drinking and dining in denver

Downtown Denver.

Who knew that Denver has such an incredibly vibrant and varied culinary scene? Definitely not me. When I visited the Mile High City to see the Yves Saint Laurent retrospective at the Denver Art Museum, I had no idea how well I would eat while there. Or how much beer I would drink. Seriously, beer is a very big deal in Denver, and I drank more beer in one week than I have in the past year. But back to the food. From brunch and bloody mary's to Buenos Aires-style pizza, the food and drink in Denver was just as incredible as the couture in the exhibit.

Beatrice & Woodsley
I fell in love with Beatrice & Woodsley the second I walked through the door. An indoor aspen grove lit with lanterns, bar shelving held up with vintage chainsaws, and the most elaborate restroom ever - designer and restaurateur Kevin Delk has created a completely unique dining experience where whimsical design and haute cuisine merge effortlessly. I love Beatrice & Woodsley so much that I visited twice - for drinks and then brunch. I would have gone back every day if there hadn't been so many other fantastic dining options to experience. They were all great, but Beatrice & Woodsley stole my heart.
38 South Broadway, Denver | beatriceandwoodsley.com

The gorgeous interior of Beatrice & Woodsley. I want my house to look like this.

Violet Beauregard. Muddled blueberries + vodka + St. Germaine = a tart, refreshing, delicious treat.

Mmmmm, brunch - my favorite meal.

This grapefruit crisp was one of the best things I ate all week.

Bloody Mary Southern Style. Nothing beats a good bloody mary on a sunny weekend morning.

El Diablo
My first night in Denver, we hit up El Diablo for happy hour. Margaritas, chips and guac, and some ah-maze-ing fish tacos on the patio set the tone for a week of indulgence.
101 Broadway, Denver | www.eldiablorestaurant.com

Chips and Guacamole - perfectly spicy.

Fish Tacos - yum, yum, yum!

The insane hot dog my friend Stephen ordered.

Buenos Aires Pizzeria
Just when you think you've tried every kind of pizza there is, you discover a delicious new variety. I had never heard of Buenos Aires-style pizza before, but I am so glad my friend Raissa had! After working up a killer appetite in ballet class, she took us to Buenos Aires Pizzeria, where we experienced some pretty incredible pizza. Buenos Aires has a multinational population that values its Italian, German, French and Spanish heritage while maintaining a South American flair, and the cuisine is no different.
1319/1307 22nd Street, Denver | www.bapizza.com

Belgrano Pizza - mozzarella, hearts of palm, and blue cheese. So good.

A variety of tasty empanadas.

Renegade Brewing Company
I drank way too much beer in Denver to cover it all in this post, so instead I'll share my favorite: Renegade Brewing Company. The new kid on the craft beer scene, Renegade makes beer that tastes so good it "offends the tastebuds in a good way" (their words, not mine, but I definitely agree). From the Elevation triple IPA to the Jean BelJean caramel and chocolate Belgian strong ale, all of the many mugs of beer we drank at Renegade were amazing.
925 West 9th Avenue, Denver | www.craftbrewerydenver.com

Round one at Renegade Brewing Company.

Hooked on Colfax
Other than beer, the other thing to drink in Denver is coffee - lots of delicious coffee. Stephen and Raissa, our awesome hosts in Denver, brewed beans from Hooked on Colfax every morning, and we also stopped in to chill and grab a pre-museum cappuccino.
3213 East Colfax Avenue, Denver | www.hookedoncolfax.com

A frothy pre-museum cappuccino at Hooked on Colfax.