I never thought that I'd have so much love for the Mile High City as I do. One of my high school best friends moved there after graduation and Denver is definitely one of the cities that I enjoy visiting for the food as well as the gorgeous scenery. The food scene here is pretty typical for a city with lots of modern restaurants and bars. There are a couple of bars, brunch spots, and restaurants that my friend and I enjoyed when I went to during my trips that are noteworthy.
ViewHouse Ballpark
Rooftop bars are all of the rage when it comes to the millennial generation. I went to this spot during my trip last year and it definitely hits the mark for being a great rooftop bar and restaurant while also having a great view of the city and Coors Field. We went on a Saturday mainly for a late lunch/early dinner but also getting drinks here and it was pretty crowded downstairs where there is more of a bar area. Downstairs there is larger a bar area with outdoor games like cornhole while upstairs on the patio there are more seating areas and tables for getting drinks and food. I just ordered the appetizer of the prosciutto wrapped mozzarella sticks which had parmesan and lemon zest panko crumbs with a tomato marinara dipping sauce on the side. They were pretty hearty and filling for an appetizer and I also got the botanical mule, pictured above, which is spring 44 gin, craft ginger beer, lime juice and mint. Some other things about the spot are that there is a great lunch option to pick 1/2 of a salad, soup, or side and 1/2 of a sandwich or entree for $10 Monday through Friday from 11 am - 3 pm. Plus there is also some tasty sounding brunch options on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am - 2 pm.
ViewHouse Ballpark: 2015 Market St., Denver, CO 80205
The Woods Restaurant
This spot is a little bit out of the way in the River North (RiNo) Arts District but provides the perfect location for skyline views of the city. Like ViewHouse Ballpark, this spot offers patio dining and bar options plus this is the place where I took the first photo above of Denver. My friend and I decided to uber to the arts district on a whim for brunch and the uber driver recommended this place and it ended up being a hit. Pictured above is the avocado toast which comes with tomatoes, nuts and seeds on country bread with an arugula salad on the side. I'm a big fan of avocado toast, I often make it for myself at home but my one disappointment with this was that the toast was pretty burnt on the top. The salad was great and the dressing was light and didn't take away from the tanginess of the arugula. It is also against the law to go to brunch and not order your typical brunch booze so I got a mimosa. The mimosa, which is just orange juice and champagne, was pretty average but made for the perfect prop to take instagram photos with. Overall the spots food was pretty average but the beauty of the city and the views make up for the decent food.
The Woods Restaurant: 3330 Brighton Blvd., Denver, CO 80216
Safta's Counter
So The Woods Restaurant and Safta Restaurant are both located in The Source which is a hotel and market hall so Safta is at the bottom of the hotel with some other stores and restaurants while The Woods is located at the top of the hotel next to the pool, gym, and conference rooms. My friend and I stopped here after our brunch at The Woods and just stopped at the counter outside of the Safta Restaurant and I grabbed my typical vanilla latte. Other than coffee, Safta is known for their modern take on Israeli foods so other options from the counter service include sweets like the chocolate hazelnut babka loaf or baharat coffee cake. If you're looking for something more savory then they also have hummus and pita.
Safta Restaurant + Counter: 3330 Brighton Blvd., Denver, CO 80216
Syrup Restaurant
Located right in this city is this popular brunch spot. My friend and I went here towards the end of the brunch hour towards closing and there was still a waiting queue for the spot. Luckily you can grab a drink from the bar and hang outside with your drink and your friends while you wait for a table to open up. There are some classic brunch options like eggs benedict but also their own creations such as crack bacon or waffle sliders. I ordered the jalapeño popper omelet, which has jalapeño (shocking, right?), bacon, jalapeño cream cheese, cheddar inside and fried onions on top. The omelets come with tater tots on the side but I opted to get the arugula salad for $1.99. My only complaint was that there was a lot of bleu cheese on top that I didn't know would be there but obviously just pick it out if you care as much as I do. Pictured above is not my omelet but my friend's side order of french toast with nutella, bananas, and strawberries similar to the nutella stuffed french toast that is on the menu.
