Sometimes when I interview people, they tell me things that there’s no way for me to easily verify. So if it sounds plausible enough, I go with it. The “they say” element of attribution at least implies something’s being asserted versus factually stated.

So it’s rare that I first-hand witness, down to a detail, everything someone’s told me. But that’s exactly what happens at Evergreen Restaurant.

Owner Crystal Kiernan told me during a sit-down interview that Evergreen’s mousse cakes, initially popularized by the restaurant’s prior owners, have recently gone viral on TikTok — thanks to fans, not any marketing effort on her part. She says people are destination driving from around the state, drawn in by these vibrantly colored cakes that resemble their respective flavors.

A bright green apple cake resembles the real fruit, for example, as do banana and raspberry cakes. A mango cake, dipped yellow and sprayed with red and green colors to mimic ripening, could be mistaken for the real thing at a glance. It’s all impressive pastry prowess.

The online hype has forced her team to recently double production to meet demand, which has the small cafe selling out daily. “The phone rings all night,” says Kiernan. “When we open, people call to ask what’s in the pastry case.” The fact that the mousse cakes are first-come-first-serve creates a bit of frantic energy around acquiring one, or more. “We have people who’ll buy a whole box, with one of each flavor.”

Okay, so that’s what was told to me. Then I drop by around opening time a week later to photograph pastry chefs Katherine Castro and her sister Lizzy Estrada as they’re dipping and painting the cakes — the final step of a three-day process to bring each one to life. Here’s what I witness:

It starts before I reach the door, as I see a young woman and kid at a patio table happily devouring blueberry and lemon mousse cakes. A few minutes later while I’m snapping pics behind the scenes, I hear the phone ring and a staffer pick it up. After a pause to check inventory, he begins rattling off every flavor stocked at the moment. Not more than five minutes after that, I see a few people file in the front door and begin scanning the front pastry case excitedly. I chat with them, learning they’re down from Johnstown (near Loveland and Greeley, often a 2.5-hour drive), and they heard about the mousse cakes on … wait for it … TikTok. They depart with a full box.

“Well I’ll be damned, Crystal was right!” I exclaim. (No I don’t, but you can imagine it.) I mean, not that I actually doubted one of my Side Dish Dozen members, but like I said, it’s uncanny to witness it all happen, to a tee. As if the whole thing were staged for my benefit. (It wasn’t. Nobody drives from damn Johnstown just for little old me.)

Needless to say, if you’re intrigued by now, you should stop in to try a cake or few yourself. Other flavors include pistachio, hazelnut (with caramel crunch), coffee bean (with crème brûlée), coconut, strawberry and seasonal specials like tomato and pumpkin flavors. The fruit flavors feature homemade fruit jams, and all the mousse cakes are gluten-free (before anyone has to ask).

Returning to my prior chat with Kiernan, she’d attributed the mousse cakes to “keeping me alive here” in her first six months, which spanned the slower winter period that’s tough for everyone in the industry. But also Evergreen’s beef stroganoff has proved to be an enduring top-seller, with its own loyal fanbase. It’s not made with the typical egg noodles, but instead features a beef filet and goat cheese mashed potatoes with a rich sauce made with steak trimmings. The menu suggests a Cabernet Sauvignon to stand up to the dish. It all sounds infallible; I need to try it soon.

Anyway, when I ask her what else she wants people to know about Evergreen, she says “they should know that nothing’s changed, but it’s continued to get better and better.”

To the Eastern European-styled menu, they’ve recently added fresh fish specials, created by Chef Dylan Higgins. I chat with him too when I’m there, gleaning his path to this kitchen. He tells me he got his start in the dish pit at Doug’s Breakfast Lunch, later working for 1231 Craft Kitchen (who used to be co-located with FH Beerworks before both closed) and then Burnt Toast and Avenue 19 food hall. He’d risen to an executive sous chef title by then, taking that experience to a country club in Florida before moving back here.

Kiernan calls Higgins “creative” and says “he’s proven to me that he knows what he’s capable of.” She says they have great rapport, as she can be a reliable soundboard and taster for him given her own private cheffing and catering background.

Together they’ve added new plates to the lunch menu and brunch menu, which now runs Saturdays and Sundays weekly. A new Lobster Benedict is quickly catching on, says Kiernan, noting a refreshed spring menu that includes fresh cocktail creations. Join us this Sunday to dip a toe (er, um tongue) and check it out. Details below:

Patio Brunch Bash Sip with Schnip at Evergreen Restaurant

Join us on our pup-friendly patio from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., May 17. Get $5 Goat Patch beers, bottomless mimosas, live music, and a Breakfast Burger Special with egg, bacon, onion jam and Hollandaise on a Provision-baked croissant. Plus a one-day-only special Side Dish Mousse Cake, made with espresso from Kangaroo Coffee!

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We’re seeking beta testers for our new Side Dish app!

So I’ve been keeping a secret from all you subscribers for the past year — which explains why you haven’t seen any Side Dish (formerly Tap&Table) podcasts from Ryan Hannigan and me lately.

Ryan has been busy teaching himself iOS app development so that we can launch a Side Dish exclusive discovery and discounts app, aptly named Side Dishcounts. Ideally, we’d like to have the app in the your hands by summer, but we could use a little help from the community to find bugs and help guide the last stages of development across the finish line. Beta testers will be instrumental in helping us QA test coupon redemptions and some basic Dishcount functions central to the app experience. After we nail that down, we will ask our Beta testers to test drive some social components and other features aiming to activate the foodie community.

Sign up here to lend us a hand, and plan to attend my May 17 Patio Brunch Bash Sip with Schnip at Evergreen Restaurant for an initial trial run with Ryan and me. For the time being, the app is only available for iOS, but once we launch, we hope to have an Android version available in the future.

Lebowski’s Taproom expanding into former Till and Homestead Collective spot

You’ve seen the movie. Many times.

And you’ve surely had Lebowski's Kool-Luah Coffee Liqueur by now.

Now, Lebowski’s Taproom — originally opened in August 2023 at 3240 Centennial Blvd. — is expanding to a second, much-larger location. It will occupy the former Till Kitchen and Homestead Collective space at 9633 Prominent Point. (Yes, the one that supposedly sold and triggered the closure of Dad’s Donuts last month.)

In a chat with Lebowski’s owner David Kowalski this week, he says he has purchased the majority share of the building, while former owner Mitch Yellen of Altitude Hospitality Group retains an interest, but will have no control over operations. Kowalski says it’s possible at some future date Dad’s could make a reappearance on site as part of a subleased bakery component to the building’s North side. Meanwhile, there’s plans for a separate, subleased coffee shop — yet to be named.

Lebowski’s will occupy the central kitchen and dining room/bar, which Kowalski calls the “big brother of our current Westside iteration.” It offers roughly double his current dining room capacity on Centennial. The decor will be identical in terms of paint colors, table and chair style and, of course, Big Lebowski paraphernalia. And the menu will be the same, too.

“It’s been successful on the West side,” says Kowalski, “so there’s no need to reinvent the wheel.” That said, once they get rooted, come fall time or so, he plans to activate the pizza oven they’re inheriting.

As for the large banquet space on the South end, Kowalski says he’s in discussions with “some distillery partners” who might wish to use it as a shared tasting room, which could still be utilized for catered events. He also teases the likelihood of walling off another space near the existing bar (possibly by fall) to create a small speakeasy, not tied to the Lebowski’s theme but to his wife Monica’s heritage. “Something unique” is all he’s willing to say for now.

Expect gaming in the front area, including cornhole and pickleball. Wider event programming will include trivia and bingo nights, sports watching parties and more. “This new location allows us to take everything people love about Lebowski’s and expand it in a meaningful way,” says Monica in a press release.

David says he would love to be soft opening on May 11 to hit a symbolic mark of 1,000 days since the first location launched. If that happens, May 18 would be an actual opening date, which he realizes is “an aggressive target.” So stay tuned to their social media for updates.

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Side Dish and Colorado Public Radio team up to taste The Colorado Farm Brewery, a one-of-a-kind brewhouse

When I tell you that there’s no place quite like Alamosa’s The Colorado Farm Brewery, I’m not being superlative. Why? Because it’s one of the only estate breweries in existence. Co-owner and brewmaster Josh Cody, during our interview and tasting, says he’s not even sure how many estate breweries there are internationally, but he knows it’s a few at best. (I’m unable to locate any others online via a basic search.)

What defines an estate brewery is beer made with all on-site ingredients: water, barley, hops and yeast. Located in the fertile San Luis Valley, The Colorado Farm Brewery has all the elements: they grow their own hops and grains; sprout and dry them (via their other business the Colorado Malting Company); utilize the water from the aquifer below their land; and they captured yeast from the air inside Cody’s grandmother’s kitchen on the farm (which they regularly have cultivated for them).

I practically get teary-eyed every time I visit and look up at a sign in their taproom that reads: “All our beer is born from • grain from the field behind you • yeast from the air around you • hops grown on site • water from beneath you.” There’s a power to reading the words in situ, pausing to absorb the poignancy. (A technicality: while all the beers have some of those four elements, only a few on tap at a given time incorporate all four for the true estate quantification. And some made will use outside ingredients, such as a Harvest Peach and Pineapple Helles we sample.)

Anyway, now that you understand the brewery’s unicorn status and my love for and obsession with it, I want you to give Colorado Public Radio editor Hayley Sanchez’s short writeup a read — and at the top of the page you’ll find a “Listen Now” button to click. That takes you to a 20-minute segment she produced from her brewhouse tour with Cody and my tasting through six Colorado Farm Brewery beers with him. In between sips, he shares lots more information about the farm and his family’s history in the valley. (The tour takes up the first four minutes of the segment, and my chat and tasting runs from that four minute mark onward.)

Craft before flight

I recently caught up with the Colorado Craft/The Archives crew during a media event held at their new Colorado Springs Airport kiosk — which launched back in January, around the Tejon Street Social’s eighth anniversary.

“We take a lot of pride in being the first thing people see when they arrive here and the last thing they see on the way out,” says co-owner and bartender Dylan Currier. He designed the kiosk’s cocktail list, saying “it’s curated for what’s best for the airport, so we still hope people will join us downtown to get the full experience of what we offer.” And now’s a good time to do that, as they recently dropped a new spring/summer menu, which includes N/A options.

Currier talks me through the drink list, saying their BYOB Bloody, with options to customize your spirit, mix and garnishes, is the airport’s bestseller so far. The drink he’s most proud of though is the Nomikai, a nod to C. Springs’ sister city Fujiyoshida, Japan. “We get views of Pikes Peak here, and they get views of Mt. Fuji there,” he says. The drink’s made with Suntory Toki Japanese whisky, Colorado bitters, maraschino liqueur and Leopold Bros absinthe. “If you like and old fashioned, you’ll love this.”

Putting the focus back on downtown, I ask for descriptions of a few drinks he’s excited about from the new cocktail list there. He offers:

• Violet Divide: Leopold Bros blackberry liqueur, elderflower, Strongwater tonic, Family Jones vodka, and “a little saline, to take some of the bitterness out of the tonic”

• Nigh Quarry: “This is our version of an espresso martini,” made with Marble Distilling’s Moonlight Expresso, Montanya Oro Rum, Licor 43 and Bitter & Glitter “for an elegant sparkle”

• Mesa Blanca: Coconut fat washed tequila blanco, lemon, Génépi herbal liqueur, agave and saline

Bites & Bits

• The Blue Moose Tavern in Green Mountain Falls posted last week on Facebook to announce their impending closure, saying “Our landlord has terminated our lease and needs us to be out by the end of the month.” The business says they’re seeking to relocate somewhere; that they’re planning a Big Blowout Bash April 25; and that “we will have business as usual until then.”

• The Brit Pub has started a new Bite Club Wednesdays with weekly-changing, three-course menus for $25/person. The most recent offering: Moroccan-spiced bell pepper hummus with veggies and naan; braised lamb shepherds pie with madeira jus; and cheesecake topped with pumpkin mousse, candied pecan and toasted marshmallow. If you still haven’t check out their Sunday Roast (11 a.m. until sell out), make time to do so. I finally made it down this past weekend (thanks to urging from Lauren and her bestie Lauren; so, the Laurens) and we tried the prime rib roast, leg of lamb and sage- and apricot-stuffed pork belly — and oh my! Superb cookery by Chef Phil Griffin and crew. Each protein option ($22-$32) comes with beef fat-roasted potatoes, honey- and thyme- glazed parsnips, carrot purée, cauliflower cheese, cabbage, gravy and Yorkshire pudding. I think this photo speaks for itself it terms of portions and quality:

• Armillary Brewing Co. is underway with launching at 4810 Old Farm Drive (not far from the Barnes Road and Austin Bluffs Parkway intersection). One beer on the opening menu appears to be a blueberry tart. I’ve made contact with the brewery and aim to have more info soon.

• “Two Denver Coffee Shops Ranked Among the Best in the World” reports Westword.

• “Gray's Coors Tavern takes the top honors in this year's popular vote” for 2026 Top Slopper in Pueblo, reports KRCC. The spot last took home the award in 2023. You have until April 27 to partake in the Pueblo Slopper Tour.

Side Dish Dozen happenings

Gold Star Bakery: Celebrate Mother’s Day with our scratch-made cinnamon rolls and mixed sweet breads boxes. Preorder through May 4; pickup at Ivywild School May 8-9. Principal’s Office: Our Summer Term cocktail menu drops April 27! A fresh drink lineup that leans bright, crisp and just a little unpredictable.

Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar: We’re on a mission to make Sunday your new favorite day of the week. Party like a local and beat the Sunday scaries with $1 CrackerJax oysters, $20 beer buckets, $10 beer + shot combos and $4 High Noons. Yep, you read that right… Buck a Shuck Oysters every Sunday only at Jax!

Goat Patch Brewing: Our Summer Music Series kicks off May 3 at our Lincoln Center and Monument locations! Every Thursday we drop a new pizza special at Grazing Goat Kitchen at Northgate. Bleating Heart Night at all locations on April 28, 5-9 p.m., benefits Autism Vision of Colorado.

Allusion Speakeasy: Our new Star Wars theme has opened at both locations! Resos required. Check out the amazing lineup of drinks, in cool glassware as usual. We’ve also got you covered on N/A “light side libations” and all-age Padawan Brunches, April 25-26 and May 2-3.

Evergreen: Come try drinks from our new spring cocktail menu. And join us for lunch, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesdays-Fridays, and brunch, during those same hours, Saturdays-Sundays. Menu items include shakshuka, saganaki, pork belly paprikash, Chicken Kiev, and an array of flatbreads.

Edelweiss: Make reservations now for Mother’s Day — we fill up quick! Specials on a limited dinner menu include herb-rubbed prime rib with mashed potatoes and horseradish cream sauce, and Trout Almondine, pan seared with lemon-almond cream sauce. We’ll seat on the patio and have live music; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Kangaroo Coffee: If you still haven’t tried our newest signature beverage, our Coconut Lavender Chai, then stop by! Or get one delivered through Uber Eats or DoorDash. Also, in case you didn’t know, we make a huge commitment to sustainability and operate with a zero waste initiative.

Hoppenings of the week

Beer Events

Music Video Bingo at Fossil Craft Beer Co.: April 24 and every Friday night, 6 p.m.

Poker Night at Nano 108: April 24 and every Friday night, 6:30 p.m.

Big Table Beer Launch at Atrevida Beer Co: April 25, 3-9 p.m. A portion of the proceeds from the beer sales will go to support Big Table.

Colorado Pint Day at participating breweries: April 26, click the link for a map; collect the annual commemorative glass and support the Colorado Brewer’s Guild.

Beer Releases

XM133 Cold IPA at Wackadoo Brewing: check out this latest release as they broaden their IPA lineup for summer.

Beta Wave Toasted Coconut Caramel Stout at Westfax Springs: barrel aged and rich with notes of bourbon and dark chocolate; 14% ABV so watch out!

Bayou Belgo at Peaks N Pines Brewing: a Cajun-spiced Belgian pale ale with Southern charm and complex spice notes.

Curated by Brandon Heid and Gerry Reyes. For full listings of beer-related events and releases download the free Hoppenings app on Apple on Google.

Upcoming events

April 25: 19th annual Spring Wine Extravaganza at Cañon City’s Winery at Holy Cross Abbey. 1-4 p.m.; $50 includes wine, food and live music.

April 26: Third Annual Rooftop Invitational cocktail competition at Lumen8 Rooftop Social. 6 p.m. Eight teams, single elimination rounds with surprise challenge ingredients. Spectate and sip the creations.

April 27: Corrido Tequila Dinner at Ephemera. Seatings between 5:30 and 7:30; $105 for four paired courses.

April 28: Passport To Castello Banfi wine dinner at Pizzeria Rustica. 6 p.m.; $89 for five paired courses, call 719-475-9700 to reserve.

April 29: Colorado Pint Day. Starting at 11 a.m., hit participating local breweries to snag the 2025 limited edition Colorado Brewer’s Guild glass free with a pint purchase.

May 2: One Table Asian Pop Up Market at COSCityHub. Noon to 6 p.m. Free. Shop -Asian-owned and Asian American and Pacific Islander-owned businesses.

May 2: Colorado Springs Tacos & Margs Crawl. 2-7 p.m., $23.99-$54.99.

May 2: Kentucky Derby Race Day. Look for one of the many themed celebrations across town. Off-hand, I’ve seen events at The Aviator at Hotel Polaris, and Lumen8.

May 2: 719 Food Truck Social Saturdays at Sunshine Studios. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Music, drinks, games and of course, food trucks.

May 3: Baon Supper Club Asin at Sunog (Salt and Burn) dinner at Good Neighbors. 6 p.m.; $125 includes six courses, welcome drink and take home treats.

May 5: Codigo Tequila Meet the Maker dinner in The Penrose Room at The Broadmoor. 6 p.m., $155; menu here.

May 5: Blind Wine Tasting at 105 W. Brewing Co. 5:30-7 p.m.; $35. Taste five different wines blindly of various price points. Can you pick the $100 bottle? Includes complimentary Bear'L Cellars glass and light snacks.

Parting shot(s)

After Cinchona Coffee’s opening celebration earlier this week I convinced Downtown Colorado Springs’ Kelsee Swenn — my Weenies & ‘tinis partner in hot dog crime — to put the giant ribbon-cutting scissors to further good use. She gave me a rather expert beard trimming, enjoying it so much that she got an idea for a new business (she already operates Good Intentions): “Kelsee’s Kut + Kolor Kombos, Colorado Springs’ first open air sidewalk salon. Fresh fades, fresh air, quality you can trust.”

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All three held soft openings on April 15 — the two ice cream spots concurrently, coincidentally — which sent me on a bountiful (read: overindulgent) journey around town that day. Here’s some outtakes, before we get into more news this week:

Beware the Frostbite!

Josh & John’s opens its first drive-thru on April 17, at 11 a.m., at 870 Garden of the Gods Road. It has taken over the former Dutch Bros Coffee kiosk, as that brand has moved one lot away to occupy the former Sonic Drive-In. As I noted here in early February, this marks the seventh location for 40-year-old J&J’s. “I am intrigued by the challenge of offering super-premium ice cream in a format that typically isn’t done,” owner John Krakauer told Side Dish at the time of that announcement. When I saw him yesterday at the preview, he was all smiles, especially when his friend, Mayor Yemi Mobolade showed up with his family for ice cream.

A highlight at the drive-thru is a new lineup of specialty shakes, exclusive to this location. We went for the Snow Drift (cookie butter S’mores), Bomb Cyclone (mocha espresso) and Frostbite (black raspberry Oreo). Though I’m always fond of a coffee ice cream and the easy joy of a creamy cookie slurry, I concur with Lauren’s daughter that the black raspberry and Oreo combo steals the show, wonderful in the balance and harmony between the flavors. Try it first.

And from J&J’s menu of flagship flavors (like Purple Mountain Majesty, our longtime favorite) and seasonals by the scoop, we try the Rice Crispy Treat, Banana Pudding, Dirty Chai and Lemon Coconut Curry. All are delicious and on-point, with the latter two earning the most of my affection; I love the savory spice influence especially. The tastings made me nostalgic for my two prior seasonal collaborations with J&J’s. I may or may not be waiting excitedly by my phone for their next call.

A Monument Moose walks into downtown …

It’s not the setup for a joke. Rather, Monument Moose is one of Lolley’s Ice Cream’s most popular seasonal flavors up at their Tri-Lakes store, made with their Chocolate Decadence base flavor, plus fudge, peanut butter and caramel. It was created as part of Lolley’s annual Ice Cream Madness contest, where fans suggest flavor creations; the store picks their favorite eight and makes them; and those finalists face-off in bracketed rounds as customers up-vote their favorites.

At our soft preview we revisit the fantastic Monument Moose and also try this year’s winning flavor: honey raspberry cornbread. Wow! Co-owner Dustin Sapp likens it to a memorable, elote-inspired ice cream he and his wife and co-owner Shelley had in Mexico. It’s part of the six-flavor Spring lineup, which includes three vegan flavors — the lemon berry shortcake with coconut ice cream, blueberry-strawberry compote and homemade vegan shortcake crumble wins me over. Recall that everything Lolley’s serves is gluten-free; it’s a dedicated celiac-safe kitchen.

Other of our favorite flavors to dive into if this is your first (Monument) moose rodeo: sweet cream espresso (oh my!); Graham Slam; vegan cocoa coconut (trust me); and snickerdoodle dough. Expect around 20 flavors on at a given time, with five or six being seasonal specialties. Also you can turn any flavor into an affogato, as Lolley’s also offers espresso and coffee service. I order a classic vanilla bean affogato to conclude my sugar binge, and it’s pure joy in a cup.

