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Denver Westword •

What It Really Takes to Open a Restaurant In Denver Today

On January 29, Dear Emilia, the highly anticipated new restaurant in RiNo, celebrated its grand opening.
As the ownership trio of chef Ty Leon, hospitality director Heather Morrison and Austin Carson cut the ceremonial ribbon, their eyes beamed a mixture of pride and weariness, their laughs a cathartic release. To the public, the event marked the start of the group’s second restaurant since the 2020 debut of Wash Park pasta temple Restaurant Olivia. But for the team, it was the end of a long, gr...
Denver Westword •

Italian Eatery Dear Emilia Is Now Open — Does Denver Deserve It?

Denver has seen no shortage of new Italian restaurants in the last few months, including Johnny Bechamel’s, a fun, modern spin on Italian American fare, and Florence Supper Club, an ode to the beloved red sauce joints of the East Coast.
But the January 29 opening of the long-awaited Dear Emilia in RiNo from the restaurant team that gave us Restaurant Olivia — chef Ty Leon, hospitality director Heather Morrison, and Austin Carson — offers a decidedly alternative view, one that looks past America...
Denver Westword •

Has the Colorado Michelin Guide Paid Off for Restaurants?

It’s been three years since Michelin Guide inspectors arrived in Colorado, bringing with them a new level of scrutiny and attention to the state’s rapidly evolving culinary scene — which just yesterday earned a record number of James Beard Award semifinalists. 
Since 2023, there’s been no shortage of Michelin Stars and snubs, not to mention head-scratching decisions about coverage boundaries and category definitions. The Guide now includes the state’s first two-Star honor for Id Est Hospitality...
Denver Westword •

I Ate at Every Restaurant on Aurora’s Havana Street: Here’s What I Learned

Once a week over the past year, I’ve made the drive from the south end of Havana Street in Aurora north towards Sixth Avenue to visit a different restaurant along what has been called the most diverse street in Colorado for Westword’s Eat Up Havana series. 
On my last trip up this stretch to visit the final stop in this culinary adventure, shortly after Hamden Avenue turns sharply north to become Havana Street, I passed the same Olive Garden near the intersection of Havana and Iliff as I have ev...
Denver Westword •

As Denver-Area Red Sauce Joints Shutter, This Littleton Mainstay Is Expanding

In many major metropolitan areas of the U.S., like New York and San Francisco, Little Italy sits next to Chinatown. In Littleton, there was just Robert’s Italian Deli and Wu’s Garden Chinese restaurant sitting side by side in the same suburban strip mall for nearly 25 years. 
But, as we reported in August, Wu’s Garden was forced to close after the strip mall’s new owner declined to renew its lease, offering Robert’s Italian right of first refusal to assume occupancy of both the old Wu’s as well...
Denver Westword •

Eat Up Havana: Carniceria Aurora Has New Digs, and an In-Store Restaurant

Over a decade ago, former Westword food editor Mark Antonation began his food-writing career by eating his way up Federal Boulevard. Now, we’re turning our attention to another vibrant culinary corridor.
The four-plus-mile stretch of Havana Street between Dartmouth and Sixth Avenue in Aurora is home to the most diverse array of international cuisine available in the metro area. From restaurants and markets to take-and-go shops and stands, food lovers of nearly any ethnicity or interest can find...
Denver Westword •

No Reservations? No Problem! Popular Sushi Spot Adds Walk-In Omakase Experience

Omakase experiences are all the rage in Denver right now, but reservations at spots like Michelin-starred Kizaki can be tough to come by. Being able to just walk in for an omakase-style meal is a rarity in today’s well-planned, digitally curated dining environment. But chefs Toshi and Yasu Kizaki of Sushi Den and Izakaya Den fame are taking steps to bring back at least a hint of spontaneity. 
There was a time when a sushi omakase experience didn’t require a reservation made months in advance. Ba...
Denver Westword •

This Chinese Restaurant Is Livestreaming Its Attempt to Save the Family Business

People love reality TV about struggling restaurants, like Gordon Ramsey’s Kitchen Confidential and Bar Rescue. 
But Jade Cafe in southwest Denver isn’t inviting any celebrity screamers into its house. Instead, this American-Chinese institution, family owned and operated for 38 years, is hoping avoid landing on the list of restaurant closures by livestreaming its dinner service on TikTok.
It’s all part of a developing master plan led by Phu Nguyen, the third family member to take the reins of the...
Denver Westword •

Eat Up Havana: Geez Habesha Is Hard To Find, But Easy To Enjoy

Over a decade ago, former Westword food editor Mark Antonation began his food-writing career by eating his way up Federal Boulevard. Now, we’re turning our attention to another vibrant culinary corridor.
The four-plus-mile stretch of Havana Street between Dartmouth and Sixth Avenue in Aurora is home to the most diverse array of international cuisine available in the metro area. From restaurants and markets to take-and-go shops and stands, food lovers of nearly any ethnicity or interest can find...
Denver Westword •

Resolve to Be a Better Diner in 2026 With These Pro Tips

With 2026 just around the corner, now’s a good time for Denver diners to make a few resolutions to help ensure they have the best dining experiences of their lives in the year ahead. 

