Like many writers, I’m an introvert — drawn to written rather than spoken words. My hunch is that Paul and Aileen Reilly, the brother-sister duo behind Beast + Bottle, have the opposite temperament. I say this based on admittedly circumstantial evidence: Paul’s ease and openness with me, a stranger, over…
Booze-heavy patios aren’t the only outdoor alternatives. Consider Steam Espresso Bar, a near-perfect coffee shop with a sprawling, inviting patio as well as a “back yard” that feels more like a scene out of The Secret Garden than a place to step out and take phone calls. See also: -…
Update: Read the winner below. “Are giant bears walking through downtown Colorado Springs?” asked a nitwitted FoxNews anchor last week, after video of the dumpster-diving bruin outside of the Edelweiss German Restaurant in Colorado Springs aired for the umpteenth time on the network. And Fox wasn’t alone; the schnitzel-hunting bear…
I slept for more than twelve hours after draining these beers (and quite a few more), lulled to slumber by the sounds of Simon and Garfunkel and John Denver — the same mellow artists that this taproom chose to play on a lazy afternoon. Can you guess where I’m drinking?…
Eating won’t be the only entertainment at some new spots opening in Denver. As our Backbeat blog reports, two bars opening in the coming months will offer not just food and drinks, but live shows — and that’s music to our ears. The Monkey Barrel will open on Platte Street…
Colin Mallet Sassafras American Eatery 2637 West 26h Avenue 303-433-0080 sassafrasamericaneatery.com This is part one of my interview with Colin Mallet, chef of Sassafras; part two of our chat will run tomorrow. “Hey, I’ll be back in a sec. I’ve got a fire to put out,” says Colin Mallet, who…
In A Federal Case, I’ll be eating my way up Federal Boulevard — south to north — within Denver city limits. I’ll be skipping the national chains and per-scoop Chinese joints, but otherwise I’ll report from every vinyl booth, walk-up window and bar stool where food is served. Here’s the…
Why should LoHi have all the fun? Last month chef Lance Barto left the kitchen at Linger to help open The Social in Castle Pines — where residents welcomed him with open arms. And open mouths. See also: – Photos: The Social opens in Castle Pines – Lance Barto departs…
Suffice it to say that I eat out more than the general population, unless, of course, the general population can catalogue more than 450 restaurant meals in a year — which is about the number of breakfasts, lunches and dinners that I stomached in 2012. Pathetic, isn’t it? But all…
I love the name of this beer, especially when it’s delivered with an Italian accent. And while it’s not my favorite beer to drink, it pairs well with the menu at the restaurant where it’s poured. Can you guess where I’m drinking? Special bonus: Anyone who gives the first correct…
Linger is known for its rooftop patio, its stellar cocktail menu and its location inside of the old Olinger mortuary space — not necessarily for its vegetarian and vegan options. And that’s a shame, because Linger caters to plant-based eaters the same way it does everything else: with style and…
Don’t be fooled by the fact that The Wooden Table is located in a strip mall, because this neighborhood Italian restaurant is far from a generic suburban spot. In fact, we named it the Best Neighborhood Italian Restaurant in our 2013 Best of Denver. The upscale eatery serves up housemade…
UPDATE:The Denver Burger Battle is sold out, but we’ve been hoarding two tickets to give away to one Cafe Society commenter and a guest — specifically the reader whose guess came the closest to the answer of this question: Crave’s “Wiseguy” burger won the people’s choice vote at the 2012…
The current Westword cover story, “Fantasy Island,” tells of Glendale’s quest to build a riverwalk along Cherry Creek full of restaurants, theaters and bars serving booze in to-go cups. To make this dream project a reality, Glendale officials have made a series of smaller civic improvements — which, in turn,…
The Great American Beer Festival ticket pre-sale started a week ago today, and complaints started very soon after. But people who don’t live in an area as beer-blessed as metro Denver think it’s time for people to stop crying in their beer about the GABF. See also: – Reader: Great…
A few short months after Racine’s opened in 1983, it won the Best Dessert award in Westword’s very first Best of Denver. The dessert was the Triple Crown, similar to a Dobos torte with layers of chocolate frosting, cake and ice cream. That dish is no longer on the menu,…
Last week, when I interviewed Delores Tronco about the end to the Justice League of Street Food — and the group’s pavement parties that pioneered Denver’s mobile food movement, the last of which took place on Saturday — the initial organizer of those gatherings had this to say: “We hope…
It doesn’t matter if the sky is pounding the pavement with rain, or dumping flakes of white powder on grassy surfaces, because the forecast is always pouring chile at this Mexican joint. Can you guess where I’m eating? Special bonus: Anyone who gives the first correct answer to a Guess…
Cafe Society dished up five Guess Where? contests posts last week, ranging from a cup of curried tomato soup from Gather, to a corned beef sandwich from Finley’s Pub, to a parade of curries from an Indian restaurant…
What’s the oldest family-owned restaurant in the metro area? So far, we haven’t found anything to top the Blue Parrot, the red-sauce emporium that the Colacci family opened in Louisville back in 1919, and has been run by members of that clan ever since. Within Denver city limits, we’d thought…
Great American Beer Festival tickets went on pre-sale last Tuesday for members of the Brewers Association and the American Homebrewers Association, and the complaints to the Brewers Association started seconds later. There were so many, in fact, that the organization posted an apology on Facebook later that day: “Your staff…
UPDATE: The correct answer to our contest question — How many kegs of beer has the Justice League of Street Food untapped since its first event in 2009? — is 131 kegs. The person who came the closest to that number, actually nailing it on the head, is ebethcheese. Ebethcheese,…