One more distinguishing factor to them (versus Josh & John’s a block away, since everyone’s clued into that), is they also sell an array of house-baked, gluten-free goodies like cookies, brownies, macarons and bundt cakes. “We’re more than just an ice cream shop,” Dustin says. “We’re more like a dessert cafe.” (In my recent interview with the Sapps, I professed equal love for both businesses.)

Know before you go: Lolley’s is located at 216 N. Tejon St., next to T-byrd’s Tacos & Tequila. Doors soft open Friday, and expect a grand opening celebration announced for sometime in early May.

Capture all the chinchillas!

So, chinchillas are what Cinchona Coffee calls their reward points on Cash App (whereas Josh & John’s are called “punches” à la their old school physical vouchers). I learned this when at the preview on Wednesday, paying for a couple of boutique Third Wave Chocolate bars, a cappuccino and blueberry matcha cheong tea.

As I told you in Side Dish a few weeks ago, Cinchona owner and barista Andrew Shepherd Combs is moving from popup service inside Provision Bread & Bakery to a storefront over, at 2 S. Wahsatch Ave., to finaly open his own cafe. Look for it to open to the public at 6 a.m. on April 20 (huh-huh, 4/20 bro!).

He’s on a limited menu for the preview and there’s more furnishing of the space to come, but he and a co-tenant named Sentai (who sells skateboard decks and streetwear) at least have signs hung out front. It’s official.

My cappuccino is superb, because that’s how Combs rolls. We’ve had the blueberry matcha many times before and will get it many times again. Its color in the glass is hypnotic and it’s nicely sweet balanced with the bitter green tea. “We serve a stupidly good matcha standard in our drinks,” Combs wrote on Cinchona’s Instagram page at one point, partly in explanation of the pricing around his products. They aren’t cheap because neither are his meticulously sourced ingredients.

Anyway, before I left, we made sure to take another photo with Combs’ foot on the counter, just to playfully troll an online commenter who’d griped about his shoes being on the counter when I photographed him a few weeks ago in the construction site. (You know, dear commenter, that countertop will be wiped clean… we give up.)

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Miguel’s doubling locations in the coming weeks

Miguel’s Mexican Bar & Grill is underway with an ambitious expansion that will see two new locations coming online imminently.

First, the former Salsa on the Rock at 802 Village Center Drive in Rockrimmon has been transformed into Miguel’s next spot, and it might be open by the time you read this (or within days). Following that within a month or so, expect what was Tsing Tao House at 3604 Hartsel Drive, near Woodmen Road, to open as the fourth Miguel’s.

The outfit, launched on Cheyenne Mountain Boulevard over two decades ago (originally named Carlos Miguel’s due to a prior business partner), added a second location on S. Eighth Street in 2020. I reached out to co-owner Miguel Martin to chat about the dual openings and learn more about the sudden growth.

He tells me that he and his current business partner Manuel Pacheco, who’s also the chef, became friends many years ago in California while working together in the restaurant industry. “We came out of continental steakhouses, big catering houses,” he says, “and we learned a lot from the great chefs we were working with out there.”

When they later reunited in Colorado, they constructed a menu that reflects broad Mexican cuisines, from Mexico City to Jalisco and Veracruz: “tacos, tamales, steaks, seafood, a little bit of everything,” he says, adding that the menu focuses on fresh items, executability and authenticity. (The menu will be the same at all four locations.)

I ask him what his bestsellers are, and he points to their molcajete bowl (with steak, shrimp, carnitas and chicken), pollo boracho in habanero sauce, and their Baja fish tacos served with jicama and fixings.

He notes that “times are tough,” so Miguel’s offers a daily lunch item at $10.99 to address affordability. And there’s a meal deal for two, for $30, which offers an appetizer, entrée and dessert to share.

He and Pacheco also launched Aspen American Bar and Grill off of Lake Avenue a few years ago, before turning around and selling it in mid 2025 to Srini Boddeda, who added an Indian menu atop the American bistro items.

I’m curious if they’re eyeing more expansion after these next two Miguel’s stores come online, and Martin says “I don’t know if we will do more of them, and if we do, it’s going to be a while.”

“How does it feel to be doubling your business after all these years,” I ask him.

“It’s nuts,” he begins. “I’m not sure if it’s exciting or suicide.” He continues after a pause: “We aren’t doing anything magical. We’re just doing things right.”

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Try the globally viral Raspberry Danish Latte at The French Kitchen

Confession: I got a little meddlesome this week and texted The French Kitchen owner (my friend and a Side Dish Dozen alum) Blandine Mazéran, saying “Maybe you should put C. Springs on the map for this,” with a link to an article from The Guardian.

You should read it for the full story, but the takeaway for you lazies who won’t click it is that a coffee shop in Northfield, Minnesota named Little Joy created a Raspberry Danish Latte last month. Then they shared the recipe online, encouraging other shops to copy their idea, and even created a map to highlight places serving it. The drink’s gone international since, to “every continent except Antarctica.” At a glance, I see hundreds (maybe thousands?) of places pinpointed.

But zoom in on Colorado and guess who’s absent from the list? Smallorado Springs — yup. I expected to spy cities like Denver and Boulder on the map, but not Salida, Del Norte and even Beulah. Among those making the latte are industry-respected craft outfits like Harbinger Coffee in Fort Collins, so it’s been plenty legitimized.

Instead of waiting to see who might discover the drink in C. Springs, I tipped off TFK, thinking that as a boulangerie and pâtisserie with coffee service it would make sense thematically that they serve a pastry-inspired latte. Plus, when sidedishsidekick’s daughter Ella gave Blandine the idea for making the viral, Olympics-inspired Paris Chocolate Muffin in mid 2024, she jumped on it. (That item lives on every Valentine’s Day now at TFK as the “chocolate love muffin.”)

So now, take a look at TFK’s alluring Raspberry Danish Latte rendition, concocted by Barista Alex Wilson and Chef Nathan Potter:

As of April 16 you can try the Raspberry Danish Latte at TFK for $6.75 — or make it a “berry bundle” with a raspberry chocolatine (already existent on their menu) for $11. In May, that bundle will include a blackberry Queenet option. And you should have until June’s end to get the viral drink before TFK’s next Taste of the Season refresh.

“Our team gets excited when we get tips like this,” Blandine tells me at my tasting and photography session earlier this week. They had just been sitting down to plan out the seasonal drink menu when I texted, so my timing was coincidentally good.

As for the drink, the global attention tells you that it’s damn delightful. For my tastes, I love the vanilla cream cheese foam’s texture and natural (though sugar-enhanced) sweetness of the raspberries in the bottommost layer, below a double shot of espresso and milk. The fresh raspberry garnish also feels special and lends more eye appeal.

Whether this drink will live on past this initial hype, like the Dubai chocolate craze has continued in the marketplace, we shall see. But for now, it’s sure cool to see the creative collaboration around a recipe given freely to the world. Little Joy’s store manager told The Guardian that they knew most people wouldn’t attempt the DIY drink at home, and obviously wouldn’t drive to Minnesota for it, so encouraging other businesses to make it made sense. “Which is why we’re inviting any coffee shop to steal this drink and put it on their own menu. Not you, Starbucks,” she said.

Bites & Bits

• Bella’s Bagels returned home from BagelFest West in Los Angeles (held April 12) as the winner in the Schmear of the Year category. Their Pueblo Green Chile Cream Cheese — what else would you rep our great state with? — earned the top honor over a lemon meringue flavor (the runner up, from Encinitas, Calif.) and garlic flavor (third place, out of Koreatown, L.A.). “Colorado heat has been delivered,” co-owner Jason Stele said in a proud Facebook post. What’s more: Stele and crew got a surprise, congratulatory visit from Governor Jared Polis on April 15:

• The Grilled Cheese Food Truck announced that it has expanded into a new, much larger food bus after four years in business. In addition to signature sandwiches and seasonal specials (like a summertime Peach Valley with Brie, peach slices, mint and honey) they offer gluten-free and vegan options and recently began serving doggy ice cream for your pets for $1.50.

• Online scuttlebutt earlier this week had it that Capriotti’s had closed all its C. Springs locations. I saw other Springs media personalities report it (as if fact-checked). Then I stopped by the E. Cheyenne Road location April 15 to find a sign in the window saying “This Location is Temporarily Closed.” Which is how Google stated it as well when I searched. (Are you with me? Key word: “temporarily.”) Capriotti’s corporate website only showed that our local spots were “Not Accepting Online Orders. And Capriotti’s Cheyenne Road Facebook page continued to put up daily posts as if it was open — seemingly stuck on autopilot from a scheduler somewhere. Though literally as I write this around noon on April 16, that page’s hours have been updated to say “Permanently Closed.”

• The Gazette reported on the April 1 opening of a second Mountain Mike’s Pizza location in the area, at 8099 Carmela Grove, near Woodmen and Marksheffel roads. The first location at 123 Spectrum Loop opened in January 2025, and is owned by a separate franchisee according to the article, which notes more than 320 locations of the 48-year-old chain across the U.S.

• Fox21 noted the permanent closure of Biaggi’s this week at 1805 Briargate Parkway after more than 23 years at the location. The article cited “extensive damage to the building” which has had it closed for business since fall 2025, with hopes to reopen.

• Continuing her reporting on the Noma fallout, local chef Hannah Cupples has posted two more pieces in her Old School Mentality Gets 86’d series. One is a conversation with key figure Jason Ignacio White, and the other is takeaways from her trip in late March to Philadelphia, where she attended the Chef Assembly. She found the experience frustrating, “because the topic of abuse and exploitation in the service industry was not only ignored… it was mocked,” she writes. Click in to give it a read, and subscribe free (or paid).

• “The Mexican version of Boston Market.” That’s how New Denizen describes Chicken Riot, a new Cherry Creek spot from the guys behind Riot BBQ (formerly the beleaguered AJ’s Pit Bar-B-Q). This month’s roundup of 5 new restaurants & bars you should know about (around Denver) also features the amazing Poulette Bakeshop, which I recently tried thanks to a gift pastry box from a chef friend. “Honestly, if you haven’t made the drive down to Parker to try Poulette by now, I’m not sure we can be friends,” writes New Denizen (real name Laura).

Side Dish Dozen happenings

Blackhat Distillery: Experience Blackhat Distillery, where American Agave Spirits meet disciplined craft and elevated Colorado hospitality. Through May’s end, readers can secure access to our guided tours at 50% off and our intimate Distiller’s Vault experience at 25% off. Advance resos required. Tours are booked online, and Vault experiences are arranged directly with our distiller.

Four by Brother Luck: Reserve early for Mother’s Day brunch! Come see us for our newly expanded and revamped happy hours, 3-6 p.m., Tuesdays-Sundays. Book a five- or seven-course private Chef’s Table with us (wine pairing optional) for any occasion.

Red Gravy: Try the undefeated Pastarama champ, our Short Rib Ravioli! Facing a new contender: Four-Cheese Manicotti: pasta filled with Ricotta, Parmesan and basil and baked with marinara, Mozzarella & Provel cheeses. Topped with Fried Spinach.

Elephant Thai & Chaang Thai: Stop in for new menu additions: a Vegan Appetizer Sampler; Sweet Chile Sriracha Tempura Shrimp; Nam Jim Jaew lime leaf-lemongrass pork with sticky rice (gluten-free) and Chef Suwanna’s homemade coconut ice cream.

T-Byrd’s Tacos & Tequila: Happy hours are 3-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and all day Sunday. Taco Tuesdays feature $3.50 tacos all day and $5 Margaritas. Our $12.99 lunch special gets you chips & salsa, two tacos, rice, beans and a fountain drink; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. District Elleven: new Tapa Tuesdays!

Bristol Brewing Company: Have you had our Hefe? It’s a fresh and flavorful toast to spring at the Bristol Pub, along with our Blood Orange Beehive, Chocolate Lab, and the return of Yellow Kite Pilsner, all on tap now. See you in the Schoolyard!

Hoppenings of the week

Beer Events

Plants & Pints with Phelan Gardens at Red Leg Brewing: April 18, noon. An earth day celebration. Purchase a pint and get a free starter veggie plant. Enjoy a pop up sale featuring annuals, perennials, herbs and house plants.

Magic: The Gathering Night at Lost Friend Brewing: April 18, 5 p.m. Join us every other Saturday for Magic nights Bring your own decks and enjoy a fun, relaxed, free night of games with players of all skill levels. 10% off your bar tab while playing.

Pints & Poses (Beer Yoga) at Urban Animal Brewing (Star Ranch): April 19, 10:45 a.m. Every 1st & 3rd Sunday. Calm pups welcome. $18 gets you an hour of stretchy, breathy goodness + a pint.

Beer Releases

Plume Domination West Coast IPA at Cerberus Brewing: A bold, hoppy brew with proceeds benefiting the SOCO Interagency Wildland Fire Team.

La Matts Blue Lager at WestFax Springs: A crisp, clean Canadian-style crusher collaboration rooted in longtime friendship, with a nod to shared Upstate NY roots.

Curated by Brandon Heid and Gerry Reyes. For full listings of beer-related events and releases download the free Hoppenings app on Apple on Google.

Join us for a patio brunch bash, Sunday, April 26, 10-2

Upcoming events

April 18: Pikes Peak Library District Foundation’s annual Night at the Library at Library 21c. 6-8 p.m; $150 benefits PPLD. Featuring 20 local food and drink vendors serving snacks inspired by classic and modern storybook themes.

April 21: Adictivo Tequila Dinner at TAPAteria. 6 p.m.; $99 for five paired courses.

April 23: A Night with Hendrick’s Gin in The Aviator at Hotel Polaris. 4 and 5:30 p.m. tastings, $10.

April 25: 19th annual Spring Wine Extravaganza at Cañon City’s Winery at Holy Cross Abbey. 1-4 p.m.; $50 includes wine, food and live music.

April 25: Small Brew Saturday at Local Relic. Noon to 4 p.m., snacks available.

April 26: Patio Brunch Bash Sip with Schnip at Evergreen Restaurant. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. $5 Goat Patch beers, bottomless mimosas, live music, pup-friendly patio plus a Breakfast Burger Special with egg, bacon, onion jam and Hollandaise on a Provision-baked croissant. And a one-day-only special Side Dish Mousse Cake, made with espresso from Kangaroo Coffee!

April 26: Third Annual Rooftop Invitational cocktail competition at Lumen8 Rooftop Social. 6 p.m. Eight teams, single elimination rounds with surprise challenge ingredients. Spectate and sip the creations.

April 27: Corrido Tequila Dinner at Ephemera. Seatings between 5:30 and 7:30; $105 for four paired courses.

April 28: Passport To Castello Banfi wine dinner at Pizzeria Rustica. 6 p.m.; $89 for five paired courses, call 719-475-9700 to reserve.

April 29: Colorado Pint Day. Starting at 11 a.m., hit participating local breweries to snag the 2025 limited edition Colorado Brewer’s Guild glass free with a pint purchase.

Parting shot(s)

This week was jammed packed with tastings for me. (Tough gig, I know.) Here’s some shots with the industry folks I met up with:

1) Chef Nate at The French Kitchen to taste the Raspberry Danish Latte. Note how it looks like the characters in the mural behind me are watching me drink in the first photo, and how I share a similar pose and expression to the mural character in the second photo. A total accident in composition, I promise… unless Chloé at TFK is an even more masterful marketing hand than I realized.

2) I’ve enjoyed getting to know Josh & John’s founder John Krakauer more over the past couple years of our seasonal Side Dish flavor collaborations. I have a blast bantering with him, and the bonus (of course) is that there always seems to be ice cream around and in-hand when we talk. Even if he has just sweetened me up with the good, cold stuff, I’m always happy to see him and the awesome J&J’s crew members who have really woven themselves into the community.

3) What a joy it was to finally meet Lolley’s Ice Cream owners Shelley and Dustin Sapp in person, having only talked to them by phone prior (even though I’ve eaten ice cream at their Monument shop many times). They and their staff graciously tasted me through almost their whole current menu — kudos for the actual silverware (mini spoons) that prevents disposable waste! Welcome to the Springs! (From Monument.)

Some weeks in Side Dish, you’ll notice I do area travel pieces, such as my recent roundups of Taos and Buena Vista. I might also throw in a random staycation, as well as foreign destinations like Spain and Portugal (because I know not how to go on vacation without working). You can always access these via my home page, generally under the “reviews” section (if you’re a newer subscriber and didn’t know this).

I say generally, because sometimes I squeeze little trips away into this weekly newsletter, as opposed to a separate review mailing. A recent example of that is our jaunt to Breckenridge. The goal usually is to check out food and drink spots that are new to us since our last visit to an area (sometimes dating back years). In other instances, it might be my first trip to a place, and I go to recreate, working in culinary stops as a bonus; my writeup of Glenwood Springs fits that mold.

I’m telling you all this 1) to reassure you that my main focus remains on home base in the Colorado Springs marketplace and 2) with the assumption that you also enjoy day trips or few-day journeys around Colorado. And would that you’re inspired by our far-away voyages, you might appreciate tips for an itinerary. (We have one friend in Spain presently, and another headed to Portugal soon, and we’ve provided advisements.)

So, all that in mind, this week I’m kicking off with highlights from a short overnight in Cañon City. The obvious tourist draws are the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park, Royal Gorge Route Railroad and extensive penitentiary facilities. (Kidding on that last one! Oy! Sadly, being a prison town is part of Cañon City’s fabric. You can’t go and not notice.) Eschewing all this, we just relaxed around Main Street and enjoyed the quietude of a small town, needing a metal break from hustle and bustle, if only for a few hours. Here’s what we got into:

Stay: Hotel St. Cloud

After a seven-year renovation and restoration, Hotel St. Cloud reopened in mid 2025. Its history dates back to 1881 in Silver Cliff, Colorado, from where it was deconstructed and relocated to Cañon City just five years later, reopening in 1887. Needless to say, it’s had many owners and operators over the years, as well as different names. The history section of the hotel’s website site notes “The Dark Age” in 1925 when it became the KKK’s headquarters, with 20-percent of the town’s population belonging. There’s brighter times, such as “The Hollywood Era” in the late 1940s.

I asked my next door neighbor Bob if he was familiar with the hotel, as he grew up in Cañon City. He surprised me by saying “I worked there for a summer when I was in high school.” This was in the mid 1950’s and it was named Hotel Cañon at that time. He recalls operating the elevator (getting good at timing the shutoff to line up the floors) and hauling in heavy luggage in an era before rolling luggage had come along. He made 50 cents an hour, and was embarrassed to be seen outside of work in his bellhop outfit, so he would try and sneak the four blocks to work from home without being bothered. He describes the hotel as “really upscale and fancy” back then, saying “for Cañon City it was top of the line.”

Some 30 years later, in 1987 it closed, and would remain vacant until a “preservation attempt” in 2014. The restoration, under a new, Denver-based owner, began in 2018. One travel writer I find online calls it “a herculean effort to restore a vintage hotel.” It would total $15 million in costs before it was completed.

For all that, the floor in our room isn’t even level — your water bottle will roll towards the interior wall with the slightest nudge, as if on a boat that’s listing. We’re aware of this odd feature before booking, as the room’s listed (with a $30 discount off $204 this night) as the “Tilted Cowboy,” with “All the luxury of our Standard King — plush bedding, modern amenities —in a room with a subtle tilt.” We were intrigued; we had to do it. It was faintly disorienting for a few seconds here and there when moving about it, but not to a degree to cause any seasickness or real discomfort. (If anything, it felt like a metaphor for navigating today’s crazy-ass chaos world — you can get around well enough, but your senses constantly perceive that something’s off.)

Hotel St. Cloud’s lobby feels chic and stylish, with a showpiece landscape photo of a bison over a fireplace (glowing because it’s actually a TV screen with a frame around it — I went snooping at the edges). There’s a cool four-way leather chair adjacent to a pool table, and the Fremont Public House acts as the lobby bar one storefront over. (You can take drinks up to your room if you wish.) The hotel also owns Fremont Provisions, a sports bar, a couple blocks away down Main Street. But we opt to eat on-property at their finer dining spot, named 1887.

1887 Historic Eatery

The hotel’s restoration did a great job in terms of making it feel hip and boutique. A fair comparison might be The Mining Exchange in Colorado Springs, in terms of preserving history and creating a new narrative around the thematics. So think of 1887 as like Oro. Historic photo reproductions play off frontier and Western styles; tin ceiling tiles stretch over a display case of sweets in the center of the room; and pretty charger plates hold leather-bound menus next to hotel logo pint glasses for water service. Table service rates attentive and sincere; we enjoy bantering with our waiter.

Complimentary bread service features house-baked wheat rolls flecked with thyme and rosemary and egg-wash basted with a seasoning that evokes sweet onions. We order a pinot noir that outperforms its easy $7.50 price by the glass. (Beers are relatively affordable for today’s prices at $5 and $6.50; cocktails are uniformly $13 and “free spirited” mocktails are all a fair $8.)

We bypass apps like crab cakes and pork belly bites plus soups and salads and go right to mains, where the real pricing kicks in. Salmon for $36 and lamb lollies for $44. The fish is advertised as glazed with a lemon-lavender-infused honey, drawing us in, but what arrives is a sickly sweet faux maple syrup (Log Cabin methinks) with high fructose corn syrup vibes start to finish. Like breakfast for dinner sweet. Speaking as a former beekeeper, I can say that no bees I’m aware of make a “honey” like this. Everything it touches is worse off for it: the fingerlings, carrots and dry (cooked past medium) fish. In my notes I callously scribble “a sentient being was murdered for this dish? Twice!”

