The Front Range Napolitano Pizza Wars have been raging for years (along with the Front Range Cupcake Wars, the Front Range Food Truck Wars, the Front Range Green Chile Wars, and the daddy of them all, the Front Range Burger Wars). The pizza field is crowded (Proto’s, Pizza Rustica, Marco’s …), but occasionally a newcomer comes along and threatens pull away from the pack.
Such is the potential of Pizzeria Basta, a smart, impeccable, energetic pizza and beverage vendor in Boulder’s swanky, fortress-like, and hard-to-find Peloton development.
Chef Kelly Whitaker and his team make excellent pizzas — crisp (not too crisp) on the crust, light (not too light) on the toppings.
Pizza-purists (guilty!) tend toward the most basic pies — at Basta, this is tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and basil — and purists won’t be disappointed in the light, crispy, flavorful crusts and clean flavors in the toppings. Branch out if you must into meat and vegetable toppings; or augment with some charcuterie and fresh cheeses (this is Boulder, after all).
The icing on the pie: an excellent, Boulder-worthy wine and beverage program. The bar folks at Basta do exactly what they should, which is make the pizza taste even better.
Now if you could only find your way back out of the Peloton.
Tucker Shaw
Pizzareia Basta
Pizza. 3601 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, 303-997-8775. Lunch and dinner Monday-Friday. Dinner Saturday. Closed Sunday. pizzeriabasta.com.
