The team behind High Country, located on Pearl Street in Boulder, isn’t new to starting and succeeding with a restaurant. In fact, this is their second place, the first being Gemini, the Spanish-inspired sister restaurant right next door.
“The opportunity to create something new in a space that had such a great legacy and history in Boulder was very enticing,” said High Country chef Brian Pierce, adding the piece of real estate previously housed New York Deli and then it was Hapa Sushi. “It’s always built itself into being an institution, hopefully we can contribute to that and further it with our own taste and stylings.”
The four-person squad includes managing partner Michael Mehiel, executive chef Pierce, executive pastry chef Catherine Neckes, and jack-of-all-trades Elizabeth Neckes. When the opportunity came to purchase the space flanking the 3-year-old Gemini, the team jumped on the chance for something fresh and conveniently close.
With Gemini’s success, and High Country’s approachable food, it feels like the restaurant owners hit a winning combination. The location is prime, the menu has something for every type of eater, and the prices are fully reasonable. Hence, since opening in April, High Country already has a following.
The Vibe
High Country resides on a prime spot on Pearl Street, just down from Boulder Bookstore and next to its sister restaurant Gemini. While Gemini feels more upscale with tapas and other contemporary Spanish food and wine, High Country offers a more laidback vibe, while also dishing out high-quality, quality food perfect for an elevated post-hiking meal.
The mood inside is bright, and a little quirky. The logo of a jackalope adorns the walls along with other fun and kooky art. During lunch on a recent Friday, the place filled quickly as ’90s alternative rock music played in the background. It felt social and welcoming, but also fresh and unpretentious.
“We maintain the ethics, integrity, and attention that we have next door, it’s just packaged in a more approachable, casual way,” said Mehiel, discussing how the team intentionally wanted to differentiate High Country from Gemini. “The unofficial tagline is ‘Colorado Craft Kitchen and Cocktails,’ so we want the menu to reflect the great state and the great city that we are in, both from the kitchen and from behind the bar.”
When it comes to drinks, a lot of the restaurant’s spirits come from distilleries within the state, and the beer list also showcases Colorado’s great brewery culture. For food, the chef chose produce from local farms, so what you are eating is always fresh.
Eat the Menu at High Country
Don’t be surprised if you crave all the items on the menu at High Country, it’s deliberately designed to hit all the right notes and offer items geared toward any diet with both comfort and health foods highlighted. The menu is focused but offers plenty of options, and many deliberately come vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free.
“The food itself reflects the culture here, whether it’s crushing some ribs after a hike or going for something that is vegan or gluten-free,” Mehiel said. “We want to show that we are married to the state and the city, that we know where we are, so a lot of what Brian is doing is influenced by that.”
On that note, appetizers include a hummus-based Hippie Dip ($8) dip, queso fundido ($12), and crispy pork belly bites ($14) with tomatillo and lime, to name a few. The star of the starter menu turned out to be the vibrant lemon-pepper cauliflower ($9). It’s a vegan and gluten-free dish that’s light and crispy, with a luscious, dairy-free green goddess dressing.
“We are building flavor wherever we can and putting extra effort into things to really try to differentiate in terms of quality,” Pierce said, noting how the chilies are toasted and ground to make the restaurant’s fresno chili buffalo sauce.
On the entree side, the Summit Bowl ($16) with added salmon proved hearty and filling. Inside the bowl, a medley of veggies, quinoa, and chickpeas, topped with the same vegan green goddess dressing found on the cauliflower dish. Also look for a classic smash burger ($17), the Crispy Boomer Sandwich ($15) with coconut-battered lion’s mane mushroom, and Smokehouse Ribs ($22), a half rack of St. Louis cut pork ribs.
Finish off the meal with a small skillet of cornbread topped with roasted poblano chilis ($7) and a strawberry fresno chili jam. The sweet-and-spicy jam tastes so good and certainly is worth the $1 up charge. In fact, you may find yourself wanting to order the whole jar and eat it as is.
Drink the Menu at High Country
Make sure to sample the tasty and refreshing Disco in Frisco cocktail ($12.50), a rum-based drink Aperol, passionfruit, and pineapple. On the savory side, Smoke Show ($11.50) features mezcal, sage syrup, and grapefruit bitters. Find a local flavor in the Mountain Mule ($11.50), with Bear Creek Distillery’s white whiskey, lime, ginger beer, and bitters.
Also look for local beers on tap. These range from $6.50 to $7.50, with a lot of old school favorites such as Left Hand MIlk Stout and Avery IPA, brewed right in Boulder.
On the non-alcohol side, the thick milkshakes ($8) double as dessert. Or, opt for a zero-proof cocktail such as the Feeling Spritzy ($9) with Pentire N/A aperitif, grapefruit, lemon, and ginger ale. Also try Mindy’s Home ($7) with orgeat, mint, lime, orange, and sparkling water.
Visit High Country Sunday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday to Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. 1117 Pearl St., Boulder, highcountryboulder.com