The Mediterranean-marinated lamb arrives under a glass cloche filled in hickory smoke, with sides of roasted butternut squash, Brussels sprouts and potatoes. It’s certainly better by comparison to the fish (so is a kick to the groin … okay I’m still being mean), but it’s still got issues that leave us feeling like Cañon City has a ways to go to rise from has-the-look to has-the-taste. The lamb’s rosemary-balsamic reduction has the highly saline flavor of bagged demi-glace (I could be wrong; maybe they’re doing real cookery, but it’s how I perceived it) and though we saw the real stuff waft out from the cloche, the residual smoke taste reminds us of liquid smoke influence. The hash and whole affair would be more enjoyable if they’d arrived on hot plates to hold some temp; it’s all room-temp quickly. It’s the small details like this that could help elevate the spot, in addition to rethinking the saucing.

The War Room Cocktail Lounge

Love ’em or tired of ’em, speakeasies are still en vogue. With assistance from a server, enter through a fake bookshelf door at 1887’s rear into The War Room. Full credit due: It’s a beautiful space, with shiny, mirror bar shelves reflecting bright light over an array of top shelf spirits, including many allocated whiskies. Booth seats have buffalo nickels at the back of each dimple of the button tuft, and large mural opposite the bar depicts a World War II-era meeting of military leaders. Dozens and dozens of bottles are locked behind mesh screens in a tall display case against another wall of the bar as part of a locker program for regulars.

We’re faded after a long day of adventuring, so we opt to skip a nightcap, but I’m glad to have toured through the space. Would that I had ordered something, it probably would have been The General, made with scotch, honey and bitters, or The Retiree, with bourbon, maple and bitters. (But I’d already had enough maple with my meal — zing! How do you like that call-back?)

Standard Oil Coffee Company

Also belonging to Hotel St. Cloud, Standard Oil Coffee Co. resides just across Seventh Street as a neighboring cafe for daytime coffee and sweets. They serve fine pastries made by the hotel, including a ridiculously good Dubai Chocolate Brownie that I felt compelled to try. The kataif crunch texture is totally on-point, layered thick under a pistachio crumble topping and thin hard chocolate vein, with a chewy chocolate bottom. I didn’t think I would like it as much as I did, and I failed with my intent to just take a bite and save the rest for later — I put the whole damn thing down, paired with sips of a lovely cortado.

For takeaway drinks in our travel mugs, we order two specialty lattes from the seasonal menu: a rose-cardamom latte and orange-rosemary. Neither smacks too sweet, and the though the rosemary’s subtle in the latter drink, the orange shows up juicy and bright, simply delightful. I usually love rose lattes but this one’s a bit too floral for my tastes, overwhelming the cardamom and inherent coffee flavor; I have to add another espresso double shot to it later to balance out the taste to my liking.

Notably, Standard Oil serves drinks made with Hold Fast Coffee Co.-roasted beans (the City Slicker blend most prominently) out of Colorado Springs. That’s also what’s stocked in Hotel St. Cloud’s rooms in coffee pod form, so you can enjoy a first cuppa right out of bed if you wish.

Christy’s on Main

By Lauren Hug

Cheery yellow chairs and bright pink umbrellas line the sidewalk outside Christy’s, external symbols of the friendliness and whimsy that awaits you inside. They serve a wide variety of flavors and styles, catering to every kind of donut lover.

We try three. The raised, glazed yeast donut is a little on the dryer side, pairing well with coffee — which Christy’s also serves, including specialty lattes. A cinnamon roll cut to look somewhat like a pineapple, then fried and glazed like a donut, offers a nice contrast between crispy edges and chewy inside. The blueberry cake donut is a delight: soft and sweet and perfect with sips of coffee. I’m not normally a cake donut fan, but I’d make a return trip just for that.

The shop’s prices are unusually affordable for today’s landscape, with the cost of a dozen ranging from $15-$17. That alone is a reason to visit and sample almost everything they have to offer.

Other coffee options:

• The Pour House has expanded from its flagship location, 15 minutes away in Florence, to a spot along Main Street in Cañon City. It’s an excellent craft coffee shop.

• The Bean Pedaler is a cool, bicycle-themed spot also located on Main Street.

• Cafe Belay is located out on a frontage road off Hwy. 50 as you’re coming into town, and impressed us last time we were in the area.

Next time we go:

• Whitewater Rooftop Social, opened in spring 2024, features a giant elevated patio that overlooks the Royal Gorge Train station and Arkansas River. Find common pub fare and bar bites and sip a craft beer (including Bristol and Reg Leg pours).

• Antithesis, supposedly opening sometime in May. It’s billed as an upscale 50-seat restaurant inside the historic Robison Mansion, formerly Royal Gorge Mansion. (I contacted them with a request for more info but didn’t hear back this week.)

On the way:

Coyote’s Coffee Den (Penrose)

You can’t not pause in Penrose at Coyote’s on your drive south. For more than two decades it’s been a requisite stop for me. I don’t necessarily have a go-to drink, but I’m happy on this trip to revisit the Mexican mocha. I order it with oat milk and added cayenne for more spicy bite. The base mix already has some nice earthy heat and deep chocolatey sweetness; it sips somewhere in between a latte and hot chocolate.

Brush Hollow Winery (Penrose)

Brush Hollow opened six years ago in Penrose, stemming from a prior distilling operation in Laramie, Wyoming. (They also briefly popped up in Cascade, not far from Wines of Colorado as it were, but that test didn’t prove concept for a steady location.) They’re known for their Neapolitan wood oven pizzas (which we can’t try because of fire restrictions this day); a fat house cat that’s depicted on one of the labels; special Friday night pasta services; and wines made on site from Colorado-grown grapes (most from the Palisade area, but some local to town).

Winemaker Robert Vanatta (pictured above) guides us through our wine flight we’ve selected — watch the one-minute clip I filmed here — which includes some wines that earned medals at the Governor’s Cup in recent years. I won’t go through our tasting notes wine by wine (because he already covers descriptors in that video clip), but I can tell you we like the Syrah a lot; enjoyed the Aromella’s tropical elements; were challenged by the Maréchal Foch (aged in Axe and the Oak bourbon barrels, taking on a brown color and sour cherry taste with umami back notes of mushroom); and brought a bottle home of the lightly sweet Pueblo Green Chile, with a wonderful chile nose and true flavor, leaving a residual smolder in our throats.

Subscribe now

Check out Ranch Foods Direct’s April newsletter for a short but poignant interview with renowned animal welfare advocate Temple Grandin, who envisions a future with “a big market for ranch-to-retail” and a secure food system with “a more distribute supply chain.” Also well worth a read: the “water crisis deepens” for Colorado ranchers, coming on the heels of the hottest winter on record in the region and wildfires in Nebraska that reduced hay supplies. What’s worse: “Groundwater is running short in many areas of the plains due to over-pumping… In some wells, there’s only 10 feet of water left in the hole, and it’s undrinkable.”

Bites & Bits

• Rock Bottom Brewery has gone out of business at 3316 Cinema Point after 20 years, having just celebrated National Beer Day on April 7 with $2 pints. Leave it to the internet to pay timely tribute: “Super sad actually. They finally hit rock bottom,” commented one smart-ass on The 411 For The 719 Facebook group. The first Rock Bottom location opened in Denver in 1991, and the company’s website cites 17 locations still alive. The brewery’s parent company, SPB Hospitality, had sold in late 2024 to Kelly Companies of Southern California, who owns Champps.

• The Gazette reported last week that “New owners of Cogstone Brewing Co. keeping legacy alive.” (Though other than naming buyers Mike and Mary O’Neil, the article has no direct quotes from them and reads more as a swan song to founding sellers Robert Hemphill and Marc Malenfant.)

• Downtown’s Savory Spice Shop, open since 2010, recently posted to say that they’ll be changing their name to Pine & Pepper Spice Shop. “We'll continue offering the exact same freshly ground spices, herbs, and blends you trust,” they wrote. “We’re proud to remain a Savory Spice franchise… What's new is the opportunity to grow in ways that feel uniquely rooted here in Colorado Springs-creating local blends, featuring Colorado artisan products, and making shopping online even easier.”

• Springs Magazine profiled Atrevida Beer Co. this week ahead of the brewery’s eighth anniversary celebration, coming up on Cinco de Mayo. Owners Jessica and Rich Fierro reflect on everything from early inspiration and diversity topics (Jessica being the first female, Latina-owned brewery in the state) to the 2022 Club Q shooting (Rich disarmed the shooter) and Atrevida’s commitment to the community.

• In chain news, L&L Hawaiian Barbecue just opened a seventh location in Colorado, at 2130 Southgate Road, #101. According to a press release, the brand dates back 70 years, to a single shop in Honolulu; today there’s more than 230 international locations. This new store, as well as the Barnes Road and Interquest Parkway shops, are operated by franchisee Ron Chadwick Jr., who owns six stores in the region. The company’s signature items is the Plate Lunch, offering two rice scoops, macaroni salad and an entrée, with choices like chicken katsu, loco moco, mixed barbecue or garlic shrimp.

• Taste of Pikes Peak, to be held July 9 at Hillside Gardens, is seeking food and beverage vendors. Register here.

Side Dish Dozen happenings

Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar: Every Saturday, dig into a shrimp boil or go big with shrimp + snow crab — served with sausage, potatoes, collards and cornbread. Pair it with $20 beer buckets and make a night of it.

Edelweiss: Catch our 2026 Spring Wine Dinner at 6 p.m., April 22. $85 for five paired courses. Dishes include roasted beet salad; panko-crusted Brie with lingonberry; pork loin with apricot coulis; hanger steak; and a white chocolate and raspberry sorbet beehive for dessert. Also, make reservations now for Mother’s Day, as we fill up quick.

Goat Patch Brewing: Every Thursday we drop a new pizza special at Grazing Goat Kitchen at Northgate. Single-topping pizzas at lunch are only $10, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays. Paint Your Pet at Lincoln Center, 5-7 p.m., April 11; $30 includes two beers. Mellow Mondays Coloring Nights at Monument for kids and adults are 5-8 p.m.

Gold Star Bakery: Celebrate Mother’s Day with scratch-made cinnamon rolls and mixed boxes of sweet breads from Gold Star Bakery. Perfect for brunch tables, family gatherings or sharing with friends. Reserve yours today to make your celebration a little sweeter. Preorder through May 4; pickup at Ivywild School May 8-9.

Kangaroo Coffee: Join us for a special event with IM BEE Botanicals, April 21, 4-7 p.m. Introducing Golden Bloom Body Polish, a body scrub made with Kangaroo coffee beans! Try it, meet the maker, enjoy charcuterie and sip some coffee. (Sign up here.) Also you have to try our new Coconut Lavender Chai: Stop by or have one delivered!

Wobbly Olive: Every weekday happy hour at both locations is 4-6 p.m.; all cocktails and beers are half off, plus $5 house wines. Allusion Speakeasy: Our new Star Wars theme has opened downtown as of April 9, and will open April 16 at our Powers location; Lord of the Rings closes April 12. Expect amazing on-theme cocktails, N/A “light side libations” and all-age Padawan Brunches for Star Wars.

Evergreen Restaurant: Come try drinks from our new spring cocktail menu. And join us for lunch, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesdays-Saturdays. Menu items include our lamb burger, smoked salmon pinsa (flatbread), and shrimp linguine, with gluten-free bread and pasta options.

Hoppenings of the week

Beer Events

Bristol’s Prohibition Party: April 11, 7 p.m. Toast Prohibition’s repeal. Costume mandatory. Get 33¢ Yellow Kite pilsners and enjoy pilsner cocktails and mocktails, photo ops, a costume contest and scandalous casino games.

Sizzling Chili Cook-Off at Urban Animal Brewing (Downtown): April 12, 4 p.m. Taste mouthwatering chili creations from local competitors. All proceeds benefit the local fire department.

Queers & Beers at Seven’s Gate Taproom: April 15, 7 p.m. A welcoming space for LGBTQ+ folks and allies to connect, unwind and build community. Happy Hour runs 7 PM to close.

Beer Releases

Sweet Tea Ale at Goat Patch Brewing Co. (all locations): A malty ale brewed with black tea and sweet notes of peach. Smooth and flavorful, ideal for patio season.

Apricot IPA at South Park Brewing: A hazy IPA with subtle citrus notes and juicy apricot flavor, finished with nice hop crispness.

I Left My Kilt in El Paso at Gunslinger Brewing Co.: A Scottish Ale, perfect for smoky meat pairings.

Curated by Brandon Heid and Gerry Reyes. For full listings of beer-related events and releases download the free Hoppenings app on Apple on Google.

Upcoming events

April 11: The SoulFULL Series at COS City Hub with Latimer’s Kitchen & Catering. $99 includes six courses by five local chefs and a drink ticket.

April 16: Fables & Folktales Wine Dinner at Margarita at PineCreek. $85; call 719-598-8667 to reserve.

April 18: Pikes Peak Library District Foundation’s annual Night at the Library at Library 21c. 6-8 p.m; $150 benefits PPLD. Featuring 20 local food and drink vendors serving snacks inspired by classic and modern storybook themes.

April 21: Adictivo Tequila Dinner at TAPAteria. 6 p.m.; $99 for five paired courses.

April 25: 19th annual Spring Wine Extravaganza at Cañon City’s Winery at Holy Cross Abbey. 1-4 p.m.; $50 includes wine, food and live music.

April 26: Sip with Schnip Brunch at Evergreen Restaurant. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Details to come.

April 26: Third Annual Rooftop Invitational cocktail competition at Lumen8 Rooftop Social. 6 p.m. Eight teams, single elimination rounds with surprise challenge ingredients. Spectate and sip the creations.

April 27: Corrido Tequila Dinner at Ephemera. Seatings between 5:30 and 7:30; $105 for four paired courses.

April 28: Passport To Castello Banfi wine dinner at Pizzeria Rustica. 6 p.m.; $89 for five paired courses, call 719-475-9700 to reserve.

April 29: Colorado Pint Day. Starting at 11 a.m., hit participating local breweries to snag the 2025 limited edition Colorado Brewer’s Guild glass free with a pint purchase.

Parting shot(s)

Visit Colorado Springs’ President and CEO Doug Price invited me to present with him at this week’s HSMAI Southern Colorado State of the Springs program, held at The Mining Exchange. (HSMAI stands for Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International, if you didn’t know.)

We discussed the arrival of Michelin inspectors to our area, continuing a conversation that we had started on Visit COS’ Peak into COS podcast last month, which included Chef Brother Luck.

During a separate part of Price’s presentation, he shared data points with the crowd of hospitality professionals, mostly folks who work in our area hotels and are concerned with tourism matters.

A few points I found notable:

• The U.S. economy saw a 5 percent decrease in international tourism during 2025, and a $6 billion loss to our economy during the Oct.-Nov. government shutdown.

• In 2024 (the most recent data available), visitors in the Pikes Peak Region totaled 25.5 million and represented $3.1 billion in spending.

• Expect 353 new hotel rooms getting added to our local inventory in 2026 between several new projects under development.

Por Favor Tacos & Tragos was a long time in the making for the Galvan family.

When I first met and interviewed them in mid 2024, as their spot at at 4657 Centennial Blvd. was just getting open, they told me it was the fulfillment of a dream briefly deferred by the 2008 recession when they were living in California. Everardo Galvan Sr., a longtime GM for Miguel’s Mexican Bar & Grill locally, and his wife Maria had continued to desire a restaurant of their own.

When it finally came to fruition, their daughter and three sons jumped in to help out, some leaving behind other careers to join the family business. That risk — if it ever really was one, given how good their tacos and margaritas are — has paid off over the last 20 months. (July 3 will be their second anniversary.) Por Favor has earned a loyal fan base and quickly outgrown its relatively small dining space.

Hence the reason they just opened a second location on April 2 at 13395 Voyager Parkway (in the former Broken Bones BBQ space). Design wise, it’s a tasteful clone stamp of the flagship eatery, complete with faux foliage and neon signs and a mirror food and drink menu. It holds almost the same amount of eaters at any one time: 71 here compared to 64 at Centennial.

I sat down with the family and got a first look at the new location a couple days prior to that. As Everardo Sr., the acting CFO, buzzed around making final touches to the neon lights behind the bar, his sons crowded around a booth with me to talk about Por Favor’s hospitality ethos and what comes next for the company. Oldest son Everardo Jr. acts as marketing director; middle son Yuriam holds the CEO title; and youngest son Edgar is Por Favor’s talented bar director. (His seasonal pumpkin spice bourbon old fashioned and cold brew margarita really won us over in the last fall.)

From our conversation, quoting from the group unless otherwise noted:

•Why expand?

“Lets see how far we can take it, why put a limit?” — Everardo Jr.

“We were all in sales prior to coming back into the restaurant industry. Our goal with Por Favor was to scale while we’re young. It’s fun see how quickly we’ve been able to do it. The competition within ourselves is what keeps it going.” — Yuriam

“We created a monster, and we want to see how fat we can get it.” — Edgar

(Unknowingly, they’re answering Mayor Yemi’s call for more taco spots.)

• Lessons learned from the first location?

“When we first opened we had nachos on the menu. They did sell well, but they pushed back ticket times in the kitchen. It just wasn’t efficient to keep them, as it was affecting how we take care of our guests.” They also cut a soup of the day and a pickled veggie mix for similar reasons.

“We’re always brainstorming improvements.” Everardo Sr. figured out a strategy to arrange tables in rows in the new space so they can plug-and-play to guest party size easily by quickly moving and connecting two- and four-tops. Again that’s in the service of accommodating guest needs.

“Birria remains our specialty. It’s our top seller.”

• Their hospitality ethos?

“We’ve learned that in the restaurant industry today, having good food is not enough. You have to create an experience. When we were in the auto industry, we were told that if you act like a competitor you’ll be treated like the competition. The standards are so low now across the country that you can leverage that by going above and beyond. If you actually serve people and create a culture of ‘let’s make someone’s day better than when they came in’ then we did our job.” — Everardo

“We take time to get to know people, to listen and make sure they’re seen and heard and feel cared for. The staff has taken to keeping notes in their personal phones of repeat customers’ names for quick reference. We didn’t ask them to do that. They did it themselves. They saw us do it and took the initiative.” — Yuriam

“When it comes to Mexican culture in general, we shake hands, give hugs, kiss babies. I learned that from my parents. They’re such great hosts. My dad was the most popular person at the Cheyenne Mountain Miguel’s location. These recipes are my mom’s. So coming to Por Favor is like coming into our house. Now, as guests come back over and over again we’re meeting their extended families.” — Edgar

• What’s next?

Seasonal specials — always one taco, one cocktail and one dessert variant — will pick back up in summer at both locations once the new Voyager location stabilizes.

Location #3. “We’re scouting South and East now.” Everardo Sr. projects it could be another year until they open, insisting they’re not in any rush. They’ll likely stick to the Springs area for now, but have already looked into Castle Rock as well.

Maintain their 4.9 rating on Google after nearly 1,000 reviews. They say one bad review, inspired by a spilled tray of food (a total accident), dropped them to 4.8 for a while. It took them 76 more five-star reviews to regain the .1 upgrade. One particularly favorite review — as in devastatingly silly and unfair — was when someone graded them down for a Valentine’s Day special, saying “everything was great, but the tortilla was red.”

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Make Ephemera’s pork belly with Ranch Foods Direct

“This miso pork belly harkens back to our early days, slinging sliders and street vendor-style foods in one of COATI’s pods as we awaited our space’s completion upstairs,” Ephemera’s chef and co-owner Ian Dedrickson tells Side Dish. “We always strive to use pork from high-quality, local sources, especially since our team visited a Colorado slaughterhouse, where our staff saw the full process of animals being turned into the packaged product we receive. Quality meats must come from quality ethics and a full understanding of our consumption of living creatures. We pride ourselves on sourcing from purveyors and producers who value and demonstrate the quality ethics they practice, much like Ranch Foods Direct.” Get the recipe here.

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Dough and sugar (and caffeine)

By Lauren Hug

I’m not a beignet expert. I haven’t had the world-famous Cafe Du Monde versions. I do, however, consider myself something of a fried dough connoisseur (donuts, sopaipillas, bunelos, churros, porras, etc.). And Rocky Mountain Beignets — with locations in both Manitou Springs and downtown Colorado Springs — serves up some delightful renditions.

The regular-sized beignets (three to an order for $6.99) are pillowy, slightly chewy clouds of almost savory yum that don’t even need the dusting of powdered sugar to be a delectable treat. (For context, you should know I eat my sopaipillas plain, without dipping them in honey or honey butter.) The sugar nicely complements the beignets’ dough, though, and you can adjust your sweetness level by shaking it off or swabbing the beignet in the piles of powder that line the bottom of the serving box.

For those who crave a higher powdered sugar-to-dough ratio, the beignet bites ($6.99 for a sizable cup) deliver. Tiny, poppable and smothered in a mountain of sugar, the bites are ideal for dipping in a variety of sauces (75 cents each). The single cup of caramel sauce we ordered provided more than enough to dip every bite.

But what’s a beignet without coffee?

Rocky Mountain Beignets offers lots of java options, so coffee lovers should put the shop on their list. Especially since it’s one of the few places downtown where you can get a coffee drink after 5 p.m. (And, yes, they have decaf.) I was tempted by the Banana Pudding Latte spring menu special, but went with the chicory coffee, for a satisfying roasty flavor and more of the Louisiana vibe. My daughter opted for the White Chocolate Raspberry Latte from the seasonal menu. She typically prefers her coffee drinks iced, but felt this one would be better served hot.

