You know that moment when you wake up in the middle of the night and have an epiphany? You even write it down.  That’s what happened to me one night when I came up with the concept for a food and beer tour app.

I’d like to introduce you to Fun Food Tours. Not only is it Denver’s only food and beer tour app it’s the only one in the country.  Matter of fact, if you know of a food tour app in the country, please email me at becky @ culinaryconnectors (dot) com and I will buy you a drink! As of March 16, 2015 we’re still in development but, don’t let that discourage you.  Sign up for our newsletter and we will send you information when it’s ready.

Matter of fact, we’re looking for beta testers, so, if you’re interested in taking a FREE (we did say free) tour, sign up and when we are ready we’ll email you the instructions on how to download the app.  Don’t be selfish, share it with your friends, we want to get at least 50 surveys completed so we can make sure we work out all of those pesky kinks before we launch to the rest of the world…I mean Denver.

Thanks to all of you who have supported our chef and beer geek led tours, we haven’t completely gone away, we just offer those on a private basis now.

Yours in food and beer!

Becky Creighton

President

D Bar, named for drinks, desserts and dining, closed in March of this year for a renovation.  D Bar opened in a new spot in uptown on 19th at the end of November 2014.  Food lovers will appreciate the delicious menu and variety of savory and sweet options.  Like each individual dessert, D Bar is decorated beautifully and with class.

Menage a Apple

Chef Keegan Gerhard and his team elevate traditional comfort food with a unique twist.  They also have a separate section for a pastry case where you can grab coffee drinks and sweets to go or to place special orders.

D Bar offers a happy hour from 3-6pm Monday-Friday and an afternoon tea served every day by reservation only.  (Reservations need to be at least 24 hours advance notice.)

D Bar is located at 494 E 19th St. Denver 80203. 303-861-4710.

Pastry Case Display

Restaurant Hours:

Tuesday-Thursday 11am-10pm

Friday 11am-midnight

Saturday 10am-midnight

Sunday 10am- 9pm

Retail Hours:

Tuesday-Thursday 6:30am-10pm

Friday 6:30am-midnight

Saturday 8am-midnight

Sunday 8am-9pm

Pizza Salad Sandwich

The River North neighborhood has another Colorado craft brewery as of last weekend.  Zephyr Brewing Co. opened December 5th.  Zephyr Brewing Co. has had some hurdles along the way of development as one of the three owners, Tyler Shuey, died in December of 2013.  The other 2 owners, Brian Wood and Rich Wisniewski wanted to still go ahead with opening Zephyr Brewing Co. because they know he wanted this to happen.

All three owners went to grade school and college together in Colorado.  The brewery is meant to be true to its Colorado roots.  The beer is made in a 7 barrel brew house made by Bennett Forgeworks, a company out of Ridgway, Colorado.

Beers currently on tap include:

Milk Stout

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Stout

Scottish Ale

Colorado Pale Ale

Belgian Wit

Zephyr Brewing Co. is located at 1421 26th St. 720-295-9374.

Sat: 11:00 am – Midnight
Sun: 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Mon: 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Tue: Closed
Wed: 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Thu: 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Fri: 12:00 pm – Midnight

Hands down, one of the best cheese shops in Denver is The Truffle Cheese Shop.  They focus on hand made, small batch cheeses that are not in larger chain stores.  Rob and Karen Lawler opened The Truffle Cheese Shop in 2000, and they both have a love for food and people.

You can taste any type of cheese they have in the shop and get varying amounts cut to order for you.  Specialty cheeses can be a fun, delightful holiday gift this time of year, and The Truffle Cheese Shop will hand deliver orders around Denver the week of December 15th.  They also have gift packages that any cheese lover will lover including:

• “Eat Local”- Denver and Colorado producers, including cheese, caramels, jams, tapenades, honey and chocolate.
• Meat Lover- A selection of cured meats, salami and pate, including the world famous Jamon Iberico from Spain.

The second Thursday of every month The Truffle Cheese Shop hosts a beer and cheese pairing where you can sample 4 artisan cheeses, 4 craft beers, fresh fruit and bread all for $20.  If you want a finer dining experience with quality, excellent cheese, go to their cheese focused restaurant, The Truffle Table located at 2556 15th St.