The fact is, while dining out can often be an enjoyable, engaging, and delicious experience, it sometimes falls short of expectations. The reasons why vary. In some cases, the restaurant just blows it. But in most cases, diners can stack the odds in their favor and increase their chances for satisfaction with just...
Denver Westword •

Eat Up Havana: New Latin Spot Stars Fresh-Baked Empanadas

If you ever find yourself at Orejano Casual Latin Cuisine on Aurora’s Havana Street, you’ll soon discover that there are empanadas, and then there are empanadas. The minute you walk into the former SteveO’s Pizza & Ribs space, you’ll see the difference before you even taste it. Unlike nearly every other empanada joint in the city, you won’t find a glass display case piled with the backed hand pies here. That’s because each order is made fresh, which makes a bigger difference than you might think.
Denver Westword •

Historic Edgewater Bar Seeking New Tenants…Again 

It’s not uncommon to hear from Denver restaurant owners bemoaning the price of real estate. But landlords have their share of beef as well. Let’s face it, as much as we love our homegrown bars, cafes and diners, sometimes they don’t pay rent.

Take the space at the iconic address of 5280 West 25th Avenue in Edgewater. Great neighborhood, corner spot and a street number to die for. But for landlord Natalie Jolin, finding a stable tenant has proven harder than expected after she inherited the prop...
Denver Westword •

Fill Your Tank — and Your Belly — at These Gas Station Restaurants

When you think of gas station food, a few images probably come to mind. Ultraprocessed mass-market “pastries” wrapped in plastic and piled on wire shelves next to a pot of black dirt water passed off as coffee. Rows of reddish, sweaty hot dogs spinning on a roller grill that looks like a sauna for pathogens. Slurpees. (Okay, Slurpees can be pretty good.) 

So when you stumble upon a gas station restaurant with food that’s not only edible but actually pretty decent, it’s a pleasant surprise. And...
DiningOut - The Voice of Your City’s Culinary Scen •

The Cherry Cricket: 80 Years Strong in Cherry Creek - DiningOut

If you’re looking for a snapshot of Denver’s population today, just visit the Cherry Cricket on any given weekday lunch hour. Take a seat at one of the signature green tables inside the wood-paneled main bar area and watch as the space fills with businessmen in suits and ties, construction workers in bright orange vests, sports bros in caps and jerseys, and families trying to keep the kids together among platters of burgers and fries.
Denver Westword •

Michelin-Level Chef Hosting Pasta Omakase Dinner Parties at His Home

They say you shouldn’t take your work home with you. But when your work is your passion, perhaps you don’t have much of a choice. At least that’s the case for chef Matthew Drazick Halip, who has launched what he’s calling an “at-home dinner series” out of his RiNo townhouse. Domī (Latin for “at home”) is focused on the source of his personal and professional obsession: pasta. 

In fact, he defines the five-course tasting menu as a “pasta omakase,” where each type of pasta served is mixed, rolled...
Denver Westword •

Can Wine Bars Survive in Beer-Soaked Denver?

In August, the Denver wine scene mourned the closure of one of the city’s most well-known and most respected wine bars, Noble Riot. Among the many reactions of those grieving its loss was a sort of self-loathing lamentation that the wine scene in Denver — and the opportunities for wine bars in particular — is forever stuck in the lasting shadow of the city’s world-renowned craft beer culture. 

Viewed through that lens, wine bars in Denver are a curiosity. An anomaly. A square peg in the round h...
Denver Westword •

Boulder Bakery Closing After Thirty Years in Business

The metro area seems to be going through a bakery renaissance of late, with the likes of Tokyo Premium Bakery making Yelp’s top 100 list and Poulette Bakeshop nabbing a James Beard nomination, plus the opening of notable new additions like Moon Racoon. But this week, there is some sad bakery news coming out of Boulder as longtime staple Breadworks Bakery & Cafe has announced that it is closing for good.

“It is with equal measures of sadness and gratitude that we must inform you that the final...
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