Molly Mart
Audio By Carbonatix
It’s the comeback story the whole city has been rooting for: Starting this weekend, Jim Pittenger will once again have a brick-and-mortar location of Biker Jim’s that’s all his own when his new stall opens at Avanti.
In June 2024, Pittenger made the heartbreaking decision to step away from the business he’d started by slinging sausages from a cart in 2005, earning praise from fans far and wide. In 2010, when Anthony Bourdain visited the Mile High, he, famously, wasn’t too impressed with the city — save for the wild boar, rattlesnake, elk and reindeer sausages that Pittenger fed him. “Thank you for all your good work in making Denver a wonderful place to be,” Bourdain told Biker Jim at the time.
But things started to go awry for Pittenger after he partnered with a new CEO, Andrew Soulakis, in 2020 to help get the business through the pandemic slump. Instead, “none of what he promised came to fruition, and I gave control and ownership of Biker Jim’s away for nothing. I didn’t know that right away, but little by little I watched all the good that I had worked for, with so much passion and love ebb away,” Pittenger shared in a statement last year, as he announced that he was leaving the company.
Since then, he’s been trying to rebuild. By August 2024, he’d debuted a residency at Milk Market dubbed Bikers & Bakers (besides sausages, Pittenger has long had a passion for baked goods). By the end of that year, the Ballpark Biker Jim’s, which had become a shell of its former self, shut down. But things really started to look up in April, when Pittenger told Westword that he’d regained control of the Biker Jim’s name.
He spent the summer getting back to his roots, selling gourmet dogs from carts at farmers’ markets. Now, he’s ready to welcome guests to the new Biker Jim’s brick-and-mortar, which is located on the food hall’s first floor between Avanti OG Quiero Arepas and new addition Berliner Haus.
Molly Martin
What’s on the menu
“After everything I’ve experienced over the last few years, it feels great to have a home at Avanti Denver,” Pittenger says. “I’ve done it all — food trucks, restaurants, catering and even a little time off — but it’s time to get back to doing what I love: serving the best damn hot dogs around. We’re bringing back all the fan favorites along with a few new creations for brunch and some sweet treats that I think people are going to love.”
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Of course, sausages remain the star. There are six varieties available for $10-$13 (toppings included): ostrich, elk jalapeno-cheddar, all-beef, German veal brats, spicy red hot and a bacon brat, plus a vegan dog and a kid’s all-beef hot dog for $6. Topping combinations range from the signature cream cheese and caramelized onions and the classics (mustard, ketchup, relish and saurkraut) to the International (caramelized apples, wasabi aioli and Irish cheddar) and the Diablo (tomatillo salsa, Sriracha lime mayo and bacon bits).
You can pair your dog with sides such as fries that can be smothered in green chile and cheese, “tater kegs” (aka extra large tots) and deep-fried mac and cheese.
Pittenger, who once owned a short-lived breakfast joint and is known for his penchant for the perfect pancake, is excited to get creative with brunch offerings, as well. We tried a shakshuka/chilaquiles mash-up as well as his spin on fried chicken paired with sour cream waffles and Sriracha maple syrup. He’s also working on a Dutch baby, and has plenty of other ideas on deck for weekend revelers.
Molly Mart
He’s also excited to keep sharing his desserts, which will include a rotating cheesecake and a signature item that Pittenger has been developing: Bomb Cakes, which are like a spherical version of a classic cupcake, greatly improving the cake-to-frosting ratio.
The best part of Pittenger opening at Avanti, though, is seeing his smile return after what has been a challenging year. So go say hello this weekend and nab yourself a sausage. This comeback is a great way to end the year!
Biker Jim’s is located inside Avanti at 3200 Pecos Street and will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday starting November 15. For more information, avantifandb.com.
