MidiCi: The Neapolitan Pizza Company may have begun in Los Angeles, but the Fort Collins franchise owners, Kim and Frank Brewster, grew up right here in Colorado. “I was born and raised in Greeley. Frank was born and raised in Denver and we met at UNC,” explained Kim.
After owning Greeley’s Day’s Inn for over eight years, the couple was looking for their next adventure. Kim said, “We looked into a lot of different franchises, but most of them aren’t available if you’re not in when it’s new. We kept coming back to MidiCi because we love everything it stands for. It’s about people and about bringing people together. We loved the food, but we loved the message more. Now it’s two years later, and here we are.”
As the first MidiCi in Colorado and the ninth in total, Frank and Kim have been able to bring authentic Italian pizzas and a neighborhood atmosphere to the new developments along Harmony Road.
Inside the surprisingly spacious bistro, you’ll find community tables, authentic Italian ingredients, a Polaroid camera to remember your experience, and a station that encourages socialization. Nestled under the real olive tree inside, the poster prompts two strangers to place their hands on it and reads, “Remove hands when no longer strangers.”
Ultimately, that’s what the experience at MidiCi is about: putting away the cell phones, bringing friends together and engaging with the community. The hand-crafted foods and simple, authentic recipes are an added bonus.
“All our ingredients are organic and non-GMO except for our Nutella,” Kim laughed. But trust us, the Nutella Calzone is worth it!
Before we get to dessert though, we have to discuss the main attraction: Neapolitan Pizza. Staying true to Neapolitan heritage, the dough at MidiCi is made in house with only four ingredients: non-GMO 00 flour imported from Naples, pure water, sea salt and live yeast. From there, you can choose a classic Italian pie from the menu, a unique special, or build your own with everything from vegan sausage to succulent shrimp.
Epitomizing fast fine food, you order all of this along the counter. Then, your pizza is baked in custom wood-fired ovens and, after 90 seconds, your meal meets you at the register. Along the way, you can also order fresh salads, appetizers and artisan burrata.
Once you have your food, you can pick your own fresh basil, top it with extra olive oil, or choose another fresh and fun condiment. Then, grab a seat anywhere! Choose from spots at the full bar, in a cozy booth, at a sunny, community table, or dine under the branches of the real, 12-foot olive tree. These bistro tables nestled under string lights, leaves and backed by huge windows are designed to mimic the cozy atmosphere of an Italian patio. But it didn’t come easy for Frank and Kim.
They were expecting a 12-foot tree to fit beneath the 14-foot ceiling, but they got a 20-foot behemoth. After careful tending, the tree was brought down to fit the dimensions — with a few extra hugs on Kim’s part. “Every morning, I come in here and check on our tree,” she said, patting its trunk.
But despite a few hiccups and oversized trees, the Brewsters knew this was meant to be throughout the whole two-year process. “Before we had even decided on MidiCi, we were driving down Harmony and saw the spot when it was still an open field. We said ‘If there’s anywhere we would put it, it would be right here.’ Then, the for sale sign went up two weeks later.”
Now, coming up from Timnath and Windsor, it’s the first thing you see in Fort Collins and it’s minutes from the main population of town. According to Kim, the higher ups at MidiCi didn’t originally think the more secluded spot was a good choice. Like many outsiders, they looked at maps and wanted to put it in the more crowded and historic Old Town, but Frank and Kim knew the development on Harmony represents the city’s growth and would be better for both the business and for the community. Now, they’ve joined D.C. Oakes Brewhouse & Eatery, Harbinger Coffee, Potbelly Sandwich Shop and Tokyo Joe’s.
Stop by to say hello, meet a few people, eat some pizza, sip a local beer or a Colorado wine, and don’t forget to order the Nutella Calzone or get a scoop of handmade gelato — it comes straight from a family in Italy made with milk from pasture-raised cows.
Divertiti!
Want more MidiCi?
If you fall in love with the Fort Collins MidiCi experience like we did, you can take home a few of their signature ingredients — including dried oregano on the branch, the famous 00 flour, a can of Italian peeled tomatoes, wood-fired roasted coffee, or the authentic, extra virgin, cold-pressed and non-GMO olive oil.
Learn more about the food and community culture of the franchise on their website; keep up with news on Facebook and Twitter; then get all the food inspiration you need on Instagram. Or, for FoCo specific updates, follow MidiCi Fort Collins on Facebook.
Get directions to MidiCi here and get ready to indulge in fine Italian fare! They’re open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. – 12 a.m.
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