Benzina

Restaurant · Park Hill

Benzina

Restaurant · Park Hill

1

4839 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80220

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Highlights

Neapolitan-inspired pizza & Italian fare in a cool retro spot  

Featured in Eater
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4839 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80220 Get directions

benzinadenver.com
@benzinadenver

$30–50 · Menu

Reserve

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4839 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80220 Get directions

+1 303 399 2352
benzinadenver.com
@benzinadenver

$30–50 · Menu

Reserve

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Last updated

Aug 8, 2025

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Denver’s Best Pizza Restaurants | Eater Denver

"Everything about this East Colfax haunt, housed in an old muffler shop, is stylish, including its pies. Chewy at the edges, so thin yet well-structured as to defy physics at the center, the crusts are artfully layered with all the good stuff: local ham, caciocavallo, artichokes, and olives, say, or taleggio, maitake and shiitake mushrooms, and black-garlic fonduta." - Paul Albani-Burgio

https://denver.eater.com/maps/best-pizza-denver
View Postcard for Benzina

J Holmes

Google
Been trying to go here for a few years. Finally made a reservation. Unfortunately, I left confused and a bit disappointed. The arancini was a bit untraditional, served with honey. The sweet and savory worked well. Not bad, though a bit small for the price point. The cauliflower head with pine nut puree and a bacon jam was the highlight of the meal. No complaints about this dish; it was well executed and a surprising mix of flavors. Savory and sweet seemed to be a theme. From here, the experience went downhill. The "medium-rare" NY Strip came out brown nearly the whole way through, past medium-well and heading into well done territory. The cubed deep fried potatoes were novel, but unfortunately, rather unseasoned. They relyied on, you guessed it, the sweet bacon jam, along with a small splash of brown gravy with peppercorns. The gravy was quite good, and the scant few peppercorns were great, but there weren't enough. The dish wasn't well balanced, and the issue was exacerbated by poor timing from the kitchen. The DOP Margherita pizza came out several minutes after my strip, very awkward timing for a place with menu prices where they are. While the ingredients were premium, the buffalo mozz was scantily applied, insufficient even for a neoplitan style pizza. The cheese was hard to the touch rather than stringy, probably undercooked. The red sauce was competently made, but applied too thickly, leaving the middle half of the pizza soggy. The basil was cooked with the pie and charred to a crisp rather than applied after cooking, definitely not my preference. We left with half the pizza in a box and stopped by another neoplitan pizza spot on the way home. I'm not sure if Benzina's pending closure caused my experience, or the experience is causing the closure, but either way, I don't think I'll ever return.

Ember Martin

Google
Great food! We had the burrata, arancini, neopolitan pizza, the salmon and tiramisu for dessert… Amazing! Waited a while for our drink refills, but other than that, good service. Love the open kitchen! You will love this place! Go visit and support small business. Don’t let the Colfax traffic keep you away…it’s worth it! Can’t wait to go back again!

Zimmi Coker

Google
This restaurant is amazing!!! The hugo spritz’s were exceptional and so were the martinis. We ordered the arancini to start, and let’s just say that the gorgonzola was so soft and gooey that we asked for a second plate. We also ordered the spicy sopressata pizza which was delicious and light. The Spatchcock chicken was so tender and succulent that we wanted more!!! To finish, we ordered the salted caramel chocolate tarte, which knocked our socks off. Everything was incredible!!

Jill Lathrum

Google
We loved this meal. The ingredients are so fresh and amazing. Pizza crust was beyond incredible... Absolutely perfect. The Margherita D.O.P. was my favorite. My husband had tagliatelle and liked it very much. The other 3 in our party had pizzas. We also had arancini and burrata. Everyone agreed the arancini was unlike ever we've ever had and enjoyed it very much. Burrata was served with freshly made bread (similar to a baby pizza) topped with marinated olives. Recommend reservations as the seating area is small. We didn't have one but they kindly found us a table. Would love to return. I'll be craving that pizza.

