Denver/Boulder questions

[RoxMonster]

On the front half of our CO trip we will be in Denver for two days. A couple questions:

1) Any recs for an anniversary dinner? Open to any type of cuisine and budget--probably somewhere "fancier" maybe with great drinks.

2) Our first day there is a half day. We will be doing plenty of hiking on our trip so any other things to check out or neighborhoods to go to? My DH loves beer; I like wine and ciders. We love outdoorsy stuff.

Also we are driving through Boulder en route to Estes Park.

1) Lunch recs?

2) Suggestions for super quick hike? (Like maybe only a mile).

[isabel]

1) I'll rec Fruition. It's always fantastic.

2) Lower Highlands area is nice and you can cross the bridge that goes over the highway to walk around Platte St. The REI flagship is there and pretty cool. Prost Beer is in LoHi. Masterpiece Deli has awesome sandwiches and Little Man for ice cream.

3) Pizzeria Locale is good for pizza if you're in the mood for that. Otherwise, I'm not much help.

4) You should be able to find a trail in Chautauqua by the flatirons. It's beautiful.

[spedrunner]

I went to Boulder in April and loved it so much! I have a post in my blog about it with some recommendations. Nothing fancy. Enjoy!!

[winecat]

Where are you staying in Denver? If you're close to downtown, the LoHi area has a ton of restaurants, a few breweries, and it is very walkable. (We also have a community bike program called B-Cycle so you can pick up bicycles and go pretty much wherever you want easily.)

There are 2 cider breweries in RiNo- Stem Ciders and CSquared Ciders.

Lots of people I know like Mercantile in Union Station. Fruition is great. I like the Kitchen. If you want breakfast, my favorite is the Universal. Everyone loves Snooze but I'm not much of a fan.

For lunch, Pizzeria Locale is good. There's a place I follow on FB/Insta called the Organic Sandwich Company and their sandwiches look really tasty. It's on Pearl Street, I think. It's been years since I've lived in Boulder so my usual stomping grounds are gone.

If you go to Chautauqua, they've instituted a new parking fee program but because it's Boulder they have started a free shuttle service: bouldercolorado.gov/transportation/parktopark

[fuckyourcouch]

I will rec Ophelia's electric soapbox for your fancy dinner. We really enjoyed it.

For a trail towards boulder, check out flatirons vista. Short with awesome views.

You should eat breakfast/brunch at snooze. There's a few of them including in boulder.

[Deleted]

Jun 17, 2017 14:11:41 GMT -5 fuckyourcouch said:

I will rec Ophelia's electric soapbox for your fancy dinner. We really enjoyed it.

For a trail towards boulder, check out flatirons vista. Short with awesome views.

You should eat breakfast/brunch at snooze. There's a few of them including in boulder.

Agree with Snooze, but leave plenty of time. There's always a long, long wait.

[RoxMonster]

Thank you for the recs! Doing a short hike by the Flatirons sounds perfect.

winecat, We are staying in an AirBnB by Cheesman Park, but will have a rental car. I also don't mind doing Uber/Lyft (does Denver have both?)

[isabel]

Ha, I'll side with winecat and say skip Snooze.

[winecat]

Jun 17, 2017 15:01:02 GMT -5 RoxMonster said:

Thank you for the recs! Doing a short hike by the Flatirons sounds perfect.

winecat, We are staying in an AirBnB by Cheesman Park, but will have a rental car. I also don't mind doing Uber/Lyft (does Denver have both?)

We do have both.

[bugmeetsworld]

Jun 17, 2017 15:27:18 GMT -5 isabel said:

Ha, I'll side with winecat and say skip Snooze.

I would skip Snooze too. I had breakfast at Sassafras and really enjoyed it.

[isabel]

Jun 17, 2017 17:32:09 GMT -5 bugmeetsworld said:

Jun 17, 2017 15:27:18 GMT -5 isabel said:

Ha, I'll side with winecat and say skip Snooze.

I would skip Snooze too. I had breakfast at Sassafras and really enjoyed it.

I haven't been there, but my next door neighbor bought our house when we sold earlier this year and he is renting it out to the head chef at Sassafrass. #randomstory

[isabel]

Jun 17, 2017 17:41:22 GMT -5 ste said:

We also LOVE Ophelia's. Rupert's at the Edge is great for breakfast, but there's usually a wait. LoHi is great for breweries and food - Lola, the sushi place across the street (blanking on the name) is AMAZING, and little man for ice cream.

There's tons of great food in Boulder, definitely wander on pearl st. We also love most of the trails at Mt Sanitas, some are longer/harder, but the views are stunning.

Sushi Sasa? I prefer Izakaya, but it's further south.

Lola is definitely good.

I haven't tried Rupert's or Ophelia's. DH and I are getting so behind now that we have kids!

[isabel]

Jun 17, 2017 17:56:57 GMT -5 ste said:

Jun 17, 2017 17:42:59 GMT -5 isabel said:

Sushi Sasa? I prefer Izakaya, but it's further south.

Lola is definitely good.

I haven't tried Rupert's or Ophelia's. DH and I are getting so behind now that we have kids!

