The Great American Beer Festival pours into Denver on Thursday, October 6, and although it sold out minutes after tickets went on sale, pre-gaming events are on tap all over town this week. But if beer isn't your thing, there are plenty of other tasty events to sink your teeth into — including the end-of-season Civic Center Eats, Vail Beaver Creek Restaurant Week and National Taco Day! Keep reading for all the tasty details.
Monday, October 3
Frasca Food and Wine pours and explores the wines of Benanti for this week's Monday Night Wine Dinner. Frasca's wine dinners are $50 for a prix fixe four-course meal, with optional wine pairings ranging from $40 to $50. Call Frasca at 303-442-6966 for reservations and more information.
The fourth annual Vail Beaver Creek Restaurant Week continues through Sunday, October 9. You can dig into a variety of prix fixe menus and specials, all set at $20.16. For more information, including a list of participating restaurants, visit diningataltitude.com.
Guard and Grace is holding a Vega Sicilia wine dinner, with special guest Diana Kelley, director of the Americas for Tempos Vega Sicilia, at 6:30 p.m. this evening. Five courses with wine pairings will run you $400; save a seat by calling 303-293-8500.
Tuesday, October 4
Rebel Restaurant is teaming up with Ratio Beerworks for a punk-rock, comic-book-themed Great American Beer Festival kickoff party. You can sip and sample a special menu paired with Ratio beers while enjoying games and live music from Colfax Speed Queen. There will also be a punk-rock beer garden in the Rebel parking lot. The party runs from 5 to 11 p.m. and is free; costumes are encouraged. Go to the event's Facebook page for all the details.
R Taco will be celebrating National Taco Day today by donating 10 percent of Denver restaurant sales to Food Bank of the Rockies. The chain will also donate $1 for each check-in on its Yelp page and local Denver Facebook pages. Select locations will have live entertainment, giveaways and more. Visit rtacos.com for more information.
Crimson Room's monthly cocktail class returns from 7 to 8 p.m. today, when you can learn all about Dutch-influenced cocktails. For $20, you'll get admission to the class, two cocktails, tips on mixing up great drinks, recipes to take home to re-create the cocktails, and more. To save your spot, call the Crimson Room at 720-639-6987.
Craft Days in Alley Ways brings more than twenty breweries to the Paramount Cafe today, from 5 to 8 p.m. Tickets to the beer fest are $20 and available at the Paramount Cafe. All proceeds will be donated directly to Denver's MaxFund no-kill animal shelter. Get the full scoop on the event's Facebook page.
This is the last week to dig into Civic Center Eats, so get your food-truck fix while you can. Head to Civic Center Park between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. today, tomorrow or Thursday to take part. Click here for more information.
As part of Give Back Tuesday, Under the Sun will donate 10 percent of the entire day’s sales today to Motus Theater. Call the restaurant at 303-927-6921 for more information.
Today and tomorrow, TAG is holding back-to-back beer dinners featuring the Bruery and Surly Brewing company, respectively. Each beer dinner begins with a reception at 6 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:30. Reservations are $54; call TAG at 303-996-9985 to make yours.
Beers Made by Walking challenges brewers to let nature inspire their beers. Over thirty breweries have created beers using plants identified on trails near the breweries, and the results will be unveiled at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science today from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased here.
Wednesday, October 5
As a kick-off to the GABF, the Kitchen Denver and TRVE Brewing are teaming up to bring you a Swine Six Ways beer dinner. The wandering dinner will feature six pork-centric dishes paired with six TRVE brews. You can pig out from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $55 and can be purchased here.
Miracle fruit, a fruit that tricks your mind into thinking anything bitter or sour is sweet, will make its debut on the Inventing Room's menu starting today. A special miracle fruit tasting costs $10; it includes a simple instructional card along with tastes of the miracle fruit, and citrus, jellies and yogurts that highlight the fruit. Call the Inventing Room at 303-885-2802.
Mercantile Dining & Provision is hosting a five-course paired beer dinner to kick off the GABF today. The dinner will be cooked by eight chefs from around the globe — including several James Beard nominees —and will be paired with beers from six breweries. Tickets are $150 in advance and $170 the day of; make a reservation by calling 720-460-3733.
Zengo is holding its grand reopening today. From 5:30 to 9 p.m., you can check out Zengo's new look while enjoying hors d'oeuvres and signature cocktails. Tickets to the event are $40 and include a $25 gift card; purchase yours here.
Keep reading for more tasty events this week.
Thursday, October 6
The Gin Docs will be performing from 8 to 10 p.m. at Infinite Monkey Theorem. Enjoy some of their '90s tribute jams paired with grub from the Spud Nation food truck. Contact IMT at 303-736-8376 for more information.
The Paramount Cafe is teaming up with Breckenridge Brewery to host a GABF kickoff party featuring two specialty Breckenridge beers on tap, passed appetizers, artwork displays throughout the alley, a DJ, and T-shirts designed by Inkmonstr. The event is free; get more information on the its Facebook page.
Join Osteria Marco and Great Divide Brewing for a Hooves and Hops beer dinner tonight. The evening will start at 7:30 p.m. with a reception, followed by a five-course pork-centric beer dinner at 8. Reservations are $60; call 303-534-5855 to make yours and see the full menu here.
Alex Prud'homme, great-nephew of Julia Child, will present and sign his new book The French Chef in America: Julia Child's Second Act, at Tattered Cover on Colfax today. The book signing starts at 7 p.m. and is free; get all the details at tatteredcover.com.
Duckhorn Vineyards will be in the spotlight at the Palm Denver, where you can sample Duckhorn wines paired with duck appetizers for $30. The tasting starts at 5:30 p.m.; call the restaurant at 303-825-7526 for details.
The Boulder Blind Cafe returns for a three-day stay at Wesley Chapel, 290 Folsom Street in Boulder, starting today. The Blind Cafe is an award-winning community concert, discussion and dinner in the dark, where guests are encouraged to break down social barriers to connect with one another in a unique way. Tickets range from $55 to $195, based on what you can afford to pay, with a suggested price of $75. In addition to a vegan dinner with wine and dessert, attendees will have the chance to participate in a Q&A with their waiters, all of whom are legally blind. There will be 6 and 8:30 p.m. seatings each night; Grab your tickets and learn more here.
Friday, October 7
Great Divide Brewing Company and Jameson Caskmates are teaming up for a post-GABF fundraising concert at 8 p.m. at Summit Music Hall. You can groove to music from 2016 The Voice finalist Laith Al-Saadi, Colorado’s own Brent Cowles, and Garrett Lebeau. Great Divide is one of only five American breweries selected to partner with Jameson for its Caskmates Drinking Buddies program. Tickets to the concert are $25, and 100 percent of ticket sales will benefit Levitt Pavilion Denver. Each ticket includes Jameson Caskmates Irish Whiskey, Great Divide Brewing Company beer and small bites; purchase yours here.
For more Food & Drink events, go to our online calendar. If you know of an event that should be included in that calendar, send information to [email protected].