Some lunches end at the table, and some follow you home in a box for tomorrow. On one busy stretch of South Broadway in Englewood, a family-run corner spot has been sending people out the door with leftovers for years. The subs are still cheap enough to make you double-check the receipt.
The portions are big enough that ordering for one can quietly turn into dinner for two. Regulars talk about it the way people talk about a favorite uncle: steady, generous, and still around when so many neighborhood places are gone. Keep reading for the story, the menu highlights, the lunch deals, the parking situation, and the one payment detail you really should know before you go.
1. A Corner Veteran on South Broadway
Some restaurants chase trends, and some simply stay put and keep cooking.
Rico’s Pizzeria & Italian Kitchen sits at 3500 S Broadway, Englewood, CO 80113, on a well-traveled stretch of road just south of Denver. It is a family-owned and family-operated corner spot, and it has clearly earned its place on the block.
The kitchen handles pies, calzones, subs, stromboli, and a handful of pasta dishes. It is a full-service parlor, so you can sit down and eat, grab carryout, or put in a large order ahead of time.
Locals have rewarded that consistency with a 4.6-star average across more than 1,500 opinions, which is no small feat for a neighborhood pizzeria. That number reflects years of repeat customers rather than one viral moment.
For Front Range residents, the appeal is easy to understand. There is no resort-town markup, no reservation system, and no need to fight downtown traffic.
The address may be humble, but the reputation travels well beyond Englewood.
2. Recipes That Refuse to Change
Ask a longtime regular what has changed at Rico’s, and the honest answer might be the price of a sub and not much else.
The recipes have stayed the same for a very long time, and that is exactly the point. People come back because what they ordered years ago is what they still get today.
One longtime customer remembers subs costing $2.50 back in 2009. They now run about $5, which still feels like a bargain by today’s standards.
Another fan grew up with meatball subs brought home by parents who ran a roofing business and worked near Broadway. That kind of memory turns a sandwich into a family tradition.
The place also gets described as a throwback to the era when independent restaurants defined the Denver area. There is a real sense of pride in that history among locals.
In a metro where favorite spots close every year, staying power like this is worth celebrating.
3. The Calzone Everyone Keeps Talking About
Out of everything on the menu, one item comes up more than any other in local chatter, and it is the calzone.
Calzones earned well over a hundred mentions, putting them ahead of every sub and pie on the list. The sausage version gets its own fan club, and the pepperoni and sausage combo is a popular pick too.
These are hefty, filling, and very much in the spirit of the headline. One calzone at lunch can easily cover a second meal later.
Fair warning: a meat-loaded calzone can run on the greasy side. A few diners also wish the marinara were thicker, so plan your dipping strategy accordingly.
Still, the big picture is clear. People call it one of the best calzones they have had, and many return just for that order.
Bring an appetite, or bring a box.
4. Five-Dollar Subs in a Twenty-Dollar World
Here is a number that tends to stop people in their tracks: about five dollars for a sub.
Rico’s offers a budget sub that has hovered between $4 and $5 in recent years, with cheese available for roughly a dollar more. The bread is homemade, which makes the deal even better.
Subs pull in more than a hundred mentions on their own. The meatball sub is the clear favorite, while sausage, chicken parm, and combo subs all have loyal followings.
The meatball version is served open-faced on bread with a serious crunch. Regulars point to it as the order that keeps them stopping in whenever they pass through the area.
A regular-size sub is also available for bigger appetites. Peppers and onions on certain subs are baked on rather than sauteed, so they keep some bite.
For households watching every dollar, this might be the friendliest menu line in Englewood.
5. Lunch Specials Built for Real Budgets
Midday is when Rico’s really shows off its value side.
The lunch specials are known for being highly affordable, and that reputation keeps the weekday crowd coming. A chicken parm sandwich paired with fries is one combo people rave about.
It gets described as one of the last places around where you can still grab a quick, cheap lunch. That is a rare claim to make anywhere on the Front Range these days.
Opening time is 10:45 AM, so early lunch breaks are easy to work in. Workers, retirees, and anyone running errands along Broadway can slip in without much planning.
Garlic knots are another lunchtime favorite, praised for being doughy and not overpowering. They make a nice add-on for a table sharing a meal.
Leaving with change in your pocket and food left over feels like a small win in the middle of a busy day.
6. Lasagna That Fills the Whole Plate
Pasta may be a smaller part of the menu, but it plays a big role in the leftovers story.
The lasagna is famous for its size. One diner once photographed a serving next to a phone for scale, and it cost only about eleven dollars at the time, with salad and bread included.
Prices have surely moved since then, so check the current menu. The generous portion, though, remains a recurring theme.
People describe it as hearty and clearly made with care. It is the kind of entree that tempts you into finishing it and then regretting nothing.
One hungry guest ordered lasagna, a side of sausage, garlic bread, and salad, then admitted it was far too much food. A tip from that experience: sausage on the side comes on its own plate rather than baked into the lasagna.
Order with your eyes, and you will likely eat with your fork twice.
