Everything We Know About Denver

Headed over to the Garden Spot Cafe on Larimer & 32nd today to check it out. Located just up the street from the Walnut Room in a bright orange building, it was pretty quiet but still looked inviting. We didn’t make it over until around noon and it’s only open until 2 pm on Saturdays/Sundays.  We had the stuffed French Toast (just okay) and Smothered Burrito (which was really good) along with a pretty decent cup a joe.

All in all, I’d recommend checking the place out. It has great potential, a ton of space & tables, wireless internet supporting the coffee shop feel, and an adorable little garden patio area to get some sun and enjoy your meal - all in a developing part of town that could use your support! Regardless, beats waiting in the line at Snooze for an hour or more!

Top 3 No Fail Restaurants

1. Le Central - Affordable French! Great atmosphere, and you can’t go wrong with the pots of muscles.

2. Tamayo - I love Tamayo because I love their sauces, and they do an interesting take on nuvo Mexican - unique flavors that always please.

3. Pasquini’s - Best pizza in town, not to mention breadsticks with garlic butter makes it worth the trip.

1. Proto’s - Always a crowd pleaser

2. Le Central - Great place that company always likes

3. Tommy’s Thai - Just really, really good.

1. Tommy’s Thai - when you just want something delicious, head to Tommy’s Thai, you’ll find it always worth the trip. Plus, who doesn’t love their water in metal camping cups!?

2. Lola - It’s a great fallback because it’s never bad. I have had stuff at Lola that isn’t the MOST amazing, but it’s always at least good, and the ambiance is great too. Plus, the menu changes seasonly so you don’t get sick of the place. It simply qualifies as a no fail in every way possible.

3. Z Cuisine - (Also check out Z Cuisine Parisian Wine Bar À Côté next door!) This is perhaps my favorite restaurant in Denver. Menu changes weekly. Everything is always deliciously worth it. As far as price, it’s not no fail - it’s actually quite pricey (but worth it). And in fact it’s quite a long experience to go to Z Cuisine as well. But, that is precisely why I like it - provided you enjoy the company of people you are dining with and like to drink (lots) of yummy wine and eat dessert and follow that with some coffee. If that sounds good to you, then Z Cuisine will be a no fail for you, too.

Read a post from the Central Denver Blog today, which has some great info on it. The writer is in real estate, but also posts general helpful posts about Denver sometimes. This one is about Denver Skate Parks, as one of her 1001 things to do in Denver posts. She’s only at #4 so she has some work ahead of her, but I love the idea and the info. As she posts these, we’ll pick out ones that are relevant and link to them here, so check back! Thanks Jennifer!

Other Denver blogs to check out:

The Latest Word (mentioned previously)
Mile High Buzz (coffee shops in Denver blog)
Denver Politics
Denver Infill (development of downtown)
Elevated Voices (5280’s blog)
Nic and the city (Gay male in Denver)
Denver Doings - from the Post
Get Real Denver - on music and bars
Mile High Mama’s
28 Deep - photography & fashion
Denver Syntax - literary, art & music
Denver metblogs

After celebrating a long, patriotic holiday weekend full of eating, we got together and started to compile some of our Top 3 lists for food and restaurants in the area. (In the process of compiling said list we realized we frequent many of the same places and probably need to branch out more. Any suggestions? Please comment and help guide us in our quest for the most delicious places in Denver.)

We’ll be posting our Top 3s during the next week or so and are kicking it off with places to grab a quick bite. Enjoy!

Top 3 Quick Bites

1. Jamaica Juice - Okay, so it’s in Writers Square next to American Apparel. The name is completely deceiving — they do have fresh smoothies but they have the most de-li-cious sandwiches toasted or not aaaaaand salads … I don’t even like salads, but they have great dressings … go try it!

2. Whole Foods - I love Whole Foods. I can’t help it — so many choices.

3. The House of Commons - Kay showed me this one. I am a fan. The lady is adorable with her English accent and they have real clotted cream and lemon curd for their scones. But the sandwiches are fresh and light and are a perfect stop-and-go lunch.

