Best Coffeehouse for Getting Work Done 2016 | Rooster & Moon | Best of Denver® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Denver | Westword
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Best Coffeehouse for Getting Work Done

Rooster & Moon

There are plenty of coffee joints in this town that sling your favorite cup of joe and provide a clean table to work on and a hot wi-fi connection, but too many of them have either been absorbed by corporate entities pushing their gift cards and branded CDs, or overrun by harried college students taking over every table and laptop plug-in. Rooster & Moon seems to sidestep those elements, despite its proximity to downtown workers and the Auraria campus. Fair-trade coffee, delicious made-to-order bites and even a full bar for when those spreadsheets threaten to spread your brain too thin are available here, with plenty of room for you and a study buddy to work, gossip and fill up.

Best Coffee Program at a Restaurant

Mercantile Dining and Provisions

Danielle Lirette

Ending an indulgent dining experience with a proper cup of coffee or espresso is an experience that's harder to find than it should be. Last year, Mercantile had us smitten with a menu and atmosphere that snagged the Best New Restaurant award. This year, we discovered the restaurant's noteworthy coffee program, which includes a walk-up counter where Union Station browsers are welcome to grab a cup. Meanwhile, lucky diners at the restaurant can complement their meal with a precisely poured cortado, pour-over or other coffee product.

Best Cold Brew

Corvus Coffee

It's the superpower of coffee: more caffeine, less acidity. Cold brew has been gracing the palates of coffee lovers for years, but its popularity has increased of late, and it's popping up at coffee shops all over. In Denver, you can find it bottled and you can find it on tap, but at Corvus you can find the best. Offering a classic single-origin and a hopped version, Corvus serves up a glass of cold brew on location (it's also available at Whole Foods). We just wish they would sell it by the gallon.

Best Cortado

Aviano Coffee

Photo by Johnny Molfetta
 

There's a feeling that you get when you walk into a coffee shop and see your favorite barista working: You know your drink is going to be perfect. At Aviano, an expertly trained staff means a high-quality experience every time. Denver has one of the fastest-growing coffee scenes in the country right now, and that means that coffee quality is improving everywhere. But while you may be able to find a good cortado across the city, Aviano has the most consistently perfect pours in town. That's guaranteed no matter who's behind the bar.

Best Barista Mustache

Andrew Norman

In the coffee world, there's little difference between a guy with a mustache and a barista — and there are a lot of great caffeinated 'staches out there. But veteran barista Andrew Norman takes the cake this year for the best barista mustache. He's pulled shots at both Aviano and Thump in the past, but is currently at Lula Rose General Store on East Colfax Avenue. Stop by to see the mustache you thought could only grace the likes of Ron Swanson and Alex Trebek, then stay for a cup of wonderfully crafted cup of coffee.

Best Underground Coffee Event

Latte-art throwdowns

If you've never been to one, go. If you have a favorite barista, he or she will be there. It's the most energetic coffee-slinging event you've never heard of. Open to the public, latte-art throwdowns are well known in the coffee community, but wildly undiscovered by lesser humans (aka non-baristas). Structured with a bracket system, baristas go head-to-head, facing off to see who can pour a better heart, rosette or some other form of latte art. Winners move on to the next level, and in the end there is only one latte-art champion. People yell and jump and talk mad shit, and it's wonderful. Nobody takes it very seriously, but there are seriously talented people competing. Held at coffee shops around the city; keep your eye out for a flier at your favorite java joint.

Best Restaurant Bathroom

Black Eye Cap Hill

We've hardly ever thought of a bathroom stop as a memorable experience — but then we made a visit to the unisex loos at Black Eye Cap Hill. Along with glowing neon signs that read "Forever is composed of nows" and "I dwell in possibility," the rooms entertain visitors with poetry on tape. How many times has the calm cadence of Walt Whitman's verse eased your nerves while you're relieving yourself? Located at the start of Poet's Row, Black Eye has taken up the theme, with poetry-oriented cocktails on its menu. Why not have it playing in the restrooms, too?

Best Coffee-Shop Patio

Aviano Coffee

Photo by Johnny Molfetta
 

Denver goes crazy for a good patio, no matter where or what season it is. But a good patio — one that gets a lot of sun, has enough seating and is quiet — can sometimes be hard to find in a busy city. Escape to the land of people who don't work and drink coffee all day in Cherry Creek North, and you'll discover the relaxing patio at Aviano. There's not a lot of traffic noise here, and a giant tree provides lovely shade warmer weather. Bonus: A giant garage door opens to the outside, so when it's nice out, you can still catch a breeze without the UV damage.

Best Restaurant Patio

Bistro Vendôme

Joni Schrantz

As you walk along the southeast side of Larimer Square, head through the archway that reads "Kettle Arcade." At the far end of the vaulted passageway you'll find Bistro Vendôme, whose secluded, often sunny little patio seems airlifted directly from the streets of Paris. A seat at a wrought-iron cafe table with an aperitif in hand and the noonday sun shining off the brick walls of turn-of-the-last-century buildings provides an instant escape from the pressures of everyday life; it's also a lovely spot for a romantic summer evening. All your favorites from that memorable French vacation are available on Bistro Vendôme's menu, too: escargot, crepes, bouillabaisse and duck confit. But since you're still in Denver, no one will make fun of you for testing out your rusty high-school French — so let your "Oui!" and "D'accord!" echo off the courtyard walls as you call for another round.

Readers' choice: Avanti Food & Beverage

Best Neighborhood Restaurant Patio

Kaos Pizzeria

Courtesy Kaos Pizzeria Facebook

Life would be pleasant indeed if you had a pizza oven in your own back yard — complete with a skilled pie baker, of course, because nobody wants to get hot and sweaty when patio drinks beckon. The next best thing is Kaos Pizzeria, where you can relax among friends, surrounded by flowers, trees and the delicate aroma of potted basil. Kaos is built into a vintage Victorian on Old South Pearl Street, with a tiny dining room inside, but the best seats are on the expansive patio, which wraps around the side and back yard of what was once someone's cozy home. The sunlight is always dappled and the beers are always cold in this neighborhood spot. And the pizza comes with crisp, charred edges wafting with the aroma of wood coals — just right for a summer night.

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