7. Pies With a Personality of Their Own
A pizzeria lives or dies by its pies, and Rico’s holds its own.
Double pepperoni, supreme, and a smoky option all make appearances on local tables. A house specialty called the Bo pizza gets credit for its crust.
The style gets compared to New York pizza, but with its own flair. People like that it lands with just the right amount of cheese and does not come out overly greasy.
Pineapple fans have a champion here too, as that pie gets praised for balancing sweet and savory. It is enough to win over at least a few skeptics.
Whole pies run a bit pricier than the bargain subs, so budget accordingly. Most people still consider them worth it.
Slices are an option for anyone testing the waters before committing to a full pie.
8. Salads, Knots, and That Famous Dressing
Sides at Rico’s are not an afterthought, and one of them has its own following.
The creamy Italian dressing is so popular that people order extra. The staff will even sell it in different sizes for taking home.
The house ranch dressing has fans as well. The Italian salad is often described as fresh and reliable.
Breadsticks, garlic knots, garlic bread, fried mushrooms, and wings round out the extras. They are perfect for groups that like to share a little of everything.
Dessert covers cannoli and cake. Cannoli especially get called out as some of the best around.
A full meal here can start small and end with a stack of takeout containers.
9. Stromboli for the Curious Eater
Not everyone wants a calzone or a sub, and the kitchen has another rolled-up option waiting.
Stromboli shows up regularly in local conversation. It has a smaller but devoted group of fans.
It fits right into the house style of filling, generous food. Sharing one across a table is a smart move for families.
Since the menu leans on the same dough and fillings across many items, it is easy to mix and match. A stromboli alongside a salad can make a balanced meal for two.
Newcomers often stick to pizza on a first visit. Coming back to explore the rest of the menu is half the fun here.
Consider it the menu’s underrated sidekick.
10. Small Room, Big Welcome
The dining room will not win awards for square footage, and nobody seems to mind.
Inside, the space is small and a bit tight. It has the feel of an intimate, family-run spot rather than a sprawling chain.
A few outdoor seats offer another option when Colorado weather cooperates. They can be handy on busy afternoons.
The space is often described as cute and welcoming. People with a soft spot for tiny neighborhood restaurants tend to fall for it quickly.
Groups of more than a handful might find takeout easier. Couples and solo diners usually fit right in.
Compact quarters just mean everyone feels like a regular sooner.
11. Staff Who Make It Feel Like Home
Good food gets people in the door, but kindness keeps them coming back for decades.
The team at Rico’s is consistently called friendly, sweet, and genuinely caring. Many say the staff makes them feel at home from the moment they walk in.
When problems do pop up, they get handled with patience. One employee named Fernando earned praise for smoothing over an issue with professionalism and grace.
Accommodating requests seems to be part of the culture. Selling extra dressing in custom sizes is a small example of that attitude.
Plenty of loyal customers credit this warmth as the reason the restaurant has lasted so long. It is hard to argue with that logic.
Friendly faces may be the most underrated item on the menu.
12. Big Orders Without the Big Stress
Feeding an office or a team can feel like a logistics puzzle, yet Rico’s makes it surprisingly simple.
Large carryout orders are well within the kitchen’s comfort zone. One group ordered twelve pies the night before and found them ready right on time for a midday pickup.
The pizzas were still warm, and the whole crew left happy. That kind of reliability matters when people are counting on lunch.
Advance ordering helps the kitchen plan. Calling the day before for big jobs seems to be a smart habit.
Birthday gatherings, team meetings, and family get-togethers all fit this model nicely. The affordable menu keeps the bill reasonable for larger groups too.
Picking up a tower of boxes has rarely felt this easy.
13. Hours, Parking, and Cash Notes
A little planning goes a long way here, starting with the calendar.
Rico’s opens at 10:45 AM Monday through Saturday. It closes at 8 PM Monday through Thursday and at 8:30 PM on Friday and Saturday, with Sundays closed.
Parking is a genuine bonus on South Broadway. The restaurant has its own lot, so there is no circling the block or walking several streets over.
Payment deserves a heads-up. Cash-only comes up in local chatter, so bringing cash is a smart precaution, and calling ahead can confirm current policy.
The location is an easy drive from much of Denver and the southern suburbs. Lunch hours tend to be the busiest stretch, so arriving early can help.
Show up prepared, and the only hard part will be choosing what to order.
14. Worth the Detour, Box in Hand
Some people drive well out of their way just to eat here, and that says plenty.
Rico’s is not flashy or trendy. It is a steady neighborhood kitchen with fair prices, big portions, and the same recipes people have trusted for years.
The marinara will not please everyone, and the dining room is snug. Those small quirks rarely seem to slow anyone down.
What keeps the crowd loyal is the mix of value and warmth. Five-dollar subs, generous calzones, and a staff that remembers faces are hard to find these days.
For Front Range locals hunting for a budget-friendly meal without the downtown hassle, this corner of Englewood delivers. It also makes a fine reason to reconnect with an old favorite.
Go hungry, leave full, and save the second half for tomorrow’s lunch.
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