Catching up on a review I am overdue writing from our road trip through the Rockies in mid-August. Carelli's is one of those places that I'll always remember. The staff was super cool, friendly, funny. We loved our server, Mariah, and chatted with one of the pizza chefs in the open kitchen. They were all working so hard and gave this place such a fun vibe. We ordered the "All The Way" pizza and a "Colowyo" Stromboli to share. OMG...so much food and so good (and we are picky about our pizza). I also ordered a side salad, which was good, but standard. They have a beer club where locals can buy a stein and hang it on a peg on the wall to use when they come in. Fun! If I lived nearby, would definitely eat here frequently! I give this restaurant a rock solid 4 stars, but bumping it up one star due to their staff -- it's all about the people, right? read more

After an exhausting day working in the field, my coworker (friend lol) and I decided that we wanted to treat ourselves to a fricken bomb dinner in a town that was nicer and more familiar than the podunk place we were staying for the week. Insert Carelli's in Craig, Colorado. We found street parking right out front, and walked in expecting the place to be small, quaint, and give off a very homey vibe. The front, which seemed to be sort of a quickie to go type of place to grab a slice of pizza for lunch definitely rang true to our assumptions, but we ventured into the rear of the restaurant to find what I can only describe as elegant and casual at the same time. Um... what? A nice, upscale place in a small mountain town of Colorado??? We were greeted and seated quickly, and found ourselves at a cozy little two top, ready to order drinks while we were perusing the large menu. I started with an IPA (unfortunately don't remember the name of said beverage), and my friend ordered a white sangria. We decided to try starting with their bruschetta, as well, while still deciding on our meals. The drinks made their way to our table, and we were ready to order; I wanted to try their chicken piccata at the suggestion of my friend (I'd never had it before!), and she went with the classic spaghetti bolognese. We spent some time getting lost in conversation until our starter came out. It looked good! Definitely different than the bruschetta that we have both had in the past, but it was yummy! The plate was steaming hot, and the cheese was nicely melted over sliced tomatoes; the bread was a bit crusty on the edges, and soft and chewy on the inside. We continued talking while inhaling the appetizer, and it seemed like mere seconds had passed when the main course was set in front of us. The dishes looked pretty good. My plate was super hot, and my friend said hers was too, which is always a plus; hot food is the best lol. Overall, we both enjoyed our meals; I think my chicken was slightly dry, and the sauce it came smothered in could have been more prominent, but the sauce was very flavorful for what it was. The spaghetti it came with was definitely warm and it tasted good, but it didn't absolutely blow me out of the water - it was just normal, run of the mill spaghetti! My friend said she liked her dish, but that it was missing some of the more "traditional" aspects of what she normally sees with bolognese. I'd definitely come back if I were in town again!! The experience was super nice, the staff was friendly, and prices were reasonable. read more

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Three stars is ok as far as the Yelp standards go. This place just recently went through an ownership change and beware- everything you once loved at Carelli's is sadly subject to change. Some things already have. My experience here has always been wonderful. This visit was slightly different. Upon entering, there are no waitresses and no directions as far as sit yourself or wait. I found a seat on my own and waited. After about 5 minutes, someone let me know I had to go to the counter and order. I ordered my usual, mozzarella balls and Stromboli. This was my first experience of the changes. They no longer have the rolled fresh mozzarella balls, and now have out of a bag mozzarella sticks. They tasted fine, it's just different. My second experience of change came with the Stromboli. The Stromboli is still great. What isn't is the nasty sauce tomato sauce that now comes with it. The old sauce was everything amazing about this dish. It had herbs, depth and dusted with parm cheese. This was absolutely gross and I genuinely thought the kid who brought it to me made a mistake. Nope. I asked. I can't comprehend how someone could invest so much money into a turnkey money maker and then start alienating the clientele by changing and taking away everything it was known for. I used to travel hours out of my way to stop here. I used to refer people to this place. Literally telling anyone that might be coming through to swing by. Now it's just another place, losing what made it special. My return drive home was very sad. Don't be surprised if you find this place on an episode of Robert Irvine's Restaurant Impossible with an owner crying about how his business has crashed and having no idea why. read more

