How the California Wildfires Impacted a Denver Winery

Far away from the wildfires that devastated parts of California’s wine country in recent weeks, Chad Yetka, co-founder of Bigsby’s Folly Winery & Restaurant at 3653 Wazee Street in RiNo, and I discussed the fire’s impact on the wine business. The grim subject seemed out of place in the sunlit…

Farmers’ Market Finds: The Season Finale With Chef Adam Branz

The farmers’ market at Union Station (part of Boulder County Farmers’ Markets) is officially over — for this year, anyway. But as one thing ends, another begins. In this case, it’s a new restaurant at the station called Ultreia, the latest venue from Beth Gruitch and Jennifer Jasinski’s Crafted Concepts…

First Look: The Bindery Opens in LoHi

New apartments and condos continue to clutter the portion of the Highland neighborhood now known as LoHi, replacing aging warehouses and rows of bungalows in equal proportions. While some of the architecture is of questionable merit, at least many of the new buildings come with retail space on the ground…

What’s for Dessert? Beer, of Course

“Invention, my dear friends, is 93 percent perspiration, 6 percent electricity, 4 percent evaporation, and 2 percent butterscotch ripple.” Those are the words of Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory. Brewing beer in Colorado could be said to be much the same, especially these days, when creative…

Four Non-Halloween Events on the Culinary Calendar This Weekend

This is the weekend before October’s biggest day, and the calendar is packed with costumed events. You won’t find those celebrations here, though; check them out on our list of the best Halloween and Día de los Muertos dinners, parties and deals. Instead, here are four events for folks who don’t…

Denver Central Market Changes Out Its Seafood Counter

When the Denver Central Market opened a year ago, one of the first scenes visitors encountered after walking through the front door was the expansive fresh seafood case at Silva’s Fish Market. But partner Jesusio Silva departed earlier this year, leaving the market’s founders Ken Wolf and Jeff Osaka to…

Liquid Chocolate Manufacturer Stumbles on Untapped Beer Market

Boulder entrepreneur Ira Leibtag wasn’t that surprised last year when he started getting cold calls from breweries around the country asking for the liquefied chocolate he sells under the name Cholaca: After all, “chocolate is the most popular flavor in the world,” he says. But he was taken aback at…

The Stockyard Saloon Is Haunted by Ghosts of Denver’s Past

It’s getting close to Halloween, so for me, it’s a season all about ghost stories. One of my favorite reliable, and reliably haunted, neighborhood bars in town is the Stockyard Saloon. Although, I suppose the location, nestled among the warehouses and National Western Complex at 4710 National Western Drive in…

Beer Calendar: Chocolate Beers, a Rumpus and New Cerebral Cans

Oskar Blues has set a date in late November for the opening of its third new Colorado location — this one is the two-story former Croc’s space at 1630 Market Street in LoDo. The 10,636 square-foot Oskar Blues Grill & Brew will offer traditional restaurant and bar service upstairs, along with…

Ten Great Denver Pizzas for Plant-Based Eaters

Being a vegan doesn’t mean missing out on those classic foods that everyone loves. Pizza is often characterized by a thick layer of mozzarella cheese and pepperoni or sausage, but Colorado pizza spots are switching things up to appeal to a wider range of customers. These ten local pizzerias and…

Kendra Anderson on Soulmate Pairings, Ownership and Bar Helix

Kendra Anderson, aka Swirl Girl Denver, has been educating the Mile High on the magic of food-and-wine pairings — and unsung wine varietals — on social media for years, via hashtags (#justdrinkpink) and a regular column at westword.com, and through events she’s organized. Now she’s opened Bar Helix in RiNo,…

Black Eye Closes Cap Hill Coffeehouse

The experiment is over. The sumptuous Art Deco space at 800 Sherman Street inhabited by Black Eye Coffee, complete with a cocktail bar hidden behind moving mirrors, bathrooms with a sound track by Christopher Walken, and a nighttime alter ego called White Lies, is now closed for good. This was…

Denver Company Delivers Fresh Baby Food Right to Your Door

It’s not hard to find a meal delivery service to help make dinner a cinch, but now there’s one for baby too. Baby Fresh Organics is a kid-focused food company that offers pureed fruits and vegetables for infants, finger foods for tiny tots, and simple meals geared for older kids. “We started…

Westword Watch List: Where and What to Eat and Drink Right Now

If you’re looking for the new, the novel and the delicious, look no further than these four metro Denver hot spots. You’ll find a pop-up barbecue with creative and craveable eats, two bars sharing love for a single barrel of tequila, and cheesy table-side offering from a new lounge you…