Denver’s culinary culture is thriving, with an exciting number of new restaurants and pubs coming this summer. From inventive restaurants providing globally inspired food to intimate bars selling one-of-a-kind beverages, there’s something for everyone.
Whether you’re a native foodie or simply visiting the Mile High City, these restaurants guarantee to provide unforgettable dining experiences that emphasize the unique flavors and innovative talents of Denver’s chefs and mixologists.
Join us as we explore seven of the top new spots that have rapidly become must-see destinations for foodies and drinkers alike. Prepare to satisfy your taste buds and explore Denver’s dynamic culinary environment this summer!
1. Ajax Downtown
Last month, a piece of Aspen arrived in the Ballpark neighborhood. Ajax Downtown, the nicer brother of Ajax Tavern within the opulent Little Nell hotel, has taken over the area that used to house Citizen Rail.
While the name has changed, the luxury restaurant continues to serve flame-fired, dry-aged steaks and contemporary American nibbles prepared by Jared Becker, who was the senior chef at Citizen Rail and has since taken over the kitchen at Ajax Downtown.
Becker’s creative dishes include Campari-soaked heirloom tomatoes with black garlic crème and basil bavarois, as well as wild sea bass with marinated olives, salty artichokes, fennel purée, and bilbaína sauce (oil seasoned with garlic and dried chiles). Any entrée will go beautifully with the fresh-truffle-laden potato pavé.
Address: 1899 16th Street Mall—PK
2. ButterPunk Cookies
Two words: cookie window. As if the Post’s fried chicken and beer weren’t enough, the local chain’s LoHi location has recently added a takeout-only Window of Happiness, where you can get freshly baked ButterPunk cookies and—why not?—drinks made by a robot barista.
Our favorite is the very chocolatey peanut butter chip cookie, but ButterPunk executive chef and founder Corina Johnson is an expert with butter, sugar, and flour, so you’ll want to sample the salty chocolate chip and soft vanilla sugar cookies as well. Wash it all down with “botrista’s” boba milk teas, delicious lemonades, iced coffees, and slushes, which the robot may spike for those over 21.
Address: 1575 Boulder Street — Arkansas
3. Carne
Carne’s simple name, which means “meat” in Spanish, belies the restaurant’s overall richness. But, with culinary powerhouse Dana Rodriguez at the helm, the two-month-old RiNo spot’s globally inspired menu, superb beverages program, and energetic atmosphere should come as no surprise.
The upscale digs, complete with vintage living room furnishings, floor-to-ceiling windows, plants, and other verdant touches, are the first sign that this isn’t your typical steakhouse. The cocktail menu has a tableside martini cart service and the mezcal-infused Panther’s Milk with dairy-free horchata; if you prefer wine, browse the interactive wine wall and select your own bottle (with staff assistance).
The food is excellent, as it is at all Dana Rodriguez concepts. We really appreciated the Colorado lamb lollipops and orange-glazed duck confit, although there are a variety of reasonably priced steaks available if you prefer a more typical steakhouse experience.
Address: 2601 Larimer Street — EP
4. Champagne Tiger
The iconic Googie-style structure at 601 E. Colfax Ave. has undergone significant alteration in recent years. For two decades, it was the 24-hour greasy spoon Tom’s Diner, until 2022, when it changed to Tom’s Starlight, a cocktail club concept that closed in less than a year. Champagne Tiger, which debuted last month, wants to alter its trajectory.
Owner Chris Donato spent over ten years cultivating the Pizzeria Locale brand, and he’s used that hospitality experience to create a French-influenced cuisine and drink program at Champagne Tiger, leveraging on the restaurant’s location in Denver’s LGBTQ cultural hub.
For example, every Wednesday, the restaurant serves a $39 three-course pasta dinner and cabaret show special, and on Sundays, it holds a lavish drag brunch with dishes ranging from a typical French omelette to fried green tomato eggs Benedict. We admire the focus on the food and entertainment, which should be accompanied by a Caddy Issues cocktail loaded with cognac.
Address: 601 E. Colfax Ave.—EP.
5. Cózobi Fonda Fina
Chef Johnny Curiel of Cozobi Fonda Fina in Boulder wants you to feel as if you’re having an upgraded backyard BBQ at his home. The buzzy spot, which he opened in the former Arcana building on Walnut Street, is the larger sister concept to Alma Fonda Fina, which has been operating for a year.
While Alma and Cozobi both provide contemporary Mexican food in a comfortable neighborhood setting with soft lighting and reclaimed wood decorations, the latter’s menu concentrates on wood-fired cooking and corn’s many uses. In truth, “Cozobi” alludes to the Zapotec god of maize, whom Curiel honors with a variety of innovative dishes, including elote Caesar salad topped with crumbled chicharrones and roasted lamb shank served with avocado salsa and frijoles de la olla (stewed pinto beans infused with masa).
Ask to seat at the chef’s counter, where you can watch the chefs prepare dishes of sweet-spicy ceviche de coco tierno (young coconut) and tostadas topped with bigeye tuna.
Address: 909 Walnut St., Suite 100, Boulder—PK.
6. The Greenwich
One should not underestimate the difficulty of a menu redesign. Restaurateurs must showcase new dishes that reflect the restaurant’s new direction, keep popular dishes on the menu to keep current customers satisfied, and ensure that both components work together to create a cohesive menu.
Delores Tronco, the proprietor of the Greenwich (formerly known as the Greenwich 2.0) in RiNo, did just that this summer. What hasn’t changed are the restaurant’s wonderfully blistered pizzas, a variety of innovative vegetable plates, and one of Denver’s most excellent cheesecakes.
However, new dishes, both large and tiny (for example, large-format meatballs with brown-butter polenta and a delicate plate of Cerignola olives and artichokes), demonstrate Greenwich’s shift toward Italian and Italian American flavors. Order a mix of old and new, because executive chef Luke Miller believes it’s best savored together.
Address: 3258 Larimer Street —EP
7. Little Brazil
Little Brazil, a small Brazilian grocery and restaurant that had been serving customers at Gold’s Marketplace in Wheat Ridge for over a decade, relocated to larger digs off 38th Avenue in March. Kallen Marques, co-owner of the 3,000-square-foot property, which now has a sleek, green-tile-adorned bar and a sunny back terrace, serves a redesigned lunch and supper menu as well as a small market stocked with sweets, frozen products, coffee and teas, and other pantry items.
We recommend matching the hora de festa—a sampler of bite-size, dough-wrapped croquettes loaded with contents including cheese (our fave), shredded chicken and corn, and ground beef and bulgur—with a typical lime caipirinhas. Other Brazilian specialties include feijoada (black bean stew), churrasco-style pork skewers, and mushroom stroganoff.
Address: 7333 W. 38th Ave., Wheat Ridge—PK.
Final Words
This summer, Denver’s culinary environment will blossom with the addition of these seven new restaurants and bars. Each location promises distinct cuisines and dynamic atmospheres, providing locals and visitors with an exceptional eating experience. Don’t miss out on discovering these must-see destinations!