Went recently after watching Gordon Ramsay and Pete was super funny and nice to talk to, he cracked a lot of jokes and was really sweet when we were leaving. He’s a pretty cool guy. Also, pizza wasn’t bad! However the dining room is closed.
The myth, the legend, the beast.
I've been in Denver nearly all my life and finally got to meet Pete. He is a prideful, opinionated man, who's been around at this restaurant for about four decades.
I mentioned seeing him on television and he immediately cut me off, denouncing Ramsay. And yet both his website and business cards mention how his restaurant was influenced by that Michelin Star chef.
To be fair - Ramsay was pretty harsh on Pete, and 66 of 82 restaurants on Kitchen Nightmares have vanished.
Whatever the case, the pizza was decent. The best? I don't know. I'm pretty snobby with my preference on fancy, wood-fired pizzas that are served in small portions at dumb prices, these days.
If I were still a 90s kid where I could munch on cold slices while playing playing my N64, this would be a God-tier pizza. The sauce is dark, thick, and slightly sweet. The crust is about as good as it gets for an electric oven. The toppings are of decent quality. If I downed a 32 oz. portion of Hi-C, laden with corn syrup, and ate this pizza with it, I'd feel like a kid again.
If I were still a 90s kid, I'd listen to all of Pete's stories while not really paying attention to any of it. I'd be too busy pouring an entire shaker of black pepper into a cup of soda and daring my brother to drink it.
Maybe these days it's not really my preferred style of pizza, but there was a level of nostalgia that couldn't be ignored. I've been in Denver for over thirty years and never been to the place until today. And yet.. it somehow felt like I've known and been to the place my entire life.
I'm not sure if I'll be back to get this pizza again - but I'm glad, at the very least, that I got to meet a guy who's been around for a long while.
Pete, you're a riot. Don't change a thing about yourself.
I came from Australia to visit the U.S. I had to stop at this place after watching Kitchen Nightmares.
Pete is a genuine bloke that works extremely hard. Please don't believe the nonsense on Kitchen Nightmares.
We got the feast pizza and it was FANTASTIC. The crust and base was spot on. The ingredients tasted fresh and overall, it was DEFINITELY one of the best pizzas I've ever tasted.
If we had more time we would have spoken with Pete for as long as he gets sick of it. He had so many wonderful stories that you could listen to forever.
Every time I come to Denver, I WILL visit Pantaleones and stop by to check on Pete whilst enjoying Denver's best pizza.
Thanks again Pete!
Overall: Amazing pizza, good value and perfect customer service.
*Side note. Unfortunately there's no option to dine in. If you're a well mannered person, there might be an option to sit and eat at the restaurant.
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