This weekend brings a multi-day pop-up of a popular but now-shuttered Denver eatery, sweets by the pound and the scoop, a unique pulque pairing dinner, and a tipsy version of what's sure to be the next official Summer Olympics event. For both online and live Father's Day events on Sunday, June 21, visit our list of delicious Dad's Day specials that you can present to your father or keep for yourself (we won't breathe a word). Then keep reading for future events worth planning ahead for, as well as virtual happenings that are still going strong.
Friday, June 19
Those who have been craving a sausage fest of the best sort since the late, great Euclid Hall closed in March will want to stop by Ultreia, 1701 Wynkoop Street, this weekend for a miniature version of the beer-and-brat hall's menu. From Friday, June 19, to Sunday, June 21, you can snag grill kits comprising kielbasa, mustard and slaw ($5) or Euclid's signature brat burger with Jarlsberg cheese, Thousand Island dressing and slaw on a pretzel bun ($8). Preorder for pick-up between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m., or if you feel lucky, punk, take your chances and stop by the restaurant to see if any packages remain. And on Saturday and Sunday, the kitchen will be turning out some of Euclid's greatest hits from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. — the above-mentioned brat burger, pad Thai pig ears, fried cheese curds and duck poutine among them; Ultreia will also break out some brews from Euclid Hall's excellent cellar collection. The same rules apply for pre-orders; visit Ultreia's website for the full menu and to guarantee you don't miss out on any of your faves.
Got a craving for candy, but the idea of visiting a crowded sweet shop with open bins of hard candy that have been pawed by the sticky hands of toddlers makes your stomach turn in the best of times? On Friday, June 19, and Saturday, June 20, the century-old Denver institution Hammond's Candy Factory, at 5735 Washington Street, is holding its annual summer sidewalk sale, with treats neatly packaged (and protected from free-floating germs) and plenty of room for social distancing while you search for sweet deals in the open air. Show up between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. for goodies; if you arrive before 2:45 p.m. on Friday, you can also take advantage of a free factory tour. Find out more on Hammond's Facebook page.
Little Man Ice Cream Co. is donating all of its profits to black-led nonprofit organizations on Juneteenth.
Courtesy Little Man Ice Cream Co.
In Denver, it's not officially summer for another 24 hours, but in Peru, the capital of Cuzco is celebrating the Festival of the Sun, a tribute to the return of the sun god Inti on the winter solstice. Pre-Columbian brewery Dos Luces Brewery, 1236 South Broadway, is kicking off its celebration of the momentous event (which, happily, coincides with the ability of Denverites to finally, finally, leave our damn houses) on Friday, June 19. From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., chef Andrea Murdoch (Four Directions Cuisine) will serve three courses inspired by indigenous food — Inka trail mix with Denver's own Cultura Craft Chocolate, bison arepas with avocado and elderberry, and frozen custard with blue-corn sugar cookies — all paired with Dos Luces chicha and pulque, including a preview of the brewery's newest imperial chicha, Tupac Amaru III, made with mango and chiles de arbol. The entire feast runs $50 per person. On Saturday, June 20, guests have two more opportunities to try the brand-new brew: at a 2 p.m. vertical tasting of four varieties (bourbon and barrel-aged, sour cherry and mango-chile, $20) and at 5:30 p.m., when you can guarantee a seat inside the brewery, a taster of the Tupac and a plate of bites from Four Directions Cuisine, all for $15. Get tickets — which are in extremely short supply because of limited seating inside the brewery — now on the Dos Luces virtual storefront.
No matter how drunk you get, don't use a bottle of bourbon as a relay baton.
Courtesy Longtucky Spirits/Abbot & Wallace Distilling
Longmont distillery Longtucky Spirits, 350 Terry Street, is not only marking its third year in business; it's also in the midst of rebranding as Abbott & Wallace Distillers. To celebrate both — as well as the launch of its newest bourbon — the distillery is holding an epic sporting (and drinking) event on Saturday, June 20. The party starts at 4 p.m., giving you plenty of time to get pleasantly swozzled before the main event, the Distiller Olympics, starts at 5 p.m. Take the field on one of five AstroTurf lanes (set up six feet apart) to compete in a grain-bag toss and stack, a barrel roll, a packaging championship, posting a selfie while holding a baby (aka a 25-pound sack of grain), shaking and serving a drink, and sanitizing everything you've touched before crossing the finish line. Visit the distillery's Facebook page for details and instructions on entering.
