The Tastiest Events in Denver This Week

A guest chef experience with Rocco DiSpirito, a Denver Passport kickoff party with free drinks and a special Memorial Day barbecue menu are some of the tasty options on the calendar as we head into the holiday weekend.

Be sure to bookmark this page – we update it weekly with the best food and drink events in metro Denver. Check out the highlights for the next seven days, as well as upcoming dates to put on your calendar, including the return of Westword‘s Out to Brunch in June and Tacolandia in July.

Wednesday, May 22
Chef Troy Guard is welcoming celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito for a cocktail-style gathering at Guard and Grace starting at 5 p.m. Guests will enjoy drinks and appetizers while mingling with the chefs. Admission is $85 and includes a signed edition of DiSpirito’s new cookbook, Everyday Delicious: 30-Minute(ish) Home-Cooked Meals Made Simple.

Inspired by chef Steven Redzikowski’s Sundays growing up on Long Island, OAK is hosting its first-ever Nonna’s Classics dinner. The four-course menu is $85 with optional wine and cocktail pairings. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

Wednesday, May 22, and Thursday, May 23
Civic Center EATS returns for another season, bringing a food truck rally to Civic Center Park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays through October 16. Learn more at civiccenterpark.org.

Thursday, May 23
Buy your 2024 summer Denver Passport filled with two-for-one drink deals during its launch party from 5 to 8 p.m. at Yardbird (2743 Blake Street). Guests will enjoy complimentary drinks, a live DJ set, games and more. RSVP on Facebook.

Friday, May 24
Goats from Guided Goat Hikes will be at Ironton Distillery & Crafthouse (3636 Chestnut Place) from 5 to 7 p.m. for a special edition of happy hour.

Friday, May 24, through Monday, May 27
Kick off summer at the 35th Annual Boulder Creek Festival, a free event that includes live music, food and beverage vendors, a curated marketplace, a Creekside Beer Festival and more. Get the full schedule online.

Monday, May 27
Spend Memorial Day with Skylines Yoga at the Little Man Ice Cream Can in LoHi. Each yoga session ticket, $18, includes a single scoop after class, which starts at 6 p.m. This event will take place the last Monday of the month through August.

Urban Farmer at the Oxford Hotel is opening for a special Memorial Day edition of its weekend brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., serving items like its signature Sweet Board and Benedict Board plus bottomless Bloody Marys and mimosas. Reservations are available online.

The Post Chicken & Beer is commemorating Memorial Day with a barbecue inspired by culinary director Jimmy Giesler’s Georgia upbringing. The outposts in Rosedale, Boulder, Fort Collins, Lafayette, Longmont and Estes Park will serve a smoked rib platter with campfire beans, mac ‘n’ cheese, crunchy slaw and cornbread for $30. The Post in LoHi will serve a smoked rib platter with Eastern Carolina mop sauce, campfire beans, mac ‘n’ cheese, crunchy slaw and cornbread for $32, plus Á  la carte racks of ribs for $21 and signature chef special side for $12.

Tuesday, May 28
Chef Deuki Hong is returning to Hey Kiddo as part of his national KOREAWORLD cookbook tour. He’ll be taking over the restaurant’s “Trust Us” tasting menu with recipes from the book for one night only. Reserve your spot for $115 per person via Tock.

Save the date:

May 29: Stay Tuned (2156 Larimer Street) is hosting its latest Vinyl & Vine session with Les Lunes Winery. The event starts at 6 p.m. and includes a guided wine-tasting experience and collaborative food from Somebody People and Brasserie Brixton. Tickets are $65, and there is a vegan option available.

May 30: The Colorado Restaurant Association’s annual summer bash, Drink Red Wear Red, will be at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Tickets are on sale now.

June 1-4: The nation’s top thirty bartenders will compete for the title of U.S. Bartender of the Year at the twelfth United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG) Presents World Class Sponsored by Diageo. Visit worldclassdenver24.com for the full schedule, which includes competitions and the World Class Denver Cocktail Festival, taking place at various venues around town.

June 6: The West Metro Chamber is hosting its annual food and drink sampling event, Taste of the West, inside the Foothills Fieldhouse at 3606 South Independence Street from 5 to 8 p.m. Attendees will have the opportunity to sample a wide variety of food and drinks, meet the faces behind local eateries, discover new dining spots and bond with fellow foodies in a festive, friendly atmosphere. Tickets start at $45 and are available online.

June 6 and June 9: The Cruise Room is hosting the next editions of its monthly Classic Cocktail Class Experience. Learn the art of crafting the perfect cocktail for $65 per person. Classes will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 6, and Sunday, June 9. Advance registration is required.

June 8: Westword‘s Out to Brunch returns for its second year, with unlimited drinks, bites and entertainment at York Street Yards. Tickets start at $50 and are on sale now.

June 18: To commemorate Frasca Food and Wine’s milestone twentieth anniversary in August, it’s hosting a guest chef series. This special night features Bobby Stuckey’s longtime mentor, Thomas Keller, chef/proprietor of three-star Michelin restaurants the French Laundry and Per Se. The evening includes a collaborative menu and a discussion of wine, hospitality and the longevity of the profession. Tickets are $595 per person and include wine pairings.

June 20: Rare, the Denver steak competition, returns to the Tivoli Quad, with restaurants serving entries in both the traditional and creative steak categories. Tickets for general admission with entry at 7 p.m. start at $99; there are also First Bite and VIP options with earlier entry.

July 13: Westword‘s seventh Tacolandia will be back at Civic Center Park from 4 to 7 p.m. (3 p.m. for VIP), offering unlimited tacos, boozy beverages, entertainment and more. Tickets start at $45.

July 18: EatDenver’s annual fundraising event, the Big Eat, returns to the Denver Performing Arts Complex from 6 to 9 p.m. Sample bites from many of the top independent restaurants in town at this industry-favorite evening of food and drinks. Tickets are $93.

Know of an event that belongs on this calendar? Send information to cafe@westword.com.