Best Unexpected Persian Food 2024 | Urban Cafe & Restaurant | Best of Denver® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Denver | Westword
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Best Unexpected Persian Food

Urban Cafe & Restaurant

Molly Martin

We first tasted Frey Asgari's Persian fare when he was serving it from under a tent in a parking lot on Santa Fe Drive in 2020. Now it's re-emerged in a shiny new cafe that's connected to the Denver Health building. Hospital employees have easy access to Urban's smoothies and cheap breakfast sandwiches in the mornings and unusual lunch sandwiches (like the pistachio cream, burrata and mortadella option), but anyone can, and should, dine here. Our favorite order so far: the zereshk polo — slow-cooked chicken in a mild tomato sauce alongside a heaping platter of saffron rice — paired with a float made with carrot juice and Persian ice cream that's infused with saffron, rose and bits of clotted cream.

Best One-Vendor Food Court

Mordy's Falafel & Grill

Mark Antonation

Mordy's Falafel has been serving Israeli street food since before the pandemic, primarily the namesake falafel jammed into fluffy pita with all manner of tangy, salty, spicy and crunchy toppings. Late last year, the truck shifted just around the corner to a new position, wedged against the side of what was once a dry cleaner. Now, instead of baking in the sun or freezing on an icy winter day, you can simply step inside the building, order and pay for your food at a self-serve station, then pick up your grub from a window that opens onto the truck. The sign on the door reads "food court," but this is a food court of one, and we love it that way.

mordysfalafel.com

Best Instagram Pop-Up

Sambusak's Kitchen

The latest project from Tamir Danon, co-owner and head brewer at Novel Strand Brewing Company, is his love letter to the flavors of Israel offered with his trademark, no-nonsense approach to creating a menu: focusing on a few simple, well-executed items. While the Instagram crowd drools over Sambusak's custom towers of grass-fed lamb and beef on vertical spits, the real MVPs are his freshly made falafel and sauces. Between the tangy ahmba, spicy skhoug and creamy tahina, each bite builds on the previous one, leaving you hungry for seconds.

instagram.com/sambusakskitchen

Best Pita Sandwiches

Sonny's Mediterranean

Molly Martin

After moving to Denver in 2019, David Schloss landed a gig as a chef at Safta, but his ultimate goal was to open his own place. In 2023, that became a reality when, after two years of delays, the fast-casual Sonny's Mediterranean debuted in LoHi. It's named for the Great Pyrenees dog that belongs to Schloss and his fiancée, Sonny's co-owner Lena Young. But the pita sandwiches are the real monsters here, nearly as big as the pup that often makes appearances at the eatery. Bursting with ingredients like hummus, Israeli pickles, harissa aioli and fries, they're available in three varieties and come stuffed with a choice of falafel or, our favorite, Sonny's flavorful rotisserie chicken. It's tough to eat these without making a mess, but you'll be so satisfied, you won't mind at all.

Best Saganaki

Lookin Good Restaurant and Lounge

Molly Martin

This family-owned diner has been in business since 1978 and is filled with nods to the King. Among the mix of American, Mexican and Greek options on the menu is one starring appetizer. We're not sure if Elvis liked saganaki, but we sure do — especially when served at Lookin Good, by friendly servers who bring a thick round of salty, Greek cheese out on a metal skillet, carefully pour just the right amount of brandy and then light it on fire tableside. Other spots in town offer saganaki, too, but where else can you pair it with a Bloody Mary and a breakfast concoction dubbed the Mad Greek Volcano? Opa!

Best French Restaurant With a Bakery

Noisette

Noisette

A kind of hush hangs over the dining room at Noisette, the French restaurant from husband-and-wife duo Tim and Lillian Lu. Not from a lack of customers, but because people are so intent on their food that conversation becomes secondary. Dinner should start with a housemade baguette with cultured butter, but if you skip that, you'll still find plenty of Lillian's baked goods on various plates, whether alongside foie gras torchon (sometimes brioche, sometimes a nut-studded quickbread) or the little chimneys of puff pastry that make up the vol-au-vent with sweetbreads. Or swing by in the morning and hit the bakery side of the space, where croissants, rustic sourdough boules and other delights await. Saturdays — when you can pick up breakfast sandwiches, tartines and a simple jambon beurre — feel like a neighborhood secret.

Best Latin Restaurant

Lucina

Molly Martin

Lucina opened in Park Hill in 2022 and combines influences from a variety of Latin countries including Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. Dining here is a vibrant adventure, and the team is always adding something new to the mix. This year, chefs and co-founders Erasmo Casiano and Diego Coconati were recognized for their work at Lucina by the James Beard Foundation when they were named semifinalists in its Best Chef: Mountain category. The only thing more exciting than that is Casiano's upcoming project with chef Rene Gonzalez Mendez, a Mexican eatery called Xiquita.

Best Taco Tuesday

Don Carlos Taco Shop #3

There are taco specials aplenty in the metro area, but this food truck in a liquor store parking lot does them for just one dollar on Tuesdays, including the al pastor off the spit. These aren't small street tacos, either. Served on double corn tortillas, they're packed with protein and self-serve add-ons that include raw and sautéed onions, cilantro, lime, two different salsas, radish and roasted jalapeños. Don Carlos recently added a second deal: 99-cent al pastor tacos on Saturdays — quite the steal for a premium business day. Expect a line, but it moves quickly, as the team has really honed its skills over the past few months.

5216 Marshall Street, Arvada

Best Den-Mex Eats at a Bar

Brewery Bar II

Kenzie Bruce

Brewery Bar has a long history in Denver. It was founded by Abe Shur in 1954 at the Tivoli Brewery — hence the name. In 1974, Shur moved it to Kalamath Street, and it was purchased by current owner Doug Lundstrom in 1994, who added Brewery Bar III in Lone Tree in 2003. Last year, we got a scare when that outpost shut down, but Lundstrom assured panicked fans that the OG spot wouldn't be going away anytime soon. And it's a good thing, because the fiery, red-hued green chile here is some of the best in town, especially when smothering Den-Mex favorites like crispy chiles rellenos and Mexican hamburgers.

Best Budget-Friendly Mexican Restaurant

Taqueria La Familia

Taqueria La Familia falls into the "If you know, you know" category — and north Denver knows. This twelve-year-old location is owned by a father (Freddy) from Zacatecas and his sister, daughter and son, and it's the family's celebration of the vibrant flavors of Mexico. You'll find a humble interior with just four tables, but if you're looking for cozy, authentic food with lots of vegetarian and gluten-free options, this is the perfect spot — especially on a sunny patio day or when you're grabbing food to go. You'll always be greeted warmly with complimentary chips and two kinds of salsa while you peruse the menu of smothered burritos ($8.99), fajitas ($14.99), taco plates (five for $11.99) and more, plus breakfast plates that start at $6.99.

2642 West 32nd Avenue
303-433-2332

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