Best New Chef's Counter 2024 | Alma Fonda Fina | Best of Denver® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Denver | Westword
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Best New Chef's Counter

Alma Fonda Fina

Shawn Campbell

Chef Johnny Curiel has worked under some of the local dining scene's most notable names, including Richard Sandoval, Dave Query and Troy Guard. His first solo venture, Alma Fonda Fina, is an intimate spot in LoHi that he co-owns with wife Kasie Curiel, decked out with thoughtful design details, just a few tables and an eight-seat chef's counter. There, diners can order à la carte from a menu that's inspired by Curiel's Mexican heritage and travels, all while getting insight from the team of skilled chefs who create magic — even without a range in the tight workspace. We'll raise an avocado margarita to that.

Best Move From Pop-Up to Brick-and-Mortar

Sap Sua

Casey Wilson

Usually when a new restaurant opens, there's a question of it living up to the hype — and the hype around Sap Sua was big; it even landed on Bon Appétit's radar. But this opening was different, because owners Ni and Anna Nguyen spent time developing their take on Vietnamese fare through the lens of Ni's experience as a first-generation Asian American and sharing it with guests long before the doors actually opened — first from a food cart in Longmont, and later in a series of pop-ups in the Denver area. Dishes like the now-staple charred cabbage anchored the opening menu, which has continued to evolve in exciting and delicious ways.

Best New Restaurant

Molotov Kitschen + Cocktails

Molotov Kitschen

Bo Porytko has built a reputation for doing things differently, and his eatery that debuted at the very start of 2023 is different in a lot of ways. It's tiny, and the best seats surround the equally tiny kitchen just inside the front entrance, under a wall covered in cuckoo clocks. The crew has been known to enjoy shots of horilka — vodka infused with flavors like honey black currant or horseradish — with guests. But it's the food that really brings something special to the scene: playful odes to Porytko's Ukrainian heritage that make us reconsider what we know about Eastern European fare on every visit.

Best Of Denver®

Best Of

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