It’s time to raise money to help our restaurants and the arts, and plenty of places are giving customers the opportunity. But where one door opens, a few more close as we lose a rotisserie chicken spot and popular sandwich shop. In good news, one local brewery took home a lot of awards during the Great American Beer Festival last week.
Read on for more top news stories and send us any tips via Instagram or by emailing info@diningout.com.
The 411
As many of you know, public radio faced a huge blow this month when federal funding was cut. That’s where Frank and Jacqueline Bonanno (Mizuna, Luca, Osteria Marco) come in. Starting October 16th through December, the team at Mizuna will donate a portion of the proceeds from Thursday service to CPR. During the fundraiser day the restaurant will also feature a specially curated playlist from Indie 102.3, CPR’s music station.
During last week’s Great American Beer Festival local brewery Westbound & Down Brewing Company earned seven medals. The line up includes a silver medal for Scenic Route in the Session India Pale Ale category; silver medal for Infinity Pils in the Hoppy Lager category; gold medal for Westbound Italian Pils in the Italian-Style Pilsener; gold for Parallel Pale in the American-Style Pale Ale category; bronze for Westbound IPA in the American-Style Strong Pale Ale category; and gold for How the West Was One: Mosaic in the West Coast IPA category, the second most competitive category of the competition. This year it also received top honors as the 5,001–15,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year.
Congrats to Bobby Stuckey, this year’s winner of the Julia Child Award. He is only the 11th person to take home the honor, and he won for his commitment to hospitality and mentorship. “Julia’s impact on American culinary culture extends far beyond cooking techniques — she championed education, excellence, and the joy that comes from sharing good food and wine,” Stuckey told CPR’s Ryan Warner. “These values have guided my career.”
Westword hipped us to Full Afterburner goal to lower the cost of its calzones in an effort to boost customers and sales. Now the restaurant sells its signature calzones for $9.75, down from the original cost of $13.50.
The Populus hotel just made the Michelin list of U.S. Key Hotels. The year-old property is recognized for excellence in design, service and guest experience. The Populus joins returning Denver recipients including Clayton Hotel and Members Club, Four Seasons Denver, and The Crawford Hotel inside Union Station. Michelin also recognized 10 Denver hotels in the selected category.
Founded by journalist Ruth Tobis and Mark Antoniation, and chef Mary Nguyen, Spork & Compass is the newest supper club in town, and the team is kicking off with a fundraiser for SAME Cafe on Thursday, October 23. Hosted at The Regular (1432 Market St., Denver), the cause centers on supporting the nonprofit restaurant, which since 2006 has offered anyone a restaurant meal for money, trade, or work. The event brings together a great lineup of celebrated Denver chefs including Erasmo Casiano (Lucina, Xiquita), Kenneth Wan (MAKFam), Dana Rodriguez (Work & Class, Carne), and more.
This comes at an important time when SAME Café faces challenges from rising costs and BRT construction disruptions. Tickets are on sale now for $150 online. Follow @samecafe and @sporkandcompass for more ways to get involved and to keep up with the latest.
Openings and Closings In the News
On October 13, La Diabla owner Jose Avila launched another mezcal-focused bar, Malinche Audio Bar at 1541 Platte St. It’s a hybrid of a Japanese kissa mixed with Mexican flavors. This is part of the chef’s expansion in Denver, and we’re also expecting him to launch a food hall next to La Diabla in the Ballpark neighborhood, and a Yucatan-focused eatery near Union Station.
Paperboy isn’t exactly new, there are two locations in Austin, it’s the first in Colorado. The menu rounds out with craft cocktails and creative American fare. Try it for yourself when Paperboy opens in early 2026.
After almost 10 years in business, BriDer on Platt Street is closing on October 23. The restaurant, founded by Steven Redzikowski and Bryan Dayton, is known for great rotisserie chicken, a fast casual setting, the best kale salad, and really good chocolate chip cookies. Rumor has it the cookies will be available at the team’s other restaurant, Oak at Fourteenth in Boulder.
Dimestore Delibar closed last week after six years peddling dimerolls and cocktails in LoHi.
Despite the Central Park YumCha Dumpling & Noodle flipping to YumCha Beer Garden this past summer, the brand never quite landed in the neighborhood. Now, chef Lon Symensma’s last standalone YumCha has closed. You can still get food from the concept at Denver Milk Market.
