The Five Best Bites We Had in February

Despite the unseasonably warm February weather, I found myself thoroughly enjoying some hearty, winter-ready dishes last month, including the best meal I’ve had at Molotov Kitschen + Cocktails since it debuted on East Colfax Avenue three years ago.

Chef/owner Bo Porytko is among this year’s record-setting seventeen Colorado James Beard semifinalists, nominated in the Best Chef, Mountain region category, and the current menu at Molotov proves that the honor is well-deserved. The lineup includes hits like kolaches stuffed with farmer’s cheese and paired with lingonberry butter, French onion borscht and duck holubtsi (stuffed cabbage) filled with smoked pear and kasha in a tasty cherry and Madeira brodo with duck skin granola. But the standout was a pierogi variation that made me nearly teary remembering my Polish grandmother’s cooking — though she never made dumplings quite like this.

Don’t miss your chance to try this deceptively simple, oh-so-satisfying potato-and-gruyere pierogi in a caramelized root vegetable broth and turmeric smetana (similar to sour cream). With spring produce from local farmers already appearing in restaurant kitchens, this menu will likely soon change with the season soon, so visit ASAP.

Chef/owner Caroline Glover’s Annette is among the Aurora spots that may be included in this year’s Michelin Guide, now that it has expanded its search for culinary hits statewide. Last month, it celebrated its ninth anniversary with a packed dinner service that included plenty of martinis and the debut of a new take on its signature beef tongue.

After Annette opened, the grilled beef tongue paired with marrow toast quickly became a standout — and it hadn’t changed in nine years. Glover learned to cook tongue when she was the sous chef of New York’s famed Spotted Pig, so it’s not surprising that she was able to nail a dish that had even the tongue-skeptical salivating.

While the original dish was very tongue-forward, this take is sure to be more appealing to those who may be hesitant to order the cut. Now, the tongue is tucked inside a cabbage roll and paired with brightly-hued beets, spiced cream, buckwheat, dill and a pop of acidity from capers for an earthy, comforting dining experience.

In 2025, chef Justin Fulton’s former pop-up, Margot, moved into a permanent home and earned a Michelin star in the span of just three months. In February, I got to visit the new iteration of Margot and was delighted to find that Fulton’s culinary creativity has matured in its new home while maintaining just the right amount of whimsy and playfulness to keep things interesting.

The intimate chef’s counter is well worth a visit for a front-row view of this team in action. Among the favorites on the current menu are the stuffed endive with mushroom duxelles, horseradish and nori furikake; and a decadent, dry-aged duck breast with crispy shallot, celeriac puree and truffle jus. With a possible foie gras ban looming, I savored Margot’s take on this luxury ingredient that comes from ducks that live in luxury compared to pretty much every other farmed animal.

This Michelin-starred spot is serving foie alongside hazelnut cake with a dash of five spice and brandy, creating an indulgent bite that expertly toes the line between sweet and savory.

Pro tip: Margot also offers an à la carte menu in the front dining room of the space that it shares with another Michelin-starred tasting-menu spot, Kizaki.

Our Top 50 Restaurants cover star Pig and Tiger continues to impress. On a visit to the Five Points Taiwanese hot spot last month, I dug into some previous favorites — including the super crispy fried chicken with chicken fat rice, of course — but also explored more of the menu. And I fell hard for the vegetable dumplings filled with butternut squash, spinach and tofu, with a maple yum yum sauce.

During the meal, I also got a heads-up that a big menu change is coming to Pig and Tiger, so stop by soon for a taste of its current offerings, then go back this spring for a new round of bold dishes made with a lot of heart.

Among Denver’s options for Cajun fare is a new addition that made its official debut inside Edgewater Public Market on Fat Tuesday. Poboys Creole Cafe is a passion project from a pair of longtime friends who met in Florida and reconnected in Colorado. I got a sneak peek of some of its offerings right before it opened to the public and particularly enjoyed the blackened shrimp po’boy. I was also impressed with its vegetarian offering, sliced eggplant in a crispy batter with savory Creole sauce, which is also available as a po’boy — all of which are built on rolls from banh mi favorite Vinh Xuong Bakery.

Bonus bite: Lau lau and kalua pork — that you need to travel to get.

Full disclosure: I spent the last part of February visiting Hawaii’s Big Island, which is worth noting because Denver International Airport has a direct flight to Kona via United, making it a pretty easy destination if you’re looking for an island escape. Part of being a responsible tourist in Hawaii is packing plenty of respect for the local people and culture, and I always try to prioritize spending my money at spots owned by locals when I visit.

On this trip, the standout meal came from Kaaloa’s Super J’s, a roadside pitstop in Captain Cook, just a short drive from Kona’s beachfront hotspots. This longtime family-run spot is the place to go for a specialty that’s tough to find in Denver, lūʻau (or lau lau), which usually consists of meat (pork is the way to go) wrapped in edible taro leaves and cooked in inedible ti leaves.

If you’re looking for a taste locally, you can find it at L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, a popular chain in Hawaii that has a location off Lincoln Street near downtown, as well as one in Aurora.

Super J’s also has an excellent mac salad and kalua pork (slow-roasted pork, typically served with cabbage), both of which you can find at my favorite spot for a taste of aloha in Denver, Ohana Island Kitchen, which is well known for its excellent poke.