New spots to eat and drink in Denver
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The beef brisket from Riot BBQ. Photo: Courtesy of Riot BBQ
Texas-style barbecue. Middle Eastern fare. Scandinavian coffee.
The big picture: Denver's food and drink scene continues to evolve with new openings across the city and flavors from around the world.
- Here are six to know:
🍖 At Riot BBQ, chef Manny Barella, a "Top Chef" alum, and pitmaster Patrick Klaiber are serving up a fusion of Texas-style barbecue and northern Mexico's asado traditions. The new Overland joint — located in the former AJ's Pit Bar-B-Q space — is getting rave reviews.
🇾🇪 Yemen Grill & Cafe has expanded from Aurora to Denver's University neighborhood, bringing authentic Middle Eastern flavors with a focus on Yemeni cuisine. The baba ganoush is a must.
🇳🇵Mantra Cafe opened its doors at 1147 Broadway, offering a cozy spot for Nepali and Indian dishes, including momos, fusion platters and a wide range of vegetarian options.
🥪 Mendocino Farms, a fast-casual restaurant founded in Southern California, made its Colorado debut in Cherry Creek North, where it offers chef-driven sandwiches and salads.
☮️ Green Bus Cafe transitioned from a mobile coffee operation to a '70s-themed brick-and-mortar cafe in the Whittier neighborhood serving up specialty coffee and plant-based gluten-free goods.
☕️ Kaffe Åre (oar-eh) is a Scandinavian-inspired, New York City-based coffee shop that recently debuted in Denver's Highland neighborhood. It serves coffee and smoothies along with house-baked pastries and freshly made sandwiches in an open, sunlit space.
The intrigue: The Brown Palace, now under new management, has launched Le Palais Frites — a new dining experience offering an "inventive twist on traditional French flavors" through a three-course prix fixe menu for $49.
What's next: Vegan restaurant Gladys — a spot we absolutely love — is scheduled to reopen in a bigger, newly built space inside Edgewater Public Market on July 14.
- Also debuting at Edgewater Public Market this month: Saigon Noodle Club by the team from Pho King Rapidos, offering traditional Vietnamese dishes like small-batch pho and grilled noodle bowls.
What we're watching: The Easy Vegan, a queer-owned pop-up that won Food Network's "The Great Food Truck Race," is opening a restaurant called Mother Other in Denver's Baker neighborhood.
- Modern Mexican eatery Teocalli Cocina is planning new digs in Denver's Highland neighborhood, while a downtown location for Leven is also on the horizon.