Calgarians love pizza, a fact supported by an abundance of high-quality pizza joints pumping out pies like nobody’s business. But sometimes truly great pizza by the slice is a little harder to come by.
Cold Beer & Pizza, a newly opened pizzeria and bar operating on 17th Avenue S.W., has taken that idea and turned it into a casual eatery with a laid-back vibe and an expansive patio to enjoy said slices on. There’s even a free photo booth at the back of the restaurant to remember your night.
The idea behind Cold Beer & Pizza is pretty simple: offer good local beers and pizza at an affordable price.
“The whole idea is that you can have a couple slices, have a couple beers and still feel great while you’re here,” says Tom Vitolianos, co-owner of Cold Beer & Pizza. “Just enjoy the environment and the vibe, that’s pretty much it. There’s nothing pretentious about us.”
Instead of servers coming to your table, Cold Beer & Pizza offers counter-style service, meaning you order your drinks and food from two respective counters, find a table and dig in. This keeps the prices down and lends to the restaurant’s low-key atmosphere.
The restaurant serves Roman-style pizza, which means square pizzas with a focaccia-like crust that’s thick but not too thick. Available in half-metre and metre sizes, the pizzas come in 16 varieties with red or white sauces, plus the option to add additional toppings like burrata, anchovies and more.
You can also order a ready-to-go slice (or square, in this case) from the pizza counter, with up to six flavours available at any time. Sandwiches made with the same bready dough, salads and snacks round out the menu.
And it’s the same deal at the bar: Walk up, order your drink from the counter and enjoy. The menu has a selection of local beers on tap from breweries like Eighty-Eight Brewing Co.,Trolley 5 and Establishment Brewing, as well as a lager brewed specifically for Cold Beer & Pizza. There are also more beers available in cans, as well as a few canned cocktails.
“We’re just keeping it simple. We’re confident in ourselves and our products, and we’ll just march to the beat of our own drum,” says Vitolianos.
1019 17 Ave. S.W., 825-540-1434, coldbeerpizza.com
