OVER THE PAST few years, Denver’s dining scene has been transformed by a fresh infusion of chefs and restaurateurs from across the country. This new cohort joins industry peers such as Caroline Glover, who won the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Mountain in 2022 and who long ago planted roots in the Mile High City.
After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, Glover rose through the ranks in celebrated restaurants such as The Spotted Pig in New York City and Acorn in Denver. She spent time cooking and working on farms across Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Colorado, and this influence shows in her modern American restaurant, Annette, which she opened in 2016 in Aurora, just outside of Denver. Her dedication to quality food producers is admirable, and the warmth she brings to her space makes guests feel as if they’ve pulled up a seat at a friend’s dinner table. This guide is an extension of that same warmth, as Glover shares her most beloved industry spots for everything from a memorable morning bun to a coveted nightcap.
Coffee and Bakeries
Lula Rose General Store
An oasis for morning coffee
Lula Rose is nestled among the bustle of Colfax — a well-traveled street in the Denver area. Glover describes the eatery as a little oasis, and her husband and she visit often for oat-milk matcha and cortados. The cafe specializes in craft coffee...
Lula Rose is nestled among the bustle of Colfax — a well-traveled street in the Denver area. Glover describes the eatery as a little oasis, and her husband and she visit often for oat-milk matcha and cortados. The cafe specializes in craft coffee and also serves grab-and-go items such as pastries, bagels, and breakfast burritos, all of which come highly recommended.
Bakery Four
Sweet and savory goods
Shawn Bergin started Bakery Four out of his home in October 2019. Less than a year later, due to its popularity, he established its first brick-and-mortar. Since then, it has expanded to its current, much larger, location. Glover reports that you’ll...
Shawn Bergin started Bakery Four out of his home in October 2019. Less than a year later, due to its popularity, he established its first brick-and-mortar. Since then, it has expanded to its current, much larger, location. Glover reports that you’ll consistently find a line of customers waiting to purchase classics such as morning buns (her favorite) and freshly baked naturally leavened bread. Additionally, their bagels have been such a hit that Bergin is in the process of opening a bagel shop — Rich Spirit Bagels. Pick up a coffee and your baked goods here, or experience their bread at Glover’s restaurant, Annette.
Poulette Bakeshop
A true gem just outside of Denver
“Poulette sells out every single day,” explains Glover. The unassuming bakery in a strip mall in Parker, Colorado, is helmed by husband-and-wife team Alen Ramos and Carolyn Nugent, whom Glover describes as “two of the most passionate and skilled people...
“Poulette sells out every single day,” explains Glover. The unassuming bakery in a strip mall in Parker, Colorado, is helmed by husband-and-wife team Alen Ramos and Carolyn Nugent, whom Glover describes as “two of the most passionate and skilled people I know.” The couple has trained with prominent chefs across Europe and the U.S. and has built or assisted with many renowned pastry programs, such as those at Quince, Bouchon Bakery, Bottega Louie, and Tartine Bakery. When asked for her favorite pastry Glover hesitates, pleading that “everything they have is delicious,” but she eventually lands on the apple fritters. It’s impossible to go wrong here.
Lunch, Dinner, and Bars
Stowaway Kitchen
A treasured lunch spot
Stowaway Kitchen, a bright and airy eatery owned by Hayden Barnie and Amy Cohen, is Glover’s all-time favorite restaurant. The fruit toast — made with apricot, prunes, and salted butter — is excellent, but the toast alone is worth a trip. Glover suggests...
Stowaway Kitchen, a bright and airy eatery owned by Hayden Barnie and Amy Cohen, is Glover’s all-time favorite restaurant. The fruit toast — made with apricot, prunes, and salted butter — is excellent, but the toast alone is worth a trip. Glover suggests their asa gohan, a grilled salted-Verlasso salmon dish with rice and fresh avocado, topped with carrot and ginger slaw, black sesame seeds, a poached egg, and toasted nori (seaweed). Stowaway is open for breakfast and lunch only.
Leven Deli Co.
Exceptional picnic provisions
Leven Deli Co. is part Mediterranean restaurant, part wine bar, part Jewish deli. It’s Glover’s go-to spot for a fresh and local salad, an impressively large pastrami Reuben, or an excellent glass of wine. She suggests taking your food to go (the interiors...
Leven Deli Co. is part Mediterranean restaurant, part wine bar, part Jewish deli. It’s Glover’s go-to spot for a fresh and local salad, an impressively large pastrami Reuben, or an excellent glass of wine. She suggests taking your food to go (the interiors are gorgeous but small) and heading to nearby Curtis Park for a picnic. While you’re in the neighborhood, which is in the heart of the museum district, don’t miss the Denver Art Museum located next door.
