"A Vail Village institution since 1990, Pazzo's serves reliable by-the-slice pizza and pasta — easy value for a solo lunch or group."
Pazzo's Pizzeria opened in September 1990 in Vail Village, started by three ski friends — locals still call the founders ‘the Boyz’ — who spent the early 1980s skiing by day and making pizza by night. More than three decades on it is the Vail Valley's go-to slice shop, with later branches in Avon and Eagle.
It is the casual counterpoint to the smarter Italian tables in Vail, sitting alongside the village trattoria Campo de Fiori and the homestyle La Nonna.
The draw is fast, generous pizza: thin-crust pies and big foldable slices, plus a build-your-own option from twenty-one toppings. Beyond the pizza there are calzones, baked subs, pasta and salads — honest Italian-American cooking rather than a fine-dining kitchen.
For a sit-down village dinner instead, the New American institution Sweet Basil is a few steps away.
The room is a relaxed Vail Village storefront with a small patio, busy with skiers at lunch and families at dinner. Order at the counter, grab a beer, and listen for the bell the staff ring for tips — it is loud, friendly and unpretentious.
The counter service and by-the-slice pizza make Pazzo's an easy stop for solo dining in Vail, while the big pies and patio also suit a casual team dinner after a day on the mountain.
Not for a special-occasion dinner — Pazzo's is a casual counter-service pizzeria built for quick, good-value meals, not a romantic or formal night out.
Pazzo's opened in September 1990 in Vail Village, founded by three ski friends. It later expanded with branches in Avon and Eagle, and remains a Vail Valley staple more than three decades on.
Pizza by the slice or as a whole pie — with a build-your-own option from twenty-one toppings — plus calzones, baked subs, pasta and salads, in a casual counter-service setting.
At 122 East Meadow Drive in Vail Village, with a small patio; it is a short walk from the village's sit-down restaurants and an easy lunch or after-ski stop.
It is one of Vail Village's better-value options: most pizzas, calzones and subs come in under US$20, which makes it a popular choice for families and groups.
Walk-in counter service; no reservations needed.
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Pazzo's rounds out our Vail picks for fast, good-value pizza in the village.
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