Bruxie

After getting its start in California, Bruxie chose Colorado for its first out-of-state store, opening on South Colorado Boulevard in early 2014. "We knew we wanted to take our concept out of Orange County, and as we were thinking of cities that really appreciate good food, Denver, from our perspective, was front and center as a city that's food- and chef-centric and would appreciate our concept," explains co-founder Dean Simon; he and Kevin Mullarney partnered with Jeff Goodman and Matt Stein (who both have formidable restaurant backgrounds) to open the Denver shrine to waffles and the “bold fold” – sandwiches that sub Belgian waffles for bread and load them with interesting stuffings. "It's about well-thought-out and composed flavors that really pop and explode, and it's about creating sandwiches where every ingredient has a purpose and the compelling flavors move you to the next bite," says Stein. Those flavors could range from fillings of grilled ham, Tillamook cheddar, eggs and a vibrant pesto arugula to subtly sweet lemon-cream-smeared waffles with fresh blueberries. The restaurant also offers salads and specialty coffees.