Plenty of culinary concepts draw visitors to Belleview Station, the burgeoning mixed-use neighborhood developed in the early 2000s as a transportation hub for Denver’s expanded Light Rail train system. Now, there’s two more reasons to go, Saverina restaurant and the Halo Rooftop Bar, located in the new Kimpton Claret Hotel, which opened in July.
Situated just beyond the ground-floor lobby, Saverina, or “the new house” in Italian, is rooted in simple yet flavorful Italian dishes such as house-made pastas and sourdough pizzas crafted from local, seasonal ingredients. Elevating the area’s social scene from its 19th-floor perch, the Halo Rooftop Bar features sophisticated cocktails, upscale burgers, bright salads, and unmatched Rocky Mountain views.
At the helm of both spots resides executive chef Christian Graves, the acclaimed mastermind behind Citizen Rail in the former Kimpton Hotel Born, both which have been sold to Aspen Hospitality and rebranded and revamped now as Ajax Downtown and Limelight Hotel Denver. With Graves running the show, we have even more reason to dive in.
The Chef
Graves brought his skill of melding traditional techniques with updated flavors to the former Union Station eatery Citizen Rail, a meat-centric concept that specialized in wood-fired creations. From coal-fired mussels and beets to grilled burgers and steaks, Graves said he loved his gig at Citizen Rail, but is always looking forward to the next challenge.
“When the opportunity came up to create two new culinary concepts at the new Kimpton Claret Hotel, I jumped at the chance,” said Graves. “I’ve worked with Kimpton for 19 years and I love the focus they have on stellar and unique food and beverage concepts at their hotels.”
Plus, he added, he was excited to create something that would stand out in the Belleview Station neighborhood.
The Food
Graves got inspiration by taking a deep dive into pasta cooking and bread baking, a departure from the steaks and burgers he previously created at Citizen Rail. Despite the change in cuisine, his core philosophy remained unchanged. The goal, to focus on sustainable, seasonal and organic ingredients, sourcing locally whenever possible. That includes using the Colorado-grown flour from Boulder’s Dry Storage bakery and mill, a key in pasta and pizza production.
Graves said both concepts are the 30-year culmination of his experience eating and cooking throughout the U.S., from New York to his home state of California.
“There’s no new food, just different ways of putting it,” he said. “It’s like your fever dream of all good foods in one place.”
The Saverina Menu
At Saverina, Graves’ menu incorporates the best of Italy with the seasonality of Colorado to craft modern Italian-American dishes. Starters include Brick Oven Sourdough Focaccia ($9) with anchovies, cultured butter, and herbs, and the Tuna Carpaccio and Semolina Fried Sweetbreads ($21) with fennel aioli.
For dinner look for a variety of categories. For example, on the sourdough pizza side the Charred Rapini and Chili ($18 ) features fermented chilies. The Duppa ($19)a comes topped with castelvetrano olives, sausage, onions, mushrooms, and pasilla peppers.
Fresh pastas also have a separate section. Try the one tossed with bone marrow butter and spinach ($17). Or go for a cheesier option and order Spinach Tortellini Verde ($22) with charred cherry tomatoes and blistered asparagus in a fermented tomato broth. The options change often with the seasons, but Graves’ dedication to handmade pasta remains a constant.
“I think in this style of food, where it’s maybe three items on a plate, everything has to be extremely fresh,” Graves said. “We’re trying to find the best vendors for the best product, and then showcase those items very simply and very honestly, without a lot of bells and whistles.”
The Drinks
Saverina’s bar boasts local and Italian beers alongside Italian-inspired cocktails with aperitifs like amari and vermouths. It also features a wine program of well-known Italian brands and California Cabernets, plus a selection of house blends.
For a bar program taken to new heights, literally, Halo Rooftop Bar churns out well-balanced cocktails complete with a stunning view. Try tipples such as the White Miso Old Fashioned ($14) with Japanese whiskey, white miso, and umami bitters. The Tequila Mockingbird ($12) highlights the agave spirit with floral notes of marigold and hibiscus. Both spaces also offer a solid beer list, and menu of zero-proof drinks.
The Halo Rooftop Bar Food Program
While Saverina focuses on the Italian side of dining, Halo leans more towards the Asian side. Also, unlike the downstairs restaurant, the menu, space, and setting leans toward casual nibbling and sharing.
Dubbed “social snacking,” look for items such as Crack Wings ($16) decked out with a splash of shoyu and a quail egg, and Sesame + Soba Noodles ($14) with tempura oysters and leek cream. Other nibbles include Spicy Salt + Pepper Pork Belly ($16) with glazed mushrooms and sticky rice, and Brisket Griddle Burger ($16) with sage-spiced fries.
The Overall Vibe of the Kimpton Claret Hotel
As the neighborhood’s first lifestyle boutique hotel, the location between Downtown Denver, the South Denver corridor, and Cherry Creek State Park capitalizes on the live, work, play trend that’s rapidly developing, said Kimpton Claret General Manager Keith Siebenaler.
“Our location in this vibrant neighborhood positions us to become a cultural hub for locals, frequent visitors, and newcomers to the area,” added Siebenaler.
The 19-story hotel features 190 guestrooms and 10,000 square feet of meeting space that’s anchored by Saverina’s bar and restaurant, situated beyond the lobby. Aspiring for relaxed elegance, the design features organic materials like exposed brick, black steel, blonde wood, marble, and leather. Its open style, featuring a display kitchen, large windows, and high ceilings is both chic and welcoming.
The Halo Rooftop bar’s cool vibe is sophisticated yet relaxed, presenting a dark palette of leather, velvet and animal print brightened with pops of yellow and purple. Guests can lounge indoors or head outside to the terrace to enjoy direct-bar access, numerous fire pits, and skyscraping views.
Ultimately, Graves said, he hopes the hotel’s food experiences cultivate the feel of a neighborhood-like hangout spot, where locals can go after hours to sip a solid cocktail, get a bite to eat, or meet up with friends and colleagues.
“We want it to be like your living room,” said the chef. And based on the desire to go back and lounge around with a cocktail and a pizza, the Kimpton Claret is heading in that direction.
Visit Saverina for breakfast Monday through Friday from 7 to 10:30 a.m.; brunch Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; lunch Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and dinner Sunday through Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 10:00 p.m. Saverina’s lobby bar is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; happy hour lasts from 4 to 6 p.m.
Halo Rooftop Bar is open Wednesday through Friday from 4 to 11 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. 6985 E. Chenango Ave., Denver, saverinadenver.com, halobardenver.com
