When someone comes in and orders a large pie, Papou’s owner, Luke Loukopoulos, doesn’t reach for anything cherry or pumpkin. He just nods his head. “It’s a New England thing to call it a pie,” says Loukopoulos, who knows the lingo because he grew up in Connecticut, where his father owned a pizzeria. “Denverites just call it pizza.”
All it takes is one bite and you’ll see why the name “pie” isn’t too much of a stretch. Technically, Papou’s is Greek-style pizza, meaning it is baked in a pan, as opposed to Italian-style pizza, which is hand-tossed and baked on the oven floor. The pan protects the thin crust from the oven’s high heat, allowing it to stay fluffy and tender while at the same time pleasantly crisp.
The crust has a hint of sweetness, echoed by the faintly sweet red sauce and mounds of mozzarella lavished upon it, and while Loukopolous won’t part with what he calls the dough’s “little secret,” he admits to adding a bit of sugar. Papou’s has been open just shy of three years, but the recipe itself is time-tested, going back to his father’s pizzeria, which opened in 1969.
In terms of toppings, Papou’s offers everything from the traditional to the unusual, such as bacon, feta and, this being Denver, jalapeños. Meat-lovers take note: The sausage is a standout, spiked with a heavy dose of fennel, as are the oregano-flecked homemade meatballs, especially good tucked inside a calzone ($6.50)
The restaurant is a labor of love, with many things done the right way, rather than the easy way. Many pizzerias buy frozen breaded eggplant, but here it is sliced thin and roasted with olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper. Eggplant might not be everyone’s favorite vegetable, but don’t let that stop you from trying the eggplant rollentino ($5.95), stuffed with ricotta and smothered with mozzarella and marinara so good I admit to eating by the spoonful.
On the lighter side, Papou’s offers seven salads, all of which come with romaine (no iceberg here), tomatoes, red peppers, kalamata olives, red onions and pepperoncini. Given the owner’s heritage, it’s not surprising that the Greek salad ($5.40 for a small) is excellent, with stuffed grape leaves and plenty of feta.
Desserts are brought in from nearby bakeries, except for the chocolate chip cookies ($1.75), which are made in-house. They’re sold in a basket near the register, provided the staff hasn’t snapped them up warm from the oven. And what about the owner’s 4-year-old daughter, Demitra? Is she a cookie nibbler too? “No,” he says with a laugh. “My daughter will pick the sausage off the pizza and eat it with her fingers.” Now that’s good sausage.
Papou’s Pizzeria
ITALIAN|5075 Leetsdale Drive., 303-388-3211|$2.95-$19.95|10 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Saturday; 12-9:30 p.m. Sunday; there’s a parking lot.
Front burner: Everything is very fresh. “The sales guys hate me because I’m always sending something back,” says the owner.
Back burner: With CNBC or the sports on the overhead TV, the atmosphere is more conducive to a quick lunch or takeout.
