4 Best Restaurants in Side Trips from Denver, Colorado

Woody's has a full menu, with pastas, chicken, calzones, and burgers, but it's the pizza, with its smoky, wood-charred crust, that's the big draw. Woody's is so popular that the pies are always just out of the oven. Don't be surprised if you have to join the throng of families and college students waiting outside for a table on a busy night.

This always-hopping pizzeria is the area's original après-ski destination: be prepared for a wait on winter weekends, because Denverites often stop in Idaho Springs for dinner until the traffic thins. Topping choices for the famous olive-oil-and-honey pizza crust range from traditional to exotic—think andouille sausage, Hatch green chilies, and tofu—and they've added a decent version of a gluten-free crust, as well.

Bring along a dollar bill that you're willing to leave on the wall---it will join thousands of others that have been drawn on, written on, and tacked up in rows around and above the bar. There's nothing fancy here, just good pasta and pizzas. If you're in a creative mood, build your own pie, with a combination of ordinary toppings, from pepperoni to sausage, then add more unusual extras like almonds or jalapeños. They don't take reservations, but you can call ahead for priority seating.