Colorado's legendary mountain pizza with a thick, honey-drizzled wheat crust designed to fill the bellies of hard-working miners and skiers. A Colorado original since 1973, Beau Jo's is a must-try Colorado food experience.
Beau Jo's Pizza is a Colorado original, created in Idaho Springs in 1973 during the era when the Clear Creek Canyon highway was still one of the primary routes for skiers heading to Summit County resorts. The restaurant invented what it calls Colorado-style mountain pizza — a thick, substantial pie on a dense honey wheat crust engineered to sustain the caloric demands of hard-working miners, ski instructors, and mountain hikers who needed to refuel before continuing into the high country.
The defining characteristic of Beau Jo's pizza is the crust: a thick, slightly sweet honey wheat dough that rises high at the edges and is typically eaten with honey drizzled over it as a dessert course after the main toppings are consumed. This crust tradition — savory pizza followed by honey-dipped bread — is entirely specific to Beau Jo's and has no parallel in American pizza culture, making it one of the state's most genuinely original food traditions. The Colorado-style mountain pizza ($20–35) is ordered by size rather than by number — priced by the pound, typically three to four pounds for two people, with a selection of Colorado-specific toppings available alongside standard options. The honey wheat crust pizza ($22–38) emphasizes the house dough's character and is the best vehicle for experiencing the Colorado mountain pizza tradition.
The original Idaho Springs location at 1517 Miner Street sits in the center of Idaho Springs' historic mining district, a Victorian-era mountain town 35 miles west of Denver at 7,526 feet elevation. The drive through Clear Creek Canyon is one of Colorado's most scenic mountain approaches, and the Idaho Springs location has maintained its connection to the mining and mountain worker culture that defined the original concept.
Multiple Beau Jo's locations now operate across the Front Range, but the Idaho Springs original retains the most authentic connection to the restaurant's mountain identity.
Signature dishes
- Colorado-style mountain pizza — $20-35
- Honey wheat crust pizza — $22-38
- Stromboli — $16
Good to know
- Known for
- Colorado's original mountain pizza with signature honey wheat crust since 1973
- Hours
- 11AM-9PM daily
Location
1517 Miner St, Idaho Springs, CO 80452
39.7421, -105.5125 View on map
Highlights
- Colorado's original mountain pizza since 1973 — the inventor of the Colorado-style honey wheat crust pizza tradition
- Thick honey wheat crust is eaten with honey as a dessert course — a pizza tradition unique to Colorado
- Idaho Springs original location in the historic mining district at 7,526 feet elevation
- Pizza priced by the pound rather than by size — typically three to four pounds for two people
- Clear Creek Canyon approach makes the Idaho Springs visit a scenic Colorado mountain day trip
Tips for visiting
- Order the honey on the side and eat the crust edges dipped in honey after finishing the pizza — this is the proper Colorado mountain pizza experience.
- Estimate three to four pounds of pizza for two hungry adults; the kitchen can advise on quantity for specific appetites.
- The Idaho Springs location is the original and is the most atmospheric; the drive through Clear Creek Canyon is part of the experience.
- Arrive before noon on weekends to avoid the lunch rush — Idaho Springs fills with skiers in winter and hikers in summer.
- Beau Jo's operates cash and card; credit cards are accepted at all locations.
Accessibility
Beau Jo's original Idaho Springs location at 1517 Miner St is in a historic building with ground-level entry. The main dining room is on one level and is generally accessible, though the historic building may have some uneven surfaces. Street parking is available on Miner Street and adjacent blocks in Idaho Springs.
Frequently asked questions
What is Colorado-style mountain pizza?
Colorado-style mountain pizza is Beau Jo's invention — a thick-crust pizza on a dense honey wheat dough, generously topped, and eaten with honey drizzled on the crust edges as a dessert course. The style was created in 1973 to provide maximum caloric sustenance for mountain workers and skiers.
How is Beau Jo's pizza priced?
Beau Jo's pizza is priced by weight rather than by size category. A standard two-person pizza typically weighs three to four pounds; larger parties can scale up accordingly. The server can advise on appropriate quantities for different appetites.
Where is the original Beau Jo's located?
The original Beau Jo's is at 1517 Miner Street in Idaho Springs, Colorado, a historic mining town at 7,526 feet elevation approximately 35 miles west of Denver on Interstate 70. The town is a common stop for travelers heading to Breckenridge, Vail, and other Summit County resorts.
Are there other Beau Jo's locations?
Yes. Beau Jo's has expanded to multiple Front Range locations including Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, and other Colorado communities. The Idaho Springs original remains the flagship and the most atmospheric of the locations.