Best Tea Service 2001 | Oak & Berries Tea Room at the Historic Holiday Chalet Bed & Breakfast | Best of Denver® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Denver | Westword
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Best Tea Service

Oak & Berries Tea Room at the Historic Holiday Chalet Bed & Breakfast

If it's not quite to grandmother's house you go, the Oak & Berries Tea Room is the next best thing. Better, in fact, if your relatives didn't live in the elegant, high-Victorian style of the lovely Holiday Chalet, a B&B as well as the best place in town for tea. Roxanne Mays, former manager of afternoon teas at the Brown Palace, is in charge here, and she sets out a lovely spread from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday through Sunday. The tea runs $17 a head and includes not only scones (want seconds? just ask) and savory tea sandwiches and pastries, but also your choice of two homemade soups. And then, of course, there's the tea -- which often includes a few interesting, international selections that Mays has discovered. Take your tea at one of the tables in the dining room, with its mismatched antique china, in a private room or, when the weather is nice, in the Holiday Chalet's beautiful garden, where Mays also offers tea parties for children.

Best Dolly Madison Store

3835 E. 48th Ave.

I scream, you scream, we all screamed when the Dolly Madison dairy stores closed this year, after giving the scoop to local ice cream lovers for over half a century. But you can take cold comfort in the fact that one outlet of the Dolly Madison chain is still serving: The shop inside the Dolly Madison plant is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Best Dolly Madison Store

3835 E. 48th Ave.

I scream, you scream, we all screamed when the Dolly Madison dairy stores closed this year, after giving the scoop to local ice cream lovers for over half a century. But you can take cold comfort in the fact that one outlet of the Dolly Madison chain is still serving: The shop inside the Dolly Madison plant is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Best Bread Puddings

Trattoria Stella

Mark Antonation
Man does not live by bread puddings alone, although one bite of Trattoria Stella's creations might suggest otherwise. Pastry queen Marna Freeman often has two or three puddings on the menu: The fruit-filled puddings vary depending on what's in season -- the occasional combo of blackberries, cherries and lemon is to die for -- and the others usually involve either chocolate or mascarpone for extra richness. Every slice is sure to be stunning, with a unique cakelike texture that makes for less heavy and more heavenly eating. And the portion is more than enough for two -- if you're willing to share. Stel-l-l-la!

Best Bread Puddings

Trattoria Stella

Man does not live by bread puddings alone, although one bite of Trattoria Stella's creations might suggest otherwise. Pastry queen Marna Freeman often has two or three puddings on the menu: The fruit-filled puddings vary depending on what's in season -- the occasional combo of blackberries, cherries and lemon is to die for -- and the others usually involve either chocolate or mascarpone for extra richness. Every slice is sure to be stunning, with a unique cakelike texture that makes for less heavy and more heavenly eating. And the portion is more than enough for two -- if you're willing to share. Stel-l-l-la!

Best Mashed Potatoes

Emma's Restaurant

Very good things come in small packages. Tiny, charming Emma's has big ideas when it comes to food, and there's no finer example of this than the finger-lickin'-good spuds. These taters have an ideal texture -- light but not overwhipped, with teeny lumps to prove they're real -- and just the right amount of flavor from garlic that's been cooked enough to get the rawness out but not so much that it's bitter. What really boosts these potatoes to top-of-the-town status, though, is the addition of cream cheese, which gives them a rich, creamy, slightly sweet quality. Order them with the sirloin, so the spuds get a good dose of Jack Daniel's sauce, and they're simply irresistible.

Best Mashed Potatoes

Emma's Restaurant

Very good things come in small packages. Tiny, charming Emma's has big ideas when it comes to food, and there's no finer example of this than the finger-lickin'-good spuds. These taters have an ideal texture -- light but not overwhipped, with teeny lumps to prove they're real -- and just the right amount of flavor from garlic that's been cooked enough to get the rawness out but not so much that it's bitter. What really boosts these potatoes to top-of-the-town status, though, is the addition of cream cheese, which gives them a rich, creamy, slightly sweet quality. Order them with the sirloin, so the spuds get a good dose of Jack Daniel's sauce, and they're simply irresistible.

Best Pancakes

Peppers

You'll flip for the flapjacks at Peppers. Light and fluffy but still substantial enough that a stack of two makes a full meal, these slightly sweet, slightly malty hotcakes are the diner pancakes of your dreams. A ball of butter and a pitcher of warm syrup complete the picture. Of course, Peppers makes everything from scratch (the pies are marvelous, too), and owner George Strompoulos keeps checking in with customers to see if everything's okay. It always is.

Best Pancakes

Peppers

You'll flip for the flapjacks at Peppers. Light and fluffy but still substantial enough that a stack of two makes a full meal, these slightly sweet, slightly malty hotcakes are the diner pancakes of your dreams. A ball of butter and a pitcher of warm syrup complete the picture. Of course, Peppers makes everything from scratch (the pies are marvelous, too), and owner George Strompoulos keeps checking in with customers to see if everything's okay. It always is.

Best Place to Score With a Sixty-Something Who Loves the King as Much as You Do

Lookin' Good Lounge & Restaurant

Uhh, huh, huh, oh, yeah, this is a shrine to Elvis, and the folks who frequent the Lookin' Good love the King almost as much as they love the Greek, Mexican and American fare that this kitchen has been cookin' up for 23 years. Lookin' Good's owners, Tim and Angela Melisaratos, love the King even more: They've filled their place with all manner of Elvis memorabilia, including plates, clocks, singing mannequins, dolls, posters, even custom-made miniature couches with guitars and record albums sewn on. Single men and women of a certain age gather here for both the bargain fare and the free-flowing conversation, which often carries over into the attached lounge. Food of choice: homemade pies or prime rib, which is quite tasty. Love it tender.

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