Tim G

Google
Bartender and food were amazing. I’m a legit Italian and take my food very seriously. This is easily a Top 3 Italian restaurant in Denver. Love the Mid 50s decor as well. The owner, Brad spent some time with us as well. Shame the Colfax construction is slowing business for the entire hood. This place is on par with very high-end Italian in Denver for mid-range pricing! I have passed this place by far too many times. I am an instant regular. U should be too

Victoria Noble

Google
My boyfriend and I came here to celebrate my birthday and could not have been more pleased with our experience. We had the wagyu beef tartare as an appetizer and both immediately knew that this meal was going to be amazing. We both got a pasta dish and lost our minds after the first bite. Both of us commented multiple times that this was one of, if not the best, meal we’d ever eaten. Everything was cooked to perfection and I was a huge fan of the realistic portion sizes. We were both able to clear our plates without feeling completely stuffed and uncomfortable. Some of the Christmas decorations were stuff displayed which I loved and the retro decor made it such a fun and cozy experience. We are already planning when we can come back!

Randy Kopf

Google
Benzina is a quality surprise. We arrived just as they, opened this evening. This servers were all lined up ready to go. The power was off a glitch in the neighborhood. But they could cook with gas. And the generator covered the rest. The food was fantastico!!! We highly recommend this restaurant. It reminded me of being in a high demand restaurant in Roma where you meet your friends and family for an incredible moment spent together.

Isabel Sabbah

Google
Benzina is the first place I thought of when I landed in Denver. The food is ridiculously good—simple fresh ingredients and skilled authentic Italian cooking. The flavors always impress me and the quality of pasta and pizza is excellent. The staff is also lovely. All around a go to spot.
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David G.

Yelp
Just my luck...I find a great restaurant and they are closing.....silent scream!!! My friends picked Benzina for our annual dinner and it was fantastic. The owner is such a sweet hard working guy you just have to love him. Amazing food! The pizzas were stellar especially the mushroom. Perfect crust and bake....just super yummy. Great Arancini....crispy not greasy. Light and fluffy with tons of flavor. I am not a huge fish fan but their Smoked Trout Cesar turned me into a huge fan. Lovely chunks of light smoked trout in a crisp salad..yes please Lovely burrata with focaccia ...great combo with fresh baked focaccia topped with olives. Top it off with 1/2 bottles of great Italian wine (the 4 of us drank 3 bottles...yikes) Please Please Please stay open we love you guys
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Gina K.

Yelp
Benzina's is a lively Italian restaurant on Colfax. With the construction on Colfax and the neighborhood streets having permit parking it can be difficult to find parking. They do have about 5 parking spots in their lot. The rest of the lot is an outdoor dining and games. This is a great place for a quick weekday meal especially if your a family in the neighborhood. We went on a a Wednesday night and made a reservation. We arrived a 10 minutes early but they seated us at the counter which was perfect for two people. We had waited a while for our waitress to come over so, we decided on a spicy soppresata pizza and the ravioli to eat. I got a spritz and my husband got a glass of wine (it was on their specials). We ended up getting our drinks and food at the same time which was a bit odd but, was very fast. By that time the restaurant started to fill up. We noticed that not only did our waitress check on us a few times but, so did other staff. It was nice to see how well the staff worked together to ensure all customers were being taken care of. Since we were at the counter we were able to enjoy seeing the kitchen staff churn out dishes. We have our eye on a few for next time just from being seated at the counter. When we got our bill, my husband noticed they forgot to charge us for the second glass of wine he had. So naturally we said something. The women was grateful that we mentioned it was gave it to us on the house anyway. Overall, great food, superb staff, and lovely atmosphere.
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Ilana S.

Yelp
Highly recommend happy hour! We got the mushroom pizza and margarita - both so good! We also each got an arancini which was delicious. Crispy on the outside, and melty on the inside. Service was great. Would definitely return!!

Michelle S.

Yelp
Super yummy food. Simple menu but very tasty. We started with the ceasar, the house bread and the burrata. All were great. We ordered a few pizzas , a pasta, and the steak and everyone was happy! Dessert was also so good. They were packed tonight , a good sign for sure. Friendly staff, great space. Would come back for the pizza for sure !

Brent B.

Yelp
Benzina revamped a great menu, and lowered their prices to get more people from South Park Hill to enjoy their Italian cuisine. The staff is attentive to their customers. A great bar with superb drink and wine selection. Check out the great food, have some fun playing Bocce, and enjoy their Happy Hour!!
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Bennett P.

