If you have ever been to Winter Park, Colorado then you may have visited Hernando’s Pizza Pub. This Winter Park pizza place has become somewhat of an icon. First established in 1967 by Jerry and Anne Von Dracek, Hernando’s was purchased in 1989 by Jeff and Kimber Davidson.
What makes this place so special and iconic? Well a few things: first the dollar bills that adorn the walls and ceiling. Can you believe but as of 2008 (it is now 2011 almost 2012) there was about $20,000.oo worth of dollar bills attached to the walls of Hernando’s? I am sure this amount is much larger today! This dollar bill tradition started out back in 1989 when Jeff and Kimber first purchased the restaurant. One of their employees thought it might be a neat marketing idea to post decorated dollar bills on the walls. He had worked at a Florida restaurant that did this so that the dollar bill tradition just started out as a bet. The employee bet the owner Jeff, that by the end of the first ski season they would have at least 20 one dollar bills on the wall. At the end of the first ski season the bet was won and now Hernando’s has a vast amount of dollar bills stuck to the walls. The bills actually look like wallpaper, what a great way to decorate! The owners of Hernando’s still encourage participation of decorating dollar bills and placing them on the walls. What a great way to leave your mark in Winter Park, Colorado!
Second, the owners Jeff and Kimber plus their staff! What a friendly family and crew. If you are a first time guest or long time local of Winter Park, you will feel immediately comfortable and at home as you enter the front door of Hernando’s. The interior of the restaurant atmosphere is warm with dark wood tables/benches with a fireplace right in the middle of the dining room. During the dinner hour, Jeff and Kimber can often be found wandering from table to table greeting visitors, making them feel welcome to their restaurant and to the Winter Park area.
It is often said that great customer service brings you back and causes you to tell everyone you know about a business! Well this is certainly true for Hernando’s, Jeff, Kimber and their staff have great customer service down to a science without even trying, it is just who they are!
Finally, the food! Oh my, this pizza is good! If you have not tried Hernando’s Pizza then you have not had pizza as many say here in Winter Park! So one thing I have heard about pizza is that it is all in the crust and does Hernando’s ever have their crust done just right! If you like your pizza thin and crisp, they have it. If you like your pizza thick and chewy, they have it – oh yum this is Pizza heaven! So their pizza bases start with: “Hernando’s” Traditional Pizza, which is a traditional pizza made with zesty pizza sauce on our own homemade dough then topped with only the finest Mozzarella cheese. The second option is their,
“Roma” Style Pizza. They brush a fresh marinated mixture of virgin olive oil, fresh basil and minced garlic on our homemade dough. Then layer sliced Italian Roma tomatoes and topped with Mozzarella cheese. And finally, my favorite, the “Simone” Garlic Pie with olive oil, fresh basil, extra garlic, double cheese, black pepper. You can choose from a hand tossed whole wheat or white dough and then choose rolled crust (this is the thick crust I refer to above) or thin crust. Hernando’s even offers a gluten free crust! For those that don’t like pizza, yea there are those of you out there, Hernandos’s offers a nice variety of salads and pastas.
So, the next time you are in Winter Park, CO be sure to check out Hernando’s Pizza Pub, located right on Main Street (aka U.S. Highway 40) on the north east side.
For more information on Hernando’s: (970) 726-5409 / Hernando’s Website
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