Three Incredible Calzones You Should Try Now

Think of calzone as a pizza folded over with all sorts of ingredients stuffed inside. It is generally served with red sauce on the side or dipping, it is fat and cheesy, doughy and rich. While Denver's calzone selection is not particularly large, there are several places that will make you crave this sandwich-sized pizza variation.

Gennaro's Cafe Italiano, located at 2598 South Broadway, serves a Colossal Calzone, alongside many other Italian specialties ranging from manicotti to baked Zitti. The calzone is stuffed with ricotta and a four cheese blend and served with a traditional spicy pizza sauce on the side for dipping. Pizza toppings can be added as fillings. You may smell like garlic for the rest of the day and your waist may get larger in one sitting from the size of this dish, but you will leave happy.

Pizzeria Locale, at its original location in Boulder at 1730 Pearl Street, features two calzone-style pizzas. Don't look for the name calzone on the menu cause you will not find it. The two fat doughy pies appear under the name Ripieno. There is a white version (sans red sauce), the Scarola, featuring smoked mozzarella, escarole, anchovy, black olive, red onion, and garlic and a red version the Ripieno Classico, featuring tomato sauce, mozzarella, ricotta, prosciutto cotto, Parmigiano Reggiano, and basil.

The Original Pasquini's, located at 1310 South Broadway, may have the largest selection of calzones in the metro area. There are twelve specialty calzones, an additional three whole wheat ones, and an option to create your own. Not-to-miss are the Chicken Pesto, made with housemade pesto, artichoke hearts, fresh tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, mozzarella cheese and seasoned chicken breast and the Combo, featuring Pasquini's pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, Polidori ground sausage, fresh mushrooms. and green peppers.

· Pizza Week 2014 [EDen]
· Tony Pasquini Talks Pizza, Community, and Doing Good [EDen]
The Original Pasquini's [Photo: Yelp]