Denver has spent years trying to shed its cowtown reputation — which includes trending away from steakhouses toward a much more diverse culinary scene. But A5, which opened in 2021 in the former home of Morin, takes the classic steakhouse and infuses it with a modern sourcing ethos as well as fun, retro vibes. The result is a spot that feels anything but stuffy, thanks in large part to a menu from chef Max MacKissock that includes not only high-quality steaks — including the must-order Japanese wagyu striploin — but also updated takes on such classic steakhouse fare as a wedge salad with crispy guanciale and a crunchy seed mixture, and a beef tartare katsu sandwich with a perfectly soft-boiled quail egg tucked inside.
read moreAwash in turquoise and pink, the dining room of this modern Israeli hot spot in LoHi, which recently resumed brunch service, has a sunny atmosphere to spare — and the menu only enhances it with its smart balance between comfort and adventure. Think feta doughnuts with grape jelly; the play on bagels, lox, and cream cheese that is cured salmon flatbread with herbed labneh; and breakfast pitas stuffed with pastrami, scrambled egg, and fried potatoes.
read moreChef Russell Stippich took over the kitchen at Bar Dough just before the pandemic put the kibosh on indoor dining, making for a challenging start as the traditionally sit-down eatery navigated food to go. Two years later, Stippich has finally gotten the chance to hit his stride at this LoHi eatery from the Culinary Creative Group, which was once helmed by Top Chef alum Carrie Baird. The only thing better than sidling up to the bar for an Aperol spritz and fried pizza dough hot pocket at happy hour is settling in for a full meal so you can linger over burrata with housemade piada bread, spicy diavolo pizza and crave-worthy pasta. Bonus: Bar Dough also serves an Italian spin on brunch.
read moreJuan Padró, founder and CEO of the Culinary Creative Group: The politicizing of the pandemic caused more harm than necessary, and just watching how inexperienced our city was in handling anything like this. It caused huge problems at all of our stores, with angry guests that were confused about mandates, and having to watch our young minds deal with irrational adults that often became aggressive was a real concern. The lack of leadership in our government caused safety issues and mental health issues we are just starting to understand
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