Monday, June 22
So you've spent months mastering that finicky sourdough starter and you can't bear the thought of taking on another months-long project, but you're not quite ready to rush down to LoDo for un-socially distanced mingling with maskless, sweaty bar-goers. The Art of Cheese, a Longmont cheesemaking school, is setting a completely safe and achievable goal with its Seven Day Cheese Challenge, which starts Monday, June 22. Join an instructor via Zoom every day at noon through Sunday, June 28, and learn to make seven different cheeses (which can of course be used to top your perfect sourdough boules): mascarpone, paneer, chèvre, quark, cottage cheese, feta and a hard Italian-style variety. You'll also get bonus recipes that pair nicely with cheese as apps or dessert, recordings of the sessions for reference, and access to three months of weekly Cheese Chats, where you can follow up with live questions, troubleshooting and show and tell. Find out more and register for just $89 on the Art of Cheese website, and by the time the second wave of COVID-19 hits, you'll be a skilled enough maker to ride out quarantine redux in style.
On Monday, June 22, the Bindery's kitchen at 1817 Central Street is being taken over by SoulNia, a Denver catering company that crafts soul food with all the love you might expect, but none of the meat. Starting at 6 p.m., SoulNia will be serving a four-course vegetarian menu that includes zucchini fritters with savory dill, shallot and cumin crème fraîche atop salad, pepitas and garlic dressing; homemade cornbread with slow-braised collard greens and vegan mac and cheese; and sweet-potato casserole with pecan crumble and ginger, honey and cardamom whipped topping. Drink pairings are included in the $79 price (which includes tax and tip). In addition, 20 percent of ticket sales will be split between donations to the Center on Colfax (an LGBTQ+ community center) and Black Lives Matter 5280 — and the Bindery will match those donations. Call the restaurant at 303-993-2364 to reserve a table or to order the feast for takeout.
Stranahan's is leading the charge against ill-advised drunk texting by making you sit down to write a note by hand.
Linnea Covington
What happened the last time you drank four cocktails in one night? Hopefully, you didn't text an ex, and hopefully, it wasn't too sloppy (spoiler: yes, you did, and yes, it was). If that's how you roll, Stranahan's has an event that will keep you from drunkenly hitting "send": its virtual cocktail and calligraphy class on Thursday, June 25. For $60, you'll get a half-bottle (four servings) of one of the distillery's classic or seasonal cocktails (such as the Strawberry Swing or Stranhattan), pens and pencils, a lettering workbook, Lettermate diecut, and blank cards with envelopes, plus virtual instruction via Zoom from 6 to 8 p.m. Order your kit on Stranahan's website no later than Wednesday, June 24, then retrieve your supplies from the distillery, 200 South Kalamath Street, between noon and 7 p.m. from Friday, June 19, through Thursday, June 25. And if you just can't resist dredging up a postage stamp and mailing a beautifully lettered card requesting a booty call to your last hookup....well, at least it will look lovely.
Friday, June 26
Remember all the chatter during the depths of Colorado's stay-at-home order about how dining out would look different once restaurants were allowed to reopen? Well, that time is now and (if the artist's rendering is accurate) it looks fucking awesome. On Friday, June 26, get a glimpse of the future when Smok, 3330 Brighton Boulevard, partners with the Family Jones for a whiskey dinner that will be staged in the former parking lot in front of the Source Market Hall. Diners will enjoy cool wood-and-canvas geodesic domes that provide both seating and shade, and will get a barbecue platter (pulled pork, burnt ends, coleslaw, beans, pickles and bread) and bourbon praline ice cream, plus two cocktails per person and a bottle of the Family Jones's newest bourbon to take home. Visit Eventbrite to book a table for two ($100), four ($175) or six ($265) diners; seatings are available at 5:30, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.
Keep reading for ongoing online events every day of the week...
Ginger-beef stir fry is just one of the recipes you can expect to find on Stir Cooking School's online subscription service.
