Turns out 2024 was a major milestone for eight of the Mile High’s top restaurants as some celebrated 10, 20, and 30 years in business. One place even clocked in at 40 years, serving the same great food and stellar service all these decades. While some of the ventures have more locations now, each one listed has the address for its original spot.
Congratulations to these eateries for keeping Denver fed and happy despite the bumps and trials along the way. Let’s cheers to that, and may there be at least another decade more.
10 Year Restaurants
Mercantile Dining & Provisions
Alex Seidel’s Mercantile has been serving Union Station for 10 years, giving visitors and locals a casual lunch during the day and high-end dining for dinner.
“Operating for the last 10 years here at Mercantile, I think of all our people who have been through the doors, whether they worked here or came here as guests,” said founder Alex Seidel. “If I have learned anything over the last 10 years it’s how to be flexible and patient and try to live in the stress-free zone, as hard as that can be.”
Seidel added that being in Union Station has been special from the beginning. Now, the restauranteur (who also co-owns Chook, a fast-casual chicken concept, and is owner of the soon-to-be-closed Fruition) has passed the reigns of Mercantile to Sage Hospitality, keeping executive chef Alex Grenier at the helm.
“I am grateful to Sage for allowing us to continue to operate in Union Station and being a great partner to help continue the legacy Mercantile has created,” said the chef, adding he hopes to see the restaurant continue on for another 10 years. 1701 Wynkoop St., Denver, mercantiledenver.com
Work & Class
“Since opening Work & Class I have seen so many new restaurants and cuisines and different types of chefs…it’s amazing,” said chef-owner Dana Rodriguez, giving a nod to chef Jennifer Jasinski as one of her mentors.
The restaurant has maintained the same consistency over the decade. It opens at 5 p.m. every day save Monday and Tuesday, there are no reservations, and if you’re waiting for a table you can score a $4 bartender’s choice drink.
To celebrate the 10 year anniversary of Work & Class in RiNo, Rodriguez had a party spanning two restaurants (Work & Class and Carne) with her chef friends dishing out tasty bites. Overall that’s kind of the vibe Rodriguez has built at her a la carte, tightly-spaced eatery. It’s a place where you rub elbows with your neighbors over plates of Cajun Sweet Potato Fries ($11/$19), Coriander Roasted Colorado Lamb (starting at $17.75), and Blue Corn Empanadas ($10).
One of the most popular dishes over the years is the braised goat, which gets marinated overnight with rosemary and chillies. The juices leftover become a consommé to go with the tender meat. The only change, said the chef, is now the customer has to pay market price because the supply chain has altered so much over the years. Other than that, Work & Class continues to be a Denver staple. 2500 Larimer St., Denver, workandclassdenver.com
Blackbelly in Boulder
In 2014 chef Hosea Rosenberg finally took his Boulder-based catering business and opened a brick and mortar version of Blackbelly. From the get go it’s been a celebrated spot both for the delicious food coming out of the kitchen and Rosenberg’s dedication to local farms, ranches, and agriculture. In fact, every year since opening Blackbelly has been on the top of most local restaurant lists.
In 2023, during the inaugural Michelin Guide awards, Blackbelly took home a Green Star for Sustainable Gastronomy, and then kept it in 2024. Last year Rosenberg grew the company to Denver, opening a smaller version dubbed Blackbelly Market in the Berkeley neighborhood.
Thanks to the guidance of butcher Kelly Kawachi, who received the only Michelin Guide Young Professional Award in the state, both spots feature an impressive charcuterie program. It’s one place that feels like it has always been here, not a mere decade. 1606 Conestoga St., Boulder, blackbelly.com
Los Chingones in RiNo
Troy Guard is no stranger to the Denver dining scene (Guard & Grace, TAG Burger, and #HashTAG), and this year we celebrate the 10th anniversary of his Mexican concept, Los Chingones. The business has grown to three locations, with the RiNo spot being the first.
“To hit the 10 year milestone is fantastic, because a lot of restaurants close in the first few years,” said Guard, who used to live right next door to the Larimer Street eatery. “We’ve been through COVID, we’ve been through ups and downs, we’ve been through a couple different presidents and mayors, and a lot has changed in the food scene and Denver itself.”
The casual eatery serves an array of classic Mexican dishes with an emphasis on tacos. On the fusion side, try the Mexican Ramen ($14.50) and Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos (three for $15).
“We still love what we do at Los, we have two other locations, and we want to continue to grow this brand,” said Guard. He added one of his favorite dishes after all these years is still the Warm Queso Blanco ($10), which he recommends making it Chingon style (add on for $3.50) with rattlesnake chorizo, pickled jalapeño, cotija, and fresh cilantro. 2463 Larimer St., Denver, loschingonesmexican.com
Cart-Driver Rino
One of the hottest pizza joints in town is Cart-Driver, which Andrew Birkholz opened 10 years ago in RiNo, right next to Work & Class. The space may be small, but it’s mighty (good), so people don’t mind waiting for a table. Luckily a patio was added on in the back, which more than doubled the original seating and makes for a sweet spot in the warmer months.