Urban Burma
Remarkable food hall-style Burmese
Urban Burma, a laid-back Burmese restaurant, is located inside Mango House, a community hub for refugees. The space is set up like a traditional marketplace or food hall, so the restaurant sits alongside other Asian, Syrian, Ethiopian, Nepalese, and Swahili...
Urban Burma, a laid-back Burmese restaurant, is located inside Mango House, a community hub for refugees. The space is set up like a traditional marketplace or food hall, so the restaurant sits alongside other Asian, Syrian, Ethiopian, Nepalese, and Swahili spots owned by immigrants and refugees. Glover visits frequently, and her usual order is Urban Burma’s crunchy tea-leaf salad and samosas — which are, she claims, “the best I’ve ever had in my life.”
Tavernetta
Buzzy Italian with handmade pasta
While Tavernetta is beloved for its pasta program, its meat dishes such as rabbit, steak, and sea bass, as well as its smaller plates such as crudo, crostini, and salads are not to be overlooked. Glover is partial to their seafood-centric pasta — a seasonal...
While Tavernetta is beloved for its pasta program, its meat dishes such as rabbit, steak, and sea bass, as well as its smaller plates such as crudo, crostini, and salads are not to be overlooked. Glover is partial to their seafood-centric pasta — a seasonal squid pasta dish in particular. The restaurant is a common date-night spot for her husband and her, and she says that while the dining room is lovely, they often opt for the bar, where they are always poured an exceptional glass of wine.
Cart-Driver RiNo
An industry spot for oysters, pizza, and cocktails
Cart-Driver has two locations in Denver, and Glover’s preferred one is housed in a shipping container (with plenty of room for indoor seating) in the River North Art District, affectionately nicknamed RiNo. Cart-Driver is known for their pizzas, oysters,...
Cart-Driver has two locations in Denver, and Glover’s preferred one is housed in a shipping container (with plenty of room for indoor seating) in the River North Art District, affectionately nicknamed RiNo. Cart-Driver is known for their pizzas, oysters, and cocktails — Glover reports that their “messed-up Negroni” (a classic Negroni topped with a splash of prosecco) is a favorite. They’re open for lunch, dinner, and late-night bites, and they have a large outdoor space for when the weather is just right.
Temaki Den
An unexpected hand-roll experience
Temaki Den is located in The Source Market Hall — a culinary and artisan destination attached to The Source Hotel — which boasts everything from a premium barber shop to Israeli cuisine. Temaki Den is one of many restaurants there, and specializes in temaki...
Temaki Den is located in The Source Market Hall — a culinary and artisan destination attached to The Source Hotel — which boasts everything from a premium barber shop to Israeli cuisine. Temaki Den is one of many restaurants there, and specializes in temaki (hand-rolls), and aburi (flash-seared) sushi. Their menu changes with the seasons, but, Glover highly recommends their blue-crab temaki, if it's on the menu. Contrary to what you might imagine when you think of a market hall, Temaki Den’s space provides a low-light escape while still feeling part of something larger. Before or after dining, take time to explore the artisan boutiques and businesses.
Marigold Lyons
A new classic outside of Denver
Of Marigold Lyons, Glover confesses, “It’s a little hike from Denver, but so worth it.” The restaurant opened just last year in Lyons, about an hour outside the city. You’ll find rotating seasonal plates influenced by southern French and northern Italian...
Of Marigold Lyons, Glover confesses, “It’s a little hike from Denver, but so worth it.” The restaurant opened just last year in Lyons, about an hour outside the city. You’ll find rotating seasonal plates influenced by southern French and northern Italian cuisines. Chef Theo Adley has created a menu that mirrors the restaurant's atmosphere, which Glover describes as “simple and clean.” She highly suggests ordering any of the seasonal vegetables alongside a pasta dish.
Yacht Club
Elevated cocktails and excellent bar fare
After running a beloved liquor store and numerous pop-ups, Mary Allison Wright and McLain Hedges opened their first brick-and-mortar bar, Yacht Club, at the end of 2021. While many come for their carefully crafted cocktails, ask Wright or one of the other...
After running a beloved liquor store and numerous pop-ups, Mary Allison Wright and McLain Hedges opened their first brick-and-mortar bar, Yacht Club, at the end of 2021. While many come for their carefully crafted cocktails, ask Wright or one of the other bartenders for their suggestions of wines by the glass that you won’t find on the menu. Order a classic hot dog with a bag of potato chips. Open late-night.
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Our Contributors
Hailey Andresen Writer
Hailey Andresen is the guides editor at Departures. A New York–based writer and editor, she founded the digital lifestyle publication Household Mag and has spent more than a decade in the hospitality industry.