You can also pair your bites with club soda drinks (called Southern Refreshers), Italian cream soda options, milkshakes and a cold brew float made with Blue Bell ice cream, an authentically Southern (Texas) brand.

The downtown space where we stop in is big and bright, with tables sporting beautiful Mardi Gras mask inlays. There’s a nano market of cajun food products for sale. And there are shelves full of games in one corner. Notably: Rocky Mountain Beignets hosts a game night every Thursday, with all-you-can-eat beignets for $10. So even though I can’t tell you how the beignets compare to New Orleans, I can at least tell you I’ll be going back.

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Bites & Bits

• Not among the many April Fool’s jokes perpetrated on Wednesday of this week: Poor Richard’s announced its sale to former FOX21 news director/anchor Joe Cole and his wife Sarah. Springs Magazine offered this timely writeup of the transaction. On comment threads across social media and other local media sites community members have expressed gratitude to Richard Skorman and his wife Patricia Seator for the legacy they’ve created over the past 51 years. Skorman said in a press release that he’d received several offers, but opted to sell to the Coles because “we didn’t want someone who would change the heart of this place.”

• The Sportsbook Bar & Grill plans to open a downtown Colorado Springs location sometime this summer at 402 S. Tejon St., in the SpringHill Suites building under Lumen8 Rooftop Social. The company has existing locations in Parker, Highlands Ranch and Greenwood Village and says its the spot for all sports viewing, from Football, baseball and soccer to rugby and UFC matches. Greenwood Village was the OG location, opened in late 2012, and taken out of business for all of 2024 due to “an arson event,” but it was back open by early 2025. Here’s info on the other spots.

• “Sysco announced plans to buy Restaurant Depot for an eye-popping sum earlier this week. Now, independent restaurants are organizing to fight the deal,” reports Food & Wine. The price tag would be $29.1 billion. Opponents say wholesale shops like Restaurant Depot provide necessary competition, and even negotiation positions for pricing against Sysco food reps. Sysco counters that prices would actually be lowered due to “purchasing efficiencies,” saying they would also add new stores in “geographic food distribution deserts” that would offer broader product offerings. The article briefly outlines a history of past antitrust concerns, including a 2015 failed deal for Sysco to merge with US Foods. And it links to a lengthier More Perfect Union writeup for deeper backstory, which argues that Sysco has grown into the behemoth it is today thanks to “relentless acquisitions that went unchecked,” having acquired more than 150 companies dating back to 1969. “Sysco has allegedly used its consolidated buying power to pressure producers into accepting the lowest rates possible,” says the article. “… repeatedly partner[ing] with producers that have some of the most exploitative production models in the food industry.” Beyond all that, More Perfect Union explains the reason why too much food has started to taste the same, even states apart.

• April’s Culinary Connections meals highlight both Syrian and Afghan cuisines. Choose between chicken shawarma or vegetarian falafel, each plated with fattoush, Riz bi Sha’rieh, cucumber yogurt dip, baba ganoush, pita and Afghan baklava. Order now for pickup on April 18. View the menus at that link, and learn more about the inspiring program here.

• Westword reports that the city of Westminster (roughly 1/5 the size of C Springs, mind you) is launching its first-ever Restaurant Week, to run April 17 to 26. Denver’s popular restaurant week ran March 6-15, and I shared my thoughts on what it would take for C Springs to run a successful one here in my news briefs section last month. Relatedly, reports Westword, Westminster is also slated to get three new food halls.

• Local Chef Hannah Cupples continues her “Old School Mentality Gets 86’d” series of writings about the fall of global culinary star Noma. In her third installment, published April 3, she offers “An update on the progress made so far... and what’s to come.” She offers a handy timeline of events to get readers up to speed; day-by-day reports based on her time at the protests in L.A.; and teasers for what’s next in her reporting, to include interviews with a key player in the saga and a local business owner “about how we can be a force for positive change.”

•Hey Neighbor is gearing up for its 150 Tables Across COS initiative, which runs May through October in neighborhoods throughout the city and metro area. The nonprofit (formerly named CONO) is seeking sponsors and community members to host events, focusing on “the power of a shared meal with neighbors to create connection, trust and belonging.” Visit the link for details.

• Pure Distilling has finally released that special Crème de Violette that I teased back in February, made with both European Alpine Violets and Cañon City-grown Western Dog Violets, as well as blue spirulina for natural coloring. “Dog Violet Crème de Violette is light, sweet and floral but well-balanced, so it will enhance your cocktails without overpowering,” says the company in a release, which also notes that Pure Distilling cocktails will now be sold at Switchbacks FC games.

• The Mountain Freshies 2026 CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is now registering members. Their delivery season of locally (and naturally) grown produce and other farm products will run July 8 through Oct. 15, with pickup points around the area, including Manitou Springs’ Flying Pig Farm on Wednesdays.

New spring menus abound

If you follow your favorite eateries online or pay attention to foodie Facebook groups, you’ve probably noticed some fresh posts this week spotlighting new spring items. The Warehouse Restaurant caught my eye (hello yak grillades & grits, rabbit loin parmesan, and spring lamb sirlion) — as did Side Dish Dozen member The Wobbly Olive (hello birria hand pies, spring garden gnocchi, and Dubai angel food cake).

I got invites to two other tastings, which I’ll share with photo galleries and some details below:

• Firstly, The Broadmoor invited select media for a spring menu preview at Summit, featuring new plates by Chef de Cuisine Rocio Neyra Palmer and her team. Everything was roundly lovely, vibrant and delicately flavorful, letting the superior-quality ingredients speak for themselves. (I’ve written many times in the past about the Broadmoor’s exclusive sourcing.)

Picture clockwise in a spiral: Chef Rocio; Gentile Yellow Tomato & Tomatillo Gazpacho; Crushed Burrata Salad with tangerine, espelette pepper candied almonds and garlic focaccia; Fort Collins Mushroom Lasagna with mushroom ragout, buffalo ricotta and fontina béchamel; the striking dining room; Moulard Duck Chile Relleno with crispy sweet potato, garden squash, cotija and red chile relish (chef’s favorite); Beef Tenderloin with pommes purée, Colorado asparagus, heirloom carrots and bordelaise sauce; Parisienne Gnocchi with English peas, spinach, grilled spring onions and heirloom carrot purée; bartenders Ben (left) and Dennis, displaying the Sparkling Summit (lavender gin, lychee liqueur, lemon, sparkling prosecco) and The Smokin Marg (reposado tequila, lime, Chichicapa Mescal, Grand Marnier).

For a dessert showcase, Pastry Chef Issi presented four gorgeous and truly impressive desserts. Clockwise from top left: Tropical Baba au Rhum with mango sorbet; Tres Leches White Chocolate Sphere with vanilla ice cream and cake crumble; Vanilla, Chocolate and Pistachio Profiteroles with croquant glazing; and Ancho-Cayenne Chocolate Tart with strawberry sorbet. (Watch my mesmerizing 20-second video of the Chocolate Sphere being melted tableside with a hot horchata cream.)

What else to know: Not only Summit, but La Taverne, Ristorante Del Lago, Golden Bee, The Grille, Play at the Broadmoor all have refreshed spring menus. Executive Chef for The Broadmoor Justin Miller says roughly 25 to 35 percent of the menus change across the outlets seasonally. Summit is also doing a 150/250 prix-fixe menu through April 30 to celebrate Colorado and America’s respective anniversaries; both options are three courses, with the higher price point including wine pairings. Also keep an eye out for announcements on upcoming Meet the Maker events on property, featuring various specialty tequila, bourbon and wine products.

• Next up: Side Dish Dozen member Elephant Thai invited me by to photograph some newly added menu items and a couple variants of existing menu choices. These plates will be redundant at owner Suwanna Meyer’s other outfit, Chaang Thai.

Picture clockwise in a spiral: Vegan Appetizer Sampler of fried tofu, kabocha squash tempura, and vegetable egg rolls and samosas with homemade sweet chile sauce; Red Curry Quarter duck leg with pineapple and bell peppers; Sweet Chile Sriracha Tempura Shrimp; Khao Soi Noodles with pork cutlet (options for vegan tofu; slow-cooked beef or chicken drumsticks); homemade coconut ice cream with peanut crumble; owner Suwanna Meyer; Nam Jim Jaew 48-hour, lime leaf- and lemongrass- marinated pork, grilled, with sticky rice (gluten-free); Chu Chee tilapia in red curry with bell peppers, broccoli and basil (sub salmon for $5 more); and a medley photo.

Side Dish Dozen happenings

Bristol Brewing Company: Join us at Bristol’s swanky speakeasy in the Ivywild Gym on April 11 for our annual Prohibition Party! Celebrate the repeal of Prohibition from 7-10 p.m. with 33 cent Yellowkite Pilsners, cocktails, scandalous casino games and a 1920’s themed costume contest! Must be in costume and must know the secret password to enter. Stay glued to our social media for clues!

Red Gravy: Uh-oh, it’s more drama with Pastarama! The Short Rib Ravioli is the undefeated champ of February and March. Now it faces off against a new contender: Four-Cheese Manicotti: Pasta Tubes filled with Ricotta, Parmesan and basil and baked with marinara, Mozzarella & Provel cheeses. Topped with Fried Spinach; $20.

T-Byrd’s Tacos & Tequila: Taco Tuesdays feature $3.50 tacos all day and $5 Margaritas and Swirls. Happy hours are 3-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and all day Sunday. Our $12.99 lunch special gets you chips & salsa, two tacos, rice, beans and a fountain drink; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. bird tree cafe: Happy hours, 3-6 p.m. daily. District Elleven: new Tapa Tuesdays!

Blackhat Distillery: We’re very proud of our Head Distiller Kyle Bonasso’s Duelers agave spirit lineup. Stop by our tasting room to try the Blanco, Double Oak, Dark and barrel-strength Midnight. Tours available during select times Thursdays-Saturdays. Or, step into the Distiller’s Vault with Kyle, 5:30-7 p.m. third Mondays monthly. Tickets required; RSVP at production@blackhatdistillery.com.

Four by Brother Luck: Book a five- or seven-course private Chef’s Table with us for any occasion. Wine pairings available. Email info@fourbybrotherluck.com to reserve. Come see us for our newly expanded and revamped happy hours, 3-6 p.m., Tuesdays-Sundays. Reserve now for Easter Brunch, April 5.

Elephant Thai & Chaang Thai: Come for our desserts! Sticky rice and mango, sweet rice and Thai custard, coconut sticky rice, or one of our five ice cream desserts, including with fried bananas or churros. Also newly released is Chef Suwanna’s homemade coconut ice cream!

Hoppenings of the week

Beer Events

Hot Wheels Car Show at Mash Mechanix Brewing Co.: April 4, noon. Check out classic cars, trucks, rat rods and more with a beer in hand.

Meet & Greet with William Schultz at Seven’s Gate Taproom: April 4, 6 p.m. The local author of Jesus Springs: Evangelical Capitalism and the Fate of an American City dives into the story behind Colorado Springs’ culture and influence.

Brewster’s Easter Brunch at Whistle Pig Brewing Company: April 5, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Great Craft Beer Egg Hunt at more than half a dozen local breweries. April 5. See the social media pages of each participant for more details: Bristol, Lost Friend, Fossil, Goat Patch, Peak N Pines, Wackadoo, Mash Mechanix and Nano 108.

Beer Releases

American Hop Revolution IPA at Peaks N Pines: A collaborative beer brewed with all Colorado ingredients: hops from Montrose’s Billy Goat Farms, grain from Loveland’s Root Shoot Malting and yeast from Golden’s Propagate Labs. (Releasing April 5.)

Pueblo Chile Lager at South Park Brewing: Bright, crisp lager with that signature Pueblo chile kick. Easy drinker with a little extra flavor.

Dark Mexican Lager at 105 West Brewing: A smooth, approachable dark lager. Great if you want something lighter, but not your typical light beer.

Curated by Brandon Heid and Gerry Reyes. For full listings of beer-related events and releases download the free Hoppenings app on Apple on Google.

Upcoming events

April 4: Pikes Peak Chocolate & Cheese Fest at Norris Penrose Event Center. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Entry tickets range $6 to $59 VIP. Tasting tickets sold on site.

April 7: Fluff & Flame: A Spring S’more and Wine Experience at Latigo Winery. 6 p.m., $40.

April 11: The SoulFULL Series at COS City Hub with Latimer’s Kitchen & Catering. $99 includes six courses by five local chefs and a drink ticket. “Inviting meaningful conversation that fosters connection, collaboration and shared responsibility for the well-being of our city.”

April 16: Fables & Folktales Wine Dinner at Margarita at PineCreek. $85; call 719-598-8667 to reserve.

April 18: Pikes Peak Library District Foundation’s annual Night at the Library at Library 21c. 6-8 p.m; $150 benefits PPLD. Featuring 20 local food and drink vendors serving snacks inspired by classic and modern storybook themes.

April 21: Adictivo Tequila Dinner at TAPAteria. 6 p.m.; $99 for five paired courses.

April 25: 19th annual Spring Wine Extravaganza at Cañon City’s Winery at Holy Cross Abbey. 1-4 p.m.; $50 includes wine, food and live music.

April 26: Sip with Schnip Brunch at Evergreen Restaurant. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Full details to come.

April 26: Third Annual Rooftop Invitational cocktail competition at Lumen8 Rooftop Social. 6 p.m. Eight teams, single elimination rounds with surprise challenge ingredients. Spectate and sip the creations.

Parting shot(s)

Choojai Sushi Thai & Ramen (at Trails End Taproom)

I read online that “Choojai” translates from Thai to mean delight and encouragement, something like positive reinforcement. I think that spirit will serve it well at Trails End Taproom, which remains a somewhat odd space on the whole, filling the big shoes Mason Jar left behind by way of legacy real estate. It’s the holdout in the self-pour beer category of drinking out, with half the dining room space still devoted a wall of eclectic taps. (It’s also for sale, as announced this past November.)

So don’t be surprised if there’s more change-ups sometime soon. Recall that Chuckwagon 719 came and went from the space in early 2025, citing a landlord dispute. Though Choojai has now been open a few months in the same half of the building Chuckwagon occupied, it feels as if they’ve barely moved in decor wise. Aside from the couple of banners photographed above, the white walls are blank, feeling more hollow than intentionally minimalist.

Maybe I’m just reading into things. I feel reassured that the operation’s not fly-by-night when I chat up our server and learn that Choojai’s owner has two existing eateries operating with this same menu, under different names. He says one in Grand Junction has been around three years, and a location in Evergreen has operated for two. That helps explain the expansive eight-page menu with which we’re presented.

I often worry that catch-all Asian fusion menus lose themselves in trying to offer something for everyone while specializing in no particular item, such that they rarely transcend from being serviceable to being exceptional in any way. On the whole, that’s how Choojai stacks up for me.

Crab rangoons are textbook fine and only ordered to stave off getting hangry while we await our mains, as we’ve arrived unintentionally ravenous from a prior social engagement. So too does an Uni Shooter help pass the time: cold, gooey sea urchin bits and creamy quail egg in rice vinegar with briny red tobiko and sharp scallion garnish.

We order two sushi rolls and neither wows us. The textures feel off, with the rice a touch mushier than ideal. And for how each roll reads on paper, neither really pop with flavor once we’re chewing on them. The salmon and lemon roll is almost overly rich with both cream cheese and avocado filling and the oily, hearty fish. The acidity of thin lemon segments, rind on, helps cut through that some. Spicy mayo adds a bit of tangy counterpoint. Adding wasabi doesn’t always improve sushi for me, but in this case it helps a lot.

The Señor Pico Roll gets spicy salmon, cucumber, tempura crunch, avocado and jalapeño inside and then a topping of yellowtail slivers garnished with kimchi sauce and cilantro. Despite the complexity of contrasting heat, sourness and fishy meatiness with herbal punctuation it just doesn’t synthesize into a coherent crescendo of joy on the tongue. Pickled ginger doesn’t always improve sushi for me, but in this case it helps a lot.

Next comes spicy miso ramen with all the traditional garnishes, and we slurp it down dutifully but not impressed enough to rate it above average. (I’m probably judging more harshly since having been ruined by Hayato’s excellence.) No notes. Not as in it’s perfect so I have no notes to offer — as in I take no notes into my phone as I’m not sure what else to say about it.

Finally redemption comes in the form of a bowl of duck curry that almost manages to earn its hefty $35 price tag. (Another fantastic local version that I’m fond of is only $22.95 by comparison.) Every element hits high notes for us, starting with the velvety red curry broth. The salty duck skin retains a crispiness despite being half submerged, with the flesh juicy, tender and fabulously succulent. Large cubes of pineapple, red and green bell pepper slivers and whole cherry tomatoes swim with it under an aromatic garnish of fried basil leaves. It’s a lovely symphony of sweet-heat that never loses sight of the starring protein, whose inherent duck-y flavor lingers in the finish.

My dining mates agree they’d return for this one item. So, in the end, Choojai achieves its “delightful” intent.

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Manitou Thai & Ramen

Sisters Khem Boning and Natalie Donadio started in the restaurant industry five years ago in Denver, with a Thai food catering business named Hot Chicks. Khem tells me they regularly fed lunch to hospital staffs, so they’re used to high-volume business.

Safe to say then, that though they’re only a little over a month old, they’re ready for Manitou Springs’ busy tourist season ahead. She tells me they were initially seeking to open in Colorado Springs, but their Realtor found this spot (the former Persephone Grae’s Cafe in the Barker House Apartments lobby level), and “we really like this city.” (Their Facebook page says they’re also seeking a brick-and-mortar location in Denver to relaunch Hot Chicks in the future.)

I take a couple of friends to lunch and we start with basic vegetable egg rolls that satisfy with a big crunch, dipped in sweet chile sauce.

We bypass the abbreviated noodles and curries menu sections — the full, two-page menu is right-sized for the relatively small location — and opt for one of the three “chef’s recommended” plates: Pa Lo. It’s a 12-hour braised, five-spice pork belly served over rice with boiled egg and bok choy. It exudes significant anise flavor and Khem recommends we add extra house cilantro-lime sauce, set in a condiment tray at the table. We do just that, enhancing bites with the herbal-citrus influence. The pork texture’s pretty divine, offering little resistance to our utensils.

Next up, we order the classic tonkotsu ramen, to test the other half of the business name. It’s chashu pork again delights texturally, drier and more bacon-y than in the Pa Lo. The broth’s stylistically creamy, but almost understated to the point of tasting a little lean and bland. One of my dining mates disagrees, finding it beautifully subtle. Once I add a healthy spoonful of red chile oil from the condiment tray, my bowl comes more to life and I’m happy.

I’m happier back in Thai territory though, with a selection from the rice bowls portion of the menu. The Traditional Thai Spicy Basil was Hot Chicks’ flagship item, Khem later tells me. So I’m glad we unknowingly ordered it, drawn in by the two chile icons (indicating heat level) in the menu’s margin and promise of big basil flavor.

We pick ground chicken over pork or beef for this one, and it comes stir-fried in a garlic and chile seasoning with white onions and green bell peppers, garnished with fried basil leaves. The default spice level as they make it rates respectably medium (you can always add more chile oil at the table if you wish) and bites with more rice can tone that heat down a touch if needed. The basil essence really stars and makes it a memorable dish. My friends, who are savvy foodies, sum up our experience by saying “we would happily come here again and eat all of these dishes.”

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Starving Colorado- Crêperie & Homemade Ice Cream

When we finish our lunch at Manitou Thai & Ramen my friends insist I try an ice cream that really impressed them a few months back — to the point they’re still talking about it.

We walk down Manitou Avenue, full of ice cream options, to a spot that I realize I haven’t yet been to since it opened nearly two years ago. (Mea culpa.) We duck in the door at Starving Colorado to find a bright shop split in half: ice cream on the left, crepes on the right. Sugar sugar everywhere.

I have to get the whiskey-pistachio flavor they recommend, and the vegan coconut crème brûlée catches my eye too. Both are superb, and I relish every bite. Almost assuredly, you will too if you go.

I meet shop owner Rafael Shlomo, profiled here shortly after opening in the Pikes Peak Bulletin, and I call him back later to glean more info when he’s not busy.

I learn that this ice cream is made for Starving by a custom, small-batch purveyor in the region “that makes unique flavors.” Other options that I passed up this day included basil-blackberry and strawberry-cornbread.

I’ll have to come back sometime to try the crepes, for which he tells me he buys the highest quality, “premium” ingredients.

Shlomo was an accountant for 25 years, retiring out of the field not too long after relocating his family (with three kids) to Manitou Springs. He tells me that before that career, growing up, he worked with his father and grandfather at their Mediterranean restaurant in Tel Aviv, doing just about every job required. “I loved working with them,” he says, explaining that his desire of opening his own spot here was to bring to the area products that he loves working with. “To bring the customers a smile.”

With Starving growing well enough in year two, he says he hopes eventually expand to locations out of state.

Bites & Bits

• Following a soft opening weekend of mostly private events, The Navajo Hogan began welcoming all patrons on March 24. I attended a friends and family preview on March 20, and it was awesome to see the stage back in action, courtesy The G-Men. (Imagine the honor of being the first band to mark the historic roadhouse’s new era.) We sipped on some drinks with friends and shared a pizza and fry bread for light bites. Get in to check the place out for yourself soon. I know the town is pumped for this opening. My own metrics show it, with nearly four times my average weekly newsletter readership back in early February with my preview, and roughly 10 times the social media traffic of a typical Side Dish post. Rock on C. Springs!