Courtesy Stir Cooking School
Sure, you can teach yourself to cook for free by scouring the Internet for blogs, recipes and YouTube videos; the problem with that is after you've waded through a twelve-paragraph essay about the scent of earth after a fresh rain on the blogger's last trip to Emilia-Romagna, mile-long ingredient lists so poorly written you're left confused as to what exactly you need to pick up at the store, and interminable video intros from cooks so dull you're snoozing even before you get to the tedious parts like chopping veggies, you have no idea if the recipe that follows is going to be worthwhile. Not so with Stir Cooking School's new online subscription service. For $20 per month (prorated for your first month), you'll get at least three new (and concise!) recipes uploaded each week in categories like apps, cocktails, dinners, one-pot meals, baking and pastry, as well as engaging videos and the chance to submit recipe requests. Visit Stir's website now for more info and to get one month of the service free with code NEWSTIR.
Need a mid-day pick-me-up? Colorado Springs-based Distillery 291 is keeping the bar fires burning by posting short Facebook Live videos daily at 2 p.m. (and often at 5 p.m., as well). Tune in to see staff taking shotskis (appropriately socially distanced, with just one person on each end of the ski), mixing cocktails, bantering and sanitizing everything in sight. Anyone — even those who don't live south of the Denver County line — can benefit from daily cocktail recipes and a quick time-out between Zoom meetings. Distillery 291 just took home double gold for its High Rye Colorado Bourbon at the recent San Francisco World Spirits Competition, so you can order a bottle for your home bar and virtual-toast along with the 291 team.
Colorado Sake Co. is sending home sushi and sake kits to customers every night of the week for sushi-rolling classes; the packages include enough seafood, rice, nori and veggies to make six rolls (two each of three different styles), plus a rolling mat, chopsticks, wasabi, soy sauce and pickled ginger. Oh, and the most important part — two 350-milliliter bottles of sake: the American Standard (a junmai ginjo, if you're into details) and one flavored version, such as raspberry-lavender. The kits ring in at $80 and are built for two, and you can add more bottles of sake for $10 each. Sign up for the classes on the Colorado Sake Co. Facebook page; they're offered daily at 6:30 p.m., with a second session at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. And more good news from the sake house: Denver Sushi House's menu is now available to eat in the taproom Wednesday through Sunday.
Knowing when to log out of your email is tough when you're working from home — and it's even harder turning off your work brain when your work space is the same as your sleeping, eating, cooking, TV-watching, hand-washing and gritting-your-teeth-and-trying-not-to-bite-your-roommate's-head-off space. But every day from 7:15 to 7:30 p.m., the folks at Burns Family Artisan Ales are hosting Socially Distanced Drinking with Wayne and Laura on Facebook Live. Tune in and chat in the comments with like-minded beer aficionados about what you're drinking and what it pairs with.
Tuesdays
The Denver Central Market, 2669 Larimer Street, has shifted operations to function as a grocery store — and that makes it one of the few markets where you can get your pantry essentials and your hard liquor in the same spot. Curio, the in-house bar, won't mix up a cocktail to sip while you shop, but you can order cocktail kits and bottles of booze for pick-up Tuesday through Friday (2 to 6 p.m.) and Saturday (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.) For the most part, the cocktail kits don't include booze, but instead are substantial baskets of fruit, mixers, garnishes, syrups, bitters and ice that make from eight to ten drinks; prices range from $25 to $50. And while you can splurge on a bottle of booze — there are several $300 options for sale on Curio's website — you can get a liter of most house spirits for $25 or $30. You can even get fancy ice cubes, which will run you $4 for four, if for some reason you lack access to water and a freezer. Once you have your goodies in hand, start shaking with the help of the bar's Cocktail Sessions, free videos in which bartenders from Curio, Brass Tacks and Roger's Liquid Oasis walk you through the steps to creating perfect quarantine quaffs.
Stem Ciders isn't letting a little thing like a global health crisis put a crimp in its long-running tradition of Tuesday pairings. The cidery continues to offer four cans of cider accompanied by four food items (upcoming: cupcakes and sushi) picked by bakers, chefs and producers for pick-up between 3 and 7 p.m. from the Stem taproom at 2811 Walnut Street. Unlike in pre-pandemic times, you can reserve your plate (costs vary, but hover in the $25 range) in advance on Eventbrite (recommended) through noon on the prior Monday, but there will be a limited supply of pairings for sale on a first-come, first-served basis on Tuesday. Take a look at Stem's Facebook page for details on the week's selections.
