock, SliceWorks today operates three restaurants in the Denver area.

If you are a fan of the Food Network, you might have also seen SliceWorks on an episode of Mystery Diners, an undercover restaurant reality show, back in 2014.

Interior

The moment I walked through the doors and into the restaurant, I was immediately overcome with the wonderful aromas of pizza and garlic. To the left of the entrance was a small but open dining room. While small, the room felt larger than it was thanks to the tall ceilings and bright lights. The décor was modern and hip with exposed air ducts and lighting, red brick walls, and a mural representing Denver’s sports teams. The space was comfortable and cozy for those eating alone, couples, or those in a group. It was the perfect place to enjoy a slice of pizza and a cold beer.

There were also a few tables outside on the sidewalk for those wanting to eat outdoors during these unprecedented times. Or, if you are like me, you can just grab a slice and go.

SliceWorks LoDo Menu

SliceWorks LoDo offered two menus, one for dine-in and one for to go. While similar, these menus varied slightly. On my visit, I also noticed a more limited menu posted on the wall. These items included appetizers, entrees, pasta, salads, wraps, and hot subs. I forgot to ask if these options, other than pizza, were the only items being served the night I visited.

Most people come to SliceWorks for the pizzas. You had your standard pizzas along with an assortment of specialty pizzas. Unique options included the Green Chili Pizza made with homemade green chili sauce, cheddar cheese, and mozzarella and the Jalapeño Popper Pizza made with cream cheese, jalapeños, mozzarella, cheddar cheese, and grape jelly on top. Most pizzas could be ordered whole or by the slice, but not all of them, so be sure to check the menu. Each thin crust Neapolitan-style pizza was prepared with dough made in-house with fresh ingredients, so you can’t go wrong with whatever pizza you pick

Ordering Pizza

Like many pizza shops you will find in New York City, such as Prince Street Pizza, you wait in line and order at the front. At the front was a good selection of pizzas on display. There were so many choices that I was somewhat overwhelmed. Luckily, the helpful workers behind the counter gave me their recommendations and said to take my time. Each pizza on display had a small description listing the name of the pizza, what comes on it, and its price. I thought this was great as it made it easier to order. There was also a wide variety of toppings ($2.50 each) which could be added to each slice.

Once I decided, I let the workers know which slices I wanted to order. They then took the slices I selected and placed them into the pizza oven for another minute until the crust was crispy and the cheese and toppings were hot.

White Pizza with Sausage

First up was the White Pizza ($4.75). This slice was made with seasoned ricotta, mozzarella, and parmigiano. I opted to add sliced sausage ($2.50). This was one large slice, almost covering the entire paper plate.

You might have noticed, but this pizza wasn’t made with tomato sauce or any sauce at all. In place of sauce there was an assortment of white cheeses including ricotta, mozzarella, and parmigiano. The crumbly seasoned ricotta was probably my favorite part of this pizza. It was fresh, flavorful, and creamy with a salty, umami flavor. You could say that the mozzarella was the “sauce” of the pizza. The cheese melted into each corner of the pizza, working as a binder for the meat and crust. It also tasted great with a salty and smoky flavor from being lightly charred in the pizza oven.

As mentioned before, I decided to add sliced sausage to the mix, because you can never go wrong with sausage on a pizza. This sausage was sliced thin but not so thin that you couldn’t taste it. The sausage was rich, salty, and had a strong, funky flavor which I could taste in each bite.

As for the crust, it was thin and more chewy than crispy. I enjoyed the chewy, soft texture but if you prefer a crispier crust, you might be disappointed. The crust also had a garlicky flavor which kept me going back for more.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Next up was the Buffalo Chicken Pizza ($4.75) made with grilled chicken, mozzarella, and spicy buffalo wing sauce. The crust was just as thin and chewy as the first slice except it seemed crispier on the bottom.

Immediately I could smell the spicy buffalo wing sauce. This sauce was salty with a kick of heat. The sauce was most likely just Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce. There was just the right amount of buffalo wing sauce on the pizza. I could taste and smell the sauce but there wasn’t so much that it overpowered the pizza or made the crust soggy.

It might be tough to see in the photo, but there was a generous amount of grilled chicken baked into the mozarella. Just as before, the mozzarella was smoky and delicious. I was expecting the thin slices of chicken to be overcooked and dry, but this wasn’t the case. While not the juiciest chicken I have ever had, I found the chicken to be cooked well, especially when you realize the pizza was cooked twice.

What made this slice great were the smalls chunks of creamy blue cheese baked into the mozzarella. This unexpected surprise, which wasn’t listed on the menu, added a funky, salty component which complemented the smoky, spicy buffalo wing sauce. Even as someone who isn’t the biggest fan of blue cheese, I found it to be my favorite part.

Service

Being late at night, not long before closing, I was expecting the service to be rushed or the workers to be tired and ready to go home. Surprisingly, this wasn’t the case. The workers behind the counter were friendly and seemed to enjoy their jobs. As this was my first time visiting SliceWorks, I appreciated how the workers explained different options to me and told me to take my time. This was great with so many pizza choices. A few moments after ordering, I had two hot slices of pizza in my hand.

Conclusion

There are many great pizza restaurants in Denver. If you are looking for a delicious and affordable slice of pizza or Italian food in downtown, then SliceWorks LoDo is a great option. While I can’t speak for the Italian dishes, I enjoyed both Neapolitan-style thin crust pizzas I tried. With pizza dough made in-house, fresh ingredients, an extensive menu, and friendly service, you can’t go wrong with visiting SliceWorks LoDo.