Restaurants: 2014 in Review, What’s Up for 2015

January 1, 2015  •  Restaurants

I set out in 2014 with a strategy to make it to a growing list of new restaurants in Denver that I wanted to try. I even put out a call to friends to join me for lunch, and managed to get that done a couple of times. And although I did make it to over a dozen new spots this year, Denver’s incredible restaurant boom left me with a longer list of places to try at the end of 2014 than I did in January. Read on to see where I ate, what I loved, and where I’m going next!spuntino denver meatballs

Spuntino – I only had lunch here and enjoyed it, but wasn’t so over the top in love that I made it back again yetsteubens meatloaf with mushroom gravySteuben’s – the food here is classic comfort food, but frankly so heavy that my guilt doesn’t let me go back!session kitchen denver fried green tomato sandwich-1Session Kitchen – I initially went here for dinner, but what I really love about this place is their Sunday brunch. We go at least a few times during the summer when the Pearl St. Farmers’ Market is in full swingbeast and bottle denver pork tostadosBeast & Bottle – initially went for brunch which my friend declared the best food we’ve had in years, and returned for dinner once, but somehow haven’t made it back againnew saigon rice bowl eggrollsNew Saigon – this place has been on everyone’s “list” for many years – although it was good, I didn’t think it was the best Vietnamese food I’d had in my life, and I’m not sure I will venture all the way up to that neighborhood again just for thissqueaky bean denver beet salad 1Squeaky Bean – I went for dinner, then I went for brunch, then I went back for dinner – and I’m pretty sure I’ll go back any time I’m looking for a great downtown spot.farm-fresh-eggsTable 6 – I went for Sunday brunch and the music was so loud we couldn’t speak to each other. Either I’m getting too old for this spot or they need to rethink their ambience strategy. Plus service was slow and my egg whites were runny. I hate to judge a restaurant badly for one bad experience, so I’ll leave this open for now.union station denver stoic and genuine oystersStoic & Genuine – I’ve been for lunch twice, and am certain I’ll be back because my daughter will make me take her there for the oysters (although my favorite thing on the menu is actually the Beet and Ginger Cured Salmon Sandwich)union station denver mercantile dining sous vide chicken polenta brussels sproutsMercantile Dining & Provision – we celebrated a friend’s 60th birthday here on the same night that chef and owner Alex Seidel was celebrating his own birthday – I love everything he does, from Fruition, to the farm, to the incredible sheep’s milk ricotta he produces, and I will most certainly be back to shop and for dinneratticus BLTAtticus – this wasn’t originally on my “get to” list for 2014, but they opened up in my neighborhood, and I’ve now been several times for both lunch and dinner. SO happy to have a great restaurant like this so close by!comida denver tacos quesadillas-1Comida – how was this NOT on my list? Some of the best Mexican food I’ve had in ages, in one of the coolest locations (The Source) – I’ll be back for suregozo denver pizza-1Gozo – this wasn’t on my list either because it hadn’t opened when I created the list, but it’s a nice spot on South Broadway – and hey, I’m always going back to a place that has good burrata and silky meatballsbeatrice and woodsley denver tomato tartBeatrice and Woodsley – this was on my list years ago, then somehow not on my list for 2014, but I ended up going initially for a drink and a snack at the bar with my husband, and then back again for friends moving to Denver – it’s a keeper.

So where am I hoping to dine in 2015?
There are still some places on my list that I didn’t get to:

Z Cuisine
Uncle
Williams and Graham
Old Major
The Populist
Plimoth

And then there are the new places that have opened up that I really want to try:

Sarto’s
Guard and Grace
Work & Class
To the Wind Bistro
Brazen Denver
Chop Shop
Cho77
Grey Cactus
Meadowlark Kitchen
North County

What am I missing that’s on your list?
And who wants to eat out with me in 2015?
Happy New Year!

Comments

2 Comments  •  Comments Feed

  1. Amy David says:

    I’m a foodie. If want company on your upcoming Denver dining explorations, add me to your list.

  2. Cindy says:

    I’ll eat with you. Put me on your list. I was sorry that 2014 didn’t work out for the lunches. I’m going to Old Major for brunch in a couple of weeks.

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