Yelp
I heard they were closing by the end of March so I made a reservation thru OpenTable. Since their announcement they are busier than ever according to Westword magazine. When I arrived, I was able to speak with the owner, Brad Anderson. He said business has improved enough to stay open until early May, possibly later. They have a straightforward menu of shared & large plates, pasta and 7 pizza's . I sat at the bar. They have a nice selection of cocktails and wines. I got an order of Arancini. Very good with lots of Saffron which gave it a golden color with creamy gorgonzola cheese. A creative appetizer. Next was a Caesar salad with smoked trout. Very good with a Passionfruit Cosmopolitan. I ordered the Mortadella pizza prepared with a gluten free crust. It was prepared with pesto, olives and an Italian ham, Mortadella. A wonderful meal. I had a conversation with a couple that have been coming here since Benzina opened. They said Brad Anderson has decades of experience in Denver and hope he stays open. Nice atmosphere and joyful customers.

Kevin W.

Yelp
Great food and service. A very cool atmosphere, perfect for a cocktail. The steak tartar is amazing
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Megan B.

Yelp
Really loved my visit to this cutie off Colfax. The space itself is really cute and repurposes what used to be a gas station, maybe? Unfortunately, the AC was broken when we visited so it was quite hot but the owner stopped by to make sure we were okay and they have fans all about. While helpful, the server was very clearly ready to be done with her shift, her day, her week, the month, even haha She was clearly very tired and I felt bad that she was working with an injury. Hopefully this doesnt sound sassy as we have all been there but I think it made me feel guilty as a diner and hope she's doing better! haha Everything from the menu was absolutely delish and the two starters I loved most were the scallops and the tartare. The Italian Old Fashioned with the grappa was interesting and refreshing. I think I like the traditional whiskey one but I am happy to have tried this one. I cant wait to go back.
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JiHae L.

Yelp
We came here because my friend recommended it for us all to meet up at this restaurant. Since she's a local, I always take recommendations from ppl. It used to be a gas station, so to see how everything was renovated was interesting. It's a very casual place, and reservations aren't necessary. Since my friend goes their often, she placed an order for many dishes, especially the ones that would take a while. I enjoyed all of the dishes like the green circle chicken was so delicious. I wouldn't have minded another one. The appetizers' homemade bread, pork belly, and cauliflower were phenomenal. I suggest if you're in the area to check this place out. The service was really great here as the waiter was very attentive and great with kids. If you're looking for outdoor seating, this place has it too.
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Jessica H.

Yelp
We had a nice dinner at benzina. The smoke trout Caesar salad was wonderful. Pizza was also great. We sat at the chefs table and it was fun watching them make all the food before it came to our seats. We love this place.
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Stephan L.

Yelp
What a great find. A small white table cloth Italian restaurant in a rehabbed gas station Very different & creative menu. Enjoyed 4 items that were all very good and flavorful. Excellent service also Will be back often. PS. Make a reservation!
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Kenneth L.

Yelp
Friday night, 6pm dinner reservations, seated immediately and truly a great dining experience. Ordered the trout caesar salad, carbanara pizza and a panna cotta dessert. Yes all of this was for one person, but easily could have been shared with another person. The trout salad was a weird combo, but it somehow worked. The fish was a different protein but still didn't overpower the salad. Pizza was delicious! I should have ordered the mushroom when I saw them flying out from the kitchen bar. The carbanara was good and had good fatty pieces of pancetta or bacon or some meat. A little salty from the meat, but overall very well made and delicious to eat. Panna cotta was SO good. I was so full already but I had to try it. Worth trying and perfect way to end my meal. I ultimately gave Benzina a 5/5 for its service. It was impeccable and I love it when servers serve the dishes and explains the ingredients used to create it. Very classy and I felt like I was high end dining! Parking lot is small ( 5 spots) but people street park on colfax or park in the residential road nearby.
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Izabella D.

Yelp
The food was amazing! It had good vibes all around and the service was some of the best! We got seated immediately and they were not slow whatsoever. Our waiter was absolutely amazing and super friendly! Highly Recommended!
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Chanh S.

Yelp
I have a hard time reviewing this place because I wanted to like it and thought I would. It started off rough when it took about 15 minutes for our waiter to come greet us after we sat. It took another 10 minutes for them to get us our drinks and we just got beer. So almost 30 mins of waiting before we got anything. The bread was great like the reviews said but we're used to nice Italian restaurants to provide it for free. Their menu is very limited and it's pricier than most places so be aware of that before you dine here. The food was okay. Overall, I think this place is great for the right clientele but not for everyone.
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Janet D.

