Artisan markets are a new trend around Denver – a collection of restaurants and food vendors all in one casual dining spot. Otherwise known as hipster food courts, urban food halls or gourmet markets.
Denver is growing quite a collection of these spots starting with Denver Central Market in 2001 and now Zeppelin Station that opened at the beginning of March. These are cool warehouse spots to grab a coffee and bagel in the morning, a drink and dinner in the evening, and a wonderful brunch on the weekends. A great spot for a first date or a gathering with friends, check out these places and their offerings!
EXPLORE DENVER’S ARTISAN FOOD MARKETS!
STANLEY MARKETPLACE
Photograph courtesy of ©Stanley Marketplace
Stanley Marketplace has so much more than food. They feature over fifty vendors (many of them local) that bring education, music classes, clothes, food and drink in one convenient location. It is a neat place to explore and discover which a new shop that could turn into favorite.
Weekend Night Out
Workout: Sweat out the stress with a boxing class at Endorphin, or a good stretch at Kindness Yoga
Pamper Your Self: Feel fabulous after getting your hair done at Semion Barbershop or get your nails done at Base Coat Nail Salon which uses only non-toxic products.
Grab a Drink with Friends: Sip a glass of wine at the Infinite Monkey Theorem, or have a beer at Cheluna Brewing Co.,
Get Something to Eat: Grilled Polenta + Jasper Hill Cheddar at Annette, Tango (sweet onions, ham, peppers, mozzarella) and Argentina Empanadas (seared steak, eggs, red peppers, green onions) Maria Empanada, or Honey Bourbon Sausage (made in Colorado!) at Rolling Smoke BBQ
Indulge in a Dessert: Ozo Coffee Almond Fudge ice-cream at Sweet Cow Ice Cream, or artisan chocolate that is almost to pretty to eat at Miette et Chocolat
THE SOURCE HOTEL + MARKET HALL
Photograph courtesy of ©The Source
The Source has been going through a growth spurt. Originally a food hall it is expanding to include a hotel and other amenities like a barber shop, bank and an art gallery. This may be a nice place to put the relatives when they come into town, but it is a fantastic spot for locals to visit as well. This spot is home to Babettes, a beautiful bakery that has been featured in a few Denver Ear posts because people can’t stop talking about it (and I can’t stop eating there).
Weekend Lunch and Shopping
Pasteries and Coffee: Pastries from Babettes and coffee from Caffe Figurati.
Sip on: Petite Sour Raspberry from Crooked Stave
Sit and Enjoy: Oak Grilled Double Cheeseburger at Acorn or Arrachera taco (grilled skirt steak over refritos with roasted onions, pico de gallo, house crema and cotija) from Comida.
Shop for the Week: “A loaf of bread, a jug of wine and thou.” – Omar Khayyam
Select a cheese, pasta, and olives from Mondo Market , meat from Western Daughters, wine or spirits from The Proper Pour and flowers to brighten the table from Beet and Yarrow.
Psst… Would you like to learn to cook the incredible pastries and breads you taste at Babettes? They are offering a two day class in April 2018!
ZEPPELIN STATION
Photograph courtesy of ©Zeppelin Station
Zeppelin Station is the newest addition to Denver’s food hall industry! It opened to the public on March 12, 2018 and includes eight food stops and two bars. This hall features a No Vacancy stall, which rotates through different food vendors every few months to keep things fresh and entice the curious stomach back again. It is a hop-skip-and- jump from the RTD Train station at 38th/Blake street, so if you are needing a bite to eat as you travel that line, this is a great place to visit.
Weekday Lunch
Mid-morning pick me up: Vietnamese Coffee at Dandy Lion Coffee
Snack: Mango Lassi at Namekeen
Lunch: A healthy lunch might be a Crunch Bowl (jalapeño, cucumber, scallions, edamame, tobiko, crunch, spicy aioli and samurai sauces) Aloha Poke Co or for those wanting comfort food try the authentic Poutine (fresh french fries smothered in cheese and gravy) at Au Feu
Happy Hour: Drinks at Kiss and Ride
THE DENVER CENTRAL MARKET
Photograph courtesy of ©The Denver Central Market
The Denver Central Market is a urban food hall nestled in a 14,000-square-foot restored building with tall ceilings and an urban-industrial feeling. With eleven vendors that each have specials and tempting creations, this is a great place to explore good food as well as pick up staples like bread from Izzio or meat from The Local Butcher.
Suggested Dinner
Drink: East Side (Gin, Lemon, Cucumber, Mint) crafted cocktail from Curio
Appetizer: Charcuterie board from Culture Meat & Cheese
Salad Course: Peanut Butter Soba Time (Arugula, Soba Noodles, Sesame, Peppers, Onion, Peanuts, Apple, Thai Peanut Vinaigrette) from Green Seed.
Entree: Veruda pizza (San Marzano Tomato, spicy Italian sausage, crimini mushrooms, and mozzarella) from Vero
Dessert: Coffee from Crema Bodega, Basil with Blackberry Swirl ice cream from High Point Creamery, or specialty chocolate from Temper Chocolates.
Psst… The Denver Central Market and The Source were recently featured in the “Welcome to Denver” video presented by American Airlines and featuring Mor Zucker, the owner of The Denver Ear!
AVANTI FOOD & BEVERAGE
Photo Credit: ©Arch Daily
Open since 2015, Avanti Food & Beverage continues to grow in popularity, especially during the warm months when patrons can enjoy fantastic food and drink on the rooftop deck. The interior has a wide range of drinks on tap and in bottle and has seven food vendors to entice your taste buds.
Summer Night Date/Friends-Night-Out
Drink: Ella Cider from C Squared Ciders or Genius Wizard Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout from Ratio Beerworks
Appetizer: Queso Arepa from Quiero Arepas or Bacon Cheeseburger Dumplings (Siracha BBQ, cucumber relish) from Kaya Kitchen
Food: Hamburg (add Hazel Del Shroom!) from American Grind or the unusually delicious Lobster Grilled Cheese from The Regional
Dessert: Gelato (seasonal flavors) from Chow Morso