Two things are true: 1) Fried eggplant is an extremely underrated pizza topping, and 2) Fringe Pizza in Boulder makes the best fried eggplant we’ve ever had. Put those two facts together and you have an excellent dinner option from Fringe, which serves blistered, thin-crust pies along with salads, unique starters and beverages from a self-pour tap. But the eggplant, oh the eggplant. Large, skin-on chunks are fried in a way that results in a ridiculously crispy edge and a wafer-light crunch. It’s paired with San Marzano tomatoes (the best sauce tomato) and fresh basil, as well as pecorino shavings and balsamic glaze, which gives the eggplant a rich umami flavor. Bonus points for the addition of pepperoncini, which provides a spicy, acidic kick that pairs perfectly with dollops of fresh mozzarella.
Fringe Pizza. 2900 Valmont Road, Boulder, 303-386-4631, fringepizza.com