This week brought the end to the decade-old Raíces Brewing Company near Meow Wolf and Empower Field at Mile High. In a social media post, the brewery stated: “It is with the heaviest of hearts that we must say adios. We tried to hang in there for as long as we could, for you, our employees, partners and everyone in between, and for La Cultura.”
After just one year, Secret Garden Bar & Cafe in Cheesman Park cafe closed abruptly. Owner City Street Investors sent a statement on Friday claiming the cafe closed because it was losing money, and that the shutdown had nothing to do with the union bid circulating around.
Ghost Donkey will close for good on October 19. The mezcal-centric cocktail bar opened behind Union Station in 2021, a fun, bright, and hidden spot that may have been too secret in the end.
On the Menu
FlyteCo Tower has a new fall cocktail menu. Drinks include The Unholy Union with Union Mezcal, tamarind liqueur, Aperol, lime, and simple syrup; The Basic Witch pumpkin spice martini; and the Spiced Pear Mule.
Check out the new poppi soda and The Salty collaboration, a playful nod to the root beer float. The limited-edition menu is available at all Salty shops nationwide from October 20 to 26. On the menu you’ll find the soda-inspired doughnut and two new drinks including the poppi x The Salty Dirty Root Beer Float, made with Root Beer poppi topped with The Salty housemade vanilla bean cold foam; and the poppi x The Salty Root Beer & Cherry Espresso Tonic, made with Root Beer poppi paired with housemade cherry vanilla syrup and black cat espresso over ice.
The Family Jones Spirit House falls into a line up of new seasonal cocktails Checkout The Golden Donkey, made with crisp apple, lemon, fennel, and a twist of green chili. Wake up with that Espresso Martini flight, which showcases flavored cold foams. Local designer Adam Wade has also decorated the venue to give it the true fall spirit.
Denver barbecue hot spot Riot BBQ is dishing up pork belly burnt ends this Wednesday, starting at 11 a.m. Smoky, tender and priced at $16 per half pound, we imagine the dish will sell out quickly.
Chef Richard Sandoval’s Denver restaurants Toro and Tamayo invite guests to celebrate Día de los Muertos with a month-long Sacred Moon campaign. Running October 1 through November 3, the menu draws on the moon as a universal timekeeper, guiding harvest, tides, journeys and the cycles of life and afterlife. Inspired by ancient lore, where lunar deities such as Ix Chel oversaw healing and the passage between worlds, the Sacred Moon menu reflects the spirit of Día de los Muertos, while honoring tradition and evoking the meditative glow of night.
“Día de los Muertos has always been close to my heart,” said chef and owner Richard Sandoval in a press release. “Each year, we reimagine how to bring the symbolism and flavors of this holiday to life in our culinary and beverage menus.”
The line up includes the Moonlit Waters mocktail with hibiscus, balsamic, cinnamon, beetroot, guava, and soda. The Living Spirit features tequila, Ancho Reyes, Nixta tamarind agave, black salt, and a blue corn tortilla chipotle tuile. Each restaurant has special drinks unique to them too, which you can find out about oline. Also expect Día de los Muertos-inspired food such as Pozole De Longosta, Ofrenda de Cempasúchil, and Calabaza en Tacha. Reservations are encouraged and can be made online at www.torodenver.com and www.eattamayo.com.
Both locations of Cart-Driver had new seasonal pizzas on the menu. Try one made with Grama Grass beef shank, Esoterra Culinary baby leaks, Toohey & Sons pickled Jimmy Nardello peppers, mozzerella, and Altius arugula pesto. The other special is an eggplant parmesan pizza, which is exactly as it sounds.
Don’t miss October’s Cocktails for a Cause either, one dollar from each goes to Susan G. Komen, a national nonprofit that invests in breakthrough research to help prevent and cure breast cancer. The team has been raising around $6,500 each month to donate to the selected nonprofits.
Celebrate the whimsical corn-focused play Shucked with a corny cocktail. The musical is at the Buell Theatre, but the drinks are located atThe Curtis Hotel. Tipples include the Cobb County (Dobel Maestro, corn liqueur, lime, and cilantro in a rocks glass with a crema popcorn Tajin garnish) and Shuck It Up (Tin Cup Whiskey, corn liqueur, lemon and egg whites served in a coupe with roasted corn kernels). Available now until October 19 when the show ends.
