Pizza Casbah’s journey began when original owner, Deano Zahakis, moved from his hometown on Long Island, New York to Fort Collins, Colorado in 1999. As a New York native, Deano enjoyed his days off at the beach surfing and hanging out with his friends at all the popular bars, arcades, and restaurants along the boardwalk.

When Deano came to Fort Collins he started up Pizza Casbah just two doors down from the current location. His vision was simple: he wanted the biggest, best pizza in town served fresh and fast (no heat lamps) at an affordable price to share with everyone. For Deano, it wasn’t about making money, it was about serving the best product with genuine affection and attention behind it. Not long after opening, Pizza Casbah grew out of its first location and into its current home at 126 W. laurel St. With a larger restaurant came a larger menu including:

• Fresh vegetables prepped in house

• Meats cooked in his stone-topped ovens

• Chicken wings with a large variety of flavors, created and prepped in his kitchen

• Desserts

• Gyros with house Greek Tzatziki sauce

• Sandwiches made with signature sauces & meats

• Plenty of local beer to compliment

Deano worked to provide all of this in a place that reminded him of his days on the beaches of Long Island, taking a break from surfing and eating at his favorite hot spot. And that’s exactly what Pizza Casbah is today — the best of everything Deano enjoyed about his home in New York, including great food at a fair price for everyone to enjoy after a day of “surfing.”

In 2005, I joined Deano at the Casbah with plenty of pizza experience. Deano and I shared the same vision: Never settle for good or great, constantly push to be the BEST. In 2012 Deano sold Pizza Casbah to me, confident I would continue the tradition that the only thing better than our food was our amazing deals and friendly staff. I continue to run Pizza Casbah just as Deano and I did years ago, with the recipes and routines remaining the same. I proudly continue the Pizza Casbah legacy with a new group of staff members who are just as passionate as I am. So whether you’re just stopping by for a famous giant slice or planning an event for hundreds, all of us here at Pizza Casbah want to be sure that you enjoy your experience!

— Peter Harvey, Owner