Don't despair: The sun isn't setting on Colorado's wine industry quite yet.
Courtesy Colorado Wine Industry Development Board
The City of Aurora is doing its part to make sure kitchens are stocked with a weekly Wednesday mobile food pantry that will run through August 26. Aurora residents can show up at locations around the city starting at 10 a.m. to receive a box of free groceries that can be used to make up to nine meals. The city's goal is to distribute 1,000 boxes per week; the first week of the pantry's operation, supplies were exhausted within an hour, so eligible families (all Aurora households with proof of residency) should plan to be punctual. Emergency food supplies for homeless citizens as well as pet food and supplies will also be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Distribution locations change every week; visit the City of Aurora website for future locations and complete details.
The folks at Flying Pig Burger Co. (5935 South Zang Street in Littleton and 5777 Olde Wadsworth Boulevard in Arvada) and Westrail Tap & Grill (195 South Union Street in Lakewood) are showing their appreciation for first responders through Sunday, June 28, by giving away a free cheeseburger and fries to firefighters, nurses, doctors and EMTs (in addition to police officers, who could probably use some good PR more than a free burger right now) from noon to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Show up with your ID, and remember to show your appreciation for their appreciation by tipping well. See each restaurant's Facebook page for details.
While the safer-at-home rules are a little more relaxed than they were a month ago, the Colorado Wine Facebook page is still celebrating a weekly virtual happy half-hour beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Facebook Live. Winemakers from across the state join the stream each week and chat about tasting tips, the winemaking process and viewer questions. Visit Colorado Wine's website to connect with wineries close to you and find out how you can purchase their wares to drink during happy hour (or — let's be honest — any hour of the day).
Starting Wednesday, June 3, Denver-based Good Food 100 Restaurants, an industry survey that strives to document business and purchasing practices in the hospitality field, is launching Save Good Food, a series of weekly virtual dinner-table discussions about food and the supply chain. At 6 p.m., tune in to hear local and national fine-dining restaurateurs, farmers and distributors discuss the realities and future of finding good food. The first episode ("Save Good Meat") includes chefs Paul C. Reilly (Beast + Bottle, Coperta) and Rick Bayless (Frontera Grill), hog and poultry farmer Greg Gunthorp, Chris Oliviero from Niman Ranch and market owner Pete Marczyk. Future installments — the series runs through June 30 — feature Denver chefs Alex Seidel, Jen Jasinski, Kelly Whitaker and Caroline Glover; visit the organization's website.
The Source Market's hip liquor store, the Proper Pour, at 3350 Brighton Boulevard, is teaming up with members of the funk band Lettuce (who also happen to have a natural-wine distribution company, Benny & Zoid Selections) to ease you through Hump Day with its wine and music pairing, Tasting Notes. Purchase a pair of wines on the Proper Pour's website, then check back or visit Benny & Zoid's Instagram page on Wednesday morning to get the link to the Zoom meeting. Join the crew at 7 p.m. for tasting notes on the booze followed by a jam session. The liquor store delivers within Denver city limits; otherwise, you'll need to arrange for curbside pick-up. Find out more on the Proper Pour's Facebook page (after all that careering around the web, you'll definitely have earned a drink).
Thursdays
Popular pop-up shopping destination Denver Bazaar has had to rethink its business model — after all, tipsy shopping and close talking in a bustling market space aren't exactly copacetic these days. So the bazaar has teamed up with local producers and restaurants to shift operations online while giving consumers the same access to local food, drink and handmade items. Visit Denver Bazaar's website to order farmers' market items, cocktails and family meals, then schedule your pick-up location and time. Current locations are Highland Tap & Burger (2219 West 32nd Avenue) on Thursdays from 2 to 7 p.m.; Sloan's Lake Tap & Burger (1565 North Raleigh Street) Fridays from 2 to 7 p.m.; Mister Oso (3163 Larimer Street) Saturdays from 1 to 5 p.m.; and Belleview Station Tap & Burger (4910 South Newport Street) Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The market is looking to add more items and locations, so stay tuned to its website; also note that orders must be placed no later than 6 p.m. on Tuesday for the current week, or Thursday for the weekend.