The Truffle Cheese Shop is located at 2906 E 6th Ave. Denver 80206. 303-322-7363.

Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm

Sundays 12-6pm

A sample of cheeses from The Truffle Shop;
photo from The Truffle Shop FB

Shangri-La recently changed their name to Maci Cafe, and now another well known Denver dining establishment is changing their name this week.  Jonsey’s EatBar is officially changing their name to Centennial Tavern this week.  Monday December 1st they celebrated the grand opening with the new name with free drinks and happy hour all night long.

Why the name change?  Owner Leigh Jones wanted to shift the concept to a neighborhood corner tavern instead of a chef driven gastropub.  Most of the food favorites will be staying the same, but simpler entrees and addition of rustic pizzas will be added.

Centennial Tavern will have 22 craft beers on tap along with an extensive wine and cocktail list.  Happy hour starts at 3pm everyday, and they will offer bottomless mimosas for brunch on Saturdays and Sundays until 3pm.  Stop by to see the changes Centennial Tavern has made and share some craft beer and their award winning fries.

Centennial Tavern is located at 400 E 20th Ave. 303-863-7473.

Happy Hour Monday-Friday 3-7pm

Check Centennial Tavern website for more details on hours.

Thanksgiving often means being thankful, eating lots of food, eating lots of sweets and eating lots of leftovers.  If you did not receive your share of home baked pie this week, check out Long I Pie Shop of Denver.  Shanua Lott not just bakes amazing pies but also donates 10% from each slice of pie to local non-profits and hires at risk youth to help teach them life and work skills.

You can enjoy these tasty pies throughout the week at various locations.  Long I Pie Shop does not have a store front, but here is where you can find them:

Fridays at Huckleberry Roasters (2500 Larimer St. and 4301 Pecos St. in Denver)

Saturdays and Sundays at The Universal (2911 W 38th Ave. in Denver)

Saturdays at Sweet Bloom Coffee (1619 Reed St. in Lakewood)

Fridays at Friar Farms (6405 South Boulder Rd. in Boulder)

Look for the Long I Pie Shop 1966 Airstream trailer (named Stella) around Denver area as well.

Flavors of the week can include: The Purple Pear with pear, lavender and crumble top, The Honey Flower with salted lavender honey custard and The Drunken Nut with bourbon chocolate and pecan.  Holiday pie flavors also include sweet potato ginger, spiced apple cranberry and pumpkin chocolate.

You can submit a whole pie or special order online via their website.

Long I Pie Spiced Apple Cranberry Pie

Homegrown Tap & Dough is a family-friendly place with wood-fired, thin-crusted classic and modern pizzas, pastas, antipasto, salads, and a great beer program started by Jean-Philippe Failyau who owns Park Burger and Park and Co.  Homegrown Tap & Dough occupies the space on old South Gaylord that used to be Il Vicino.  The restaurant space has an inviting patio, a wood based rustic design inside that has almost a ski lodge feel to it and simple, satisfying Italian inspired dishes with Colorado flare.

They feature 21 unique specialty craft beers on draft, a huge wine selection and a beer cellar that will wow even the most knowledgeable beer connoisseur to go along with the food.  The pizza is cooked in a wood fire stove with thin crust and unique toppings.  The croque pizza has Idaho potatoes, ham, two eggs, fresh mozzarella, radicchio; the Homegrown has basil pesto, artichokes, roasted red peppers, Kalamata olives and pecorino.  The funguy pizza has garlic base, fontina, mozzarella, roasted mushrooms, arugula, shaved parmesan, prosciutto and truffle oil.  If you’re not in a pizza mood, try the potato gnocchi, sausage & rappini or the new spinach lasagna.

Homegrown Tap & Dough is located at 1001 S Gaylord Denver 80209.  720-459-8736.

Sunday-Wednesday 11am-11pm

Thursday-Saturday 11am-midnight

New Spinach Lasagna;
https://www.facebook.com/HomegrownTapandDough/photos_stream

https://www.facebook.com/HomegrownTapandDough/photos_stream

Cooper Lounge is one of the most sophisticated bars in Denver.  Located in Union Station, it is actually hidden from plain site.  It is a small space tucked away and is somewhat hidden by the railing wrapping around the second story.  Cooper Lounge acts as a lounge area for the Crawford Hotel, but it is also open to the public.

