If you think Hops & Pie in Denver’s Berkeley neighborhood is just about beer and pizza, think again. We have long been smitten with Drew and Leah Watson’s beer-laced, thin-crusted pies (not to mention the super-size peanut butter Cap’n Crunch–Coco Puffs marshmallow treats) but only recently did I discover the sandwiches.

Though I intended on ordering a hand-tossed pizza topped with smoked pork loin, jalapeño, and caramelized onion, I revised my plan after glimpsing a neighbor’s pork-and-apple sandwich. Instead, I ordered a B.L.E.A.T. (bacon, lettuce, fried egg, avocado, and tomato) and my companion choose the pork sandwich. Then we traded halves.

Griddled, house-made rolls were hearty enough to hold up to Hops & Pie’s generous fillings. The B.L.E.A.T. (pictured) was stuffed to overflowing with a fried egg and thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon. In the pork sandwich, thick slices of house-rubbed, smoked loin tangled with bourbon-laced apple compote, fresh arugula, and aged white cheddar. Both paired perfectly with the Dry Dock Coffee Milk Stout from the eatery’s extensive craft brew list.

Did you know: Earlier this year, Hops & Pie landed on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. The pea, smoked ham, and IPA-laced mac and cheese got the celeb’s attention.

3920 Tennyson St., 303-477-7000