I wish I could say I was channeling Arcade Fire when I moved to the northwest ‘burbs last fall, but the truth is a matter of mere commuting convenience for my partner.

Recently in search of some urban attitude without having to fight rush-hour traffic on the Boulder Turnpike, we took refuge at a spot with a familiar name. As former residents of Lower Highland, we’d frequented the Platte Street location of Proto’s Pizzeria Napoletana on occasion, and the outpost in Broomfield’s Arista development takes me back to my favorite neighborhood.

The bike- and pedestrian-friendly complex surrounding the 1stBank Center venue has yet to fill up, but fewer people also means easy parking and a spot on the patio.

With Sawtooth’s Karma on tap and a dozen wines by the glass, cocktails might be easy to overlook. But at $1 off all drinks during happy hour, we went in for the Prototini (an Italian-style White Russian made with Absolut Vanilla) and puckered up for a basil- and strawberry-infused vodka limeade, which isn’t on the menu but was recommended by a helpful and informative bartender.

The basil is a nice reminder to order one of Proto’s personal-size pizzas, just $5 during happy hour. My favorite: The Ruby Pie, with pesto, mozzarella, feta, kalamata olives, and artichoke hearts.

Happy hour runs from 4 to 6 p.m. every day of the week.

8001 Arista Place, Broomfield, 303-466-2112