Syrup Restaurant: 999 18th St., Denver, CO 80202
Voodoo Doughnut
Alright I know that there are multiple locations and Denver isn't the original spot for the doughnut shop but this location was my first time going. My reasoning behind wanting to go here is, many moons ago I saw the spot on the Travel Channel during Bizarre Foods when Andrew Zimmerman went and visited the original site in Portland, Oregon. The show definitely piqued my curiosity for the doughnut shop with the voodoo doll shaped donuts and unique flavors. What really interested my younger self was their ability to hold wedding ceremonies at all of their locations. At the time Zimmerman was there, there was only two locations but now they have expanded to eight spots across the country. For the serious doughnut enthusiast couples, there are different packages with different party numbers and either legal marriages or vow renewal ceremonies. In regards to the doughnuts, there are some special flavors that they've created. When I went to the Denver location, I ordered the cake doughnut called the Marshall Mathers. The Marshall Mathers doughnut, this 'Slim Shady/Eminem' doughnut is just a plain cake doughnut with vanilla frosting and is topped with *take a wild guess* mini M&Ms. The second time that I went was at Universal Orlando Resort and I got the bacon maple bar. This doughnut is a raised yeast doughnut with maple frosting and has bacon on top.
Voodoo Doughnuts: 1520 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, CO 80218
Hive Garden Bistro
Located in the Denver Botanic Gardens this outdoor spot has a beautiful scenic view of the Monet Pool and is shaded by trees for the perfect summer evening. The Hive also prides itself by serving food with locally grown ingredients and produced that is grown within the botanic gardens. My friend and I stopped here right before I had to head back to Tucson so I just wanted something that wouldn't be too heavy before my flight. I ordered the hive salad which is mixed greens, blueberry, cherry tomato, cucumber, avocado, goat cheese with basil vinaigrette. Beyond salads, The Hive also serves sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, and desserts. Another option at the venue is the Offshoots at the Garden's Cafe. This spot is similar to the Hive but is open for breakfast and also has different lunch options like the lemon thyme chicken sandwich or the chilled soba noodle salad.
Hive Garden Bistro: 1007 York St., Denver, CO 80206
Capitol Hill Tavern
This spot is another one of those places like ViewHouse Ballpark where you go out to and enjoy some appetizers and drinks at. I mean there are dining options like salads, sandwiches, pizza, and calzones but Capitol Hill Tavern has that element of being a bar which is why we stuck to appetizers. The appetizers that we split were the cheese bread, pictured above, and also the bread stix and marinara. The cheese bread was great, it is pizza dough covered in white sauce and herbs served with marinara sauce on the side. I didn't notice it on the menu but you can also add jalapeños to the bread for $1 more and I think that would've made the appetizer even better. The bread stix with marinara was just a plate of six breadsticks served with a side of marinara sauce. These breadsticks with very thin and tough to bite through and I wouldn't order again. Other menu options are 'the governor' pizza which is topped with oil-based white sauce, chicken, tomatoes, feta, and jalapeños or the build your own mac and cheese.
Capitol Hill Tavern: 1225 Logan St., Denver, CO 80203
Peaks Lounge
Located in the Hyatt Regency, this bar on the 27th floor offers great views and drinks. I ordered my go-to bar drink which is just a classic cranberry vodka but there are plenty of different Colorado cocktails to choose from. One option is the rocky mountain sour which is Stranahan's whisky, Breckenridge bitter, and lemon. Another Peaks Lounge, Colorado twist is the 27th Floor 14 which is Richardo's decaf coffee liqueur, vanilla vodka, espresso, and fresh cream. If you're in the mood for some appetizer style foods then the kitchen is open from 5 - 10 pm. There is a decent variety of options from lamb meatballs to the house blend sliders. The kitchen also makes some sweet treats as well such as the berry and s'mores fondue for two or the red velvet ice cream sandwich.
Peaks Lounge: 650 15th St., Denver, CO 80202
Jelly Cafe
This small cafe is always crowded for breakfast or lunch but is worth the wait. Located in the Capitol Hill area, this spot is well known for their breakfast items as well as their doughnut bites. I ordered the southern biscuits and gravy which is a homemade drop biscuit with gravy. The dish is served with either rustic potatoes or a morning green salad. My friend and I had to order the doughnut bites which unfortunately I cannot remember what the flavors were. There is a chalkboard on the wall of specialty beverages for the day and the doughnut bite flavors options will be on that sign.
Jelly Cafe: 600 E. 13th Ave., Denver, CO 80203
Hudson Hill
Last but not least on the list of Denver spots is Hudson Hill. My friend and I found this spot after we deemed that the waiting list at Jelly Cafe was too long. Steps away from the cafe, Hudson Hill is a brunch/cocktail spot is super millennial chic with an open layout, light wood decor, and lots of greenery. This is a great place to meet up with friends to chat over cocktails and breakfast foods. Of course I ordered the mimosa from the menu but I am not sure what I ordered for brunch. One notable menu item is the grilled cheese which comes with a mixture of their craft cheese. There is also a sizeable list of coffee items on the menu including the golden root which is a tumeric latte.
Hudson Hill: 619 E. 13th Ave., Denver, CO 80203
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