Another thing Cart-Driver did was make Denverites crave clam pizza. Yup, the Clam (market price) still graces the menu, winning diners over with its combination of littleneck clams, pancetta, and roasted garlic. In fact, much of the menu has remained the same. For example the restaurant’s take on a margherita pizza that’s called Daisy ($17) and the White ($18) with mozzarella, green olive, lemon ricotta, basil, and garlic. Of course, Cart-Driver is still a great spot for happy hour oysters and a spritz. 2500 Larimer St., Denver, cart-driver.com
20 Year Restaurants
Rioja
Crafted Concepts partners Beth Gruitch and chef Jen Jasinski opened their Mediterranean restaurant Rioja in Larimer Square 20 years ago. During this time, the restaurant and team has received a James Beard Foundation award for Best Chef Southwest in 2013, and Jasinski was a semifinalist for Outstanding Chef in 2016. After all this time, we’re happy to say it’s still going strong.
Over the decades the group has expanded to open Ultriea and the now closed Stoic & Genuine, both in Union Station. It also took over Bistro Vendome, which moved to Park Hill in 2022 and technically is 20-years-old too, though Crafted Concepts hasn’t had it that long. Now the two still-open restaurants are being managed by long-time employees of the group, while Gruitch and Jasinski step back to concentrate on Rioja.
Today diners can enjoy lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. The savory stuff gets put together by chef Ben Love, and on the sweet side pastry chef Eric Dale creates masterpieces. Look for Seared Venison with wild mushrooms ($45), handmade Artichoke Tortelloni ($27), Smoked Beets in pastrami spices ($14), and seasonal desserts. 1431 Larimer St., Denver, riojadenver.com
Atomic Cowboy
What started as a dive bar on Colfax Avenue quickly became a place for cheap drinks and pizza. Soon after, biscuits got put on the menu as well. That’s how Atomic Cowboy launched its branches, the Denver Biscuit Company and Fat Sully’s Pizza. Now, the company has expanded to seven Colorado locations and two in Kansas City (one on each side), and makes one of the best smash burgers in town.
Owner Drew Shader hadn’t planned on being a restaurateur, he was simply trying to work after getting injured playing college football. Now he’s wrapped up in Atomic Cowboy, and we expect (and hope) him to keep growing and dishing out giant pizzas, biscuit sandwiches, and amazing cinnamon rolls for another 20 years. 3237 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, theatomiccowboy.com
30 Year Anniversary
Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar in Boulder
When seafood restaurants come up in Denver, Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar is one of the first on our mind. The concept has grown since 1994 to five total locations including Denver, Glendale, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, and the first spot, located on Pearl Street in Boulder.
Aside from great food, Jax is notable as the first restaurant in Colorado to be certified by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch for responsible sourcing. Thanks to chef Sheila Lucero, the practice remain today, whether you order Blue Crab Cacio e Pepe ($32), North Carolina Catfish ($29), or a platter of the daily oysters (market price).
Big Red F, the restaurant group behind Jax, also celebrates its anniversary this year. The company owns Post Chicken & Beer too, and has made a special beer commemorating the occasion. It’s called Jax Sidecar Burnt Orange Ale, and is available at each location. 928 Pearl St., Boulder, jaxfishhouse.com
40 Year Anniversary
Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta
It may surprise some people to find out Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta has been serving Denver for 40 years. The company started in 1984 and opened its first spot on California Street and 16th Avenue downtown. Now, there’s over a dozen locations, each serving the same New York style pizza, simple pasta dishes, and calzones.
“One thing that’s kept us going and separated us in the overly saturated pizza market is our accessibility,” said Peter Counter, brand manager and a long-time employee. “COVID specifically, we were positioned so well to meet people online and provide the contactless delivery and take out, which put us at the top of the line from the competitors.”
Though the company pivoted during this time, not much else has changed. For the longest time Anthony’s was the only place to grab a slice, especially a good one. Just as it’s done in the city, each to-go slice is thrown into the oven to get crisp and hot again, making each bite taste like it was just made. And yes, you can fold it.
As for Counter, who over three decades has worked in various positions in the company since he was a teenager, he still remembers the first time he went to Anthony’s.
“It was my 8th birthday and my mom took us there after doing a party at the museum,” Counter reminisced. “I remember being wowed at the size [of the slices] and drinking a cup of RC Cola.”
After all these years he has tried everything on the menu. But his favorite, a slice of cheese with parmesan, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder. Fun fact, Anthony’s is also one of the only pizza delivery places in Denver that offers green olives. This sort of consistency has made Anthony’s a staple in Colorado, and with new ownership the team plans to keep it that way. 1628 E. Evans Ave, Denver, anthonyspizzaandpasta.com
