Paying tribute to Craig “Lefty” Harris (Lefty’s Pizza and Ice Cream)

October 4, 2022 1 0 Deborah Cameron

Courtesy of Lefty’s Gourmet Pizza & Ice Cream

Last month’s biggest food news was the loss of Craig “Lefty” Harris, owner of the iconic Lefty’s Pizza and Ice Cream on 2nd Avenue in Niwot. He was killed in an automobile accident on Hwy 119 and the community will not be the same. He left his mark on the community of pizza lovers as much for his hospitality and legacy of service as for his pies and his history as one of a team of scientists that discovered Neptune’s Rings in the 1980s.

Courtesy of Lefty’s Gourmet Pizza & Ice Cream

We’ll never forget being greeted by Harris dressed in his signature tropical shirt upon walking into Lefty’s for the first time. We weren’t expecting the welcome, or that within moments of ordering a pizza, we’d be making puns about Star Trek, Star Wars and science fiction in general. The pizza tasted better for the conversation and we are sure we weren’t the only ones with that kind of experience. We went back often and we knew friends who did too. He will be missed.

See tributes from the Community as well:

Author

Deborah Cameron

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Deb brings a passion for community journalism and for the local food scene. She started out as an intern and over the years grew into our current Cuisine Editor. She has appeared in multiple publications including the Longmont Leader, The Left Hand Valley Courier, Ms. Mayhem, Finance101, and Ask.com. When not writing she's eating, road tripping, dog-parking, or watching high school softball. She moved to Colorado from Seattle in the early 2000s after spending a year traveling the U.S. in a teal Ford Escort hatchback. She lives with her husband, two teenagers, and a rescue dog named Charlie.