Corkscrew Tavern Pizzeria — formerly Colorado Boy Southwest Pub and Corkscrew Coffee — is shedding its side ventures and zeroing in on ‘za.
The eatery at 513 Main St. in Ouray has taken many forms over the years, but its new co-owners are refocusing the business on a new, pie-centered menu.
The menu scraps the former establishment’s New Mexican food and slims down sandwich, salad and side options.
But it adds new styles of pie crust: thin-cracker crust and square-cut slices and a whole new set of flavor combinations. The pizza spot will also keep a Colorado-based beer list.
The space has also been updated, with fresh new paint and a more open front area, which swapped the former coffee station for more open seating and windows.
Longtime owner Daniel Richards brought on Mike Grogg as a co-owner to help rebrand Colorado Boy Southwest after selling the Colorado Boy Pub & Brewery and Colorado Boy Depot in Ridgway to a new owner earlier this spring.
Grogg worked at the Ouray location for a few years after it opened in 2019 and said he wanted to come back to help create an atmosphere focused on serving locals. Richards wanted to bring his menu back to the beginning of his restaurateur career, homing in on the science of pizza. “’I’ve been in the pizza industry for a long time,” he said. “I want to bring more styles and just a new atmosphere.”
Grogg has only owned a restaurant once, 30 years ago, and swore he’d never do it again. Most recently he worked at the U.S Post Office in Ouray. But after plans to transfer his postal job to Montana or Wyoming fell through, he looked for a reason to stay in the area and thought owning a business was the best way to do so.
Richards and Grogg decided to approach their new menu by focusing on quality and affordability, as well as a variety of pizzas.
Over the past few months they’ve spent mornings experimenting with new combinations for the Corkscrew menu, which features entirely new pies including the three-cheese Groggfather, with ricotta, mozzarella and brick cheese, and the Capone – loaded with salami, bacon and Italian sausage — Richards’ speciality.
Richards serves as the master chef — having trained under five Italian pizza chefs — and Grogg considers himself the master eater, there to ensure every element tastes just right.
Grogg is also the Mike behind the puzzling “Shut up, Mike!” stickers and shirts seen around town. He encourages people to come to Corkscrew to eat some pizza and learn the story behind the slogan.
Corkscrew will host its grand opening this weekend. For operating hours and more information, visit corkscrewpizza.com.