Yelp
This location used to be a muffler store and before that it was a Philips 66 gas station. "benzina" means gasoline in Italian. The modern-yet-funky restaurant brings a new vibe to the South Park Hill neighborhood with mid-century decor, funky music, '60s art, a bocce ball courts and Neapolitan-style pizza. We had the margherita pizza, meatball pizza and their crispy squid. Everything is cooked in this beautiful coal fired oven. Service is average. A spot with a strong history like this should be included in your must see. I like what they did to the place.

Deana S.

Yelp
Amazing food, amazing service. Can't recommend highly enough. Go to Benzina, run, don't walk!!

Amy M.

Yelp
Benzina is closing. While I feel bad about their dream ending, I have to say that while the food was great, the service was terrible. Our server did not give a darn that my daughter was celebrating my birthday, my arrival in Denver, and celebrating my recovery from an illness, and paid no attention to us, and did nothing to enhance the experience. We would gladly pay 40 dollars for pizza IF served with a million dollar attitude!
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Katie P.

Yelp
I've always had amazing service here and the food is divine. The owner is very nice as well!
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troy m.

Yelp
I am just going to get to the one main point. OVERPRICED. 1) bread and butter for $8.50. It was some deflated pizza dough-food cost=$.79 cents. 2) steak with twice bake potato for $54.00 The steak was previously frozen. The twice bake potato looked more like a piece of appetizer from TGIF. 3) ordered a "traditional" Old Fashion. No cherry or cherry juice to be found. Glass was half full when it arrived and we had to ask for simple syrup since the Bartender didn't know how to make one. 4) pizza. Don't even get me started on this on. Folks, go to Blue Pan Pizza if you want an expensive pizza that at least taste good. 5) pannicotti was excellent and is what at least put one star on this review. Probably not coming back only because the cost doesn't fit the food that is being served. I have no complaints on the taste of the foods.
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Margie W.

Yelp
We had dinner at Benzina Sunday evening. It was excellent! We started with the caprese salad, smoked trout caesar salad, and arancini. All were fantastic. Two of us shared a great pizza and the other 3 each had the pork chop. Everything was so delicious! Brad, the owner, stopped by, sat and chatted for several minutes. He is ideal as an owner: involved, interested in what his customers have to say, cheerful, attentive. We will definitely be back! But yes, as others have said, make a reservation. Busy fun cool place!
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Christina M.

Yelp
Wonderful neighborhood gem with excellent food and staff. A lovely atmosphere for a summer evening. We will be back!
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Jean T.

Yelp
BF was still hungry after lunch, and craving pizza. So we called Benzina and ordered a pizza for pickup. They don't have pepperoni, but they have a spicy soppresata with honey. It was delicious!!! Super-thin crust, generous toppings. It was ready much earlier than the 35 minutes we were originally told, so by the time we picked it up, it had cooled off considerably. Still good, though. Service was cheerful and friendly. We'll go back to try a hot pizza :)
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Azure G.

Yelp
Benzina, yes!! Came here on a Friday night for date night with the hubs, and we were thrilled. Made reservations far in advance, and would probably recommend y'all do the same. We ended up sitting at the bar - something we enjoy at places where you can see some of the action first hand. We also love the ability to ask questions and the staff was incredibly friendly. We came a few months ago so I don't remember all the cocktails we ordered and think the menu has changed since, but my husband really enjoyed his smoky old fashioned and I loved whatever I ordered. Opted out of apps but both had pizza - I went with Clam and he picked Spicy Sopressata. Both were perfection and we're pretty big pizza snobs. Will 100% be coming back. Not the cheapest meal, but worth every penny!
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Zach S.

Yelp
Benzina is our favorite neighborhood spot in the Hale/Park Hill area. It's truly underrated on here and sadly, somehow a bit of a hidden gem, despite being right on Colfax. The inside is a creatively cool refurbishment of a classic gas station, with great outdoor seating next to bocce ball courts and corn hole games. The food and drinks are all fantastic and reasonably priced. Our favorites are the arancini, caprese salad, and meatball and carbonara pizzas.
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Braden L.

Yelp
Exceeded expectations in every aspect. Most impressed with the staff, both front and back of house. Very friendly attentive and knowledgeable. Food was excellent. Highly recommend for those looking for a pleasant night out.
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Sarah G.

Yelp
We recently moved here and have fallen in love with this place. The staff treat people so well. The trout was especially good. All three of us had it, and truly enjoyed it.
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Melissa A.

Yelp
We sat at the bar and had amazing service! The drinks were delicious and the the arancini was delicious!!
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Asher W.