I just looked, and I am thinking of Izakaya! Isn't the right across from Lola? I don't usually drive there, so I may be totally disoriented. lol

FWIW, DS LOVES Ophelia's!! I know you have a tiny one too, but earlier in the evening has worked well for us to take him. And the Inventing Room is right up the street, which is GREAT for dessert! (RoxMonster go there, too!)

I will tell H. We'll get over there for dinner once the baby isn't so colicky. Thanks for the rec!

Izakaya is on old south pearl near DU. Sushi Sasa is right off Platte downtown, kind of near Lola. I don't know of a sushi place by Lola, but I'm not in LoHi often.

[winecat]

Jun 17, 2017 17:56:57 GMT -5 ste said:

Jun 17, 2017 17:42:59 GMT -5 isabel said:

Sushi Sasa? I prefer Izakaya, but it's further south.

Lola is definitely good.

I haven't tried Rupert's or Ophelia's. DH and I are getting so behind now that we have kids!

I just looked, and I am thinking of Izakaya! Isn't the right across from Lola? I don't usually drive there, so I may be totally disoriented. lol

FWIW, DS LOVES Ophelia's!! I know you have a tiny one too, but earlier in the evening has worked well for us to take him. And the Inventing Room is right up the street, which is GREAT for dessert! (RoxMonster go there, too!)

Inventing Room is great but they're not downtown any longer. They'll be reopening in the highlands.

[isabel]

Jun 17, 2017 18:11:01 GMT -5 ste said:

Jun 17, 2017 18:00:38 GMT -5 isabel said:

I will tell H. We'll get over there for dinner once the baby isn't so colicky. Thanks for the rec!

Izakaya is on old south pearl near DU. Sushi Sasa is right off Platte downtown, kind of near Lola. I don't know of a sushi place by Lola, but I'm not in LoHi often.

Huh. I'm thinking of Mizu Izakaya, at 16th and Boulder. I don't think I've been to the other one. Which reminds me, we also really like sushi oukura in golden.

Ah! I'm referring to Izakaya Den, sister restaurant to Sushi Den. I haven't heard of the other one. I'll have to look at it.

DH saw the Ophelia's menu open on my computer and said it looked good.

RoxMonster, definitely look up Fruition. DH said he was looking at their menu the other day and that it looks amazing.

[MrsAxilla]

Jun 17, 2017 18:18:18 GMT -5 winecat said:

Jun 17, 2017 17:56:57 GMT -5 ste said:

I just looked, and I am thinking of Izakaya! Isn't the right across from Lola? I don't usually drive there, so I may be totally disoriented. lol

FWIW, DS LOVES Ophelia's!! I know you have a tiny one too, but earlier in the evening has worked well for us to take him. And the Inventing Room is right up the street, which is GREAT for dessert! (RoxMonster go there, too!)

Inventing Room is great but they're not downtown any longer. They'll be reopening in the highlands.

MIL gave us a gift certificate there and I was so bummed when they closed before we used it. Can't wait until they open!

[winecat]

Jun 17, 2017 18:26:40 GMT -5 ste said:

Jun 17, 2017 18:18:18 GMT -5 winecat said:

Inventing Room is great but they're not downtown any longer. They'll be reopening in the highlands.

I had no idea!! Good to know.

Yeah- they got screwed.  It was really shitty but they're bouncing back.  

[winecat]

Jun 17, 2017 19:35:52 GMT -5 MrsAxilla said:

Jun 17, 2017 18:18:18 GMT -5 winecat said:

Inventing Room is great but they're not downtown any longer. They'll be reopening in the highlands.

MIL gave us a gift certificate there and I was so bummed when they closed before we used it. Can't wait until they open!

I think it's going to be near 29th and Tennyson. 

[winecat]

Jun 17, 2017 20:43:03 GMT -5 ste said:

Jun 17, 2017 20:35:33 GMT -5 winecat said:

Yeah- they got screwed.  It was really shitty but they're bouncing back.  

That sucks. Seems like highlands might be a better location anyway?

Maybe?  More residential but there's more concentration of people downtown.  They do a lot of catering so I'm guessing that helps drive people to their store.  

[lynn07]

We love Mercantile at Union Station for dinner. Or The Plimoth, or Table 6. Since you'll be by Cheesman, I'm going to go against the grain and suggest Liks or Sweet Cooie's for ice cream. One (sweet cooies) is also owned by the same owner as little man and is way cuter, without the ridiculous wait. For lunch in Boulder (if you don't feel like pizza), try Brasserie Ten Ten. Incredible French pastries!

[isabel]

Jun 17, 2017 21:27:11 GMT -5 lynn07 said:

We love Mercantile at Union Station for dinner. Or The Plimoth, or Table 6. Since you'll be by Cheesman, I'm going to go against the grain and suggest Liks or Sweet Cooie's for ice cream. One (sweet cooies) is also owned by the same owner as little man and is way cuter, without the ridiculous wait. For lunch in Boulder (if you don't feel like pizza), try Brasserie Ten Ten. Incredible French pastries!

Oh, yeah! Brasserie is great!

[MrsAxilla]

For lunch I'm Boulder I'd suggest Mountain Sun on Pearl Street. They serve farm to table and brew their own beer.