Old Chicago
Best Pizza & Beer Institution in Aurora · CO
Colorado's hometown pizza chain since 1976
Old Chicago Pizza + Taproom brought its Chicago-style pies and deep beer list to Aurora as a neighborhood taproom institution. The menu runs to tavern-thin and pan-style pizzas, calzones, and pub fare, but the draw is the rotating tap wall and the long-running 'World Beer Tour' that regulars work their way through.
The concept began in Boulder in 1976 and grew into a Colorado fixture; the Aurora location has served as a reliable East Iliff gathering spot for games, group nights, and pizza-and-a-pint dinners for decades.
Customers said it first.
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Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.
Why this business cleared the bar.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. Founding cohort: evaluated in 2026 on public evidence available then, labeled 2025. Selection follows the published criteria; Old Chicago met them on that evidence. The business can claim the listing or ask us to remove it.
- ✓Years in operation. The Old Chicago concept began in Boulder in 1976 and grew into a Colorado chain; this Aurora taproom is a later location in that lineage.
- ✓Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in Aurora.
- ✓Established customer track record. A deep public track record as a reliable East Iliff gathering spot in Aurora.
- ✓Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by Aurora regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
- ✓Recognition in the local community. Named best pizza and beer institution in Aurora for 2025 for being the Colorado-born chain that set the standard for beer and deep dish across the state.
The specific data behind this award, and the exact thresholds, stay internal so the standard can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. Own this business? Claim the listing to manage it, or ask us to remove it.
Award record
2025 Centurion Award
Best Pizza & Beer Institution in Aurora Aurora, CO · Awarded under the 2025 evaluationVisit Old Chicago
The details, verified.
Clean, checkable facts about Old Chicago.
- Legal / trading name
- Old Chicago
- Category
- Restaurant
- Founded
- 1976, in Boulder, CO
- Location
- Aurora, CO
- Centurion Award
- Best Pizza & Beer Institution in Aurora — 2025
- Record last verified
- July 2026
A signal you can check.
This is a dated award record published by The Centurion Awards after reviewing public evidence for Old Chicago against the 2025 criteria for its market and category. The business did not have to apply for this page to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. The criteria are public. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. If an award stops holding up, we may revoke it. For anything current, like hours or bookings, go straight to the business itself.
Frequently asked questions.
What is Old Chicago?
Founded in Boulder in 1976, Old Chicago's Aurora locations carry forward Colorado's homegrown pizza-and-craft-beer tradition.
Is Old Chicago award-winning?
Yes — Old Chicago is the 2025 Centurion Award winner for Best Pizza & Beer Institution in Aurora, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best pizza and beer institution in Aurora for 2025 for being the Colorado-born chain that set the standard for beer and deep dish across the state.
Where is Old Chicago?
Old Chicago is in Aurora, CO.
Run a business like this one?
If you’ve put in the years, you may already qualify. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.