Pizza Fusion slices up another vegan-friendly pie

You can find pizza anywhere in the city -- but finding vegan-friendly pizza is a slice more difficult. Pizza Fusion made the hunt much easier when it opened a few months ago; its vegan pie is topped with casein-free soy cheese (Follow Your Heart mozzarella -- which, as you can see in the photo above, melts deliciously) and a generous scattering of portabella mushrooms.

The dining room isn't big, but it was bustling when we dropped by; the simple setup is suitable for families, couples and young hipsters stopping in for a slice (or more) before hitting the town. Pizza Fusion is owned by the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless and employs formerly homeless people as part of its staff. Although that might be problematic for some, we found the service to be heads and shoulders above that at most pizza joints in this town.

The pizza was served piping hot on a slab; the cheese bubbling on a perfectly cooked crust. Fair warning, though: We learned that Pizza Fusion's oven can only fit one large pizza at a time -- so if you're going with friends and you all want pizza, you might be sitting at the table for a while as you wait for different varieties. And even vegans will have several possibilities, since vegan- and veggie-friendly topping options include artichokes, olives, roasted red onions, eggplant, basil, garlic, pesto, pineapple, spinach, tri-colored pepper and sun-dried tomatoes. For cheese-eaters, there's aged parmesan and fresh gorgonzola; meat-eaters have plenty of choices, too.

Pizza Fusion also carries a vegan, gluten-free brownie. We won't lie to you: You can tell this brownie is gluten-free because the texture is off, as is the flavor. But off only slightly -- this is still an an edible brownie, and if you're on a vegan and gluten-free diet, you'll probably enjoy it.

And soon Pizza Fusion will be offering another amenity. On June 29, the city granted its wine and beer license; now the joint is just waiting for the sign off from the state. With any luck, managers say, they should be pouring beer and wine by Friday, July 15.

For more information, call Pizza Fusion at 303-830-0223.