At the Montrose Farmers Market this past Saturday, the scent of bubbling cheese and roasted tomato sauce made its way through the air. Customers frequently meandered over to see what the smell was. Few walked away without placing an order.

On top of the pop-up tent read “PRUF,” the name of Montrose’s newest food venture.

On the menu: slices of 20-inch New York–style pies and thick, airy Detroit-style pizza with caramelized crusts. For many at the market, it was their first taste of PRUF, a pop-up pizza stand created by friends and Montrose locals Beau Miller, Troy Ryder and Nate Gueck.

Beau Miller prepares to serve a slice of Detroit-style pizza. (Justin Tubbs | Montrose Business Times)

The concept is still in its infancy — just three weeks in — but it’s already drawn a steady following. The trio hopes it’s just the beginning.

“It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” said Ryder, who has more than a decade of restaurant experience. “I’m the one with the cooking experience. I developed the recipes. We’ve been working on this for about two years.”

Ryder, who has hung his hat previously at many restaurants, including Horsefly Brewing Company, spent years in kitchens before an injury derailed his career.

“I got hurt in California a few years ago,” Ryder said. “I tore all the tendons in my arm. I was out there in hopes of being a part of a Michelin Star restaurant and never got there because I couldn’t work those hours anymore.”

After returning to Montrose, he began talking with Miller about a food project. At first, funny enough, the idea centered on kolache. Quickly, it evolved into pizza.

Carlos Casanova, a local man who migrated from Brooklyn some years ago, talks with the men behind the pizza at PRUF’s pop-up stand at the Farmers Market this past weekend. (Justin Tubbs | Montrose Business Times)

“Pizza is one of the most popular foods in the world,” Ryder said. “It’s something we could do on a lower budget, keep it simple, and people still love it. It’s a stepping stone to other things.”

The team spent two years refining their dough and sauce before launching. The dough is fermented for three to four days, a process that gives it more depth of flavor and texture. Nearly everything is made from scratch. They source only a few ingredients — cheese, pepperoni, bacon — from outside, choosing premium products they feel can’t be improved upon locally.

“We kind of let the ingredients speak for themselves,” Ryder said. “You don’t drown it in a bunch of nonsense to hide anything. We want to show.”

At the stand, the process is part of the appeal. The team works with an Ooni pizza oven that turns out the large pies, then crisps each slice on a Blackstone griddle before handing it over to waiting customers. The extra step ensures a crunch on the bottom while keeping the interior light and chewy. You can taste the ingredients in each bite

The Detroit-style pizza, Ryder said, borrows from the traditional pan-baked approach but with their own twist. Instead of a heavy, dense slice, PRUF’s version is light, airy and closer to focaccia, but with the crisp edges and buttery crunch that Detroit pies are known for. Specials rotate weekly; one recent menu featured pulled pork and peach pizza.

Miller said seeing their recipes come to life has been gratifying.

Troy Ryder preps a pizza. (Justin Tubbs | Montrose Business Times)

“We spent two years developing everything, making sure it was exactly how we wanted it,” he said. “And now it’s paying off. Every time we take a bite, it’s still like, ‘oh, it’s so good.’ That’s a good sign.”

The name PRUF is layered with meaning. In baking, proofing refers to letting dough rise before baking. For the founders, it also represents the idea of proving themselves.

“It’s one of the most important steps in making dough,” Ryder said. “But it’s also about proving we can do this — that we can sell food using the highest quality ingredients and make it work. A lot of people in Montrose don’t ever leave Montrose. They don’t even know this kind of stuff exists out there.”

For now, PRUF appears at the Montrose Farmers Market and will serve slices at the Summer Music Series on Sept. 5. But the trio envisions more: a brick-and-mortar restaurant with a menu that expands into sandwiches, pastas and other scratch-made fare.

“We’re putting passion before profit,” Ryder said. “We’re trying to prove the concept and see how the town reacts. If everyone likes it, hopefully we get to the next step and have a brick-and-mortar.”

Community members say PRUF is already standing out.

Carlos Casanova, who grew up in Brooklyn and now lives in Montrose, tried a slice at the farmers market.

Some slices, ready to serve. (Justin Tubbs | MBT)

“The pizza is very good,” Casanova said. “So far this is the best, because I eat in a few places — it’s like eating a grilled cheese sandwich. But you know, it’s edible. That’s the place you go one time and you don’t go back anymore. But this… very good.”

Casanova said PRUF’s pies remind him more of the slices he grew up eating in New York.

That kind of reaction is exactly what the founders are aiming for. Ryder said when they researched pizza, they weren’t comparing themselves to local restaurants but to some of the best pizzerias in the country, like John’s of Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village.

“We wanted to be on a national level,” he said. “Not just local.”

The venture also reflects a broader trend in Montrose’s food scene. Pop-ups and food trucks have gained popularity in recent years, often testing new flavors and concepts before launching permanent restaurants. Local breweries have become hubs for rotating food vendors, and the farmers market has grown into a showcase for entrepreneurial chefs.

Miller said starting as a pop-up allows PRUF to build an audience and refine its menu before taking on the financial risks of a permanent location. He has handled much of the compliance and licensing work, helping the team navigate regulations and health codes.

“I love it. I wish we would have done this a long time ago,” Miller said.

Still, the road ahead is uncertain. Building a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Montrose requires more capital and carries more risk than a seasonal stand. But for the PRUF team, the goal is worth pursuing.

“We want to provide the town with high-quality food that’s kind of hard to find around here,” Ryder said.

Those interested, or maybe even skeptical, will just have to try the pizza themselves.

Justin Tubbs is the Montrose Business Times editor. He can be reached by email at justin@montrosebusinesstimes.com or by phone at 970-765-0915 or mobile at 254-246-2260.