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The new owners are amazing and super friendly. Excellent service with excellent food. You will not be disappointed at all. Our favorite is the all meat Stromboli. It's to die for. The place is always clean and well kept as well. If you are in town please stop by and get some food. Right now only open Fridays and Saturdays. But so worth it. read more

Carelli's Pizzeria & Pasta - Assortments of New York style pizzas - Pizza Near Me - Craig, Colorado

What a surprise! This spot has some of the (if not *the*) best pizza I've had in a very long time. Rolling into Craig for a few nights stay while we hit Steamboat, I opened Yelp to pre-explore some restaurants in the area as I hadn't put 'er down in these parts for around a year (and we all know how much Colorado in general is expanding and changing.) Carelli's popped up as the number one spot on the list, so I checked some photos of the food, as is tradition. The food by way of patron uploaded pics was tough to gauge, since no one sells to know how to snag a proper pic with their phone. I then, entertainingly, dug into the dumpster fire that is Yelp reviews. Boy, oh boy! One highlight was a dude from Golden bitç#ing about a martini arriving with gin, vermouth, and garnish, and claiming that was actually a gimlet. The one that sold me though, is where some fella from FoCo gave his "expert" opinion, and the owners response was unapologetically defensive (in the best way possible, with alllllllll the receipts to back it up.) We arrived at 7:47 pm, unaware they had closed at 7:30. Seeing the closed sign, we were about to move on to a plan b when the owners waved us in. We walked in just looking for a slice to test the waters, but in going with the flow of the close ordered a 14" to split since the slices were gone. That was literally the best early decision made on this trip. I told Tony and Kim (the unbelievably welcoming and accommodating owners) that the aforementioned Yelp response sold me on them, and I just had to try and support these folks and their passion. After some fun banter about Yelp and other matters, not only did Tony bust out the big dough for us at no extra charge (ya know, because we were having fun), but he asked if he could join us and share an additional cheese pie with us and celebrate his birthday (yes, it was the big man's actual birthday.) We had an amazing time and shared stories over (just to repeat myself for added effect) some of the best dam& pizza I've had in so, so long. Tony, Kim, and chef Jocelyn (sp?) were absolute gems, and their product is a reflection of their passion and personalities. Tony's dough is an undeniable culmination of many trials and lessons. It has just the right droop in the slice's tip, while maintaining a nice crispiness, and the natural flavors of the fermentation are immediately welcoming with the first bite. His cheese will pull you back in each time you try to stretch away, and the sauce... Indescribably delectable. This review is already too long, especially for someone who never leaves reviews. We just had such an incredible experience from food to friendliness, libations to life stories, that I just had to share it all in hopes that many more will find this gold in the Rockies. Happy birthday, Tony, and thanks for the great night. read more

Fantastic food, great service, warm and inviting owners who make the overall dining experience!

I love the new owners, they are genuine and very sweet people...they do need a bit of help with the food ...our Stromboli was great but a bit burnt at the ends... they are only open on Friday and Saturday, and sometimes not at all... read more

A true gem hidden in the tiny town of Craig, Co. right downtown. If you like real Italian food and sauces made to order this is the place to visit. Great New York Italian style pizza's and Stromboli's, Excellent steaks, lasagna and so much more. Try one of their specialty beers or a glass of wine! You won't be disappointed! read more

Wow! Was this place unexpected!!!! Top notch Italian food in small town Colorado!!!! Who knew???? Casual and family run with some of the best Italian food we've ever had. Wonderfully flavored sauces and perfectly cooked pasta made this restaurant the highlight of our overnight stay in Craig, Colorado. We had spaghetti and seafood pasta Oh, and if you like mules and cucumber, the Cucumber Mule is a must!! read more

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This is a hidden gem of a restaurant, the service and food was top notch. We stopped on our way through after making a freight delivery down the street we will most definitely be back next time we are here. We added it to our favorites list read more

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Really liked the Margherita Pizza. With great crust. Two of us shared a house salad that was very good-sized and tasty.

Best margarita pizza I've ever tasted!! The place is small and very busy, but it is worth a stop!

