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Pie Times: Pizzeria building reputation, opens a second site
Grant and Pam Carley are trying to bring back the good ol' days.
By Chris Michlewicz
Grant and Pam Carley are trying to bring back the good ol' days.
Granelli's Pizzeria, which opened in December in the Safeway shopping center southwest of South Parker Road and Mainstreet, is attempting to replicate the magical atmosphere of the old mom-and-pop pizza parlors from Grant Carley's childhood days on the south side of Chicago.
Granelli's, a fixture on Wilcox Street in downtown Castle Rock for seven years, has built a solid reputation for serving pizza with a distinct taste. The locally owned pizzeria stands out from the national competition by painstakingly pursuing perfection during the preparation process. Granelli's grinds its own cheese, eliminating the need for unhealthy preservatives used in prepackaged shredded cheese. It also uses its recipes for sauce and dough, ensuring a unique taste.
The restaurant's claim to fame, however, is in its "original authentic Chicago thin crust," said Grant Carley, co-owner of both Granelli's locations.
"The crust is what we are really proud of. We've perfected it," Grant Carley said. "A lot of our customers call it a cracker crust."
The 20-year veteran of the pizza business said customers can tell when a pizza is made with extra care. Granelli's uses premium ingredients for its toppings and cuts fresh vegetables regularly.
"We never purchase our products based on price. Our margins are pretty small, but I want to create and serve something that I can be proud of," Grant Carley said, adding the company only buys ingredients without trans fats or preservatives.
Granelli's contracts with independent business owner Carmine Lonardo, a 70-year-old native of Brooklyn N.Y., who provides all kinds of meat on demand. Lonardo's seasoned meatballs, topped with the shop's delicious marinara sauce, are a big seller and a favorite of Grant Carley's. Many patrons comment on the freshness and flavor of Lonardo's ground sausage, Italian beef and sausage links.
Granelli's signature pizza, known as "The Rock," is similar to a supreme pizza at other restaurants. It comes with pepperoni, sausage, ham and mushrooms among other toppings. The garlic bread with cheese, or GBC for short, is topped with a mouth-watering seasoning and is immensely popular with the regulars. The dish started as a mistake but has become a big seller, he said.
Granelli's serves a wide selection of pasta dishes, homemade canolis and Chicago-style hotdogs, a favorite of Midwestern transplants in Colorado, Grant Carley said. The Vienna beef hotdogs are buried beneath a pile of onions, tomatoes, peppers, celery salt, mustard, "nuclear relish" and a pickle spear. The "nuclear relish" earned its name from its bright green appearance and draws quite a few comments from customers.
Vienna beef is popular in the Midwest and is recognized by many transplants. Grant Carley said he is amazed by the sheer number of people from large Midwestern cities, such as Chicago and Detroit, and has even met several childhood friends and neighbors who visited one of the Granelli's locations in Parker or Castle Rock.
Granelli's runs a family special Mondays through Thursdays that includes pizza, appetizers, salads and a 2-liter of soda for less than $25.
Granelli's Pizzeria, 10971 S. Parker Road, is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. For information or to order, call 303-805-4744.
Contact Chris Michlewicz at 303-841-5497
or cmichlewicz@ccnewspapers.com
Granelli's Pizzeria, which opened in December in the Safeway shopping center southwest of South Parker Road and Mainstreet, is attempting to replicate the magical atmosphere of the old mom-and-pop pizza parlors from Grant Carley's childhood days on the south side of Chicago.
Granelli's, a fixture on Wilcox Street in downtown Castle Rock for seven years, has built a solid reputation for serving pizza with a distinct taste. The locally owned pizzeria stands out from the national competition by painstakingly pursuing perfection during the preparation process. Granelli's grinds its own cheese, eliminating the need for unhealthy preservatives used in prepackaged shredded cheese. It also uses its recipes for sauce and dough, ensuring a unique taste.
The restaurant's claim to fame, however, is in its "original authentic Chicago thin crust," said Grant Carley, co-owner of both Granelli's locations.
"The crust is what we are really proud of. We've perfected it," Grant Carley said. "A lot of our customers call it a cracker crust."
The 20-year veteran of the pizza business said customers can tell when a pizza is made with extra care. Granelli's uses premium ingredients for its toppings and cuts fresh vegetables regularly.
"We never purchase our products based on price. Our margins are pretty small, but I want to create and serve something that I can be proud of," Grant Carley said, adding the company only buys ingredients without trans fats or preservatives.
Granelli's contracts with independent business owner Carmine Lonardo, a 70-year-old native of Brooklyn N.Y., who provides all kinds of meat on demand. Lonardo's seasoned meatballs, topped with the shop's delicious marinara sauce, are a big seller and a favorite of Grant Carley's. Many patrons comment on the freshness and flavor of Lonardo's ground sausage, Italian beef and sausage links.
Granelli's signature pizza, known as "The Rock," is similar to a supreme pizza at other restaurants. It comes with pepperoni, sausage, ham and mushrooms among other toppings. The garlic bread with cheese, or GBC for short, is topped with a mouth-watering seasoning and is immensely popular with the regulars. The dish started as a mistake but has become a big seller, he said.
Granelli's serves a wide selection of pasta dishes, homemade canolis and Chicago-style hotdogs, a favorite of Midwestern transplants in Colorado, Grant Carley said. The Vienna beef hotdogs are buried beneath a pile of onions, tomatoes, peppers, celery salt, mustard, "nuclear relish" and a pickle spear. The "nuclear relish" earned its name from its bright green appearance and draws quite a few comments from customers.
Vienna beef is popular in the Midwest and is recognized by many transplants. Grant Carley said he is amazed by the sheer number of people from large Midwestern cities, such as Chicago and Detroit, and has even met several childhood friends and neighbors who visited one of the Granelli's locations in Parker or Castle Rock.
Granelli's runs a family special Mondays through Thursdays that includes pizza, appetizers, salads and a 2-liter of soda for less than $25.
Granelli's Pizzeria, 10971 S. Parker Road, is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. For information or to order, call 303-805-4744.
Contact Chris Michlewicz at 303-841-5497
or cmichlewicz@ccnewspapers.com
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