Austin restaurants are taking over Denver's food scene
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Austin isn't a plane ride away anymore. The Texas capital is coming to you — one taco, omakase counter and boozy brunch at a time.
Why it matters: What started as a trickle of Texas-born concepts in Denver has become a culinary raid reshaping the local food and beverage scene just as the city attempts to rebuild its identity.
- Backed by deep-pocket investors, out-of-state food and cultural brands are chasing growth and increasingly competing against local operators on thin margins.
The latest: Paperboy, the cult-favorite brunch spot with Instagram-worthy pancakes and cocktails, opened its first location outside of Austin in late March in Denver's West Highland neighborhood.
What they're saying: Paperboy founder Ryan Harms said Colorado's mountains and the city's vibe put Denver at the top of his expansion list. The markets are also similar, he added.
- "Denver's … a cool market. It's vibrant," Harms told us in a recent interview. "We looked at Denver, we're like, 'Yeah, I think there's room for it.'"
The big picture: Denver's demographics and lifestyle — young, well-paid and outdoor-minded — make it an easy pick for Austin, an equally youthful hip city that wants to keep things weird.
- Like Paperboy, Austin brands often move to Denver as a test market before a broader expansion.
At least a dozen Austin brands now call Denver home — often with more than one location.
- The dining options are varied, from Uchi and Uchiko on the high end to fast-casual options Torchy's Tacos and Hopdoggy Burger Bar.
- The trend extends to the suburbs with Summer Moon's "woodfired" coffee in Thornton and Detroit-style pizza maker Via 313 in Centennial.
- Other major brands with a local presence include Latchkey bar, Tiff's Treats, Clark's grocery, Chuy's Tex-Mex, Alamo theaters, Siete foods and Tecovas boots.
The other side: The culinary pipeline works both ways to a lesser extent.
- Denver has exported a handful of brands to Austin in recent years, including Snooze and Punch Bowl Social.
Other Colorado labels in Austin, including Oskar Blues and Infinite Monkey Theorem Urban Winery, have since closed.
The bottom line: Call it expansion. Call it copycat urbanism. Either way, Denver's dining scene is increasingly stamped "ATX."