Yelp
About 10 days after it opened we had a great meal at Benzina. The space is super cool. Think of a restored 50s diner feel but instead of an airstream its a auto garage, complete with roll up doors and massive overhang. The outdoor space is massive, which has tables dotted throughout. There's also an area with what will become gardens made out of horse troughs and they are building bocce ball courts eventually. To have that kind of space on colfax is pretty cool. Inside there's a surprisingly large space, with plenty of high and low tables, booths, and probably 18 bar top seats. There's a full bar with about 10 beer taps and 6 wine taps and a huge pizza oven in the middle, as well as open kitchen concept. We started with the asparagus salad and smoked trout salad. Thought the asparagus salad was fine but nothing special. The smoked trout salad was superb. We then had the arancini balls at the suggestion of the bartender who also waited in us. We soon realized everyone was ordering them and we eventually understood why. These are the must order item and Benzina. They are to die for. Cheesy saffron risotto fried and served in a black pepper honey. They were incredible. Lastly we had the spicy soppresata pizza and mushroom pizza. The group loved both. I especially liked the soppresata which reminded me of the ones you get in NY which comes with honey. Their crust was very good. The only reason I'm docking this place a star is the noise. Its sooo noisy inside our group had to literally yell at each other to have a convo. It was a mixture of music that was too loud and bad acoustics, which is understandable in a old muffler shop but still, they need to figure out something with the sound issue and turn the music down. Overall, we will definitely be back to Benzina regularly. The food is fantastic and the service was great. The staff were very nice and the space is very cool.
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Nancy J.

Yelp
Decided on Benzina for a special family night out that included kids, and four adults. It was delightful on all levels. Fantastic food. Adults had some of their wonderful pizzas -- in particular the mushroom, and the carbonara, as well as salads that were every bit as tasty -- the Benzina Caprese and the Summer Salad. Whoa. Every single bite was wonderful... and was eaten! The kids had both pizza -- that they scarfed down as well. The youngers had the kids homemade buttered noodles -- that the adults vied for bites to share! On top of all that, once kids were done eating, they went outside to play the outdoor games that are set up while the adults finished our food and drinks. How fun is that??? My husband and I are already planning our return trip -- just for the two of us -- to check out some other tasty options we saw!
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Megan W.

Yelp
Cute little spot off Colfax that's probably even nicer when it's warm enough to be outside. The pizzas were phenomenal. We didn't have a reservation so we sat at the bar and got to watch them make the pizzas which was a fun treat. Only gripe is that there weren't very many options for folks with dietary restrictions (e.g., plant-based, GF, etc.).

Fran P.

Yelp
Blackberry gin and tonic was amazeballs. Actually all varieties of old fashions also very good. Had tasty gluten free pizza and brussel sprouts, not gf, and bread with dip appetizer. All delish. Atmosphere was modern but welcoming.
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Layton J.

Yelp
What a wonderful and fun spot to eat. Ignore the surroundings and immerse yourself into the friendly service along with the great food. Get the bread, it does not disappoint.

Katalina O.

Yelp
Totally wonderful! Best pasta in town. Top notch service - always exciting too. Keep this fabulous Denver icon supported.
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Lee S.

Yelp
Reinforcing everything I read. Ambiance is cool. Food is solid. Cauliflower, mushroom pizza, wine. It's pricey for what it is. Service was friendly but kinda casual for what you're paying. Almost $60 each to split a cauliflower app, and a pizza with one glass of wine? It's a bit much. So you're left thinking, it was good but when will I want to go back?
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Jessica A.

Yelp
I've been wanting to try this place for a while and sadly I was very disappointed. The food itself wasn't too bad, but it was so expensive and I had hardly any pasta for $30! I was expecting leftovers, when instead I had some my friend's pizza (which wasn't too bad). We ordered the Arancini for appetizers and they had a background taste of plastic, which was a bummer because they sounded really good. The biggest issue was our check. Be aware they cannot split separate checks, so if you have a big party you will have to go through all your orders and do the math on the back of the check, which could take a while if you're with a bigger group like us (old school style). Our servers were nice, but busy. They tried to accommodate us, but their system seems outdated. Seems like a cool spot, but I wouldn't come back unfortunately.
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Roger S.

