Patsy's Italian Restaurant
Patsy's Inn, founded in 1921, is Denver's oldest Italian restaurant, anchoring North Denver's "Little Italy" neighborhood. From the hand-painted mural of Italian scenes on the back wall to the numerous photo documenting the restaurant's long history, Patsy's is a long-established Denver tradition for many families now in their fourth or fifth generation of diners.
The menu is a simple one, with all the old favorite Italian dishes, like calamari in marinara sauce, antipasto, minestrone soup, and homemade pasta served with pesto, marinara, alfredo or Patsy's original spaghetti sauce. House specialties include linguini with red or white clam sauce, eggplant lasagna and an Italian New York strip steak served with sauteed mushrooms and garlic and a side order of spaghetti. The dessert menu is short and sweet - tiramisu, cannoli, spumoni and ice cream sundaes.
Patsy's Italian Restaurant
3651 Navajo Street
Denver, CO 80211
(303) 477-8910
patsysinn.com
Pagliacci's Italian Restaurant
Pagliacci's has been run by the same family since 1940, and is, along with Patsy's, one of the few original Italian restaurants left in North Denver. If you're looking for the authentic Italian-American dining experience, complete with mural-covered walls and grapevines, Pagliacci's is the place to go. The homemade minestrone is amazing, the pasta is cooked perfectly "al dente" and the sauce is the real deal, nothing like what you get out of a jar or at one of the chain Italian restaurants. Menu standouts include the chicken cacciatore (chicken breast in marinara sauce with green and red peppers, garlic, onions and mushrooms), the veal or chicken piccata (sautéed in butter, lemon juice and white wine with garlic and capers), the spaghetti a la puttanesca (tomatoes, garlic, Kalamata olives, capers, red pepper and anchovy paste) and classics, such as the lasagna, the manicotti, the ravioli and the eggplant parmigiana.
If you can, try to save room for dessert, as Pagliacci's homemade cannoli, studded with chocolate bits and lightly flavored with a touch of Grand Marnier, are not to be missed. The tiramisu is also tasty, as is the spumoni ice cream, and the wine sundae (vanilla ice cream topped with red wine sauce) makes for a unique ending to a fabulous meal.
Pagliacci's Italian Restaurant
1440 West 33rd Avenue
Denver, CO 80211
(303) 458-0530
ipagliaccio.com
Carmine's on Penn
Carmine's on Penn isn't quite as old-school as Patsy's or Pagliacci's, but it has been serving up tasty Italian family-style fare since 1994. Carmine's is especially popular for parties, reunions and other get-togethers, as it has facilities suitable for hosting large gatherings, and even runs a sideline catering business.
Carmine's house specials include classic dishes, like baked ziti and sausage and peppers, along with a few more unusual items, such as smoked chicken and cheese ravioli in a pancetta leek cream sauce. Fans of local produce will appreciate the fact that the pesce la parma is made with Colorado striped bass (served in a sauce made from diced tomatoes, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar). The dessert menu includes tiramisu, cannoli, cheesecake, a triple-layer chocolate cake and a concoction called tartaletta, which consists of an almond pastry topped with sliced pears, vanilla gelato and caramel sauce. Whatever you order, Carmine's makes it easy to share with the other members of your party, as each dish is made so as to be easily divided into four smaller servings.
Carmine's on Penn
92 South Pennsylvania Street
Denver, CO 80209
(303) 777-6443
carminesonpenn.net
Pasquini's Pizzeria
Pasquini's boasts fresh-baked, soft breadsticks, served with house-made marinara sauce. Start off with one of the six types of bruschetta (or the seventh, a create-your own option), try one of the many salads, or order a calzone, a foccaccia sandwich, a sub, a pizza, or a single-serving pizzetta with toppings ranging from chicken, spinach, pine nuts, roasted garlic and olive oil to spinach, artichoke hearts, green olives, black olives, feta cheese, garlic, basil and olive oil. Although Pasquini's is primarily a pizzeria and bakery, they do also offer a small selection of pasta dishes and entrees including lasagna (both meat and vegetarian varieties) and eggplant or chicken parmesan.
Pasquini's is also a popular spot for people stopping by just for coffee, perhaps a glass (or a bottle) of the surprisingly inexpensive wine, and one (or more) of their delicious desserts. While the traditional cannoli and tiramisu are available (and delicious), other, more unique, offerings include the chocolate candle (a white chocolate kahlua center surrounded by chocolate mousse, with a white and dark chocolate shell) and the mud pie pyramid (a pyramid-shaped oreo cookie crust filled with vanilla ice cream).
Pasquini's Pizzeria
1310 S. Broadway
Denver, CO 80210
(303) 744-0917
1336 East 17th Avenue
Denver, CO 80218
(303) 863-8252
2400 West 32nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80211
(303) 477-4900
8101 E. Belleview Ave.
Denver, CO 80237
(303) 770-3100
pasquinis.com
