Four Friends Kitchen
Cost: $7-$15 pp
2893 Roslyn St, Denver,
CO 80238
(303) 388-8299
Breakfast: M-F,
6:30-11; Lunch: M-F, 11-2:30; Brunch: SAT-SUN, 6:30-2:30
The Four Friends Kitchen features southern cooking with a
modern twist. This restaurant is a newcomer to the Denver brunch scene, but is
here to stay with already classic dishes such as their Crispy Huevos Rancheros, ‘Overnight Grits’ (that
can be ordered either sweet or savory), and a variety of benedicts. If you are
not in the mood for breakfast foods try, they have a great lunch menu too –
consider the Mac-n-Cheese, Green Chili Chicken Cobbler or the Root Beer BBQ
Brisket.
Leopold Bros. Distillery
Cost: $16-$20 pp for tour and sampling
5285 Joliet St, Denver,
CO 80239
303-307-1515
Saturday 11:00am/
4:00pm or Sunday just at 11:00am – Reservation required (check website for
current tour times)
Now
that you have had a bite to eat, it’s time to check out one of the many great
distilleries that Denver has to offer. Leopold Bros is a family owned and
operated small-batch distillery, just outside the Stapleton area. The distillers
feature whiskies, gins, vodka, liqueurs, fernet, and absinthe – And all from
Colorado grain. The entire process is completed on-site – malting, milling,
fermenting, to the barreling and bottling. The only part of the process that
they don’t do is farm, but not to worry – most of the ingredients are sourced
locally. While you can find the Leopold Bros. around town, the best way to
experience the brand is to take ‘The Connoisseur Tour’ or sit in on ‘The
Cocktail Hour with Alec’… for those 21+ of course. Both events require advance
ticket purchase and frequently sell out. As they are a small distillery that
works strange hours, they typically cannot accommodate impromptu visits, so
please plan before visiting.
The Connoisseur Tour takes about 3 hours and usually
available on Saturdays at 11am/4pm or Sundays just at 11am, but check out their
website for current times. On this tour you get to learn the history, see the
entire production, and best of all, sample a tasting of the Leopold Bros entire
line of spirits. This tour costs $16 and 50% of the cost of admission can be
donated to 1 of 4 non-profit organizations that Leopold Bros supports
(Children’s Hospital, Colorado Symphony, Dumb Friends League, and Food Bank of
the Rockies).
Thai Street Food
Cost: $9-$12 per entrée
11650 Montview Blvd,
Aurora, CO 80010
303-587-2293
Open Tuesday – Saturday
11:00am – 8:00pm
If you need a bite to
eat after the 3 hour tour (ahem’ and drinking), pick up some take-out at Thai
Street Food. Full disclosure - Thai Street Food restaurant is ‘Carry Out’ only.
We have included this restaurant because the food is amazing. Almost everything
is made-to-order and is customized to the level of spiciness requested –
boasting 7 levels of spice! The menu is relatively small, but each item seems
to be carefully curated. Chef Anna originally started with a street cart on 16th
street mall and many patrons would sometimes wait over an hour for these tasty
Thai dishes. As accolades and business continued to grow, Anna transitioned in
the brick and mortar restaurant at the current location.
The Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge
Cost: Free
6550 Gateway Rd,
Commerce City, CO 80022
(303) 289-0930
Wednesdays – Sundays
from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
(Closed on Federal Holidays)
Now that you have your take-out, head to The Rocky Mountain
Arsenal for a picnic and some prarie trails. The Rocky Mountain Arsenal has a
history dating back to pre- WWII. The 15,000 acre preserve was declared a super
fund site, but thanks to a partnership between the U.S. Army, Shell, and the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the
started mid-90s, the Arsenal has become one of the largest urban wild life
refuges in the country. The refuge is home to more than 330 species of animals.
There are over 10 miles of hiking trails, site tours, or a self-guided auto
tour. The visitor center is an experience in itself, as it is somewhat a museum
of the history and the evolution of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge.
