Molly Martin
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Denver now has two Michelin-starred Mexican eateries: chef Johnny Curiel’s Alma Fonda Fina and Mezcaleria Alma. But there’s one dish you won’t find on their menus: green chile. At least, not the version that’s become a staple at most Mexican restaurants in Denver — the gravy-like, often orange-hued, pork-studded substance that’s typically used as a sauce to smother burritos, fries and tortilla-wrapped burgers.
That kind of green chile is a hallmark of Den-Mex cuisine, as labeled by Gustavo Arellano, author of Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America. And the same week he returned to Denver and ate way around town, Molly Martin served up her annual list of the best places to get green chile.
That’s always a hot topic, as shown by the comments on the Westword Facebook page. Says Jan:
Thank you for your new green chile list! I wait for it every year to see who’s going to make the cut, and then get out there and start eating. Excited to try El Tejado, because I still miss Benny’s. Will it ever come back?
Adds Luke:
Being a fan of the Cafe team’s work, I have found a lot of great spots through you all. (Glad Molly is back.) Santos Cafe & Mexican Grill off of 11th and Syracuse offers a phenomenal Mexican breakfast. The breakfast burrito is the best I have had in the metro area after searching far and wide, and the lunch is dynamite, too. (Azteca burrito is something else.). All of this is smothered and filled with the best green chile I have had not just in this city, but the metro area.
I have been waiting for it to get some recognition from Denver publications, to no avail. It has a line out the door every day despite a residential location, and has gone viral on TikTok a few times for its giant concha and hot chocolate. But no list recognition that I can find, which I find truly inexplicable. It’s also a family-run establishment with the nicest staff. Please check it out, you won’t be disappointed.
Offers Will:
The Monterrey House in Arvada is my favorite, and I’ve tried many of those that made your list.
Suggests Ronald:
Breakfast Queen on South Broadway. I’ve taken many people there, and they’ve all agreed that it’s the best green chile. You should check it out!
Adds Diedric:
Just read the article about best green chile around Denver, and had to question if you have tried the green chile at OneFold (OG location, not Union Station). For me it’s the single best bowl of green chile I’ve ever had, perfect consistency to eat as a meal, flavor is exceptional and heat definitely lets you know it’s green chile.
Comments James:
I guess it’s down to personal preference, but I think the best green chile recipes don’t include tomatillos. That drifts into chile verde territory. I know verde means green, but in my mind that’s two different recipes, even if they basically have the same name.
Counters Cathie:
I came across Molly’s recipe for pork green chile while I was reading the article about the best spots to find pork green chile in Denver, and I made it this weekend. It is delicious and exactly the recipe I’ve been searching for all these years!
I had all but given up on trying to find a suitable pork green chile recipe to make on my own that tasted like I thought it should, but this one exceeded my expectations. I will play with the heat (I used medium Hatch chiles, but really should have done half medium, half hot), but the real showstopper was using cornmeal to thicken it instead of a typical roux. I do think that made a difference. It had the right amount of everything that I love about pork green chile.
Can’t wait to make this again and again! Thank you.
And finally, of course, there’s this from Sam:
You can spout off all you want about green chile in Denver, but it’s all a disgusting mess compared to true green chile — which you’ll only get in New Mexico.
What’s your favorite green chile in Denver? Post a comment or share your thoughts at editorial@westword.com.