Cook Street School of Culinary Arts had recently moved into new digs at 43 West Ninth Avenue when COVID-19 shuttered the dining rooms of restaurants and bars across the state. The cooking school is reopening to live classes (with restrictions), but it's still offering a slate of online classes on Thursday and Friday nights at 6 p.m. that have been selling out. Previous editions include Indian and Thai cuisine, pizza for the family and date night with Italian food; tuition runs around $45 per person and includes ingredients for one, recipes and a Zoom live stream. Sign up on Cook Street's website, where you can also see specifics on time, pricing and menus.
Cabrito at Work & Class, a previous stop on the Curtis Park Meal Train.
Danielle Lirette
Denver Beer Co. is hosting a virtual happy hour and tasting every Friday from 4 to 5 p.m. on Facebook Live and its YouTube channel; the taproom's head brewer and owners will discuss select brews each week, which will be posted on DBC's Facebook page in advance so you can drink along if you'd like.
Proof Wine & Spirits, 3360 Larimer Street, is moving its weekly in-store wine tastings into the virtual Wild West (aka Instagram). Each Tuesday, the shop will announce two wines that it will uncork; you can order the bottles on Proof's website and pick them up at the store. Then on Friday at 6 p.m., join store manager and sommelier Jessica Barrand on Instagram Live as she tastes and takes notes on the wine. We'll raise a glass to that.
Curtis Park residents have an easy way to decide where to order Friday night takeout: Curtis Park Neighbors has recently formed the Curtis Park Meal Train. Each week, nearby denizens can order a meal for two for $35 (plus two drinks for just $5 more if the selected restaurant has a liquor license!) no later than Thursday for Friday night delivery straight to your doorstep — if you live within five miles of the participating restaurants. Past participants include Dio Mio Handmade Pasta, Hop Alley and Lou's Italian Specialties. Stay tuned for upcoming collabs and order on the Meal Train website.
Saturdays
Beast + Bottle, 719 East 17th Avenue, is turning the sidewalk in front of its Uptown restaurant into a drive-by farmers' market on Saturdays. Since many of the region's markets are closed to in-person browsing, Beast + Bottle has teamed up with Longmont's Ollin Farms to offer produce boxes for pick-up every Saturday. Order and pay online between 11 a.m. Tuesday and 5 p.m. Thursday; different veggies are available every week (previous boxes have included rhubarb, radishes, cherry tomatoes, spring onions, mixed and mustard greens for $30), and you can add on items like fresh asparagus, microgreens, local honey, hot sauce, pickles and peanut butter. Then pull up to the loading zone outside the restaurant on Saturday between 10 a.m. and noon (you must wear a face mask) for contact-free pick-up. Details are up on Beast + Bottle's Instagram page.
Sundays
Long I Pie owner Shauna Lott Harman has been peddling pies for years, but has had to hit pause because of the current pandemic. Despite the shutdown, Harman still makes sure her love of baking gets shared with anyone who wishes to bask in it. Each Sunday from 1 to 2 p.m., Harman is hosting a free virtual baking class on Zoom, where's she's turned out carrot whoopie pies, homemade Oreos, biscuits, strawberry pretzel pies and more; upcoming classes will include soft pretzels, pizza dough and cookies. To sign up, email [email protected] or message Long I Pie's Facebook page and you'll receive a link to the class.
Boulder denizens seeking high-end dining have long relied on Frasca Food and Wine, 1738 Pearl Street, to scratch that itch. That's finally possible again with Frasca recently reopening its dining room, but you can still get the white-tablecloth experience at home. Every Sunday, the restaurant is offering Frasca at Home kits, with enough ingredients to create an entree for two people (don't worry, you'll get detailed instructions and a video tutorial), plus appetizers, dessert and a bottle of wine. Previous kits have included paella, fresh pasta with Bolognese, and roast chicken seasoned with fennel pollen (all with accompanying sides, breads and wines). Orders must be placed on Tock no later than 5 p.m. Saturday for pick-up on Sundays. Want to order but live in Denver? No worries: Order on Tavernetta's Tock page and collect your goods at its Denver dining room, 1889 16th Street.
Know of an event or activity that belongs here? Send information to [email protected].