• According to Downtown Partnership, Slice 420 will be opening Slice 420 Express downtown soon, in the former Bento Heaven location. It will mark the company’s third location, and offer late night service.

• Roots Cafe closed downtown on March 20, encouraging fans to follow their social media for info on a new location and a re-launch date.

• Columbine Pour House, who I profiled here a couple weeks ago and who had hoped to launch on March 20, has experienced delays with final Health Department approval. So they haven’t yet opened doors in Green Mountain Falls, but they aim to soon. For context: These type hold-ups aren’t uncommon and often keep restaurateurs guessing at soft open dates. It’s why you see me more often than not use the word “tentative” when announcing upcoming openings.

• Old Colorado City’s European Cafe & Restaurant, in business for more than 25 years, posted a note at its location to say that their building has been sold and they’ll be forced to relocate by May 15. “We are actively looking for a new location,” they wrote.

• The Gazette profiled The Airplane Restaurant last week, ahead of the unique restaurant’s 24th anniversary in May.

• There’s a New Place to Store Greenhouse Gases: In Your Beer, reports the New York Times. For breweries: save money and help save the planet. It’s a no-brainer.

• Woodland Park’s Cafe Leo has a busy few months ahead of itself with a dual expansion underway. Firstly, it’s expanding into the neighboring storefront next door on Midland Avenue, which will enable a new curbside pickup service for busy commuters. Second, it’s moving into a new-built store in Falcon, which will have a drive-thru window attached. Store manager Marleia Michie tells Side Dish the goal is to open both spaces sometime in May or June. In addition to the craft coffee drinks served, using beans from the Springs’ Building Three Coffee roasters, she touts Cafe Leo’s bagel sandwiches and European-style pastries, including Norwegian sweet buns (courtesy the shop’s owners from Norway). She also mentions French-style pop tarts, which we happen to have enjoyed last month on our way through town. They’re made with a layered puff pastry and feature either buttercream frostings or varieties of royal icing. While the sweet buns are airy yeast buns with different icings, drizzles and toppings. If you go late in the day (they’re open until 8 p.m.) you might find BOGO deals to sell-out what sweets are left, as we did.

• Owner Patru Dumitru gave a “Last call for Microvora,” his local functional mushroom company. “ I have to shut down this chapter of the business due to overextending ourselves on extraction equipment/ expansion,” he wrote on Facebook.

• Springs Magazine reported on the opening of Monse’s Sweet Kitchen, offering “boba, empanadas and a full lineup of gluten-free desserts.” It’s attached to Monse’s Taste of El Salvador, and conceived as a grab-and-go. Owners Monse and Tim Hines told writer Katy Houston that the second Monse’s location destined for the former Saigon Cafe space should be open downtown by this summer. Ditto for the new iteration of Mountain Shadows, which they purchased early last year.

• Updating on Side Dish’s March 12 story on Noma’s industry reckoning: On March 20, the Los Angeles Times reported that Noma requested a private meeting with protestors, asking them to cease the demonstrations outside of the popup. Additionally, a former intern came forward to dispute allegations of abuse that happened to her, saying: “I do not think about that time as traumatic… It’s still, for me, one of the best life experiences I was able to have at such a young age.” Another intern backed her story, while leveling a charge of verbal abuse at protest leader Jason Ignacio White, sayin that interns “were suffering under him.” White disputed that and stood by his accounting of matters. The sold-out popup continues to plate $1500-per-person meals, with a retail arm set to open soon, too.

• Cinchona Coffee is drawing closer to opening its own space, directly adjacent to Provision Bread & Bakery, from which it’s been operating for the past year. Initially, Cinchona owner and barista Andrew Shepherd Combs planned a one-month popup at Provision, but one thing lead to another and he ended up extending the arrangement with Provision owner Brandon DelGrosso. There’s also been a synergy between fellow maker in the space, Joel Bogdanoff of Third Wave Chocolate. I’ve been so smitten by both the coffee and chocolate that we did a podcast episode with the guys last year. I stopped by earlier this week to check on Cinchona’s progress with its buildout. Combs isn’t ready to project a precise opening date, but let’s say it could be as early as around a month from now. Stay tuned; I’m planning a pre-opening tasting preview.

• Some local restaurants are offering outreach during the latest government shutdown. (Read: absolute clusterfuck.) The Brit shot a video at the Colorado Springs Airport on March 23 to say that they and sister outfit Codswallop will give one free entrée to furloughed federal employees. Poor Richard’s is offering free meals to affected workers until the shutdown’s over. And Bonny & Read is offering 50 percent off along with all of restaurateur Joe Campana’s outfits. Those 10 businesses, listed at that link, include The Rabbit Hole, Shame & Regret and Stir Coffee & Cocktails. Transparency note: I haven’t had much spare time to look further online, so I suspect I’m missing something; comment and share if you know about somewhere else.

• Recent scientific work (which in our society is starting to mean less and less… but I digress) has shown that kimchi “might help remove microplastics from the human body.” So, if you needed another reason to enjoy one of our local Korean restaurants soon, there it is. (If you pay with the swipe of a plastic credit card, that will be ironic in this context. Oh look at me, making light of a serious health problem. Ahem.)

• Listen up: My latest segment with KRCC/Colorado Public Radio is live, here.

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Buying local food is an act of resistance

“What do cattle producers and union workers — workers in general in the meat industry — have in common?” asks Ranch Foods Direct owner Mike Callicrate. “We’re against abusive corporate power.”

Callicrate spoke these words earlier this week in Greeley, on the picket line of JBS meatpacking workers. The strike is now in its second week.

“We’ve lost over half our ranchers… 86,000 feedlots like mine [since 1995],” Callicrate continued. “How can we possibly feed ourselves?

“JBS is running a strip-mining operation in America. It’s got to stop.”

Callicrate argues that a company on track to make nearly $2 billion in profits in 2025 should be able to take better care of its factory workers. To opt out of the system that supports this type of corporate greed, one clear option is to buy from area ranchers and farmers whenever possible. Recognizing that beef prices have skyrocketed for consumers, Ranch Foods Direct has extended its ground beef bundles, available at both retail locations in Colorado Springs. Side Dish is proud to be sponsored by Callicrate and Ranch Foods Direct.

For sale, or not for sale, that is the question

Dad’s Donuts posted on Facebook March 21 to announce “the indefinite closure of Dad’s Donuts,” saying that “Due to circumstances beyond our control, the building we currently operate out of has been sold, and we are required to vacate the premises.”

Enter the immediate confusion.

Many people who contacted Side Dish this week took that to mean their building sold downtown at 29 E. Moreno Ave. — the last location standing. But that’s not the case.

The post was actually referring to where the donuts were being produced, at 9633 Prominent Point, formerly Till and the short-lived Homestead Collective.

Recall that Dad’s Donuts’ parent company Altitude Hospitality Group opened and closed The Homestead Collective inside of a few months in mid 2025, controversially citing a lack of community support. The Interquest and Briargate Dad’s Donuts locations both ceased service on Jan. 1, 2026. Interquest had only opened a few months prior, in September 2025.

Okay, so why does this matter? Well, here’s where things get more confusing: The building at Prominent Point has not been sold. Repeat: not been sold.

I learned this after calling the commercial real estate broker’s office that’s listing it, and texting directly with Mitch Yellen, owner of Altitude Hospitality Group.

This flies in the face of the very clear wording in that Facebook post by the company, and what you may have read in the Gazette on March 22. (Said broker I spoke with shared some choice words about our town’s daily newspaper lazily misinforming the public and failing to fact-check the Facebook post.)

Okay, so what exactly is going on?

The broker confirmed that “active discussions” have been had, and even “contracts submitted” recently, but the spot remains for sale as of today. “In my world, something is ‘sold’ when ownership is conveyed with a title in a new name,” they said.

I also call a local Realtor friend who sells commercial real estate (in addition to residential), Lauren Collier, for more background on the inner workings of that world. “Commercial deals take ages to put together,” she says. “Offers and counters going back and forth definitely don’t mean it’s sold.”

You still with me here, or have your eyes glazed over? Yes, that’s a donut pun. You’re welcome.

Onto Yellen, who insists the messaging “was corrected once we realized the confusion” but didn’t elaborate as to where that correction was made. The Facebook post still says “sold” as of our text exchange and this writing.

“I’m in discussion with three groups on the building right now and will have something more concrete in a few weeks,” he says.

When I had last spoken with Yellen in July 2025, he had called Dad’s Donut the silver lining in his company’s portfolio, saying he was eyeing a Denver location by year’s end and the beginning of franchising in early 2026.

Neither of those have come to fruition, but in the confusing Dad’s Donuts Facebook post, they also wrote: “This is not goodbye. It’s simply a pause,” noting they are seeking a new space and “path forward.”

In my text exchange with Yellen, he says “Dad’s is looking at spots in Breck and Dallas.”

Five questions with Gabrielle Rossignol, baker at and owner of Bay Water Bagels

What made you want to start a bagel business?

We are a military family, and Colorado Springs is our final stop before my husband gets out of the Army. His most recent station was in Hawaii, and there’s no bagel scene there. I’m originally from Boston. I missed bagels, and couldn’t find one worth paying for. I love to cook. I’ve made macarons and more complex things and figured if I can make a good sourdough bread, why not make a bagel?

I eventually settled on my recipe. My husband said the bagels were too good not to share them. When we got to Colorado, I launched Bay Water Bagels. That was in January 2025, and a couple of months later I was accepted into markets here…

Food safety is my number one priority. I was a former ServSafe proctor for McDonald’s for four years. I’ve been with them for 14 years. I’m the Director of Human Resources for an owner/operator with 30 locations on the East Coast.

What sets your bagels apart? How do you make them?

Mine are a sourdough hybrid, using a small amount of added yeast but a 25 percent sourdough base. I lower my PH with baking soda. I didn’t want to use sugar, so I use honey. And I add molasses and bake at a higher than normal temperature to Maillard brown my crust. So they’re not your typical blond bagel. They have a chewy crunch, and aren’t super bready. They don’t sit heavy and make you feel weighed down.

People at markets will often get back in line after eating one, realizing they want another. Another thing I think is lacking with other bagels is aroma. Mine are very aromatic, when you go to take a bite it hits you and you can already start to taste the flavor.

Tell us about your bagel flavors and house-made cream cheeses.

I make 21 total varieties. Of those, seven are specialty, which get mix-ins to the dough.

My top seller by far, which is my favorite too, is my jalapeño cheddar. I’ve never liked pickled jalapeños in jars, so I fresh-slice mine, both green and red peppers. And I hand-shred Tillamook cheddar. I never buy pre-shredded because I don’t want the anticaking agents. The fresh cheese helps with the final texture.

For my cinnamon-sugar I mix vanilla bean paste into the dough, plus cocoa powder, cinnamon and brown sugar, so the flavors are spread throughout the bagel. I make one called “Sweet Heat” that’s made with jalapeños and cranberries. My everything bagel is also popular, and my salted pretzel, finished with Maldon sea salt, is quickly gaining in popularity.

I make cream cheese weekly at a commissary kitchen. There are seven flavors, ranging from chive, roasted garlic, a combo of those two — people are crazy about that one — and an orange honey nut, that’s made with orange zest and pecan. It goes really well with our blueberry bagel, enhancing the flavors. I did a chai latte cream cheese for the fall that my customers love, so I keep making it. I’ve also started selling a whipped brown butter spread.

I see that you make babka too. How’d that come about?

For Christmas, my dad sent us a box of Katz’s Deli pastrami and a chocolate babka. I hadn’t had or even heard of it before. My one-and-a-half and five-and-a-half year old stood at the kitchen counter with me and we devoured the whole loaf inside of 10 minutes. I immediately decided that I had to make one for my family, so I developed my own recipe. I now sell loaves and eight-packs of babka muffins.

What’s next for you?

For now I’ll continue to sell year-round from my home kitchen. My goal is in two years to open a brick and mortar location somewhere in the Springs. My husband will join me after he retires from the Army.

May to October, I’ll be at the Black Forest Farmers Market every Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the Acacia Park market every Sunday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. At markets I sell by the dozen or half dozen, and I do flights of three mini bagels with cream cheese. This year I’m going to launch a shaved pastrami bagel sandwich with horseradish and chive aioli.

How to get Bay Water Bagels: All orders are custom. Order online by 5 p.m. for next-day service. Pickup time slots (in the Briargate area) run 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. weekdays and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekends. (During market season, weekend pickups will be at the respective markets.) Delivery is also available.

Editor’s note: Something I found amusing from my interview is that neither Rossignol or her husband drink coffee. Which, for a bagel business just strikes me as wild. They’re missing out on the ultimate pairing! I’m still not over it. Clearly.

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Hoppenings of the week

Beer Events

Beerio Kart Bracket Night at WestFax Springs: March 27, 6 p.m. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe tournament with a twist — finish your beer before you cross the finish line. 4 racers per heat, single elimination. Limited spots; go early.

Plant Swap at Goat Patch (Northgate): March 28, 11 a.m. Bring a plant or cutting and trade with others. Easy way to meet other plant people and hang out.

Cribbage & Board Game Night at South Park Brewing: April 1, 6 p.m. Join us every Wednesday night to play cribbage or your favorite board game. We have cribbage boards and a number of great board games if you don’t bring your favorite.

Beer Releases

Alligator Blood Orange IPA at Nano 108 Brewing: Bright and citrus-forward with bold blood orange flavor, light sweetness and a crisp hop finish. Brewed alongside adults from the Colorado Springs Down syndrome community.

New Zealand Pilsner at Fossil Craft Beer Co: Crisp, clean and packed with New Zealand hops. Light-bodied and super refreshing. The perfect patio beer.

Raglan Red at Lost Friend Brewery: Malt-forward Irish Red Ale with toasted caramel notes and a smooth, easy finish.

Curated by Brandon Heid and Gerry Reyes. For full listings of beer-related events and releases download the free Hoppenings app on Apple on Google.

Side Dish Dozen happenings

Principal’s Office: Vote for your favorite cocktail in our Cocktail Madness competition through March 30 for a chance to win free cocktails and PO swag. Also, Easter preorders at Gold Star Bakery run through March 30 for pickup April 3-5.

Kangaroo Coffee: Our new Signature Beverage: Coconut Lavender Chai! Created by the UCCS Chancellor’s Leadership Class and premiering April 2. Up to 50 percent of April sales of this delicious new drink support their Carry the Light fundraising campaign. Stop in any of our Springs locations and discover a new KC favorite!

Goat Patch Brewing: Win beer for a year with our new giveaways. Plant Swap at Northgate March 28. Bleating Heart Night at all locations March 31 benefits Front Rangers Junior Cycling. Stop by any taproom for a pint of the Tejon Mexican Lager, back on tap for the season.

Edelweiss: Catch our 2026 Spring Wine Dinner at 6 p.m., April 22. $85 gets you five vino-paired courses. Dishes included panko-crusted Brie with lingonberry sauce; pork loin with potato pancakes and apricot coulis; hanger steak; and a white chocolate and raspberry sorbet beehive for dessert! Also, our patio is open; call to reserve a table.

Evergreen Restaurant: Our new spring cocktail menu launches next week! Join us for lunch, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesdays-Saturdays. Menu items include our lamb burger, smoked salmon pinsa (flatbread), and shrimp linguine, with gluten-free bread and pasta options.

Allusion Speakeasy: You have until April 5 to enjoy Bar-kini Bottom at our downtown location. And until April 12 to relish Lord of the Rings at our Powers location. Next up at both locations: Star Wars, April 9 downtown and April 16 on Powers. Expect cocktails, N/A “light side libations” and all-age Padawan Brunches.

Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar: Our fantastic new lineup of Weekly Specials means different daily deals, like All Night Happy Hour on Mondays, Po Boys on Wednesdays, a bundled $65 Friday Date Night for two, and $1 oysters on Locals Sunday. Finish out Oyster Month with us at National Oysters on the Half Shell Day, March 31, 3-6 p.m.

Upcoming events

March 28: 2nd Annual Greek Bake Sale at Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Featuring items like baklava, spanakopita and Greek coffee.

March 31: National Oysters on the Half Shell Day Sip with Schnip at Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar. 3 p.m. onward. Join us for a 1994 Throwback Night. The first 100 oyster dozens will be sold at 1994 prices: 50 cents an oyster! Enjoy our ’90s East Coast & West Coast hip hop playlist, ’94 trivia, swag and giveaways. ’90s attire strongly encouraged!

March 31: Passport to Italy wine dinner at Pizzeria Rustica. $89, five courses.

April 4: Pikes Peak Chocolate & Cheese Fest at Norris Penrose Event Center. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Entry tickets range $6 to $59 VIP. Tasting tickets sold on site.

April 7: Fluff & Flame: A Spring S'more and Wine Experience at Latigo Winery. 6 p.m., $40.

April 11: The SoulFULL Series at COS City Hub with Latimer’s Kitchen & Catering. $99 includes six courses by five local chefs and a drink ticket. “Inviting meaningful conversation that fosters connection, collaboration and shared responsibility for the well-being of our city.”

April 18: Pikes Peak Library District Foundation’s annual Night at the Library at Library 21c. 6-8 p.m; $150 benefits PPLD. Featuring 20 local food and drink vendors serving snacks inspired by classic and modern storybook themes.

Parting shot(s)

Rebel Rebel owner Jacob Pfund reached out midweek to let me know that for the first time in seven years, he and his employee Ashton Longwell would be bartending a shift with Camille Stellar. She’s usually behind the counter at Chiba Bar. The significance of the moment is that the three all worked together back in the day at The Principal’s Office in Ivywild School. So consider this a class reunion.

The best restaurant stories are about “found family.” The lovably dysfunctional crew of The Bear growing together amidst lots of yelling. The cult-like love between the staff and their god-like chef in The Menu. A culinarily talented rat finding acceptance in a French kitchen in Ratatouille.

And families take care of kids.

“Everyone loves them,” says Choice Restaurant Concepts co-owner Crystal Byrd Thompson about children of team members. “Children are part of our world.”

We’re chatting about the challenges parents in the hospitality industry face regarding childcare. For starters, it’s expensive. The current annual cost of childcare for one child in Colorado is $20,000 (nearly $1,700 a month), according to Kids Strong Start, a local hub for information and action around childcare. That’s half what the average Colorado food prep and serving worker earns annually, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Even if child care were affordable, many restaurant employees work shifts on nights and weekends, times when most child care centers are closed.

“The restaurant industry’s so hard,” Crystal says. “Sometimes it’s hard to find daycare. It was for me too. I know how stressful it can be.”

So she tries to schedule parents for shifts whenever they have childcare. And when they don’t, her answer is clear: “Bring them,” she says. “If you have to, bring them.”

At her three co-located restaurants — bird tree café, T-Byrds Tacos and Tequila and District Elleven — everyone on the team willingly pitches in to care for staff kids.

“It’s so nice because all our employees see them as their kids,” Crystal says. “They all take care of them. They always get them hot chocolate or lemonade, or ask ‘what do you need?’ When customers ask ‘whose baby is that?’ They’re like, ‘That’s our baby!’”

Crystal tells me parents voluntarily take turns watching each other’s children on excursions to the park nearby and in the restaurants — worry not eaters, toddlers aren’t in the kitchen making your tacos. This arrangement works because the parents are on site and they all trust each other.

“This is not a drop and go,” Crystal makes clear. “The parents are providing care, and then it’s also the rest of the staff helping watch over. We all have eyes on them. There’s so many eyes. They trust their baby being here. Everyone trusts.”

Welcoming kids in a workplace has “always been a natural thing” for Crystal. “My mom had her own store,” she says. “I would come after school to help her and babysit my sisters on site. I just grew up like that.”

Now her four-year-old daughter Sunny is experiencing childhood in a workplace as well.

“She was born in this space,” Crystal says. “She grew up in this space. Even in the old T-Byrds, when we were painting and doing all the construction and stuff, she’d sleep in the carrier on the pool table. All she wants to do is come to the restaurant. She wants to see all her friends. This is our home.”

Crystal didn’t set out to build a childcare model. She is simply open to parenting and work co-existing in the spaces she owns in order to meet her workforce’s needs. This makes her part of a growing number of working mothers merging livelihood, parenthood and childhood in ways that don’t neatly fit into childcare models based on strict separation of work and care.

London-based Georgia Norton, a researcher of innovation in early childhood, may be the world’s first expert in this previously invisible and wildly diverse sector serving people (especially mothers) who see value in parents working in proximity to their children. I reach out to her after spotting similarities between her case studies in The Case for Child Care Plus Coworking and what’s happening in Crystal’s restaurants.

“I wanted to shine a light on people doing interesting things [around child care] because we so dearly need some good news,” Georgia tells me over video chat about the reason behind her research. “We need constructive and practical ideas right now. Not utopian. Or expensive. For that story to be the same in Australia, France, Taiwan, South America, it showed me that this was something universal.”

While the 160 childcare-plus-working spaces worldwide Georgia studied differ in the details, several common themes are present in Crystal’s approach. The trust Crystal describes is crucial to successfully and safely combining work and child care. She trusts employees to effectively do their jobs and care for their children at the same time, and co-workers feel confident caring for each other’s children.

Knowing and trusting the people caring for your child is “different from when you go to a massive, fancy nursery school or preschool setting,” Georgia says. In formalized child care spaces “you’re paying for trust, but you don’t really know them, and you’re held at arm’s length.”

Her research revealed that people creating and seeking out spaces that co-mingle work and care feel safer with proximity and access to their children than with all the regulations and inspections intended to safeguard official childcare centers.

