Menus Roll Out for Denver's First Spring Restaurant Week

Something was missing in February and March as we tried to dispel the winter doldrums with thoughts of the coming spring. Public celebration didn't feel quite right, even with more and more of us getting our COVID vaccines. The missing something was Denver Restaurant Week, which over the past two decades has given everyone the chance to get out, stretch our legs and welcome the season's changes with great food all over the city.

Visit Denver may have skipped Restaurant week a month ago, but the organization didn't abandon the idea altogether; the ten-day event will unfold from April 23 to May 2 — and today, participating restaurants (so far nearly 200 of them) began dropping prix fixe menus on Visit Denver's website to help you plan your outings (or your take-home dinners, if that's your preference). With the event happening a little later this year, outdoor dining will certainly be a bonus, though you may need to pay attention to your favorite meteorologist to make sure you don't get left out in the rain.

Restaurant Week menus come in three price ranges — $25, $35 and $45 — so you can sample from casual or upscale establishments, many of which are also offering upscale supplements for bargain prices. So you can sample the beautiful seared mushroom mille-feuille (with mushrooms sliced so fine they look like the pages of a book) or you can spring for the onion-crusted short rib for only $7 more. Looking for something on the low end of the price range? Chook, for example, is offering a beer, wine or cocktail, a choice of four salads, a quarter chicken with a side, and a selection of two desserts, all for $25.

And while the celebration is called Denver Restaurant Week, you can find participating restaurants all over the metro area, including Cattivella in Aurora, Konjo Ethiopian in Edgewater and Cafe Aion in Boulder. The searchable menu list even has an option to filter by restaurants with 5 Star Certification, giving you a little extra peace of mind.

Yes, we could still see snow in Denver, but springtime is always beautiful on the Front Range — and even more so with the prospect of a great restaurant meal on the calendar.