You had me at caramelized cheese. Then locally foraged mushrooms and cup-and-char pepperoni just put me over the top. Who knew I would find these delicious toppings on a pizza, or that foodie pizza even existed? As I stepped through the unassuming doors of Rock City Pie and Ice, I discovered a new take on an old classic right here in our Broomfield backyard. Simple, homey, and ridiculously delicious, Rock City looks a little like a classic neighborhood pizza joint. But there’s much more going on behind the counter than meets the eye. Owner Jason Dascoli is a classically trained chef with decades of experience in some of Colorado’s finest kitchens, and a decidedly unconventional path to pizza.
Dascoli practically grew up in local kitchens. Working his way through high school in Boulder’s Bangkok Cuisine, Jason developed an interest in Eurasian-inspired food. Though a passion for science briefly tempted him toward marine biology, his perpetual presence in a number of Colorado restaurants turned his passion toward cuisine. Chef Dascoli cooked his way up the food chain, both locally and abroad. His second foray into the food world had him throwing pies and tossing salads at Franco's in the Boulderado Catacombs. Perhaps that was the birthplace of Jason’s love for pizza. However, when the opportunity arose to explore farther afield and work in a resort kitchen, Dascoli jumped on it. His natural talent for cooking caught the eye of his bosses, who offered to pay for Jason’s culinary school tuition. He packed his knives and moved to Kendall College in Chicago, where his cooking experience blossomed. From learning to make quality fare in mass quantities, to mastering the art of fine dining cuisine, and discovering how to craft a mouth-watering menu, Dascoli ate it all up and thrived.
In the early 90’s, Colorado called Jason home, and he began working with a buddy at Spice of Life in Boulder, where he eventually became head chef. Flagstaff House, Jacks Fish House, Boulder Cafe, and Roy’s in Cherry Creek were all touched by Jason’s culinary creativity before the insane demands of restaurant life “cooked him.” Looking for more balance in life, he transitioned into a career in corporate sales. This expanded Jason’s business acumen, which came in handy when he finally started his own company during COVID. The history-altering virus put Chef Dascoli back in the kitchen, this time in his home in Superior. From his extensive experience in restaurants, sales, and analyzing food trends, Jason suspected Detroit-style pizza was the hot new player in the culinary world and could take center stage for another couple of decades. So, he began making and selling the square pizza out of his house one night a week at the end of 2020. Not wanting to be swallowed whole by the restaurant life, Jason took a small step forward and started renting a shared kitchen in Broomfield a few nights a week. The other niche food producers in the shared kitchen made ice-cream sandwiches, specialty salad dressings, and Kosher foods. When Dascoli’s Detroit-style pizza proved successful, he took over the entire space in May 2024, now home to Rock City Pie and Ice.
You don’t need to sink your teeth into a delicious signature square of pizza to know that Rock City offers something special. Customers make the drive from Ft. Collins, Loveland, Littleton, Eaton, and Windsor just to get their Detroit pizza fix. And the pie is just the main attraction. Dascoli balances the chef-inspired menu with another specialty item: Italian ice. This refreshing treat is the love child of a sorbet and a slurpie, with its American origins in both New York and Philadelphia. Traditionally crunchy, Dascoli puts his own spin on Italian ice, smoothing out the texture into a silky treat. For those not in the mood for pizza, Jason offers a few other traditional Italian dishes and salads. In an effort to keep things simple, Chef Dascoli keeps his space and menu succinct. He does, however, cater parties, craft charcuterie boards, and offer delivery to his customers. Someday, he dreams of taking his show on the road and having an Italian Ice truck or catering trailer at concerts and sporting events.
From his early kitchen years to becoming head chef at some of Colorado’s most respected restaurants, and now running his own little corner of Broomfield, Dascoli’s pizza journey has been anything but traditional. And judging by the caramelized cheese, gourmet toppings, and tasty Italian ice, that’s probably exactly the way he likes it.
“Not only the ingredients that I use, but it’s all about the technique.” - Jason Dascoli
“Caramelized cheese, gourmet toppings and silky Italian ice prove Rock City is anything but your typical neighborhood pizza joint.” - Kristen Hamm
“From fine dining kitchens to Detroit-style pizza, Chef Dascoli brings decades of culinary creativity to his own corner of Broomfield.” - Kristen Hamm