Yelp
Benzina opened last May and I can't believe it took this long for us to eat here! Colfax is nicknamed the "longest, wickedest street in America." Benzina is wickedly good. Owner Brad Anderson has been a partner in many Denver restaurants, but I remember him from the Rocky Mountain Diner. He converted an old Phillips 66 gas station, built in 1963, into a beautiful mid-century modern Italian restaurant and bar. Benzina translates to "Gasoline," which seems appropriate. Chef Daniele Bolognini, who was born and raised in Italy (and previously was the executive chef at Acorn until it closed), oversees the kitchen. The menu is tightly constructed with 3 appetizers, 2 salads, 2 pastas, 2 meat dishes, 6 pizzas, and 3 dessert options. We shared one item from each category. One of the best meals we have had in Denver. Ever.
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Bec O.

Yelp
I think you always need to start with the ambience and to some degree this does not disappoint. Repurposing a muffler shop - genius and good sustainability practice. I liked the retro decor and I am a sucker for Slim Aarons so one of his famous prints enlarged was total thumbs up. There is indoor and bar seating plus outdoor seating with enclosed tent plus plenty of outdoor seating for warmer days/nights. Unfortunately when there is all cinder block and concrete, the noise is a problem . It would be nice if they put up some noise dampers. Staff was super nice and attentive without being bothersome. Now to the good stuff - food. The cocktails looked good (I watched other people drinking them) and a fairly decent wine/beer menu. I ordered a Melvin IPA draft - yum. They serve cold water - big plus!!!!! I liked that the menu was small. We ordered calamari which was soft, tender and perfectly lightly coated. There was some umami sauce underneath that I could have done without. The runner made sure to point on that is was topped with watercress which was funny since it was more of a garnish and not worth pointing out. Then came the spicy soppressata ... I hate saying this, but the crust was flat and needed more salt when making the crust. It was not the worst pizza, but by far not the best. I always recommend you visit and use my review merely as a guide. My husband said he probably would not go back, but I would go back to try their pasta.
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Ann Marie S.

Yelp
Food, great. Flavors, great. Cocktails, great. Ambiance, good. Service, ok. Gah; I had such high hopes. And I want to be grumpy, but it's hard not to be when the food is good, but the service just doesn't match what it's supposed to be. I would describe this as "upscale pizza"; pasta choices are limited if that's what you're hoping for. Denver doesn't have great authentic choices for pizza, but this is a place I'd come back to for a decent pizza and a glass of Italian wine.

Marnie S.

Yelp
So glad we finally tried Benzina. Will be back again soon! Great food, atmosphere, service and drinks.
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Jason B.

Yelp
Based on the food alone, this place would get 5 stars. The flavors were incredible as was the use of fresh ingredients. I removed 1 star due to the noise. The ambience is interesting as it is a converted muffler shop, but unfortunately the noise and echo are so bad many of us could not hear the persons sitting across from us. I removed another 1 star due to the combination of high prices and small portions. A Caprese salad appetizer was $18 and very small, entrees were high 20's to 30's and also very small. I don't need to gorge myself, but I also don't like leaving a restaurant hungry after a very expensive bill. I removed a final 1 star as for a group of six they added 25% gratuity to our bill. (22.5% for server, 2.5% back of house). This was too much for very mediocre service. Not sure we will go there again.

Jeff S.

Yelp
Everything we had was top-notch. Super fresh and delicious. Service was solid and friendly. Nice open patio (bags and bocci) with some shaded spots, and a charming retro building with modern upgrades. Perfect place for a date, family and/or friends. Looking forward to going back.

Claudia M G.

Yelp
Food was amazing. We were able to taste the layers of flavors. A little bit salty but very tasty. Service was to the point. Every time we change from salad, to the entries or dessert the waiter changed plates and silverware. Very attentive. Also, having a waiter that informs every dish and knows exactly the ingredients gives the confidence that the dishes are great. They have eating the food they serve!!!! Ambiance was perfect nice music from the 80's and 90's but not overwhelming the place. A lot of families and little ones enjoining their food. Loved it!!! Great coffee and dessert. Next time I will take pictures.

Chelsea S.

Yelp
Terrible experience. We got the cauliflower app dish and it had no flavor. We didn't eat it and it was taken away, yet we still charged the $21 for it. I got the chicken dish and it was super fatty. Will not be back.
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Jason J.

