Briar Common Brewery + Eatery

Briar Common Brewery + Eatery opened in late 2016 in an odd, wedge-shaped building that was seemingly dropped into the middle of an intersection in the Jefferson Park neighborhood with little attention to traffic or practicality. But this strange location belies the classic philosophy (both aesthetic and culinary) that lies beyond the front door. The interior is the ubiquitous Denver mix of modern and vintage (tin ceilings, concrete floors, exposed brick, light wood bar) but is done so well, and accompanied by such genuine friendliness from the staff, that customers feel immediately comfortable. The beer is straightforward and timeless — you won't find any Belgian rye imperial session IPAs here — and the menu was designed specifically to complement the beers on tap. Briar Common hits all the right notes as a gastropub not for hipsters, but for grownups.