By Jodi Thornton
Lakewood offers a variety of delicious Italian cuisine.
Rich in artistic culture, Lakewood is filled with galleries, cultural centers and historic sites. For outdoor enthusiasts, Bear Creek Lake Park offers opportunity for fishing, water sports, horseback riding and camping. Two golf courses span the scenic Rocky Mountain foothills, including the Fox Hollow Golf Course, one of the first clubs in the country designed to fully accommodate physically challenged participants. When hunger dictates a break from adventure, you won't want to miss Lakewood's noteworthy Italian cuisine.
Giovanni's Italian Café
Don't let the name fool you. This authentic Sicilian restaurant offers a full dinner menu of fish, chicken and beef dishes. Specialties include locally-grown filet mignon in portions for one or two, as well as Cozze alla Napoletana, a delightful blend of mussels sautéed in white wine, olive oil and marinara. A selection from the list of Italian wines will ensure the perfect pairing for your entrée. An assortment of pastries, cookies and cannolis are displayed at the entrance, reminding you to save room for dessert. Charming hand-painted frescos grace the walls, each depicting a window opening onto a rural Sicilian scene. Garlic knots, fresh from the oven and sprinkled with powdered Parmesan cheese are the meal's early testimony to Salvatore Giacolone's masterful baking and culinary expertise. For lunch, choose from a variety of stone-baked pizzas, pastas and calzones. Raspberry and coffee tiramisu and Cascada cake are but two of many sweet treats which pair nicely with a cup of French press coffee. Owned and operated by the Giacalone family, children are welcomed with free children's meals Monday through Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m.
Giovanni's Italian Café
3355 S. Yarrow St.
Lakewood, CO 80227
303-238-4464
giovannisitaliancafe.com
Virgilio's Pizzeria Napoletana
Design your own or choose from an extensive menu of 21 specialty pizzas at this popular local hot spot. In addition to traditional red or white based pies, Vigilo's offers al pesto pizzas as well as a barbecue sauce based chicken pizza. Seafood lovers can try Fresh New England White Clam Pizza with alfredo sauce, bacon, romano and pecorino. If you're up to a challenge, try the Hugilio pizza. Sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, black olives, green peppers and onions heaped on top of the 28" crust bring it to a weight of 11 pounds of gooey goodness. Finish it in two hours or less and the pizza is free, along with $1,000 prize money, a bottle of Italian wine and your picture on the restaurant's wall of fame. For lighter appetites, daily lunch specials include pizza by the slice, pastas, calzones and Panini. Homemade mozzarella cheese, handmade sauces and homegrown tomatoes ensure the fresh taste that has earned this establishment many awards, including Denver Post's #1 Best Pizza.
Virgilio's Pizzeria Napoletana
7986 W. Alameda Ave.
Lakewood, CO 80226
303-985-2777
virgiliospizzeria.com
Cafe Jordano
Named for the son of proprietor Elisa Heitman, Café Jordano has received numerous culinary awards since opening nearly two decades ago, including Westworld's Best Strip Mall Italian Restaurant for 2009. Open weekdays for lunch and dinner, as well as Saturday evening, you'll find any wait for seating at this popular restaurant well worth the delectable cuisine. For lunch or dinner, enjoy familiar favorites like Sicilian Lasagna or penne vodka from the extensive pasta menu. For a taste with local flair, Buffalo All Jordano, served in a delicious mustard and cognac cream sauce is one of three buffalo entrees served at lunch, and one of seven buffalo-based dinner dishes. Fish and poultry lovers will find an assortment of delights to please the palate, such as seafood ravioli or the popular Pollo Alla Roberts, smothered in wine cream sauce and three cheeses topped off with asparagus. Vegetarians will appreciate the wide selection of non-meat delights.
Café Jordano
11068 W. Jewell Ave.
Lakewood, CO 80227
303-988-6863
Resources
About the Author:
Jodi Thornton has been writing for more than 25 years and has been published in "Out N About Magazine," "Adam's Rib" and "Country Woman," among others. Traveling the 48 states, this avid outdoors woman finds wilderness adventure and local cuisine to be constant inspiration for her writing and photography.
Photo Credits:
Italian food image by bkaiser from
Fotolia.com
