During the five years I lived in Denver, I found my way around the city through food.
I started on South Pearl Street — where I was crashing on my sister’s couch — falling in love with the shops and restaurants underneath her quaint walk-up apartment. But I’ve also lived on South Broadway, where I bar-hopped from the Irish Rover to Canopy until COVID shut it all down, and in Englewood, where I discovered AJ’s Pit Bar-B-Q while on a bike ride.
More recently, I’ve been a West Highland and Sloan’s Lake resident, exploring the nooks of hidden gems on Tennyson Street, 32nd Avenue and Federal Boulevard.
Sure, it was easy adjusting to a new town when I had my sister and brother to turn to. But I didn’t really consider it home until I felt like a regular at some of my favorite restaurants.
Now, I’m moving on to a new chapter in Austin, Texas. I’ve truly treasured this position as a culinary guide for the city and can’t thank you all enough for your readership.
Before I wrote about these restaurants, I was a frequent patron, who fell in love with the ambiance and enticing menus on my own terms. And when I return for a visit, that’s what I’ll be once again.
Here are the eight restaurants I’ll miss the most.
Post Oak Barbecue
One of my first assignments for The Denver Post was to write a list of the best barbecue spots in town — which wasn’t a stretch since I’m a Kansas City native. I tested all seven spots featured in the story and identified Post Oak Barbecue as the best.
I won’t forget the friendly faces and memories made there. Every time I walked in, I was greeted by employees who were just as excited to talk about the barbecue as I was to eat it. (Plus, my story hangs on the wall as a source of personal pride.) I can still confidently say I’ve never had a dry piece of meat here, and I will be forever searching for sides that live up to their jalapeno bacon mac-and-cheese and fried okra.
4000 Tennyson St.; Denver; postoakdenver.com
Angelo’s Taverna
Angelo’s was one of the first restaurants my sister took me to, and when she moved back to Kansas City this summer, it was the last place we ate together. The rustic Italian restaurant has become a staple for my family during our time in Colorado. We’ve celebrated birthdays, engagements and new family members over arancini and toasted ravioli, bowls of spicy penne pasta, lobster gnocchi and a dozen oysters. Angelo’s will always hold a place in my heart.
620 E. 6th Ave., Denver; angelostaverna.com
Temaki Den
As someone who grew up in a landlocked state, I never had high expectations for sushi — and I was ready for more of the same in Denver. But Temaki Den’s fresh fish, shipped in daily from a market in Japan, changed that. The sleek, Michelin-recommended restaurant from the team behind Sushi Den opened in The Source Hotel in 2020. Even if you’ve never had a temaki (handroll) or flame-seared nigiri, the team will guide you through your order, while you watch them work tirelessly behind the sushi bar.
3350 Brighton Blvd., Denver; temakiden.com
La Calle Taqueria Y Carnitas
La Calle Taqueria y Carnitas, a bright orange hut with only a flailing banner featuring images of tacos for a sign, turns out some of my favorite street tacos in Denver. This was another recommendation from my sister, who lived nearby, and it became my own go-to, especially when I craved a high-quality bite that didn’t burn a hole in my pocket. La Calle’s tacos are only $3.39, no matter which of the 17 meats you choose. I am personally a fan of the al pastor, slow-roasted on a rotating vertical rotisserie, and the tender cochinita pibil, which I pile up with fresh-cut onion, cilantro, and a selection of homemade salsas.
1565 W. Alameda Ave., Denver; lacalletaqueriaycarnitas.com
Blackbelly Market Denver
Before it was Blackbelly, this corner shop off Tennyson Street was home to il porcellino salumi, where I’d pop in nearly every week for the Bacon Sandwich with shaved bacon, apple butter, jalapeno aioli, tomato, Pecora fondue and lettuce on country toast. Fortunately, Blackbelly, founded in Boulder, kept this sweet, salty, spicy, savory sandwich on the menu after it took over from il porcellino, which closed last January. Since then, I’ve found a new favorite as well in the Cubano, which comes stacked with some of the most flavorful ham and roast pork I’ve ever tried, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard aioli on a crisp telera roll.
4324 W. 41st Ave., Denver; blackbelly.com
Cart-Driver
My farewell lunch with my colleagues was celebrated at Cart-Driver, one of my favorite pizza joints in town. I am partial to Neapolitan style, so the blackened, pillowy crust fresh out of the woodfired oven at Cart-Driver checks all the boxes. You’ll always get me seated when a restaurant highlights oysters on the menu. And when I tried the combination of buttery littleneck clams with pancetta and roasted garlic on top of a pizza, I threw my simple cheese pie days out the window.
2500 Larimer St., Denver; cart-driver.com
Wendell’s
First thing in the morning, I like to keep it simple. That’s why I fell in love with the new-school diner vibe at Wendell’s. I didn’t visit enough times to make it on the restaurant’s marquee sign featuring all of its regulars, but I’ve eaten enough of Wendell’s buttermilk pancakes to get an honorary mention. The flapjacks, made with brandy, lemon zest and vanilla, are bigger than your head, so one is enough to fill you up. For a savory bite, I crave the classic Eggs Benedict, which stands tall with a thick slab of ham. And on the weekends, add an ample pour of mimosa or a boozy latte.
3838 Tennyson St., Denver; wendellsbreakfast.com
Bastien’s Restaurant
I might be able to find a replacement for my favorite tacos and barbecue in Texas, but I guarantee I will be stumped on my search for a sugar-encrusted steak. Bastien’s has been a Denver staple since 1958, stopping East Colfax travelers dead in their tracks with its neon sign, labeling it the “Home of the Sugar Steak.” The signature New York strip is lightly dusted with sugar and slapped on the grill, where the sugar caramelizes and delivers a delicate crunch. The retro steakhouse with red leather booths, carpeted floors, and three levels of moody lighting makes you feel like a member of the Rat Pack. Waiters hand-shake martinis tableside. Every steak dish comes with a free house salad, a side of vegetables and a potato how you like it. No one does it like Bastien’s anymore (without an extra fee).
3503 E. Colfax Ave., Denver; bastiensrestaurant.com
Originally Published: August 12, 2024 at 6:25 a.m.
