Editor’s note: This is part of The Know’s series, Staff Favorites. Each week, we offer our opinions on the best that Colorado has to offer for dining, shopping, entertainment, outdoor activities and more. (We’ll also let you in on some hidden gems). Find our previous Staff Favorites here.
My girlfriends and I still chortle over ordering tapas at a seaside bar in Barcelona in 2004. (We guessed, since it was all in Spanish.) One dish was some little fried minnow-looking things, and my friends looked to me, an East Coast seafood-eater, for what to do.
I confidently popped the whole thing in my mouth.
In between spitting out shell and bones, I had to admit I had no idea what I was doing.
I looked for those crunchy little mystery morsels on the tapas menu at Barcelona Wine Bar in Denver’s River North neighborhood when it first opened in 2018. But although it has boquerones (little anchovies), I never did find what I was looking for. Which is quite OK, since I was happily distracted by the 30 or so choices on its small plates menu.
Don’t expect huge plates; these are tapas, after all. But from what I’ve tried, the flavors put out by executive chef Libry Darusman and his team are large and satisfying. Tapas on the regular menu include prawns a la plancha ($11.50), bacon-wrapped dates ($8), patatas bravas ($8) and flank steak ($14.50). Also available are some large plates (I’ve tried the striped bass and the paella, both amazing), salads and desserts. At happy hour, try the potato chips and lomo iberico ($7.50) or the mini churros with chocolate sauce ($4.50).
You can also make your own charcuterie board ($7 for one item, $19.50 for three), or take the guesswork out of things and go with the aperitivo board ($26), which includes olives, patatas bravas, manchego and mahon cheeses, serrano ham, chorizo and marcona almonds.
The bread, served gratis when you order food, is to die for: warm and crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, with olive oil for dipping.
And the wines! Barcelona has 40 wines by the glass and some 400 bottles, curated by beverage director Emily Nevin-Giannini, who travels the world and works with many small, family-owned vineyards to bring a broad representation from Spain, Germany, Italy, France and elsewhere. (My most recent favorite: a vinho verde from Portugal.)
The space has room for 200 people inside, plus another 35 on the patio, and offers a four-seat counter that looks directly into the kitchen and is a favorite with fellow chefs and industry folks, according to a spokeswoman. It’s a welcoming place (especially at the bar), where twentysomethings and baby boomers mingle and feel comfortable on first dates. (But it can get really crowded and busy, so think about reservations or going at off hours.)
Plus, the knowledgeable and friendly wait staff is happy to help you choose a wine or explain a dish.
OK, so it’s not a seaside tapas bar in Barcelona, but the flavors and atmosphere can help you dream. (And if anyone has an idea of what those crunchy fish things were, let me know.)
Barcelona Wine Bar, 2900 Larimer St., Denver. Brunch Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reservations accepted. barcelonawinebar.com