Events
Head to Bistro Vendôme on Wednesday, October 15 for a trip through Normandy via food and wine. The special dinner starts at 6 p.m., and for $125 per person you’ll enjoy pairings such as Mussels a la Normandy with 2023 Etienne Dupont Brut Cider, Moelle Brûlée with a cocktail made with fig-infused VS Armagnac, pear, honey, and Champagne, and more. Tickets available on OpenTable or at bistrovendome.com
Starting Friday, October 17, the team from Frasca Hospitality Group (FHG) will celebrate all things Chianti during the Chianti Classico. The immersive experience brings together master sommelier Bobby Stuckey, FHG wine director Carlin Karr, and top winemakers from all 11 Chianti Classico UGAs. The three day event includes expert-led seminars, a walkaround tasting, and a lively, festa-style dinner at Tavernetta Denver. More details and tickets here.
FlyteCo Tower’s annual free Fall Fest returns October 18, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The family-friendly Central Park hot spot will have a bouncy house, balloon artist, drink specials, an artisan market, and Halloween costume contest at 1 p.m.
Explore Tennyson presents the return of the 10th Annual Tennyson Fall Fest on October 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The free, community celebration brings together more than 100 local businesses, breweries, artisans, and food purveyors along Tennyson Street from West 41st to West 43rd Avenues. Throughout the day attendees can enjoy activities such as live music, group yoga, a pet parade and other family-friendly fun.
On Monday, October 20 at 6 p.m., chefs Johnny Curiel and Erasmo Casiano present the latest installment of Our México: A Regional Dinner Series. Beginning at 6 p.m., immerse yourself in the soul of Monterrey, one of the world’s most prominent hubs for barbeque culture. The special event meal gets served family-style. Tickets run $99, with a drink ticket for beer or wine included. Reservations are required and available here.
Marco Fizialetti of Castello di Querceto in Greve in Chianti joins the Barolo Grill team for a one-night-only wine dinner celebrating the estate’s historic legacy and exceptional wines on Wednesday, October 22 at 6 p.m. The evening will feature the estate’s finest expressions of Chianti Classico, including a Riserva and two distinct Gran Selezione bottlings, alongside elegant super Tuscan blends, concluding with a treasured pour of Vin Santo. Tickets are all-inclusive for $250 per person.
Make sure to support the fundraiser for SAME Cafe on Thursday, October 23. Hosted at The Regular (1432 Market St., Denver), the cause centers on supporting the nonprofit restaurant, which since 2006 has offered anyone a restaurant meal for money, trade. The event brings together a great lineup of celebrated Denver chefs including Erasmo Casiano (Lucina, Xiquita), Kenneth Wan (MAKFam), Dana Rodriguez (Work & Class, Carne), and more.
This comes at an important time when SAME Café faces challenges from rising costs and BRT construction disruptions. Tickets are on sale now for $150 online. Follow @samecafe and @sporkandcompass for more ways to get involved and to keep up with the latest.
Join Riot BBQ for the Portal Connects Docuseries Premiere on Thursday, October 23rd at 6 p.m. The restaurant is featured in Portal Connects’ Docuseries in an episode called Building the Table, which highlights the role of food as a universal language of belonging, with Top Chef alum Manny Barella and Root Down’s chef Hannah Elkins. All guests get a $1 Montucky Cold Snack and the restaurant is fully open for happy hour and dinner.
On October 24 Sushi by Scratch Restaurant in Denver will host a one-night IWA Sake collaboration to spotlight the visionary project from Richard Geoffroy, former winemaker of Dom Pérignon. Guided by an IWA Ambassador, guests will explore a premium flight of IWA’s multi-vintage Assemblages, including the current release, Assemblage 5. All this is paired with a 17-course, omakase-inspired menu. Tickets for the experience run $395 and are available online here for the 5 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. seatings.
Houston-based pitmaster and TV personality Michelle Wallace, the ‘Fan Favorite’ on Top Chef: Wisconsin, reunites with her fellow cast member, chef Manny Barella of Denver’s Riot BBQ. The pair are hosting two collaboration dinners on November 5 and 6 at 5:30 p.m. Tickets run $135 per person, and include a five-course family-style spread and drinks. Save a spot via EventBrite.