- HB

1. Illegal Pete’s - Tasty burritos nearly as big as your head — what’s to explain?

2. Handlebar Grill - The menu offers a variety of tasty sandwiches and burgers

3. Cook’s Fresh Market - While some of the things in this store are fairly overpriced, the folks at Cook’s will throw together a sandwich with fresh, tasty ingredients.

- C

1. Noodles and Company - It’s a reliable quick bite. You always know what you are going to get, and it’s always fast.

2. Illegal Pete’s - A local place that’s more delicious than Chipolte. It also has a pretty unique atmosphere.

3. Amy’s frozen entrees - While not technically a restaurant, what’s a girl to do when short on time and hungry for something delish? Some of my favorites are the Mexican bowls and cheese enchiladas.

- K

I take dessert very, very - very - seriously. So here they are, my favorite desserts in town.

Drum Roll.

Peach Bread pudding from Via. People - I don’t even like bread pudding - but this stuff is delicious. We were at Via (Wynkoop & 18th) the other night with a work group and after the first taste, ended up ordering about 10 more of this delicious lightly peachy, smothered in whipped cream, and over a bed of buttery brown sugar dessert. I highly recommend trying it out.

and

Lemoncello Tartuffo from Proto’s - 15th and Platte (you can just request the yellow skittle dessert and they’ll get you the right thing). This is a little ball of heaven. If you’re a chocolate fan get the other flavor. Basically it’s got a hard lemony sweet center, surrounded by a sweet/tarte lemony gelato, covered on the outside with sugar lemon dust. All over a bed of rasberry drizzle. And no, that isn’t the technical description, but it is the delicious one.

Now, go! Eat dessert! And report back on your favorite desserts in town.

“I love Paris in the springtime! I love Paris in the fall! Why? Oh, Why? Do I love Paris?”. I wouldn’t go to Paris to have the best cup of coffee or a beautiful view of the Platte River. It has neither. The service is not really that great either, you’re lucky if the waiter comes back to your table more than twice. But why do I love Paris so much? It is truly a coffeehouse. Meant for gatherings and conversation with friends or a place to be completely left alone (including by the staff). It is loud and one of the greatest places to people watch, currently a lot of emo teenyboppers are around and a nice grouping of techie adults (is techie a word?) And well, this could be a downer for some, but you can smoke inside there (ps. recently the front room became non-smoking). If you’re wondering about that they became a cigar bar so its legal to smoke there. As a non-smoker I buck it up go because there aren’t many places where they could care less how long you sit there, use the internet for free, that stays open till 2am, annnnnd has some of the best sandwiches in town. That’s the secret about this place… de li cious fooood! Homemade hummus, salsa, pastries, cakes, sandwiches, and pizzas. Seriously great sandwiches. I personally like their tuna melt and veggie melt, and some kind of eggplant sandwich too. Oh yah, they also have milkshakes which are pretty tasty. If you also are nearby in the AM, they do a breakfast burrito to-go, also tasty. It’s not busy in the mornings and its quiet then too. And if the smoking really gets to you the own the attached wine bar called Paris Wine Bar. No smoking, no coffee, same food, lots of wine! Smaller more intimate. Both places are great…so check it out the sandwich is worth it…so is the atmosphere there is nothing like it Denver.

Project Angel Heart is a Denver organization that promotes the health, dignity and self-sufficiency of people living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening illnesses by providing nutritious, home-delivered meals with care and compassion. I’ve volunteered for the organization before, driving around town to deliver food to their recipients.

Tonight, May 1st, is the night to Dine out for Life and support Project Angel Heart through participating restaurants. 25% of your meal price goes to the organization.

This is a blog about denver, downtown denver, denver events, happenings and goings on in denver. We’ll feature:

Events in denver: once a year activities, plays, concerts, galas, etc.

Denver Restaurants: what we love, like and dislike about restaurants and food in Denver, as well as general where you can find it info.

Adventure/Leisure in Denver: outdoors, museums, parks, etc.

Nightlife: bars, nighttime fun, etc.

News/Gossip: with emphasis on news

Shopping: especially boutiques and local spots

And of course you can check here for denver fun, travel to denver, and basically, anything denver. AND, if you don’t see what you’re looking for here, shoot us an email and we’ll do our best to post about it or give you a personal suggestion of where to go, what to do, etc.

Want us to feature your business/site/etc.? Email ewkadenver@gmail.com