Who’s behind it
Co-owner and general manager Tom Vitolianos
When it opened
May 2024
The dish to eat
The Peppornatta, a pepperoni pie topped with burrata. And don’t forget the beer.
When Cold Beer & Pizza (CB&P) first opened, some people mocked the name, calling it overly simplistic. But few other restaurants tell it like it is, and there’s a lot to be said for clarity.
CB&P does exactly that while keeping prices affordable — that alone makes it noteworthy in today’s economy. Just walk up to the bar, order a local craft beer (including three of its own house beers), then grab a slice from the pizza window. And, while the retro-basement decor and attitude might lead one to think the food and drink are an afterthought, they are anything but.
The pizza here is made Roman-style (a style that is having a moment, thanks to a few celebrity pizzaiolos popularizing square pizzas outside of Rome), meaning an almost focaccia-like crust. Toppings are simple and classic — think pepperoni and prosciutto, red and white sauce — although popular Roman toppings have found their way to Calgary, too, like the potato and prosciutto cotto pie. The sauce at CB&P is a cooked one, setting itself apart from a typical no-cook, Neapolitan-style sauce.
Slices are served hot-and-ready counterside, although you can order them by the metre and half-metre, especially impressive when such a length of pizza is placed in front of a group of hungry beer drinkers. Pro tip: order your ’za with a hunk of burrata on each slice for a bougie boost in this casual dive bar.
102, 1019 17 Ave. S.W., 825-540-1434, coldbeerpizza.com, @coldbeerandpizza