“This is the stuff you can’t just franchise suddenly,” Georgia says. “Each community is so bonded and unique.”

Another theme in Georgia’s research is: “Not waiting for permission to make the solution that you choose.”

“It’s easy because I own this space,” Crystal tells me about her decision to allow employees to bring their children to work. “We’re also lucky because we have three different spaces. We can put kids in the back in District with some Legos. Or in a back booth at T-Byrds when we’re not busy. This is a great location because we have the park across the street that we can dip over to, and the splash pads in the summer.”

As a frequent visitor to Crystal’s restaurants, I find it charming to see staff kids sitting in a booth with their tablets and headphones, or coming in glowing from playing in the park. It’s clear they belong there.

“It meant everything in the world to me to be able to bring my child to work during Covid,” says Allie Johnstone, barista, bartender and operations lead for Choice Restaurant Concepts. “It was the only way to keep my world still going and to provide for myself and her.”

When I tell Georgia a bit about how children integrate into Crystal’s restaurants, she replies, “That’s really interesting to hear from the field. Have kids come to the place and they’ll carve out their own ownership over a space. It will make sense. Everyone can still thrive. It’s that adjacency.”

“Family doesn’t have to be at odds with the workplace,” she adds. “Let’s see what happens in the messy overlap. There may be problems, but there seem to be so many more benefits. These communities end up unlocking all sorts of interesting social safety nets, solidarity, and support. Things you could never design for or know about going into it.”

Her research makes a strong case for combining work and child care in ways that make sense for specific employers, parents and children. Exactly what Crystal is doing. Georgia’s paper concludes: “Blending workspaces with early childhood care and education… can free up space and time for stronger local relationships, foster social cohesion, and show the next generation what it looks like to have real autonomy and agency in how we work and live.”

The children of the Choice Restaurants Concepts team experience a workplace where they are welcomed and where their parents’ co-workers become extended family.

“It’s like you’re at home, but you’re not,” Crystal says. Then she pauses and looks around bird tree café where we’re seated, and reconsiders. “This is our home.”

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Beer syrup and the Funky Chicken (what’s newish at Phantom Canyon)

Last week I dropped by Phantom Canyon Brewing Co. — the Springs’ oldest operating brewery dating back to 1993 if ya’ didn’t know.

I was just planning to grab a quick beer with a chef buddy passing through town. But just a minute in the place and I got spotted by Chef Manny Coss, who I hadn’t caught up with in a couple years. (He’s been at the company for 12 years, the past six of those as executive chef.) He and GM of the past five years Mario Moser insisted on bringing some newer food items out to show us, and poured a few of Head Brewer Brian Koch’s beers to pair.

Being the professionals that we are (ahem), my buddy and I graciously accepted the sudden food challenge. (No stakes, really, but we opened up stomach real estate on the fly.) Below, I’ll detail the action in-brief.

Item one: The buffalo sauce- and buttermilk-marinated Funky Chicken sandwich with pimento, bacon and Hefeweizen maple glaze. Hot damn! What a crunchy treat. Try it with the Puff Puff Give Hazy IPA.

Second in line: Nashville hot chicken sliders on ricotta-thyme waffles with pickles, red cabbage slaw and Hefeweizen maple syrup. A really fun take on chicken and waffles, again with a lot of crunch, but more of a sweet, breakfast-y edge (reinforced by a sweet potato fries pairing). And what’s nice to sip with breakfast? A Dry Irish Stout on nitro, of course.

Next up: Elote dip with lime, cotija and tajin and tortilla chips. Absolutely kick-ass paired with the Dos Lunes Mexican Lager with a lime garnish.

And lastly, Box Car red ale-battered spicy pickles with sriracha and ranch dips. Read: super beer-friendly, salty, acidic, tangy yum yums.

Before the spread arrived, I had already ordered a nitro-charged English Dark Milk beer named The Local (which was the silver medal winner at the 2026 Colorado Brewer’s Cup). It sips velvety and smooth at a sessionable 4.2 percent ABV and features toasty malt flavor and mild chocolatey-ness. It too pairs well with the chicken and waffles, accordingly, and is a pleasant meal finisher.

I ask Chef Coss the overall inspiration and intention of his last menu refresh, and he says he aimed for fan favorites, with the house beers in mind for complementary flavors. “Nationally trendy stuff,” he says unapologetically. “We see what’s happening out there, and did it the Phantom way.”

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Bites & Bits

• The news organization behind the Smart Brevity method, Axios, launched a new Colorado Springs daily newsletter on March 9. (It’s free to sign up for, and I recommend that you do.) I spoke with the local journalist behind it, Glenn Wallace, last week to chat about the news of Michelin coming to town, and more. I’m quoted in his March 18 newsletter along with local restaurateurs Jay Gust and James Africano, as well as a Colorado Restaurant Association spokesperson and the Michelin-veteran GM/sommelier at Roth’s Sea & Steak (whose team is really gunning for an award). That’s a commendable amount of sources squeezed into the tight, bullet point-style story, and Wallace told Inside the News in Colorado’s Corey Hutchins last week that “it takes a lot of work to write this short.” Hutchins amusingly aped the Smart Brevity style for his own writeup, offering insight into what Axios’ arrival means for the local (often beleaguered) media landscape.

• I will now borrow from that same Axios newsletter (item #2 after the Michelin story) to site their exclusive reporting (meaning early access to) the James Beard Foundation’s 2026 annual industry report. It’s a state-of-the-industry breakdown for independent eateries: an 18 page document created from a survey of nearly 400 industry people who represent nearly every state in the country. Axios’ summary says restaurants “have hit a price ceiling,” with those who raised prices more than 10 percent last year “most likely to report lower profits.” They note that “Operators say diners are pushing back — skipping second drinks, sharing desserts and trimming add-ons to manage the final check.” Some operators still report good overall revenue and many remain optimistic, even though labor and food costs remain persistent problems. As a resource for industry folks, the report offers takeaways on key trends and ideas for “what restaurants can do in 2026” to adapt.

• Counterfeit Cowboy, which I first told you about here last July, has finally opened downtown. Quick reminder on the concept: The Western-themed bar comes to us via Bloom Ultra Lounge and Lazy Susan’s Cocktail Lounge co-owners Stephon Black and business partner Susan Gates. In addition to cocktails, whiskies and brews, the spot has joined the trendy hotdog train with loaded dogs alongside barbecue offerings, reports Downtown Partnership (who’s gotten there for a first visit before me). There’s also a jukebox and dance floor. When I interviewed Black last year, I asked how they would distinguish themselves from nearby Cowboys Nightclub, and he quipped: “I don’t see a lot of people going there for an Old Fashioned,” saying everyone was welcome but they were seeking a “responsible and more sophisticated” drinker.

• “Proposal to levy new fees on alcohol products in Colorado dies,” reported the Gazette earlier this week.

• BJ’s Velvet Freez opened at its new location next to Fargo’s Pizza last week.

• Black Forest Bistro announced plans for a new on-site spinoff named The Patio at the Bistro, which will be their “Small Global Plates (International Tapas) concept with a rotating menu from Chef Deanna’s travels around the World paired with Flip’s Award Winning patio cocktails.”

• Westword recently picked their Nine Most Anticipated Restaurant Openings This Spring.

• Another pick from 5280 of somewhere already open: Rougarou, “Denver’s Hottest New Destination for Southern Food.”

Side Dish Dozen happenings

T-Byrd’s Tacos & Tequila: Our $12.99 lunch special gets you chips & salsa, two tacos, rice, beans and a fountain drink; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Taco Tuesdays feature $3.50 tacos all day and $5 Margaritas and Swirls. Also, killer happy hours specials at bird tree cafe are 3-6 p.m. daily.

Elephant Thai & Chaang Thai: Our customers love our desserts! Fall in love with sticky rice and mango, sweet rice and Thai custard, coconut sticky rice, or one of our five ice cream desserts, including the cold, sweet stuff with fried bananas or churros.

Bristol Brewing Company: Our One Day Beer Choir is March 22, 5:30-7:30 p.m; $15 for beer and vocal music. The Bristol Spelling Bee is March 26, 6:30 p.m. Spell beer-related words for prizes. Catch our Hefeweizen Release Party with DJ music, March 27, 6 p.m. And a Craft & Vendor Market in the Schoolyard, March 28, noon to 5 p.m.

Four by Brother Luck: Our expansive new happy hour menu is live! 3-6 p.m., Tuesdays-Sundays. Come try Bar Manager Kyle Mcnerny’s awesome new cocktails alongside items like hominy hummus, pork belly sliders, tomatillo gazpacho and our duck chile poutine. Also, make your Easter Brunch reservations early!

Blackhat Distillery: Join our Bob Ross painting class with a certified instructor from 5-8 p.m., March 30. $125 includes cocktails and all supplies; no experience necessary. Come sample and sip in our tasting room, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesdays-Saturdays. Tours available during select times Thursdays-Saturdays.

Red Gravy: The Pastarama drama continues! Short Rib Ravioli now faces off against Creole Rigatoni, made with shrimp, Andouille sausage, Creole-spiced tomato cream, pimento and basil. Enjoy happy hours from 4-6 p.m., Mondays-Thursdays, with half-off glass wines, drafts and well drinks plus apps on special.

Hoppenings of the week

Beer Events

Live Music at 105 West Brewing: March 21, 6 p.m. Enjoy a live performance from These Guys. Expect great beer, amazing food and good vibes for a perfect weekend brewery stop.

Dog Training Night at Goat Patch Brewing – Lincoln Center: March 23, 6 p.m. Learn helpful training tips, ask questions and hang out with other dog owners while enjoying great beer. Participants get $1 off pints during the free event.

Hefeweizen Release Party at Bristol Brewing Company: March 27, 6 p.m. Celebrate the return of Bristol Hefeweizen with free tastings. The Hoppenings team will be popping up, hosting a free-entry raffle and giving away Bristol swag!

Beer Releases

Hazy Does It at Deuces Wild Brewery: Hazy Does It delivers a juicy burst of citrus aroma with a smooth, pillowy body and just enough bitterness to keep things balanced — perfect for anyone chasing that soft, citrus-forward haze.

Orange Guava Session Pale Ale at Peaks N Pines Brewing: This beer starts with a vibrant citrus hop character before orange and guava are added for a tropical twist. Light, fruity and incredibly easy-drinking, this one feels built for sunny patio days.

Stouty McStout at Urban Animal Beer Co.: Don’t let the warmer weather fool you (although we love it). Stouty McStout proves there’s always room for a good stout. This smooth, rich brew delivers roasted malt character with notes of chocolate and coffee, balanced by a velvety body.

Curated by Brandon Heid and Gerry Reyes. For full listings of beer-related events and releases download the free Hoppenings app on Apple on Google.

Upcoming events

March 19: Georgian Wine Tasting Evening at Evergreen Restaurant. 6 p.m.; $75 includes six wines and share appetizers.

March 21: Local Relic’s Small Brew Saturday at The Carter Payne. Noon to 4 p.m. Light bites available.

March 21: World Down Syndrome Day Blood Orange IPA beer release at Nano 108. Noon to 10 p.m. The brewery teamed up with adults from the Colorado Springs Down Syndrome community to brew; $1 from every beer sold will be donated back to them.

March 25: Mollydooker Wine Dinner at The Cliff House at Pikes Peak. 6 p.m.; $125, four paired courses.

March 26: Food for Thought Wine Tasting Dinner at Margarita at PineCreek. 6:30 p.m.; $85. Reserve at 719-598-8667.

March 28: 2nd Annual Greek Bake Sale at Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Featuring items like baklava, spanakopita and Greek coffee.

March 31: National Oysters on the Half Shell Day Sip with Schnip at Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar. 3 p.m. onward. Join us for a 1994 Throwback Night. The first 100 oyster dozens will be sold at 1994 prices: 50 cents an oyster! Enjoy our ’90s East Coast & West Coast hip hop playlist, ’94 trivia, swag and giveaways. ’90s attire strongly encouraged!

March 31: Passport to Italy wine dinner at Pizzeria Rustica. 6 p.m., $89, five courses.

[Save the date] April 18: Pikes Peak Library District Foundation’s annual Night at the Library at Library 21c. 6-8 p.m; $150 benefits PPLD. Featuring 20 local food and drink vendors serving snacks inspired by classic and modern storybook themes.

Parting shot(s)

Pikes Peak State College’s culinary program was on bright display this past weekend at their Equinox culinary scholarship soirée at Broadmoor’s Cheyenne Lodge.

Professional guest chefs worked alongside the culinary students to present dishes themed around times of the day: dawn, noon, dusk, twilight and midnight. Area chefs participating were Katie Fisco (Baon Supper Club, a PPSC graduate); Four by Brother Luck (Haley Jordan, a PPSC graduate); Supansa Banker (Chef’s Roots); Nick Jacob (Cheyenne Mountain Country Club, a former PPSC student); James Africano (The Warehouse); Rocio Neyra Palmer (Summit at The Broadmoor); and Pikes Peak State College chefs Heidi Block, Mark Painter, Michael Paradiso and Richard Carpenter.

As usual, we ate too much but loved every bite. Especially the lavish dessert spread with colorful mini treats. Next year when tickets go on sale grab a pair and support this great local program — vital to feeding talent into our hospitality industry.

I’ve been to Taos many times over the past 25 years, relying on recommendations from friends who love the area, including a couple of my college housemates who grew up there. It’s a magical town with an artsy energy and unique mingling of Native American, Hispanic and Anglo cultures, lending to sprinkles of new-age woo-wooism atop cowboy and Western iconography and desert naturalism. I’m not even exactly sure what that last sentence fully implies, which seems to prove my point about Taos’ one-of-a-kindness.

If you’ve still never been, you’ve just gotta go. I believe the below tips will help make the most of your dining and drinking time. (It’s just a starting point; there’s much more to see and do.) We recently spent a long weekend in the area after too many years away, and I enjoyed visiting past favorite spots and many new-to-me places. We got into quite a bit of eating and drinking, with your next adventure in mind, dear reader. (How selfless, I know.) In no particular order, here’s our highlights:

Tomorrow and Tomorrow

Tomorrow and Tomorrow is somewhat newer to Taos’ food and drink scene, opened in the late summer of 2024. They specialize in organic-flour sourdough bagels and breads, which are turned into both open- and closed-face sandwiches. The bagels aren’t perfect wheels, but larger, slightly misshapen pucks that hold a lot of toppings easily. Bread slices are huge too, as wide as a plate and generously smeared.

Between a couple of visits (because we like the place so much) we get a few items: The lox bagel (on a fluffy everything bagel) gets a bounty of housemade cream cheese with smoked salmon strips, sharp red onions, cucumber wheels, capers, locally grown sprouts, and finishing salt, pepper and lemon. The organic tomato puts a trio of wide tomato slices on the thick cream cheese layer with capers, dill, olive oil and again salt, pepper and lemon. It’s filling on its own, but we also devour a slice of sourdough with locally made fruit jam and a dollop of ricotta cheese.

The cafe serves excellent espresso drinks made with Portland-based Roseline Coffee’s beans. We sip a classic cortado, a housemade chai with a shot added to make it dirty, and a special-of-the-day maple-cinnamon latte. All are great, and make a little remote laptop work pass much more pleasantly. The place makes you want to linger.

ACEQ

Up the road from Taos about 20 minutes, in the tiny (and cute!) village of Arroyo Seco, very chic ACEQ came recommended to us by locals, especially for cocktails. I start with a mezcal drink made with ginger and lime juices and garnish of toasted sesame oil for texture — delightful. Lauren becomes quickly fixated on her tomato-basil shrub vodka martini, mixed with dry vermouth, infused with cherry tomato and fresh basil essences, and fat-washed in olive oil. It tastes like sipping the summer garden, in a very good way, with high acidity aiding food pairings.

For bites we opt for a trio of small plates. Lamb loin chops (locally sourced) come with a sweet pea purée, chimichurri and balsamic reduction, all great in their own ways with the meat. We quickly see ACEQ is good with sauces, as the elote corn ribs with red chile butter, cotija and lime come with a superlative mole sauce. Just as impressive is “Chef Gabe’s award-winning Chimayo Red Chile” sauce on a plate of smoked beef tips, with pickled onion, cilantro and flour tortillas. It’s 11 of 10 delicious, with mild heat, big earthiness and a little tangy richness in the finish.

World Cup Café

A tiny spot at the edge of Tao’s main plaza, World Cup has been around for 30 years, but feels more relevant than ever. That’s partly because of the resistance vibes in the signage, but mostly because their craft coffee is totally on-point, as illustrated to us by our beautifully balanced specialty mochas. The Mocha Borgia is the dark chocolate and orange pairing that’s a less sweet and more natural tasting version of a Terry’s Chocolate. The Mocha Picante mixes red chile pepper into the dark chocolate for a spicy kick and nice, back-of-the-throat smolder. We return on our way out of town to order both drinks again for our drive home; they’re that good.

Michael’s Kitchen Restaurant & Bakery

Michael’s is the place everyone tells you to go for breakfast, because 50-plus years of pastry- and New Mexican-food service lends them the credibility of being time-tested. It’s got the local diner charm, and usually a line out the door. (We waited for about 20 minutes to get in.) The plates are generally affordable, and huge. Mains come with two side item choices; a side of pancakes is actually a plate of three — wow. I get Huevos Rancheros, requesting both red and green chile, enjoying the latter most. Lauren follows suit with Christmas (red and green chile) chicken enchiladas, equally enjoyable. The pinto beans are notably good, as are the house sopaipillas for a doughy treat. They’re particularly good with sips of the piñon roast coffee, roasted for Michael’s by Albuquerque’s Red Rock Roasters. (You can buy retail bags of it to-go.)

Chokolá

You might know this about me, that I’m a chocoholic. I’ve become obsessed with bean-to-bar chocolatiers such as the Springs’ own Third Wave Chocolate, with whom we made a podcast episode. Anyway, Chokolá precedes Third Wave by almost a decade, producing gorgeous dessert treats that highlight various cacao varietals. They make truffles, tarts, mousses and of course, bars to takeaway and savor later.

I spend more than I care to admit, but don’t regret the purchases bite-by-bite. Caramel-filled chocolate flavors included a miso, a lavender and an Earl Grey, all on-point. I get a passionfruit truffle, a chile-infused one and a fabulous black sesame flavor that has somewhat of a Middle Eastern vibe.

From the wide selection of bars, I pick a few interesting flavors and one single-origin bar: a Bolivian. Like Third Wave’s bars, this one’s made with only cacao and a touch of sugar. Terroir-wise, which is to say what I faintly taste in the background of the deeply earthy chocolate, I get a little fruity acidity up front that quickly fades to a clean, smooth cacao bitterness; the flavors linger pleasantly on my mid palate.

The flavored bars by contrast are bright with their infusions throughout. A lavender bar tastes like fresh picked petals rich with oil, almost a touch soapy up-front but quickly fading to a clean floral finish. A Goat Dark Milk bar sweetened with coconut sugar hosts a touch of barnyard tang and a hint of caramel in the finish. And the most unique, the Sourdough and Olive Oil dark chocolate, features a distinct bready vibe with a tiny crunch, evoking crust, almost like how tyrosine crystals in aged cheese offer toothsomeness. I imagine if you’re someone who digs Nutella-lathered bread, this one’s for you — sub the nuttiness for a superbly rich chocolate body.

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De La Tierra Restaurant at El Monte Sagrado

De La Tierra is the eatery inside a resort hotel just up from the town plaza, and we catch a colorful breakfast there. Both plates we choose highlight blue corn. The Sunrise Power Bowl features a base of blue corn atole, which is typically a sweetened masa drink, but here served more like a porridge. It’s plated with tricolor quinoa, pepitas, house granola, mixed berries and brown sugar (which we leave off to reduce sweetness). The blue corn piñon pancakes arrive in a lavish piñon-caramel sauce, with butter, berries and more piñon nuts for garnish, plus a side of maple. Sweet? Yes. Amazing? Oh yeah.

Taos Mesa Brewing

The OG “Mothership” location launched in 2012, just outside of town on the mesa that’s famous for the Taos Earthships. The brewery hosts concerts between April and October, but it’s easier to drop by their Taos Taproom, opened about a decade ago, for regular beer and wood oven pizza service. TMB brews with grains from the San Luis Valley’s Proximity Malt, making them more local (in sourcing) than most outfits.

What the staff I chat with lack in product knowledge they make up for in kindness, which is to say I appreciate the attentive service but would like to know a little more than they or the beer menu can tell me about the house brews (like hop profiles, etc.). They also can’t answer the mystery as to why the menu of more than 20 beers is numbered, but with #1 missing. It literally starts with #2. “Taos is a quirky town,” one says by way of explanation.

Anyway, our tasting paddle shows proficiency, with no major low or high points, but a comfortable middle by way of hitting styles and landing overall totally pleasant and drinkable. We sip a pale ale that reminds me of one of Il Vicino’s beers from the late ’90s here in the Springs. There’s a bready RyePA, a creamy-textured Cold IPA, a big bouquet’d West Coast IPA, and perhaps our favorite: a low ABV (3.2%), malty and faintly nutty English mild, named Little Brown Beer.

Lambert’s of Taos

Lambert’s is a great fine dining option, where family friends kindly treated us to a lovely meal. Hence why I didn’t disrupt it by taking my usual food and drink pics. So my callout here is to commend the expert cook-job on our fish dishes. Lauren’s cornmeal-crusted ruby trout was a crispy-skinned delight served with wonderful garnishes: scallion chimichurri, huitlacoche hominy and piquillo pepper. My Scottish salmon arrived with a punchy dashi velouté, romanesco, fennel, radicchio and smoked salmon roe for briny pop. I loved seeing lesser-served vegetables treated respectfully.