Here is a small town Bistro with class and heart for food and spirits providing this community with home made entrees along with craft beer, full bar focus on whiskey and wine. Very enjoyable atmosphere with tunes that filter the air as the patrons file in for dinner and experience as their menu has specials for lunch and dinner. Food experience was good as they have the best Pizza and simple salad lunch's excellent. Wine selection is wide as the special summer spirit cocktails on their menu. The bartender today was on task providing great service and suggestions on their menu. Really special place with dedicated folks that feed the community's hearts with food and spirit. read more

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The people of Craig have spoken, and this is the place to go! Went for lunch, and wishing I could have tried their dinner. Lunch is busy and the service is fast! read more

This review is based solely on the quality of the pizza, I got delivery & haven't been inside the restaurant. I'm admittedly very picky about pizza, maybe you're not. It wasn't good. Absolutely not NY style as their menu says. Not even close. First off, it's expensive. Not a deal breaker if they use high quality ingredients. They don't. Crust was dry, neither crispy which I like or chewy like NY style. Sauce was bland & way too much of it, the pizza was drowned & the middle was soggy. Bland bulk bought mozzarella. Canned jalapeños, not like fresh ones are even expensive. Delivered my small pizza was almost $30 with delivery fee & tip. Big disappointment. read more

Carelli's Pizzeria & Pasta - Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Craig, Colorado

Friendly staff, good waffles. Burrito and the side fruit were the stars. Bacon so so. Plastic sustainability needs lots of work. Suggestion for low hanging fruit - don't offer disposable kids cups or straws unless they are requested (or ask if people want them first). read more

I would like to give 5 stars but can't because our dishes were look warm. The place was slammed so I will give it another chance because the flavor of our food was spot on . I had the spaghetti and meat balls, great flavor but watery from pasta not being strained. Husband had chicken Marsala but again look warm. We didn't complain because they appeared to be swamped snd short staffed. Servers were hustling and working their butts off. read more

Had a wonderful dining experience at Carelli's. We had pizza and Stromboli and both were very tasty with good portion sizes too. Service was on point, friendly and efficient. The place had a nice vibe, too. Will definitely be back when we are next in town! Thanks for a delicious meal. read more

I absolutely love Carellis. A true gem in Craig Colorado! The food and service is exceptional.

Good food, excellent beer. An interior remodel would be nice. Wait staff is friendly.

I got a Stromboli. Double pepperoni, onions and olives. It was excellent. I love the dipping sauce. Everyone is super friendly. Great job.

Service was phenomenal! Had a big group of us, they got everything correct and even split the checks for us. Food was yummy and the drinks were strong. read more

From the time we walked in the staff made us feel welcome, they were friendly and attentive. Food was very good. We went for lunch. I ate stromboli, and my partner had the sausage and pepper rolls. Both were quite good, plenty of red sauce for dipping if you want. It was spendy for a small town. We will return :) read more

Excellent pizza (ok Stromboli!), great service and atmosphere! The salad was fresh and the Stromboli was very tasty with a good amount of fillings (toppings). Great place to stop in a small town. Wish you had a location in Denver metro! read more

Carelli's Pizzeria & Pasta - 24" Stromboli. Yum!! - Pizza Near Me - Craig, Colorado

Love this place!! The food is so good. I love the number 5 sandwich so much, I eat it constantly! I love their white widow maker pizza as well. They have a really good deal going on $20 family style paste for two that comes with pasta, bread, and salad. I get the penne with vodka sauce, peppers/onion, and chicken. Incredible! Owners seem like really fun and humble people. Best place in Craig to eat by far! read more

Maybe I'm just a pizza snob. After traveling through Utah and ending up in Colorado we were grateful to find a town with a small variety of food choices. Yelp led us here. When we entered we were welcomed by friendly staff members and directed to a table. We decided to go straight for the pizza through they had a variety of other italian options. Here's what we ordered: a margarita pizza with half pepperoni and half mushroom and sausage. The pizza we made very fast (which as good because I was starving from the long day). When it arrived it wasn't exactly what I expected. I'm not a pizza expert but when I think of margarita pizza I envision a flat and thin crust. The crust on this pizza was thick. But the dough was good and it was seasoned well. My boyfriend and I agreed that the pizza was a 7/8 but the service and experience was a 10! I was conflicted whether to give this place three or four stars but overall we had a good experience. If I ever come back through Craig, Co I may consider giving this place another try. read more

