Similar to Chicago-style pizza, Detroit is known for its own unique take on the beloved dish. Detroit-style pizza is always square, with red sauce poured over the pizza’s cheese in distinct stripes. The staple originated in the city in 1946 and can be found all over the wider Detroit area. Now, a Denver spot with a Detroit-inspired menu has put Colorado on the map for pizza lovers and foodies. Pizza may be one of the most common American ‘Italian’ dishes you really shouldn’t try to order in Italy, but you should definitely give it a shot in Denver.
Blue Pan in Colorado opened in 2015 in the city’s West Highlands neighborhood. Having grown up in Michigan, the founders decided to bring a staple of their childhood with them to Colorado. Now, the extremely popular spot has four different locations in Denver, plus a food truck that moves around the city. One of their locations is at Empower Field, where the Denver Broncos and Denver Outlaws play. If you plan on catching a game while in Denver, this is a convenient spot to try a slice and see how it compares to other styles.
Blue Pan started as a neighborhood pizzeria, and now attracts crowds from Denver and far beyond. After being shown off on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” this spot became a local institution, and a good reason to try some Detroit-style pizza if you haven’t had it before. Blue Pan isn’t the only great spot in the city, either, as Denver recently took the crown for best pizza city in the country.
What to order at Blue Pan Pizza
If you’re gonna make the trip to Blue Pan, you have to try the pizza — it’d be sacrilegious not to. However, this chain does have a larger menu, and its pizza offerings are not limited to the midwestern variety. On their menu, Blue Pan does Detroit-style, New York-style, and tavern-style pizzas. Denver may be a foodie city, but you’ll have to make a trip to New York to see if Blue Pan compares to NYC’s best pizza slice in 2025…