La Loma Restaurant

When word got out that the Brinkerhoff family, which had owned La Loma since the ’80s, had sold the restaurant’s sprawling digs in Jefferson Park, we despaired; although the family promised to reopen quickly elsewhere, how could it possibly be the same? We didn’t just go to La Loma for the great Den-Mex food; we went because La Loma was a north Denver institution, with an old-school vibe that gave you the sense that you were part of this city’s history — not to mention big margaritas that almost made you history. Fortunately, La Loma’s current downtown location is also an iconic spot — the moody former home of the Trinity Grille — and the owners have worked hard to make sure that the food is as good as ever. We like to start with an order of the mini chile rellenos, basically cheddar-cheese egg rolls that you dunk in this restaurant’s iconic green, and those same margaritas served in glasses the size of fish bowls.