Doc Martin’s

A town icon attached to the Taos Inn: go to hear live music in the entryway lounge and sip on one of the house margaritas. The Cowboy Buddha is a simple but potent Herradura silver tequila, Cointreau and fresh lime pour. I really enjoy my El Chupacabra, made with a pepper-infused blanco tequila, triple sec, house sour mix, lime and a salt and chile pepper rim.

La Cueva Cafe

And the award for Lowest Restaurant Ceiling Ever goes to … La Cueva Cafe! Though it may feel like a one-room Hobbit hole size-wise, La Cueva boasts big flavor. The chicken mole enchiladas are excellent. The sauce isn’t too sweet (like many renditions) and has a deep, rich flavor with alluring chile and cacao essences. The pulled chicken’s seasoned well and nicely tender. The beans are bully too.

Bonus stops (on the way to Taos):

You can of course choose to stay on I-25 longer and get to Taos via Trinidad, Raton and Cimarron. If you’re aiming to ski at Angel Fire, this is the better route. But the more scenic and charming drive means heading West on US-160 out of Walsenburg. If you don’t mind adding an hour to the drive, then don’t turn South in Fort Garland, but head West into the Alamosa area and wider San Luis Valley. Many recreational options, from hot springs to the Great Sand Dunes National Park, deserve attention. But looking just through a food and drink lens, here are some picks:

Gub Gub’s

Along Main Street in Walsenburg, at the turnoff for US-160 toward the Spanish Peaks, Gub Gub’s is a great stop in the morning hours for housemade bagels and Kangaroo Coffee. By later hours, nab a pizza on house dough, an ice cream scoop or cocktail.

Next time: We weren’t driving through at the right hours to hit Crafty Canary Brewery, but it’s on my list for the future.

Worth The Drive Bakery

One of the dozen Amish businesses sprinkled around the San Luis Valley, Worth the Drive Bakery is exactly that to many online commenters who initially got our attention. Head out of Alamosa to the farmland around Monte Vista and you’ll find this mini retail market. It sells everything from local jams, dairy, meat and produce items to the star attraction: house-baked breads and sweets.

You might be familiar with their outstanding hand pies, sold in C. Springs at Bread & Butter Neighborhood Market. We nab a fresh trio here: blueberry (not our fave), raspberry (true flavor) and strawberry rhubarb (pure joy). Plus a box of donuts (solidly good); a fluffy loaf of whole wheat-honey (make a sandwich with me!); and a satisfying savory snack of a chicken patty on bacon cheddar bread. Restraint was shown: We didn’t get the much-hyped, giant cinnamon rolls, though fairly priced and alluring.

The Colorado Farm Brewery

Expect an in-depth story from me in the coming weeks in partnership with Colorado Public Radio about this gem of a brewery. I’ll save my ammo for that, but for now know that if you’re heading to Taos and don’t mind the detour (down US-285 through Antonito once you leave the Alamosa area), this is highly worthwhile destination. It’s one of the world’s only estate breweries, with some house beers made entirely from on-site ingredients (including San Luis Valley water, yeast and farm-grown and -malted grains). Stay tuned for much more about it.

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Green Mountain Falls should see the opening of a new eatery/drink spot on March 20 (pending final health department inspection), in the form of Columbine Pour House. It’s located inside The Green Mountain Falls Lodge, a 115-year-old, nine-room property set along the upper end of Ute Pass Avenue, the main road through town.

Shannon and Bobby Jackson are behind the project, and bring a wealth of industry experience with them. Bobby’s been teaching a variety of foundational food classes at Paragon Culinary School for a decade, where Shannon’s also given bar and wine instruction for six years. They both graduated from the school and have also both worked with Chef Victor Matthews — who’s getting closer himself to opening Tava House in Woodland Park, which I first told you about here.

The Jacksons have been familiar faces at the Black Bear Distillery, also located on Green Mountain Falls’ main drag. Bobby will stay in his role as the lead distiller there after Columbine opens. Shannon formerly managed the tasting room. Matthews decided to close that sipping spot this past fall to focus on Tava, so Columbine Pour House plans to carry the distillery’s full lineup and act as an unofficial tasting room. (Side note: You might recall hearing plans for something named Belmont Whiskey House in Woodland Park a few years ago. The Jacksons were behind it, but plans fell through after a building code requirement skyrocketed projected costs.)

Columbine Pour House gets its name from The Green Mountain Falls Lodge’s prior moniker: Columbine Lodge and Hotel, explains Bobby. That’s what the place was called when he was growing up in town, and he shows me a photo of himself as a toddler in 1983, alongside his whole extended family posed along the lodge’s front steps. He remembers last eating at a restaurant named the Columbine inside the hotel in the early ’90s, and that’s the same space on the first level that the Pour House will occupy. It’s only been used intermittently for events in more recent years, he says. Shannon notes they’ll also offer private event bookings in addition to regular restaurant service, which will launch as just Fridays and Saturdays (11 a.m. to 7 p.m.) until May’s end, and then extend to 8 p.m. and five days a week thereafter.

Expect a cozy mountain cabin vibe, featuring original stacked stone and beefy woodwork throughout the long dining room, which has a natural banquet-space feel. A fireplace at one end will lend ambiance in winter months; there’s a tiny stage near it for live music periodically (definitely for the grand opening says Shannon); a large TV for sport viewing; and wall space to display local artists. A special photography display will honor Bobby’s dad Robert H. Jackson, who won a Pulitzer Prize for Photography in 1964 for snapping the famous pic of Jack Ruby shooting Lee Harvey Oswald at the Dallas police station. He was working for the Dallas Times Herald back then, as was later a photographer for the Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. The Jacksons are excited to display some of his more modern landscape photos and such the public hasn’t seen before.

Okay, that coolest side detail ever in a food story now out of the way, let’s get back to business: The Pour House will seat 40 inside and another 20 on a side patio with a fantastic mountain view. As for comestibles and libations (wow, who am I? I never use those dated words…) the Jacksons are limited by a less than full kitchen space. Which is to say no hoods and big equipment, so they’ll be largely countertop cooking and hot-holding soups and such prepped at the Black Bear’s nearby kitchen, using it as a commissary. They can also grill outside on the patio for special items as needed.

I’m actually glad when I see their pared-down menu that it’s not another spot serving burgers, wings and pizza. Shannon shows me the menu she’s still finalizing with Bobby, which looks more like a wine bar’s easy tapas-style offerings. There’s half a dozen “Boards & Bites” spanning charcuterie and crostini plates, one with mascarpone- or goat cheese-smeared toast points drizzled with local wildflower honey. There’s also a plant-based cheese board with fruit as well as vegan salad and sandwich options. Tomato-basil soup will be a mainstay, and the sandwiches range from chicken salad to deli-meat creations like the Alpine Melt, a ham, Brie, apple and arugula construct with honey mustard on toasted ciabatta. Down the road, Bobby mentions wanting to roast pork for a house Cuban.

Shannon wants you to finish your meal with her grandmother’s Oklahoma-style banana pudding. They’ll also make a trifle with vegan shortbread, strawberry compote and homemade vegan whipped cream. And they’ll curate some cookies and bars from Woodland Park’s Secret Desires Dessert Co.

For drinks, expect an expansive N/A beverage menu upon opening, with the full bar offerings to come hopefully by Mother’s Day, says Shannon, as they’re awaiting their liquor license. Knowing the recent trends toward sober offerings, she says they were planning a robust alcohol-free program anyway, with good N/A wine and beer choices plus her own creative mocktails. Once it’s game-on for hooch, though, they plan to spotlight the Black Bear products alongside other Colorado distilleries, and curate a smart craft can and bottle list of brews and wines, both local and national. Shannon’s signature cocktail, she says, is her smoked old fashioned, made with a choice of the Black Bear Distillery’s Irish-style or Colorado Caribbean Cask whiskies, housemade smoked cherries and cherrywood smoke to finish.

When I ask the “why” behind Columbine for Shannon and Bobby, he cites being ready to work for himself after decades in the industry. Shannon says it’s partly about “sharing what we’ve learned in our craft” and “building a legacy for our three kids” (a 21-year-old and twin 19-year-olds). “We want to create a place where people can come together, and everyone is welcome. What better place than where Bobby grew up?”

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A dish best served cold (another industry reckoning)

Perhaps you’ve been following the meltdown this past week of the internationally famous Noma brand across major media platforms. I’ve been tracking it via the New York Times, who first posted this story on March 7: “Punching, Slamming, Screaming: A Chef’s Past Abuse Haunts Noma, the World’s Top-Rated Restaurant.”

Three days later, major sponsors began dropping their support of the 16-week Los Angeles Noma popup. Then on March 11, a protest by past employees and industry people heightened the drama. By that evening, the uproar made its mark, compelling Noma Chef René Redzepi to step down and resign from the board of a nonprofit he founded.

While all that may feel far away to most readers, it hits painfully close to home for others. One of them is Colorado Springs-based private chef and consultant Hannah Cupples. Thanks to Hannah, I was actually tracking this whole story the week prior to it making national news, as she was filling me in and getting prepared to leave for L.A. and take part in the protest. In this link, you can see her among the marchers; she’s the one holding the “No Michelin Stars for Violence” sign.

Hannah is a longtime industry acquaintance and friend, and she let me know that she planned to document her experiences — from back in her days in area kitchens to updates from the L.A. protest — in a newly created Substack page called For Chef’s Sake, which is also the name of her business. We discussed her writing a guest column for Side Dish, but decided that since everything was happening real-time over the past many days, it would be best for her to post her own stories from which I could excerpt.

Which is what I plan to do briefly below. Because I encourage you to visit Hannah’s page and support her work directly by reading her full accounting of everything. Read: Old School Mentality Gets 86’d: PART 1 & Old School Mentality Gets 86’d: PART 2. Her posts include collected stories from herself and others, detailing abuses they say they endured while on the job. In sharing them, Hannah says her intent “is not to take down any singular ‘bad guy,’ but rather to insist on real change in the industry. Most restaurants don’t have HR Departments or any resources to turn to when abuse happens, and there’s the ever-present dialogue of ‘earning your stripes.’”

She says “It’s not just Noma, it’s not just fine dining, and it’s not just a handful of bad Chefs. This issue is systemic… Our responsibility as chefs, employees, or as a readers and supporters of restaurants, is to insist on meaningful change down to a microscopic level, and to give people the space to hold their aggressors accountable without fear of retaliation. This is the beginning of the conversation, not the end.”

Speaking more to her “why,” Hannah writes “Anyone who has worked with me knows that I am nothing if not outspoken, particularly when I believe there has been some instance of injustice or wrongdoing… coupling Colorado Springs’ newfound potential for Michelin recognition with the widespread allegations of abuse and exploitation in the service industry, I’ve decided that there is no better time to speak up.”

Coincidentally, while I was putting this story on page my good chef pal Shane Lyons called me on his way home to Colorado Springs from Los Angeles, where he resides and co-owns and -operates Vesti, among other culinary projects. Knowing that he saw some shit as a young buck back in his day in kitchens too, I asked him his thoughts on the Noma situation.

“I’m happy that the empire is crumbling,” Shane says. “It gives me hope for the world. Many folks in our industry knew about the allegations. Of course this behavior is not limited to Noma and its leadership. It’s like the same as the Weinstein fallout. Maybe not to the degree and severity of the abuse, but people knew. It’s similar to David Chang at his height, when everyone tolerated the manic abuse because the guy is a genius.”

Shane worked for Chang at Momofuku in New York, and cites Chang’s book Lucky Peach, where Chang addresses some of his own past bad behavior. “He’s aware, and he’s sorry, sure. But that doesn’t heal the scar felt by a myriad of folks,” Shane says. “René’s response was much the same: remorse but not shame. To be truly apologetic is to feel shame. I’m not in the guy’s head, but I don’t personally sense that shame in any of the written responses. Also I believe he is still an owner? Stepping down as chef seems like optics. He needs to divest completely if he hasn’t already. Out of respect for his crew and the next generation of leadership. Maybe what he should do is invite anyone back who was harmed by his actions to deliver the same treatment on him. They could all bring their own barbecue forks.”

Relatedly, Shane experienced toxic working conditions in the film industry, as well, as a child actor. In mid 2024 he appeared on HBO Max’s Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV to share part of his story. (We wrote about it at the time, here.)

Bigger picture to all this: “It’s the hierarchy of servitude,” Shane concluded. “The wellbeing of servants has never been the concern of the ultra-rich.”

Tickets to the Noma popup in L.A. were $1,500 for the all-included tasting menu. They’re sold out.

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Bites & Bits

• In late January, I’d told you that the highly popular Porkbutt BBQ had gone up for sale. Then, a couple weeks ago I noted their final day of service on Feb. 28, as they’d found a then-unnamed buyer. Since that time, I’ve been able to confirm that the person who procured their equipment and assumed their lease is a known local quantity: Brian Fortinberry, proprietor of 25-year-old Front Range Barbeque in Old Colorado City. You might recall that Front Range has been closed for renovations since this past November, with plans to reopen soon(ish) this spring. Fortinberry tells Side Dish that he hopes to also be open in Porkbutt’s space sometime in April, tentatively. Stay tuned for more details and updates.

• Last week, I shared news of My Cellar Wine Bar’s closure up north to relocate downtown. At the time, I wasn’t able to glean info on exactly what space they were moving to. But this week, I learned they’ll be going into Chef Brother Luck’s former Eleven18 spot at 334 E. Colorado Ave., next door to Rebel Rebel. The plan is to be open by early April, if possible.

• I appeared with Chef Brother Luck on a recent episode of Visit Colorado Springs’ Peak Into COS podcast. With the news of The Michelin Guide coming to town, we examine our food scene’s evolution, and what everyone — restaurateurs, chefs, industry workers, eaters — should be looking ahead to in the coming months and years. Give us a watch or listen:

• Stage Stop Cantina announced that it will open earlier than usual this year at its seasonal 6620 Old Stage Road location, a little over a 30-minute drive from downtown Colorado Springs. Expect the first services from March 13-15 (3-8 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday), with a limited barbecue menu and canned beers plus craft cocktails until full programming ramps up. If you still aren’t familiar with Stage Stop Cantina, check out my original review here, and updated info on their mobile units that permanently serve Mash Mechanix and Urban Animal Beer Co.’s Star Ranch Road location (in this section of news briefs).

• The French Kitchen celebrates its six-year Queenet Anniversary and honors its top-selling pastry (their version of a traditional French pastry, the Kouign-amann) on March 14, with a special crème brûlée flavor. You can preorder boxes here, and catch a discounted Queenet-iversary mixed box with the crème brûlée flavor plus a classic, Nutella, lemon curd, cinnamon cream and salted butter caramel Queenet.

Hoppenings of the week

Beer Events

Live music at 105 West Brewing: Mar, 15. 2 p.m. The Castlewood Lion Pipe Band.

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at Goat Patch – Monument: March 14, noon onward. An all-day party featuring live music, performances, food trucks and family-friendly fun.

Karma on Tap – Comedy Night at Bristol Brewing: March, 14, 6 p.m. Come for big laughs in the Barrel Room while helping Safe Place for Pets raise funds. Includes comedy performances and a silent auction.

Beer Releases

Twin Suns Amber at Nano 108 Brewery: Smooth, balanced and brewed for easy drinking. With rich notes of toasted malt, light caramel sweetness and a crisp, clean finish this lager brings warmth without being heavy.

Honey, I’m Bock! Lager at Peaks N Pines brewery: Brewed with traditional Munich and Vienna grains complemented by honey malt to add just enough sweetness to its smooth lager finish.

Strata Pale Ale at Fossil Craft Beer Co: Bursting with Strata hops, this brew is the perfect showcase for Strata’s strawberry- and melon-forward flavors.

Curated by Brandon Heid and Gerry Reyes. For full listings of beer-related events and releases download the free Hoppenings app on Apple on Google.

Side Dish Dozen happenings

Edelweiss: Make your Easter and graduation party reservations early, as we fill up fast! Come check out our new dessert sampler, featuring three of our most beloved cakes on one plate for sharing: Hazelnut, Black Forest and German Chocolate tortes.

Gold Star Bakery: 3.14 Pi Day is this Saturday. Get free a la mode with every slice of pie ordered at Gold Star Bakery at Ivywild School on March 14. Slices and whole pies are available at the bakery March 11-15, and flavors include: Tart Cherry, Mint & Oreo Grasshopper, Wild Blueberry, Bourbon Pecan and Dutch Apple.

Wobbly Olive: Every weekday happy hour at both locations is 4-6 p.m.; all cocktails and beers half off, plus $5 house wines. We have a fantastic N/A cocktail menu, too. Current themes at Allusion Speakeasy are Lord of the Rings at our Powers location and Bar-kini Bottom (SpongeBob SquarePants) downtown.

Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar: Our fantastic new lineup of Weekly Specials means different daily deals, like All Night Happy Hour on Mondays, Po Boys on Wednesdays, a bundled $65 Friday Date Night for two, and $1 oysters on Locals Sunday. Also, March is Oyster Month, with features like 90s Hip Hop Tuesdays with East and West Coast oyster specials. (Take a sneak peek here.)

Kangaroo Coffee: Our PikeRide Kangaroo Coffee “Caffeine Central” Station is now open! Stop by the Hillside Coffee House, grab your favorite drink, rent a bike from PikeRide and enjoy the beautiful weather. Also pick up our organic coffee grounds for your garden. Coffee, community and a perfect day outdoors, all in one stop.

Goat Patch Brewing: Download our app to stay in the know! Order from Grazing Goat Kitchen at Uber Eats. Come enjoy a pint at our Mellow Mondays Coloring Nights at our Northgate and Monument locations. Check out our Bleating Heart give-back nights at our Lincoln Center location on Wednesdays.

Evergreen Restaurant: Join us for lunch, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesdays-Saturdays and Sunday brunch during the same hours. For lunch find salads, pastas, flatbreads and mains like our lamb burger and crab cake BLT. Brunch items include our popular Croissant Benedict, crepes and our Chicken Kiev Piada. We have a robust bar, with N/A options and espresso drinks.

Upcoming events

March 12: Ash & Ale cigar-pairing experience at Voodoo Brewing Co. Two seatings: 5-7 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.; $95 includes two cocktails, one entrée and one premium cigar.

March 14: Equinox, A Culinary Scholarship Fundraiser at The Broadmoor’s Cheyenne Lodge. 5-8 p.m.; $125-$150. Benefitting Pikes Peak State College’s culinary program.

March 15: Murder is All Blarney — Murder Mystery Dinner at Ephemera. 5 p.m.; $122 buffet meal includes a first drink.

March 18: Colorado Restaurant Association government affairs legislative update at Lebowski’s Taproom. 3-5 p.m.; free apps and drinks. A valuable convo for anyone running or supporting a restaurant business. RSVP by March 12 to ashley@ppcra.com.

March 19: Georgian Wine Tasting Evening at Evergreen Restaurant. 6 p.m.; $75 includes six wines and share appetizers.

March 19: Open Mic Storytelling at Kangaroo Coffee Hillside. 6-8 p.m.

March 26: Proverbs & Old Adages Wine Tasting Dinner at Margarita at PineCreek. 6:30 p.m.; $85. Reserve at 719-598-8667.

March 28: 2nd Annual Greek Bake Sale at Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Featuring items like baklava, spanakopita and Greek coffee.

March 31: National Oysters on the Half Shell Day Sip with Schnip at Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar. 3 p.m. onward. Join us for a 1994 Throwback Night. The first 100 oyster dozens will be sold at 1994 prices: 50 cents an oyster! Enjoy our ’90s East Coast & West Coast hip hop playlist, ’94 trivia, swag and giveaways. ’90s attire strongly encouraged!

March 31: Passport to Italy wine dinner at Pizzeria Rustica. $89, five courses.

[Save the date] April 18: Pikes Peak Library District Foundation’s annual Night at the Library at Library 21c. 6-8 p.m; $150 benefits PPLD. Featuring 20 local food and drink vendors serving snacks inspired by classic and modern storybook themes.

Parting shot(s)

Chef Ashley Brown and her talented team at Four by Brother Luck invited me by this week to check out their newly released and significantly expanded happy hour menu. It runs 3-6 p.m., Tuesdays-Sundays.

The intent with growing the food selections, Sous Chef Geri Woessner tells me, is to better highlight Bar Manager Kyle Mcnerny’s creative cocktail menu and earn him the crowd his drinks deserve.

While in, I sample his refreshing mocktail named Scarlet Roots (pictured middled row,) made with N/A basil-grapefruit spirit, persimmon simple syrup and carrot shrub. I also enjoy his potently playful I Blame The Industry (pictured bottom row), which blends Fernet Branca, Cynar 30, allspice dram, Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur and lemon. During HH’s, cocktails are $10 and mocktails are just $5-$6.

Pictured above on the top row you see oysters; shrimp swimming in a thin tomatillo gazpacho punctuated by horseradish crema and chile oil; and the Four Corners Caesar salad with Manchego, pepitas, charred lemon, and blue corn croutons in a vegetarian dressing this skips the traditional anchovy paste in favor of miso.

On the middle row: chorizo queso fundido with red chile tortilla chips exudes deep earthy spices, while the clever hominy hummus with green chile vinaigrette delivers something like pozole out of soup form and gone Mediterranean. I love it; it’s a must-get, fresh with cucumber, tomato and onion salad and flatbread chips.

