Our annual Best of Denver edition hit the streets — and the Internet — on Wednesday, giving a thorough rundown of the finest that our city's service industry has to offer, with everything from Best New Restaurant and Best Chef — Mercantile Dining & Provision and Steven Redzikowski of Oak at Fourteenth and Acorn took those honors — to Best Iced Coffee (keep it pouring, Vinh Xuong Bakery II) and Best Affordable Foie Gras (head to Williams & Graham for your duck liver fix).
Behind those awards are the many service-industry pros who never receive recognition, whether they're the best dish washer in the city or the best at turning out batch after batch of perfect pizza dough. On our Arts & Culture blog, Bree Davies talked to Kevin O'Brien, whose monthly Service stories series will present a unique night of storytelling across a wide range of service professions, beginning tomorrow at 8 p.m. at 3 Kings Tavern.
And when it comes to service, new breweries are serving pints at a rate that's hard to keep up with. The New Kids On the Block beer festival at the Lobby American Grille managed to corral more than twenty Colorado beer makers in one location yesterday, all of which have been open less than two years. Photographer Danielle Lirette was there to capture the '80s outfits and suds sampling — check out our full slideshow here. In other news:
RESTAURANTS OPENING THIS WEEK*
Fractured Prune, 1102 South Colorado Boulevard
RESTAURANTS CLOSING THIS WEEK*
Family Famous PIzza, 2035 South Broadway
Volta (Sunday), 2480 Canyon Boulevard, Boulder
*Or earlier, and not reported in a previous Second Helping.