Lunch Break: Bite Into Roman-Style Pizza From Sofia's on the 16th Street Mall

While some people are still working from home, many are back in the office, which means the lunch break is making a big comeback, too.

For those working near the 16th Street Mall, options for a solid meal at a good price from a local spot are getting easier to come by (even if you have to navigate the ongoing construction to reach them). Newer additions like Dragonfly Noodle from Zoe Ma Ma owner Edwin Zoe and Little Finch, the all-day cafe from Olive & Finch's Mary Nguyen, are welcome additions to a part of downtown in the midst of a big makeover.

In March, the fast-casual Sofia's debuted at the corner of Wazee Street and 16th; it's the latest addition not just to the 16th Street Mall, but to Denver's burgeoning pizza scene. For years, the Mile High was lagging in its dough, sauce and cheese game, but now the city has winning options for all kinds of pies, from Detroit-style to Neapolitan to the new wave of sourdough-crust slices.
Sofia's brings something else to the scene: Roman-style pizza, aka pizza al taglio. These rectangular pies are on display as you walk down the line to order, choosing square-shaped slices from nine topping combos.

A signature of this type of pizza is the light and airy crust with a crisp bottom. With the help of Poulette Bakeshop co-owner Alan Ramos, Sofia's has nailed its take, using an ancient flour called Yecora Rojo combined with a 36-hour ferment to make the dough.

While the pizza can be ordered by the slice, half pan or full pan, the move here is the Full Roman, a deal that includes two slices and a full-sized salad for $14. It's a filling meal, but it doesn't leave you feeling bogged down. Pizza options include choices like pepperoni, Gorgonzola and hot honey; mixed mushroom; soppressata and burrata; and our favorite (so far), the Italian sausage and potato with an herby kick thanks to the addition of oregano and thyme.
The salad lineup offers much more than the typical, sad, small iceberg-olive-carrot concoction. We tried the Caesar, a heaping bowl amped up with spicy Calabrian chiles and plenty of Parm; you can also opt for the Italian chopped salad with garbanzo beans, mozzarella, tomatoes, salami and pepperoni, or the kale and almond with avocado.

The deal is available all day, so you can take "lunch" whenever you'd like at this bright, airy eatery decked out in a pastel green-and-pink color scheme.

Sofia's bills itself as "home of the $10 negroni," an Italian cocktail that was basically designed to pair with pizza. The orange-hued gin and Campari-based libation is available in a traditional version as well as a frozen one, and is especially refreshing on a hot day.
There are deals during happy hour, too, available from 4 to 6 p.m.; look for $6 glasses of wine, $5 beers and an Aperol spritz for $8.

To top things off, the simple menu has just one dessert option, but it's a damn good one: soft-serve ice cream in two flavors, sea salt and olive oil or honey and fennel pollen. It comes in a small cup for just $3, offering a really sweet but still light, way to end your meal.

Sofia's Roman Pizza is located at 1530 16th Street Mall and is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, visit sofiasroman.com.