Urban Field Pizza is a Northern Colorado restaurant concept serving award-winning pizzas that highlight fresh, high-quality ingredients and bold, delicious flavors. The “New York-meets-Neapolitan” hybrid pizzas are made by Chef Nick Swanson, co-founder of Urban Field Pizza with hospitality veteran Paul Nashak.
Chef Swanson, a French Culinary Institute graduate and trained in Michelin-starred kitchens, competed March 24-26 in the Pan, Pizza Classica and Daiya Vegan Cheese Divisions at the International Pizza Expo & Conference in Las Vegas.
“Honestly, the biggest thing is just getting better,” says Chef Swanson. “The International Pizza Expo is where a lot of the best pizza makers in the world come together, so it’s a great chance to push yourself and compete at the highest level while learning what the best of the best have been up to since we came together last year at the competition.”
While Chef Swanson hopes to place well, competing is more about the process for him: dialing in dough, testing ideas, and seeing how his pizzas stack up against people respected in the industry. “It’s also just a really fun community of pizza nerds,” he jokes.
A lot of what Chef Swanson does in competitions like this one comes straight from what is done every day at Urban Field in Longmont, Colorado. The attention to detail with the dough and the balance of flavors are all things constantly worked on the restaurant, he says.
Urban Field’s Detroit-style pizza draws from Roman and Sicilian traditions, resulting in caramelized edges (“frico”), a light and structured crumb, and a well-balanced bite. The pizza menu spans classics from Cheese and Pepperoni to fan favorites like Buffalo Chicken, and features rotating seasonal pies that change every month, with inventive offerings such as Cacio e Pepe, Gyro (inspired by Mediterranean flavors), and Everything Bagel (layered with savory, brunch-worthy notes).
But Urban Field offers more than just pizza—guests can start with creamy burrata and flatbread drizzled in roasted garlic oil; tender beef and pork meatballs finished with provolone and basil-pistachio pesto; crispy seasoned waffle fries served with ranch; or fresh, generously composed salads.
“Urban Field is a fun place, but behind the scenes we’re very detail-focused. I try to bring that same mindset to competitions: keep it simple yet creative, use great ingredients, and make sure every element on the pizza has a purpose,” explains Chef Swanson. “At the end of the day, competitions are just one piece of what we do, but they push us to keep improving. When I come back from events like this, we usually bring new ideas or techniques back into the kitchen, and that benefits the restaurant and our guests.”
With only three locations, in Longmont, Loveland and in Windsor at the Peculier Brewing Company, Urban Field is still a relatively young restaurant, according to Chef Swanson. He believes being able to compete on a national stage and represent Colorado is special. The funny thing about pizza competitions? Chef Swanson says while competitions can get pretty technical with dough formulas, bake times, and hydration levels, at the end of the day, it’s still just pizza.
“The goal is always to make something delicious that people want to eat,” he says. “For families who come into Urban Field, what it means is that the same care that goes into a competition pizza is going into the food we serve every day. We take the craft seriously, but we want the experience to stay relaxed and approachable.”
Despite being able to compete nationally, Chef Swanson says he is most proud of being a dad to four amazing kids. He explains that they are the driving force behind everything he does and why he works so hard at making what his kids tell him is the best pizza in Colorado. “They re my biggest supporters and probably my harshest critics. They will tell me straight to my face if they like something or not, they don’t sugarcoat it. I know I can always please them though with a round cheese pizza, sometimes you just can’t beat the classics.”
Colorado Pizza Festival
The inaugural Colorado Pizza Festival will take place on Saturday, September 5, 2026, in downtown Longmont. It will bring together more than 20 of the state’s top pizzerias for a large-scale competition and community celebration with proceeds benefiting organizations working to address hunger across Colorado.
The festival will feature Colorado’s best pizzerias, alongside local breweries, live music, and hands-on programming for guests of all ages. Highlights include amateur pizza contests and “The Pizza Olympics.” Children under 12 are admitted free, underscoring the event’s community focus.
The Colorado Pizza Festival is presented by Pizza With Purpose, a Colorado nonprofit founded by Urban Field Pizza in 2025 to unite local pizzerias in the fight against food insecurity. Fellow Longmont pizzerias Rosalee’s and Antonio’s Real New York Pizza are collaborating on the planning and execution of the festival.
