The Daily Meal rounds up the ten best athlete-owned restaurants across the country... and includes Elway's

Acknowledging the fact that many athlete-owned restaurants have the name to pull in the patrons but very rarely have the menu to support the buzz, The Daily Meal set out to separate the strike-outs from the home runs. The blog rounded up the ten best eateries owned by sports stars,...

By Laura Shunk

April 25, 2011

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Acknowledging the fact that many athlete-owned restaurants have the name to pull in the patrons but very rarely have the menu to support the buzz, The Daily Meal set out to separate the strike-outs from the home runs. The blog rounded up the ten best eateries owned by sports stars, including a Tony Hawk spot (sort of -- the guy seems to be a silent investor) in California that's manned by a chef who's nabbed James Beard recognition, and Michael Jordan's second Chicago spot, one sixtyblue, which has had more success than his now-defunct eponymous sports bar.

Among the top ten? Denver's very own pair of Elway's.

"In Denver, John Elway is God," the author says of the former Bronco. He goes on to cite crispy calamari with stuffed olives and cherry peppers, lamb chops dipped in green chile fondue and duck confit fried rice tucked in among steakhouse favorites as highlights of the eatery and reasons for the award. And he gives credence to both the Cherry Creek address, which nabbed our Best Steakhouse award in Best of Denver 2011, and the Ritz-Carlton location, which scored a nod for Best Sushi in a Non-sushi Restaurant. Both outposts earned a Best Chili award.

Our favorite part of the recognition, though? The Packers fans weighing in down in the comments section, no doubt feeling snubbed since Brett Favre's Steakhouse was left off the list.

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Laura Shunk was Westword's restaurant critic from 2010 to 2012; she's also been food editor at the Village Voice and a dining columnist in Beijing. Her toughest assignment had her drinking ten martinis and eating ten Caesar salads over the course of 48 hours. She still drinks martinis, but remains lukewarm on Caesar salads.

Contact: Laura Shunk

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