Carelli's Pizzeria & Pasta - The cute restraunt - Pizza Near Me - Craig, Colorado

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This is a great mom and pop shop. Home cooked food the staff work really hard and everybody is super friendly. I had a steak and it was great! My wife had the chicken Merlot and it too was great. I highly recommend it. read more

Love finding little places like this as I travel ... stopped in today for a Muffuletta ... oh my goodness. This is SO good.

Carelli's seems to be doing it right! Definitely satisfied my meatball sub craving. Meatballs were flavorful and juicy, marinara was rich tangy deliciousness, bread was fresh and tasty. Thank you Carelli's for being passionate about making real food with friendly service! read more

I know we're from out of town and Craig is a small town, but $19 for spaghetti with canned sauce and a single meatball and cold bread is embarrassing. The local rating is overrated and the locals need to learn how to cook spaghetti for themselves at home and save themselves the cost of eating out. It was a miserable dinner. read more

Hands down best spot in town to have some delicious food. Great service, awesome food, and friendly employees. The owners are so welcoming and kind hearted. Will always keep coming back! read more

Been here twice, both times good food, good service, good prices. Except for the spaghetti sauce I've enjoyed everything we've eaten. The sausage and peppers was spot on. Pizza very good. Beer? I recommend the "Dirty Hippie". Overall? Good, home cooked Italian. Almost like grandma used to make. read more

Hear hear! Great slice pizza. I had the pepperoni which was great and the heart attack, which was lots of sausage and Italian meats. Lots of good vibes. The staff was very friendly and helpful. All the employees seemed like they enjoyed working at the establishment. Off the beaten path in a idealic classic American town. read more

Brett and crew are great They hit the mark on their Stromboli, pizzas!! Stop in for a great Stromboli

Amazing selection and amazing food! Wonderful service and the cutest dining room in the back!

We liked Carelli's so much the first time we ate there that we ate there again the next night. The strombolis are awesome, our youngest claims the pizza is delicious and the sausage lasagne is also very good. (The strombolis are huge so plan on one for the table or plan on leftovers.) They have great beers on tap and serve large glasses of house wine. The back room is much more relaxing than the front room. Go early or make reservations, especially if you have a larger group. read more

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We always look forward to going to Carelli's when we are in Craig! If you're hungry and are sharing a supper, still probably only get the 2 foot Stromboli!! The 3 footer will feed an Army!! The food is fantastic, reasonably priced and the beer selection is great, too!! I love the wine pour... It's like a glass you'd pour at home, not a chinsey size like you get at most restaurants. LOL. :) We look forward to Elk season and another trip to Craig and Carelli's!! read more

A two foot stromoblie!? Shoulda told us it was for sharing, but I guess we should have known. Trying to finish it was a task, even though it was very light pizza crusted. I had my own meal to deal with, the Tuscan Shrimp. The shrimp was also delicious with a brandy cream sauce. I recommend it. Two sided restaurant, casual in front more formal service in the back. Dave read more

The place was pretty hopping when I went, they had Reggae / Ska music playing. The menu is standard pizzaria / Italian fare. The $15 calzone is huge. The pizza prices are very competitive. Pizza was good, NY style. Crispy crust, not drowning in sauce. Carellies had the pizza in Craig, hands down. The food took a little longer than pizza usually takes, and the tables were all a little dirty. read more

Yummy. This place was a find. My colleague and I ordered pizza by the slice (which was nice to be able to do as their pies seemed to be a bit pricey - but were probably worth it). My co-worker also ordered a salad as well. They waited to make our pizza slices until she was done eating her salad. Granted, this was polite, but nobody asked and I was pretty hungry. Our waitress was super nice and the atmosphere was interesting and left us talking about the dollar bills on the ceiling for quite a bit. read more