The public can enjoy the feel of this swanky 1930’s style bar anytime.  Walk ins are welcome from the desk on the South side of the Great Hall near Amtrak.  The concierge will then escort you to the second floor when seating is available at Cooper Lounge.  You may have to wait for seating, as space is limited, but the high end drinks, knowledgeable bar tenders and beautiful views of downtown and Union Station make it worth it.

Enjoy an extensive wine list or cocktails such as:

Timeless Old Fashioned with Peach Street Straight Bourbon served over muddled sugar, orange twist, and lemon twist with angostura bitters.

Coloradier with Breckenridge Bourbon stirred with Breckenridge Bitters and Sweet Vermouth, served with an orange twist.

Palisaide Sour with Peach Street Pear Eu de Vie, Egg Whites, Lemon Juice, and Simple Syrup, shaken and finished with Black Walnut Bitters.

Cooper Lounge is located at 1701 Wynkoop St. (second story) Denver 80202. 720-460-3738.

Monday-Sunday 11am-midnight

Reservations may be booked up to two weeks in advance for parties of 20 guests or less. For reservations, please call 720-460-3738. The Cooper Lounge reservation line is live from 9 am to 11 pm daily.

Photo from http://thecrawfordhotel.com/cooper-lounge-2/

There are some upcoming food festivals in November we thought you might want to know about.  Get your tickets and reservations early, as they go fast!

November 4-8: Barolo Grill Truffle Celebration Week

If you love truffles, this celebration event is for you.  Barolo Grill’s executive chef Darrel Truett is putting a menu together every night for dinner November 4-8 that highlights the magic of truffles. The exact menu is still being determined for this year, so check Barolo Grill’s website soon for more details.  Dates and reservations fill quickly for this event; so schedule in advance.  Call Barolo Grill for more information and to make reservations 303-393-1040.

November 16: Denver Beer and Bacon Festival, 2:30-5pm at the Curtis

This is the third year for Denver Beer and Bacon Festival put on by Eat Boston and Denver Off the Wagon.  Buying a ticket to the event gets you samples of bacon dishes and beer, and proceeds from this event are going to Denver’s Metro CareRing and Project Angel Heart.  The line up for this event includes:

Course 1: John Little from Harman’s Eat & Drink with Crooked Stave
Course 2: Drew Watson from Hops & Pie with Copper Kettle Brewing Company
Course 3: Vincent Vigil from Panzano with Renegade Brewing Company
Course 4: Brandon Muncy from The Lobby with TRVE Brewing Co.
Course 5: Samm Sherman from Linger and Root Down with Great Divide Brewing Company

Get your tickets soon before the event gets sold out!

Located in the Santa Fe Art District, Interstate Kitchen & Bar has a traditional diner feel to it with elevated American comfort food and libations.  The food and drinks are homemade, full of flavor and delicious.  Interstate has over 100 whiskeys available as well as a large selection of hand crafted cocktails and craft beers.

Interstate Kitchen & Bar is open late, until midnight for dinner and 1:30am for snacks, has 2 happy hours daily (4-6pm and 12-1:30am) and serves brunch on weekends.  Happy hour specials include $2-4 drink specials and $1-4 cheap eat specials.  A not to miss happy hour drink special is the Horse’s Neck which is made with whiskey, gingerale and a twist of lemon.  Cheap eats include pulled pork sliders, highly addicting bacon popcorn with spicy peanuts, fried pickles and $1 deviled eggs.

This Friday, October 31st, Interstate Kitchen & Bar is putting on the 6th annual Haunted Highway with a costume contest, live music, $20 unlimited drink wristbands and no cover.  Festivities start at 10pm.  Another not to miss event at Interstate is every Monday night “Game Night” starting at 8pm.  This is a chance to challenge your skills at various game shows and possibly win food, drinks and other prizes.

Interstate Kitchen & Bar is located at 1001 Santa Fe Dr. Denver 80204. 720-479-8829.

Happy Hour Daily 4-6pm, 12-1:30am

Lunch Monday-Friday 11am-4pm

Dinner Daily 4pm-12am

Brunch Saturday and Sunday 10am-2pm

Pulled Pork Slider