For fellow foodies, a new year means a new bucket list of restaurants to try. If you’ve worked your way through the staples, there’s a whole host of exciting new concepts getting ready to debut this year (Axios, Westword, and The Denver Post all have extensive lists worth perusing). Here are the ones I'm excited for.
Wonderyard Garden + Table, Five Points
Coming to us in February from the group behind Viewhouse and My Neighbor Felix is a dining experience filled with whimsy and wonder. What’s on the menu? TBD; but patrons can expect giant birdcage booths, lifesize butterfly sculptures, and spinning teacup tables. wonderyard.com
Blackbelly Market, Berkeley
A Boulder staple since 2014, this butcher / market / restaurant by “Top Chef” winner Hosea Rosenberg most recently received a Michelin green star for Blackbelly’s sustainability. Now he’s bringing his fine cuts of meat and truly ~legendary~ breakfast burritos to Denver. blackbelly.com
Church and Union, Union Station
Slated to debut in June, this popular North Carolina-based concept is opening its fourth location in downtown Denver. I ate at the C&U in Charleston, housed in an 1850s Baptist church — while the upscale New American plates are good, it was all about the aesthetics, and I’m excited to see what they can dream up in Denver. churchandunion.com
Magna Kainan, Cole
James Beard award finalist Chef Carlo Lamagna is partnering with the area’s hottest restaurant group, Culinary Creative, to bring his famous Filipino bites to North Denver. As a Pacific Islander myself, I’m looking forward to some true-blue lumpia and adobo. Magnapdx.com
