Barchetta — Restaurant in Boulder

We were excited to try Barchetta after a long workday and ordered a pizza for pickup. When we got it, the pizza was badly burnt—most of the crust and toppings were blackened.

The covered outside area and the inside tables looked liked they were for dine in table service so we went out to the back where no one was sitting and the tables were pushed together out of the way.

Since there was plenty of space available inside and outside, and given that we were exhausted from a long work day and hungry, we went to that back table area away from everyone else to figure out what to do with a burnt black pizza. We were so hungry we were debating, "do we eat it as it is or let them know and wait another 25 minutes for a pizza?"

Before we could make a decision, we noticed the manager coming to the table and we thought that he was going to offer a new pizza since ours was burnt black.

It didn't go that way at all. Without any warmth or concern about the food or our experience, he just said, "you need to leave, the owner does not allow customers to sit at the restaurant if they order pick up."

We pointed to the pizza and he could see that it was burnt. We said, "no worries, we can just get a refund and be on our way."

To the manager's credit, he refunded us, and made clear that the owner of Barchetta is rigid and thinks people are ordering online to cheat, skip the line or something.

We said thanks for the refund and left. We debated whether or not to write a review given how hard it is to run a small business; we know, we own one.

The interaction lacked awareness, came off as cold and rigid, and we left disappointed. I don't blame the manager, he was doing his job as the owner directed him to do it. But, with so many good pizza spots in Boulder, we won’t be returning.

If I could offer one piece of feedback to owner: a little hospitality goes a long way, especially when something isn’t quite right.

We were visibly trying to figure out what to do with a burnt pizza and the restaurant wasn't crowded.

Rather than approach us with a reprimand for a policy we were completely unaware of and demanding we leave, perhaps you could have told us the policy and given us one free pass while offering to prepare a pizza that wasn't burnt black.

I'm not a rocket scientist so I'm not sure if that's the smartest thing for a business owner to do, but it seems logical.

A more welcoming approach might have been to make us aware, acknowledge the burnt pizza, offer to remake a new pizza, and let us know that while the space is generally reserved for dine-in, it’s not a big deal this time since no one is in the restaurant and we were now aware of the policy.

That kind of understanding turns a frustrating moment into a positive one—and often into a loyal customer.

Instead, we're back to the tried and true, Audrey Janes Pizza Garage, where we've had guaranteed joy since October 2015. Sorry Barchetta, we tried. We'll be sure everyone knows...

There’s a reason the Margherita pizza has remained a classic for over a century — tomato, mozzarella, and basil in perfect harmony. Sadly, none of that was reflected in the gluten-free Margherita pizza I received from Barchetta Boulder. What was delivered was a burnt crust with no sauce, no cheese, and no resemblance to a Margherita pizza. I was charged $34.50, plus another $32 in delivery and service fees — over $66 for a completely inedible cracker! When I called to report the issue, the manager was rude, dismissive, and took no responsibility. No apology, no solution — just indifference. I can only assume the owner would be as disappointed as I am to know this is how customers are being treated — both in the quality of the food and the lack of basic courtesy.

In response to your note below: The problem is not the $66 I spent — it’s that your kitchen sent out a burnt, sauce-less, cheese-less crust and called it a Margherita pizza. That alone is indefensible. To then blame a third-party delivery service for what was clearly a preparation failure within your restaurant is both illogical and unprofessional. DoorDash did not prepare the pizza. Barchetta Boulder did.

A Margherita pizza, by definition, includes tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil. None of these elements were present, except for the basil. This isn’t a matter of personal taste or toppings — it’s a matter of basic culinary integrity.

Your attempt to shift accountability and dismiss my legitimate frustration undermines the standards of hospitality and quality your establishment should uphold. The respectful and intelligent course of action would have been to acknowledge the mistake and make it right — not to deflect responsibility or attempt to silence a customer with an accusation of “abusive language.”

I trust the owners of Barchetta Boulder would not support such an approach to customer relations, nor approve of a product so far beneath what their...

This place is a masterpiece of a pizzeria. Their Bianca is a wonderful blend of sweet and savory, with creamy whipped ricotta that speaks to the soul. Their white Hawaiian is unreal as well, with a homemade sweet and spicy sauce that tantalizes the tongue. Two bites made me believe that there is hope for pizza in a post capitalist society.

Now let’s talk about the sauces. They execute on chili oil as they should. Easy 10/10 there. But the real show stopper is the spicy shallot ranch. It is a creamy, globular, godsend from chef heaven meant to inspire the spirit to believe in a doughy, saucy based higher power that can only be met through spicy ranch based bites of pizza pie. Seriously, this stuff is so good that death by overconsumption would not be a bad way to go. I’d die happy knowing that I went out with something I loved.

Now we can talk about the beer. Their pour-your-own tap wall is perfectly stocked with crispy brews and semi-fine wines befitting of an establishment of this nature.

The owner Jessie is a homie too. Come in, ask to meet him, and demand the opportunity to franchise sales of his spicy shallot ranch in the greater Boulder-Denver area. He didn’t say yes to me, but he didn’t say no either, so there could be a chance.

Barchetta is a bright spot in a Boulder town. Do yourself a favor and get in early while...