The Oven at Belmar in Lakewood, Colorado

On Friday, Denver had one of its typical spring snowstorms.

The next day was spectacular. Saturday we woke to a sunny, blue sky and the snow was already melting. My husband and I headed out for lunch with the sun roof open!

The Oven at Belmar in Lakewood serves the best pizza in town. It's not a fancy place, but nicely decorated with a friendly staff who always greets you with enthusiasm. We have been driving across town to The Oven since it opened to have their pizza. Mark Tarbell of restaurant fame in Phoenix, opened The Oven a few years ago. In 2007, Mark's "cuisine reigned supreme" in a battle against Cat Cora on the Food Network's "Iron Chef America".

One of our favorite items to start with is the made to order mozzarella sprinkled with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt and served with flat bread right out of one of the giant, wood burning ovens.

The salads are really flavorful. Our favorite is the crisp and perfectly chilled "Cucumber, Tomato and Bacon Salad" that has iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced red onions with a Gorgonzola herb dressing. My dad is partial to the "Oven Roasted Vegetable Salad," seasonal vegetables on a bed of organic greens with a Parmesan crisp.

Gilbert, giving us the thumbs up on our pizza, the "da bold Italian sausage" with fresh pesto on one side for my husband. The crust is thin and crispy, just how we love it.

When the weather is a bit warmer, we enjoy sitting out on the little patio that faces south with their huge umbrellas that shade you from the sun. Being Colorado, I have sat out there many times in the winter!

Check it out at http://theovenpizzaevino.com
Located in Belmar (s.e. corner of Alameda and Wadsworth)

7167 W. Alaska Dr.

Lakewood, CO

#303-934-7600