Here’s an amazing “small world” story for you. I was on a cruise ship off the coast of British Columbia, attending a conference for a food- and travel-writers organization I belong to. I was chatting with the woman next to me, whom I didn’t know. The topic of where we live came up and, in a room full of people from around the globe, it turned out we were both from Colorado! After more chatting, I invited Janice Sakata, Schultze to write for In Good Taste Denver and so, here she is, telling us what to expect from Woody’s Wood Fired Pizza in Golden, including tips for making the most of your visit.
Woody’s Wood Fired Pizza: a restaurant review
If crowds waiting outside to get a table inside is the sign of a great restaurant, Woody’s Wood Fired Pizza in Golden, Colorado, would be the best in town. No other eatery in the Rockies foothills community cultivates this willingness to sit on its converted ski benches or along the nearby planters, sometimes for an hour on the weekends.
Unlike many visitors, I have waited at most ten minutes at Woody’s, but I’ll go during the week when there are fewer customers. But I would stay longer if necessary. Yes, it’s that good, and those crowds are proof positive of that claim.
You’ll find two dining areas once you get inside past the two wooden doors. The first is adjacent to the bar, with a darker interior, large round tables, and half a dozen booths. The second room is brighter from the windows, allowing natural light in. Wood paneling gives the whole place a homey atmosphere, like spending time in a friend’s cozy basement.
A local’s tip: Rather than ordering one or two different kinds of pie, choose the buffet. An alternative option is one of their sandwiches. I’ll detail each of these in the following sections. Let’s look at some of Woody’s offerings for libations.
Cocktails and beer
Being in the home of Coors Beer, you will find all their current public brews available on tap. But there are at least a half-dozen beers from craft brewers around the state and a few more on a rotating basis. If you prefer, there are brews in cans or bottles.
As you look through the menu, however, you will see that Woody’s has an unmistakable sense of humor, encouraging you to enjoy yourself and your meal while you’re here. Check out the cocktail listings, including Bloody Mary, Moscow Mule, and margarita variations. For instance, the most popular Bloody Mary is the Drunken Pig, which has bacon vodka and a “sticky piggy stick” (glazed bacon skewer). One of their margaritas is called Up Yours because it’s a coin variety, served straight up.
If you’re not entirely convinced of the breezy attitude of Woody’s, just read one of the quotes at the bottom of the menu: “Bloody Marys…making day drinking socially acceptable since 1921!” But since I’m not a fan of these cocktails, I tried a seasonal mule called “Fall in Your Mouth.” It mixed autumn fruits like apples and cranberries, dark rum, vanilla vodka and pumpkin puree and had just the right amount of warmth, sweetness and spiciness.
Pizza and the much-loved buffet
Of course, the main reason anyone comes to Woody’s is for the pizza; there are over a dozen to choose from. You can get any of them from the all-you-can-eat buffet, which includes a salad bar with their fan-favorite beer cheddar soup and all the pizza slices you can manage. It’s the most dangerous thing on the menu, as it’s creamy, cheesy, tangy and saturated with Coors Banquet beer. You might want to get multiple servings of this irresistible concoction. But don’t forget that pizza.
According to our server from our last visit, Kira, the most popular kinds are the Backpack (sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, green peppers, onions and black olives), Blue Buffalo Chicken (buffalo hot sauce, blue cheese, organic chicken) and Fig-gettaboutit (fig jam, prosciutto, caramelized onions, basil, goat cheese and balsamic reduction. This last one was new to me, and its combination of sweetness, saltiness, and zest made it my new favorite. Do as we locals do and pour some honey on your pizza crust after you’ve finished your slice.
If a buffet is different from your preference, try ordering individual pies. You can get any of the thirteen on the menu or create your own. True to form, the list of pizza ingredients includes the usual pepperoni, mushroom, sausage and others. But look closer, and you can get things like fresh air, cotton balls and sticks and stones (not really, of course).
Other great food choices at Woody’s Wood Fired Pizza
Woody’s offers fantastic non-pizza options if you’re not in the pizza mood. Kira said the most popular choices include the hobo cheesesteak with sliced ribeye, sauteed mushrooms, onions, red and green peppers and a generous helping of melted white American cheese. Other delicious choices are the Baja chicken and Buffalo chicken sandwiches.
If starters are your thing, order Woody’s wood-fired wings, Chelsie’s cheese curds, fried pickles or the unique piggy sticks (brown sugar-cured bacon in a bed of fried onion strings). Each of these is a winner – just save room for that pizza everyone waits for.
Woody’s Wood Fired Pizza is located at 1305 Washington Ave. in Golden. Visit their website, here.
-Story and photos by Janice Sakata-Schultze
Janice Sakata-Schultze is a travel writer, blogger, photographer, and certified advisor. Her blog is The Sansei Traveler. She specializes in culinary, active adventure and wellness travel. Her work has appeared in AAA Colorado EnCompass, Matador Network, Confetti Travel Café, GoWorld Travel, Travel World International and Rovology. Janice enjoys cooking, health and fitness, sports, reading, and knitting. She lives in Golden, Colorado with her family.
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