Menu Roundup: Brunch, Hot Cocktails and Dining Out for a Good Cause

New on the Denver dining scene this week: brunch at Latigo, seasonal fireside cocktails at the Hotel Teatro, and a chance to give to a great cause while enjoying food and drinks out on the town. Keep reading for the details.

Dining Out to End Childhood Hunger
Thursday, December 1 — multiple locations
No Kid Hungry Colorado has teamed up with more than twenty restaurants and bars to raise money to combat childhood hunger. Participating establishments will donate 10 to 15 percent of sales on December 1 to programs that teach budgeting, shopping and cooking skills, and help families on limited budgets gain access to healthy food. A complete list of participating businesses, which includes breweries, restaurants and even online sales from Tender Belly Bacon, can be found on the Cooking Matters/No Kid Hungry website. Additional donations can also be made through the Colorado Gives website. If No Kid Hungry raises $10,000 by December 6, the Seattle Fish Company will match with another $10,000; use the donation code CO GIVES DAY to ensure your contribution is counted toward the total.

Brunch at Latigo
2229 Blake Street
303-537-7682
Denver's Mexican-food enthusiasts may not be able to place the name Latigo right off the bat, but Rockies fans can. The eatery, run by chef Ignacio Leon (who also operates three Los Carboncitos taquerias around town), opened during the height of baseball season right next door to Coors Field. Those who stopped in before or after a game already know that Leon's authentic cooking captures the heart and soul of his home country's food, with succulent cochinita pibil, street-smart tlayudas and no-holds-barred salsas. And beginning Saturday, December 3, Latigo will roll out brunch for the weekend crowd, with a a perfect starter: the Hangover Bloody, a tequila-spiked concoction that appears to be tomato-based but is much lighter and more refreshing on the tongue. The secret to the red color is hibiscus flower, and the rest is...well, that really is a secret. But be assured that more hangover help, or simply a delicious breakfast, awaits with chilaquiles, migas and other south-of-the-border a.m. fare. Don't say brunch, say desayuno!

Fireside Cocktails at the Nickel
1100 14th Street
720-889-2128
The Hotel Teatro is home to the Nickel as well as a cozy lounge area called the Study, with cushy leather seating, bookshelves and often a crackling fire. The Nickel's bar is launching a selection of hot cocktails to help warm up chilly winter nights beginning Thursday, December 1. Choices will include hot buttered rum (made with coconut oil instead of butter, so it's vegan); a fortified cider made with house-spiced pear liqueur and Lairds 100 Proof Bonded Apple Jack; a classic whiskey toddy; and a boozy hot chocolate with flavors that will change nightly. If you're not into alcohol, the Study is also a great place to relax with a cup of coffee and a good book.