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May 14, 2026

Is Good Food Enough for a Denver Restaurant to Thrive?

City Cast Denver

Is Good Food Enough for a Denver Restaurant to Thrive?

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Between Michelin stars and James Beard Awards, it’s safe to say that Denver has secured its place in the food world. But, a lot more goes into making a 5-star restaurant than just awesome food. We are revisiting a conversation from earlier this year where host Bree Davies chats with Kevin Nguyen, the award winning architect behind some of Denver’s most celebrated restaurants, like Brutø, The Wolf's Tailor, Hey Kiddo, Hop Alley, Xiquita, and more. The two parse out what else can really make, or break, an elite restaurant experience.

Paul mentioned our cool new shopping guide newsletter Keep it Local – make sure you’re subscribed to get it in your inbox every Thursday afternoon! A big thanks as well to Keep it Local’s sponsors, the Denver Economic Development & Opportunity office and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.

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Which restaurant do you think has the best vibes? We want to hear from you! Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418

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