Not every independent restaurant gets built because the chef and/or owner wants a place to call their own. In the case of the newly-opened Quad Side Tavern in Denver, it’s meant to be both a teaching facility and a place for the students at Auraria Campus and Tivoli and the people living in the neighborhood to gather.
The vision of the space was to create a new home for the students where they could have good food and beverage at a good price point, but also, over time, have more student activations and classes,” said Myles Fischer, vice president of food and beverage for Peak Beverage, the company overseeing Quad Side Tavern. Bringing that vision to life, Peak Beverage, a bar catering and venue management partner, collaborated with the campus to launch this one-of-a-kind concept this past October.
Looking For More Connection
When Tivoli Brewing left 900 Auraria Pkwy. this past spring, the owners of the space wanted to find a new tenant to not only fill the vast building, but actively use the space for the community and students. That’s where Peak Beverage came in.
“[We thought], what if we were to partner together and create a space for the students again, and to bring more community to the space and have it as an asset,” said Fischer, adding he was already collaborating with the campus on various events and projects.
For Peak Beverage, Quad Side Tavern represents part of the venue management and on-premise hospitality model the company has been working toward. The overall idea is to design, staff, and operate professional bars meant to build community. This idea translates to the bar training the company is known for, and in this case, matches the needs of the school for hands-on experience.
So, instead of just opening a place to serve the students and neighborhood diners, Peak Beverage works in tandem with the school to teach as well. Not only can people learn about the hospitality business, but see their work in action. So far the plan is to feature a couple beers from the brewing school on draft, meet with the students in the mixology class to work on cocktail menus, and create Quad Side Tavern as a place for relaxation and exploration.
“This year the Christkindlmarket is on the quad and we are having loose conversations about having a class do a tour from a Peak Beverage standpoint,” said Fischer. “Then they can see what the infrastructure [of a large event] is and what it takes for production.”
Even the name “Quad Side Tavern” was created by the students thanks to crowdsourcing. The team at Peak Beverage took the name, refined the concept, and created the food and beverage program to match the idea behind the restaurant.
“I think what we have here is a true partnership,” added Fischer. “We lean into training, it’s part of our ethos as a company, and I can take a person that has a great personality and great hospitality and teach them how to bartend.”
Work, But Make It Cozy and Welcoming
“We wanted it to be a neighborhood bar for the school and also for the surrounding neighborhood,” said Addison Turner, Peak Beverage’s digital marketing specialist. “If you go in it’s cozy, inviting, and the food is comfort food. We wanted to create an environment people could go to every single day, and already 22% [of guests] are returning customers.”
On the menu a line up of comforting American fare takes center stage. The starters range from chicken wings to chili fries, soup, and salad. Pick from four different hot dogs, each served with chips or fries, as well as a solid sandwich selecetion. There’s a list of smash burgers too, from a classic patty to breakfast style to the El Jefe with cheddar, jalapeño, onion, cilantro, and smoky chipotle aioli. Any sandwich, dog, or burger can be made vegetarian with the substitution of an Impossible patty.
The goal is to keep prices modest too, with most plates ranging between $10 and $17. Every day visitors can take advantage of happy hour, where $10 will get you a hot dog and draft beer, $2 off wine and beer, and craft cocktails $10 and under.
New Concept, Old Building
The building housing Quad Side Tavern comes with a rich history, dating back to when Denver first became a city. It’s almost always been a brewery, from the first time Moritz Sigi launched Buck Beer for the gold miners, to 1900 when the brew got rebranded as Tivoli. The name Tivoli has stuck ever since, even after the original company folded in 1969.
In the 1980s the building underwent a renovation and became a student union for Auraria Campus. However, by 2010 most of the activity had left the space. Next, beer came back and a revived Tivoli Beer entered the area. This came with a $3.5 million renovation, which acted not only to upkeep the edifice, but take out the non-historic additions as well. For over 20 years Tivoli Brewing operated there, but closed for good in late 2024.
Now, with the launch of Quad Side Tavern the building has a new chance and new purpose.
“We have some adventurous plans, some bigger ideas,” added Fischer, who mentioned taking the former brewery space and possibly adding a game room and plenty of events. “I have a concept I want to do up stairs too, but we will see. We are just really excited to work with the school and space.”
Visit Quad Side Tavern every day from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. 900 Auraria Pkwy., Denver quadsidetavern.com
