Delectable Dining in Denver

Can I just pause for a moment to say how much I love you readers? Because I can honestly say that your insightful tips made my trip to Colorado terrific in so many ways. First off, you nailed the restaurant suggestions: I booked a table at the Vesta Dipping Grill before I left for the airport, and eight hours later, I was sitting before a roast duck with dried berry chutney sauce that was fit for the gods. My friends, including a Denver resident who had yet to try the joint, each were thrilled with their pork, scallops, and tuna (and the selection of dipping sauces that accompanied them—the restaurant has 37 to choose from), and I was more than happy to report that they had the readers of IT to thank. Service was excellent, and the space had a cozy, yet modern feel. And did I mention the food was fantastic?

My one evening in Denver gave me the chance to explore the neighborhood of LoDo, or Lower Downtown, the historic district which was the original Denver settlement site. It’s now home to a collection of restaurants, bars, and galleries, and sits in the shadow of Coors Field (D.C.’s Nationals had just won their third game against the Rockies the night I arrived and dejected fans were spilling out onto the street, much to my boyfriend’s delight). We didn’t have a ton of time to explore, but we enjoyed wandering up the 16th Street Mall and seeing how things were shaping up for the Democratic National Convention (more on that in a later post). After dinner, we popped over (literally) to Corridor 44, a champagne bar in Larimer Square, and got a taste of their bubbly offerings. The small bar’s ceiling glimmered with chandeliers, and the walls were decorated with terrific quotes espousing the benefits of booze:

I drink champagne when I’m happy and when I’m sad.

Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I’m not hungry and drink it when I am.

Otherwise I never touch it—unless I’m thirsty. —Madame Lilly Bollinger

I was with a several friends who all happened to be in Denver for a short time, and it was fortuitous that we were able to be together. So we toasted the readers of Intelligent Travel for their help, and I set off to explore the best of Boulder over the weekend. More on that soon.

For more on Denver, check out our Destination Guide from our May/June issue.

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