Danny Dines: The Hopper Pub & Pizzeria

The other day, I decided to do what I normally do on Tuesdays: Watch a movie at Cottonwood, buy things I don’t need at Target and eat at a new spot.

This time, instead of going to Albuquerque, I decided to try a spot that has been on my list for a hot minute: The Hopper Pub & Pizzeria.

As many of you know, pizza is my favorite food, and I am always excited to try a new pizza spot.

I love pizza so much that when I am in New York City, I eat pizza for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I even have the pizza peel that belonged to Howard Pizzaton, the inventor of pizza. OK, that one was a lie, but here’s a truth: Whenever I see a pizza, “Hello It’s Me” by Todd Rundgren plays in my head.

Bottom line: I love pizza. So, I decided to walk over to The Hopper with my many bags of fall decor items, including these pumpkin-shaped ceramic plates (thanks, Target).

I walked through the doors and was impressed with the rustic decor. The wall was also decorated with a ton of valuable sports memorabilia, including signed jerseys from Troy Polamalu and Peyton Manning. Oh, and did I mention “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story” was playing on one of the TVs? Yup, this is my spot.

The bartenders were also very friendly and knew every person in the bar by first name. Talk about outstanding service.

I decided to order some classic wings with buffalo sauce and a pizza with pepperoni, pineapple and green chile. The Hopper makes wood-fired pizza.

My wings came out, and they were crispy, tender and that buffalo sauce was as classic as it could get. They were delicious. Pair that with the Cinderella story that is the Average Joes, and you got a good time. If you havn’t watched “Dodgeball” yet, time to fire up Max or is HBO Max again? Make up your mind, billionaires.

Next, I decided to order one of their 29 beers on tap because I was still stewing from the latest Denver Broncos collapse against the Los Angeles Chargers.

I’ll tell you what, sipping on a cold beer while eating some wings was the type of vibe that I needed. I also learned from the bartender that The Hopper has live music seven days a week with several local bands taking stage.

My pizza came out, and it was beautiful: well-distributed toppings, stretchy cheese and a crunchy crust. I was also a big fan that it was charred, and that the sauce was tangy. I finished the pie in seven minutes.

I had a wonderful experience at The Hopper and would specifically like to shout out the employees who were absolutely kind to everyone.

I will definitely be back to watch the Broncos lose in another heartbreaker.