Yelp
Wow. Just....wow. Benzina makes an art out of elevating simple to simply decadent. It's an old service station. It's a really simple space. But they manage to fill it with tables and booths incredibly well, and somehow we happened to get the best seat in the joint, in a little two-top booth in a quiet corner. Speaking of quiet, other reviewers have mentioned noise, saying it's extremely loud - we did not find that the case at all. Noise level was really great - energetic but not overbearing or intrusive. We could talk amongst ourselves easily and without strain. Hunter was our server, and he was absolutely fantastic. Fun guy, jokes, attentive and not overbearing. He had good recommendations on the menu - which is extremely easy with a menu like Benzina's. Trout Salad: Good! Though I don't LOVE smoked trout, but that's on me. Almost served as like, little lettuce cups with a piece of trout in them, made it easy and fun to eat with your hands. Arancini Balls: Whoa..... Not overly salty, but still very savory and complemented perfectly with the dipping sauce. Just wildly good. Great mouthfeel, good cheesiness without being all salt. Spicy Soppressata Pizza: It's a pepperoni pizza, don't worry. Not really spicy, but as with most Neapolitan pizzas the story is in the crust. It's incredible. Perfectly "chewy" while still being perfectly cooked. It's just so hard to describe but really really great. the Soppressata is great, sauce was awesome, and the topping ratio was perfect. Sausage PIzza: It's a white pizza, and has really great flavor with the sausage and some green onions. Again, all on top of a phenomenal crust. We also did a bottle of house wine which is from grapes grown in Italy by the former owner of Snooze, but vinted in Denver. It was a really great "average" wine to go with our meal. It's not over the top crazy good, but it's solid and a perfect accompaniment to super elevated pizza. Then came time for dessert. And...oh my god. The chocolate tort was unbelievable. Perfect salt content in the crust, amazing chocolate flavor - sweet and savory without being saccharine or cloying. And then the Panacotta....I have never tasted anything so creamy and delicious. I swear to god these two desserts are among the top 10 desserts I've ever had in my life. I don't really rank inside 10, so that's the only cut they can make, but it was just amazing. Benzina is a fairly casual place with really really incredible elements, it's WELL worth the stop. Delicious and near-perfect. I absolutely cannot wait to go back.
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Abby S.

Yelp
Fun and chic addition to East Colfax. I've driven by this former service station and wondered what would become of the space - never would I ever have imagined pizza and wine. Snagged a reservation last Thursday and shared a good portion of the menu with a good friend: arancini, salad, pizza, dessert. Plus cocktails and wine. My fave by far was the clam pizza and the chocolate dessert. I would eat either one again in a heartbeat. I wasn't a huge fan of the trout Caesar salad, but that just means more for some other customer in the future. Service was so lovely and I appreciate the many check-ins from the front of house. And yes, I will be back to support a new neighborhood business!
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Kelly O.

Yelp
I want to love this place so badly. The service and management is great. The ambiance is awesome. The regular pizza is fantastic. But I'm reviewing this as a gluten free person - and I have to say, on numerous tries, that the gluten free pizza crust is terrible. It's clearly premade, it's chewy and bland, and it completely detracts from the gorgeous toppings. The menu is small enough that this is a problem - there are few other dishes to try as a main course. If the crust were better, this place would be four or five stars.
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Not S.

Yelp
I was really excited for this place, but unfortunately, just did not deliver. The food, the service just wasn't up to the price point.
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Lillie R.

Yelp
The Tagliatelle pasta with squid was just amazing. Cooked and served in a butter sauce with hints of several herbs I can't recall...and I don't see their menu. It was a really savory and citrus flavor that wasn't too strong or too weak. Perfection. Our table tried a couple of the pizzas as well and they were meh...not worth getting again. Still...5 stars...just for the Tagliatelle pasta alone. Can't wait to try a few more of their specialties at another time.
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M L.

Yelp
Made a reservation last night (12/13/23) for 8pm via open table. I arrived at 8:08pm. After a few minutes a grey haired man came to the host station to ask if I had a reservation. When it was confirmed he told me the kitchen closed at 8:10pm. It took me a second to process due to them taking my 8pm reservation. It was awkward. I was with a date. It has an open kitchen and you could clearly see the cooks still preparing food. I want to believe this was a genuine interaction but it's hard not to clearly see them turning my date and myself away due to being people of color. I figured I would be kind and show the respect that I would want for myself. I smiled and said no problem and my date and I went to another restaurant and had an amazing evening. After processing this situation I would like to caution people before supporting a restaurant that racially profiles their patrons. This wasn't the first nor will be the last time this will happen in my life. Just want to spread awareness