Bart Bortles

Bart Bortles has been a leader of the Colorado food service scene since the 1960s. His storied career began when he took over as managing partner at the Catacombs Restaurant and Bar inside the Hotel Boulderado, which holds Boulder’s first liquor license. Bortles later purchased the Hotel Boulderado with partners, and ultimately opened and operated several restaurants across Colorado, including Bart's Restaurant in Louisville; seven Woody's Wood-Fired Pizza locations, plus one in Moab called Zac; the Rialto in Denver; and the Table Mountain Inn in Golden.

In 2000, Bortles sold his interest in every restaurant but one: the original and now, the only, Woody's Wood-Fired Pizza in Golden. Currently in its 28th year of business, family-owned and operated Woody's is the top-grossing single-unit pizzeria in Colorado and the fifth nationwide. Woody's has won numerous awards for business ethics, environmental stewardship, and sustainability, and its community-focused efforts, which include contributions to the Golden Backpack Program, the Colorado School of Mines Athletic Program, Wounded Warriors, and countless others. Bortles’ son, Jon, has been leading the team at Woody’s since 2015, but Bart Bortles’ philosophy – “more than just great pizza” – shines through Woody’s operations and outreach every day.