Bottom row: crispy pork belly sliders in New Mexico barbecue aioli with pickled cabbage and a side of bacon fat-chipotle popcorn (which can be ordered solo for $3 as a snack). And Pastry Chef Marjorie Furio’s poached pear sorbet garnished with a slice of dried fruit, cherry gel and flower petal, lavender oil and coconut foam.

Note this is just a portion of the menu, with small plates mostly in the $8 range and bigger items like duck chile poutine and Brother Luck’s bacon jam burger for $10-$13. Overall, it’s quite approachable and affordable, as one desires from a good happy hour.

The long-vacant restaurant space at the southeast end of Memorial Park’s Prospect Lake (at 604 S. Union Blvd., last operated as Zorbadillos Heavenly Greek) will soon be operational again. And not in the hands of the inexperienced.

Seasoned restaurateur/hotelier Perry Sanders — former owner of The Antlers and The Mining Exchange, who still owns The Famous Steakhouse and is a prominent attorney — purchased the space many months ago and has a team staging to launch it. Members of that crew include industry people who overlapped at Sanders’ former restaurant inside The Mining Exchange: Springs Orleans. As it turns out, Perriteaux’s, as this new Cajun venture’s called, will recreate much of that eatery, but “pared down to do a super cool version of the food,” Sanders tells Side Dish.

“A lot of people told me they miss Springs Orleans,” he says, noting the restaurant “was successful until the day we sold.” Sanders brings credibility to the cuisine as an Acadiana native, from Lafayette, Louisiana. “What I know is Cajun food,” he says. “And Chef Jason Miller is one of the greatest I’ve known who cooks it. We had a blast doing Springs Orleans together, and it’s cool to reconnect with him.”

Sanders and Miller put in a decade-plus together at Springs Orleans, and it’s also where Sanders’ son John Michael got his start in the industry as a teenager, bussing tables. He’s now the GM at The Famous and will be a co-owner of Perriteaux’s.

Miller, an instructor at The French Kitchen and half of the local food blog team at Season Two Taste, worked in Louisiana for 17 years. Three of those were in Lafayette and the rest were in New Orleans, which were “the most formative years for me as a chef,” he says. “I’ve spent most of my career in this cuisine. The biggest feather in my cap was when I was the executive sous chef at The Grill Room at Windsor Court, which at the time was the highest rated restaurant in the Southeast. René Bajeux, a French master chef, was a father figure for me. He knew more about food in his pinkie finger than I’ll ever know by the time I die.” (If you want to learn more, Miller says he teaches a Cajun/Creole class several times a year at TFK, which includes a history lesson on where the two cuisines converge and how they differ.)

I meet up with Miller and FOH personality Moe Serato at Perriteaux’s earlier this week to take a first look and chat about the menu. For his part, Serato has worked at every Perry Sanders venture locally for a stint, dating back to Johnny Martin’s Car Central. He calls Miller and members of the Springs Orleans crew “a tight-knit family back in the day.”

Miller starts by explaining what the “pared down” menu that Sanders referenced actually looks like. “It’s simpler and more focused and based on a more casual approach and authentic Cajun/Creole versus a fine-dining type of thing. This is going to be quicker service, too.” They’ll also push for online ordering and delivery business “because people want it.”

Dishes like his chicken and andouille gumbo and étouffée will be virtually the same as before. Appetizers will include Disco Fries and Swamp Fries, the former being smothered in vegetarian gravy and the latter topped with gumbo or étouffée. Pastas are off the menu, but there’ll be a fried seafood platter, blackened chicken, shrimp & grits, and seafood boil options. (At a later date in an adjacent building on the lot, they’re considering a “boil shack” to create more of an experience of it.) Sides will span from Voodoo rice, Creole potato salad, red beans and a variety of Zapp’s chips flavors. And there’s Chef Miller’s beignets with powdered sugar for dessert, a Springs Orleans mainstay, paired with café au lait, of course.

But what Miller’s most excited about for Perriteaux’s — which I’ve intentionally saved for last, for dramatic effect (can you feel it?!) — is a new selection of po-boy sandwiches that include shrimp, crawfish, oyster, catfish and daily specials. Getting those fillings right remains important, but what Miller really wants to highlight is how they’ll be the first spot in the state to serve their po-boys on Leidenheimer French bread from New Orleans. It dates back to 1896, he says, and he always wished he could have served it at Springs Orleans.

“Why didn’t you?” I asked, imagining that little stands in the way of Perry Sanders’ war chest.

“After too many favors asked to my food reps it was one too much,” he says. But now, he’s gotten Ben E. Keith to agree to bring it out to him, as they prior only distributed it in other markets in or closer to the Southeast, he says.

I ask him to describe it, and why it’s so key to authenticity. “It’s pretty much the original bread,” he begins, telling me the story of how Leidenheimer adjusted their original German-style breads and how a streetcar strike in the late 1920s led to the term “po-boy.” He disappears into the kitchen and reappears with a frozen loaf, handing it to me to feel how light it is despite its girth and length. “It’s crispy and cracker-y on the outside but has a pillowy soft middle,” he says. “Structurally it stands up to what’s put in it, but gets out of the way so as not to overwhelm the fillings. It’s something to bite through, but not enough to make everything fall apart, like how oysters will fall out of breads with too much structure when you take a bite.”

Guests will be able to order them in full or half portions, undressed, or topped with lettuce, tomato, Cajun pickle slices and remoulade. “Po-boys will be much more of a thing here than at Springs Orleans,” he says, emphasizing that it will fit the counter service style here well, like at NOLA sandwich shops.

The space is quite casual in terms of decor, with dark blue walls accented by colorful stained glass window portals leftover from Zorbadillos. They’re cool; they fit. Digital menus will hang behind the front order counter and TVs will get hung for sports viewing and more.

Perriteaux’s has a full liquor license, so expect the famous New Orleans cocktails like Hurricanes, Sazeracs and Vieux Carrés. There won’t be beer drafts, but bottles and cans will include Louisiana favorite Abita Brewing. Those will be nice to sip on hot days, overlooking the Prospect Lake embankment, with Pikes Peak on the horizon and the top of Garden of the Gods too if you look closely. (Methinks paddleboarders will want to portage over for a post-float meal.)

“We want to integrate with the lake and synergistically help each other,” says Miller.
”It’s a beautiful park that deserves a better reputation than it’s gotten. We want people all over town coming for authentic Cajun and Creole food.”

“I think this is an amazing area for redevelopment,” says Sanders. “The Printer’s Parkway development nearby is super cool. This area needs more places for people to grab a bite.”

As for when you’ll be able to grab yours, Miller says “sometime in April, tentatively.”

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Grillades and Grits with Margarita at PineCreek

This month’s Ranch Foods Direct collaboration recipe features longtime Springs gem Margarita at PineCreek. Chef and co-owner Eric Veidt shares his recipe for grillades and grits. “It’s one of our favorites that we serve at our annual Mardi Gras brunch,” he says. “I always tell the staff to tell our folks that “it’s the best thing you’ve never had.” (Coincidentally, it times well with the above story about Perriteaux’s this week, as a Creole dish.) The recipe calls for Callicrate beef top round, which braises beautifully into a melt-in-your-mouth dish. Remember to say you’re a Side Dish subscriber when shopping in Ranch Foods Direct’s markets and get 5% off your whole basket.

Must-have mobile coffee

Guest review by Andi Johnson

I moved to Colorado Springs from Albuquerque last September and was quickly impressed by the local coffee scene. Not just the quantity of shops, but the exceptional quality of their drinks and bites. It seems like every coffee place has its own unique personality that reflects the character of the people in each locale.

While I’ve only had positive experiences at cafes, I was surprised to find the best coffee I’ve had since moving here is from a mobile coffee trailer: Landmarks Coffee. Its owner, Brandon Watts, parks outside of my workplace every other Tuesday.

The first time I tried Landmarks I ordered my go-to drink, a cortado. Brandon made sure to clarify that I wanted a traditional cortado and not a “Starbucks version.” He also offered to customize my drink with different flavor options. Since I don’t have a huge sweet tooth, I opted for cinnamon. The drink sipped smooth, with no bitterness and the espresso still dominating the flavor. I was so impressed that I went inside and immediately looked the business up on my computer. He’d moved right to the number one coffee spot on my list, just like that.

I found out he also parks nearby my work every Wednesday, so I went out of my way to visit him there too. In subsequent visits I’ve enjoyed several specialty lattes from the February menu. Though they’ll have rotated out by the time you read this, they give a snapshot of Landmarks’ prowess.

Cupid’s Cup tasted like a hot chocolate and Biscoff cookie had a baby. Made with the iconic cookie, it was rich, thick, cookie-forward and simply phenomenal. Falling for Foam had a strawberry cold foam atop a dark chocolate-infused brew. It tasted exactly like chocolate-covered strawberries, which is what Valentine’s Day tastes like to me. Lastly, the rose- and honey-laced Love Potion, ordered with an extra espresso shot, sipped really smooth, with the floral notes subtle in the aftertaste, elevating the drink’s aroma. None of the drinks were too sweet, sparing me a sugar coma.

Landmarks sources their beans from Denver’s Corvus Coffee Roasters, whom they believe produces some of the best coffee available. Brandon later hopes to roast his own beans, while still carrying some Corvus products to honor their relationship.

After speaking with him several times over the course of recent weeks, I learn that he’s originally from Seattle, a brutally competitive coffee city where people are unapologetically picky about their favorite cup, he says. He met his wife Toni over a decade ago when they attended Colorado College, and he served in the Army.

They couple bought their coffee trailer from Brandon’s brother in mid 2024, thinking it would be a fun side project. After 40 days of modifying it in their garage, they launched Landmarks. Brandon had never worked in coffee service and had never run his own business. Initially, they swapped shifts in between working their full-time jobs and raising a family. But come spring 2025, Brandon decided to leave his construction job and devote himself solely to the coffee business.

I ask him what sets Landmarks apart from others and he says he contributes his success to an intentional coffee-making approach and the strong relationships he establishes with his customers. In dialing in his craft, he ensures that the fine details are perfected to satisfy his level of pickiness. He’s very hands-on.

“If I am not in my trailer, we are not open,” he says. He intends to carry this dedication to their future brick-and-mortar location. Which — breaking news here — is coming soon to downtown Colorado Springs, near the Brit Pub and Switchbacks FC stadium in the Experience at Epicenter building. Brandon signed a lease in January for a 2,400 square-foot store front on S. Sierra Madre St. He tentatively aims to open sometime in summer. Follow their social media for updates.

They’re currently in the design phase, and envision a cozy and casual vibe with couches and a fireplace. To build community they plan to host a book club and running club (more common to breweries than coffee shops). After getting established they would like to stay open late to offer a sober-space alternative to bars. They envision possible expansion in the future, but not without care for maintaining close relationships. Brandon’s number one goal, he says, is to live up to his mantra “never settle.”

Landmarks is entering a competitive coffee market locally, so that mantra should serve him well. I look forward to my Tuesdays and Wednesdays knowing that I’ll be walking into work with a cup of his coffee. I’m confident they’ll quickly generate a new following and live up to their name, becoming a new landmark downtown.

Andi Johnson is a caffeine-addicted, weightlifting foodie who dates Matt’s good friend Alex.

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Awe shucks

As the above sponsor advert says, March is Oyster Month at Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar, and all month long cool stuff’s happening. Notably oyster and beer flights featuring local Bristol brews and beers from Big Red F brand The Post. And Hip Hop Tuesdays highlighting East and West coast oyster varieties alongside key ’90s tunes. All that’s in addition to new, daily specials ranging from po-boys to boil nights.

The point is to honor and celebrate Jax’s flagship item. In their monthly newsletter Jax reverently calls oysters “remarkable bivalves and little eco-system superhero engineers, that filter up to two gallons of water an hour.” What’s more, they point out oysters’ health benefits, like high omega-3 fatty acid and zinc content, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

Check out this thorough writeup in Springs Magazine on Jax’s Oyster Month, which includes the quick history of how Jax’s proprietary Crackerjax oyster came to be (which involves a back-alley deal back in the day in LoDo); tasting notes on East versus West coast oysters; and more March event info.

Save the date: March 31, for National Oysters on the Half Shell Day Sip with Schnip at Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar. 3 p.m. onward. Join us for a 1994 Throwback Night. The first 100 oyster dozens will be sold at 1994 prices: 50 cents an oyster! Enjoy our ’90s East Coast & West Coast hip hop playlist, ’94 trivia, swag and giveaways. ’90s attire strongly encouraged!

Bites & Bits

• My Cellar Wine Bar announced earlier this week that it will close in its current space off Briargate Parkway and relocate downtown. “Our new space has a full kitchen, a full size bar, a covered patio, and allows for deeper wine and food pairings, expanded events, and an even richer discovery experience,” owners Sheryl & Eric Medeiros wrote in an email newsletter post. They hope to reopen in early April “or as soon as we can.” (They did not respond to my request for details on an exact location downtown, so stay tuned for that later.)

• Stix & Soul Kitchen will host a soft opening celebration inside The Citadel Mall (suite 1012 — the former Hooters) on March 8, starting at 11 a.m. The Southern-food restaurant is promoting sports viewing on their array of TVs plus six pool tables for in-house play. The menu includes fried chicken and catfish, ribs and smoked turkey, with sides like collard greens, black eyed peas and fried green tomatoes.

• The Pikes Peak Chapter of the Colorado Restaurant Association has relocated this year’s Taste of Pikes Peak away from the open streets of downtown, to Hillside Gardens & Event Center. Mark your calendar for July 9.

… and now to an unusual but interesting batch of Denver-centric news:

• “Denver leaders could soon debate a cut to restaurant wages, a citywide service fee and more” reports Denverite. Dana Faulk Query of (Side Dish Dozen member) Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar is one of two restaurateurs who co-authored a report “in partnership with Visit Denver and the city’s economic development department” which argues that restaurants are “facing a crisis primarily driven by spiking labor costs.” Minimum wage in the city is $19.29, and the tipped minimum wage (for hospitality workers receiving gratuities) is $16.27. This group of advocates would like to see that drop to $12.14. Read the article to see what’s standing in their way.

• “The award-winning chef duo at one of Denver’s most beloved Vietnamese-inspired restaurants, sắp sửa, says their dream of winning a James Beard Foundation award was crushed after fellow well-known chefs in the city complained to the prestigious culinary organization,” reported The Colorado Sun last week. The grievances related to social media posts made by sắp sửa Chef Ni Nguyen. A letter of grievance alleged Nguyen was “publicly targeting, bullying, and disparaging fellow chefs, restaurateurs, and members of the media in Denver’s hospitality community,” as well as “continually invoking race as a shield for this behavior, which is deeply offensive to many immigrant and minority chefs in Denver who work tirelessly to build bridges in our community rather than divide it.” In part of his response, Nguyen told the Sun: “Reflecting back, tone matters when you’re a minority, and you need to be buttoned up in ways to get your message across. I hadn’t learned those lessons yet. I was just kinda posting wildly on social media.”

• New Denizen just published her latest round of 5 new restaurants & bars you should know about. This month they include two “S-tier” chefs coming from highly awarded Frasca Food and Wine, doing their own seafood-driven homage to Spain in downtown Boulder; a new Puerto Rican spot in Denver; and a “western-themed bakery for the girlies” in LoHi. Check out the newsletter for the other picks and full details.

• Denver Restaurant Week runs March 6-15 this year, with nearly 300 participating restaurants. Relatedly: I’ve been part of many discussions over the years as to why Colorado Springs can’t figure out how to do a successful restaurant week. The short answer is we don’t deserve nice things. (I kid, I kid!) More accurately, to be done well, it would require hiring a full-time person or few and having the support of all local agencies, from Visit Colorado Springs to the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC to the City, Colorado Restaurant Association Pikes Peak Chapter and all major media organizations (for in-kind trade at the least) — with buy-in from an abundance of local businesses who’d care to participate. At least that’s the way I see it. At one point it was proposed by some folks around the industry that Side Dish lead the charge, but I felt it was way too big of a thing to bite off, so I haven’t.

Side Dish Dozen happenings

Red Gravy: The Pastarama drama continues! Short Rib Ravioli unseated the Lobster Mac & Cheese from the winner’s podium in February. Now, it faces off against a Creole Rigatoni, made with shrimp, Andouille sausage, Creole-spiced tomato cream, pimento and basil. Inspired by our NOLA dinner for Big Table, you have to try it!

Bristol Brewing Company: Come try the newest beer in the World Peace Death Ray series, our New Zealand IPA. This crisp, dry IPA features Citra and Nelson Sauvin hops, finishing with citrus notes. Our Karma on Tap event series kicks off with Comedy Night March 14, with shows at 6 and 8 p.m., benefiting Safe Place For Pets.

Blackhat Distillery: Our Distiller’s Vault guided tasting is our most exclusive experience. Our head distiller takes you behind the scenes. Advanced tickets required; RSVP at production@blackhatdistillery.com. Explore more experiences at blackhatdistillery.com/events.

Four by Brother Luck: Book a five- or seven-course private Chef’s Table with us for any occasion. Wine pairings available. Email info@fourbybrotherluck.com to reserve. Come see us for happy hour, 3-5 p.m., Tuesdays-Sundays.

Elephant Thai and Chaang Thai: Come in for our dedicated gluten-free and vegan menus at lunch and dinner. Extensive offerings include noodle and curry dishes as well as fried rice plates, soups, salads and veggie-focused entrées.

T-Byrd’s Tacos & Tequila: Our $12.99 lunch special gets you chips & salsa, two tacos, rice, beans and a fountain drink; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Taco Tuesdays feature $3.50 tacos all day and $5 Margaritas and Swirls. Also, killer happy hours specials at bird tree cafe are 3-6 p.m. daily.

Hoppenings of the week

Beer Events

5th Year Anniversary Party at Mash Mechanix: March 6, 6 p.m. Expect retro vibes, good music and craft beer specials at this ’80s themed party.

Poker Night at Nano 108 Brewing: March 6, 6:30 p.m. Fridays are poker nights with pocket pairs and classic brews.

Pop-Up Birdhouse Painting Night at Red Leg Brewing: March 9, 6:30 p.m. Create a one-of-a-kind birdhouse. We provide all the necessary supplies; $35.

Beer Releases

Jock-A-Mo at Urban Animal: Seasonal Mardi Gras release at both locations, brewed with pounds of pistachio and loads of vanilla.

West Coast IPA at Goat Patch Brewing: Bold West Coast IPA brewed with Mosaic, Citra and Simcoe over a crisp Pilsner base. Bright citrus character with firm bitterness and a refreshingly dry finish. On tap at all locations and in cans.

Peaches Be Crazy Sour at WestFax Brewing: Peach sour ale boasting aromas and flavors of peach with a tart, crisp finish.

Curated by Brandon Heid and Gerry Reyes. For full listings of beer-related events and releases download the free Hoppenings app on Apple on Google.

Upcoming events

March 12: Ash & Ale cigar-pairing experience at Voodoo Brewing Co. Two seatings: 5-7 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.; $95 includes two cocktails, one entrée and one premium cigar.

March 14: Equinox, A Culinary Scholarship Fundraiser at The Broadmoor’s Cheyenne Lodge. 5-8 p.m.; $125-$150. Benefitting Pikes Peak State College’s culinary program.

March 15: Murder is All Blarney — Murder Mystery Dinner at Ephemera. 5 p.m.; $122 buffet meal includes a first drink.

March 19: Georgian Wine Tasting Evening at Evergreen Restaurant. 6 p.m.; $75 includes six wines and share appetizers.

March 28: 2nd Annual Greek Bake Sale at Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Featuring items like baklava, spanakopita and Greek coffee.

Parting shot(s)

Last week, my friends over at Springs Things — Stephan, Juelz, Marcus and Mikey — hosted their launch party at T-byrd’s. I recommend giving them a follow to stay in the know locally. “We built this page with one simple goal: to highlight all the cool things happening here every single day,” they say. Often that’s food-and-drink related events, but also wider cultural goings on to include music, art, dance, sports and family-friendly picks. They’re a great resource for finding smartly curated things that wider area media outfits miss. Expect to see them around.

Don Turi’s Tacos y Tortas

Don Turi’s opened around the new year at 4423 Centennial Blvd. Its Chef and Kitchen Manager Alvar Arias says the spot’s owned by his uncle Arturo Gonzales, who’s a horse breeder in Mexico. More relevant: Gonzales also owns 3 Margaritas in Fountain and formerly owned the location in Monument that’s now Tequila Village — Arias worked for him there as well.

The chef tells me the menu’s inspired by street food and popular items from Guadalajara, Mexico. They make tortillas fresh in-house, and they stock a pretty fantastic salsa bar with house-pickled items. The three key salsas are a mild roasted tomato-jalapeño, a medium roasted tomatillo-habanero-serrano and a (not too) hot chile de árbol-roasted tomato.

In for breakfast we put all the condiments to good use on our Beast breakfast burrito and Chilaquiles Suizos, made with tomatillo sauce. We add birria and pair the meal with a couple decent coffees from a self-serve station. The Beast wraps beans, potato, and chorizo with green chile in a thin (but sturdy), chewy, lightly browned flour tortilla. I like my bites with the bright orange-colored chile de árbol sauce best, as its sharply acidic with vegetal undertones that lighten the heavy fillings. The chilaquiles come with a side of better-than-average refried beans, and the birria on its own has a pot roasty vibe with just a little clove essence on the back end. Thick tortilla chips are well coated in the tart sauce without being soggy, and dressed in cotija crumble and a cooling drizzle of crema. Extra pickled onions and lime juice serve the dish well and I prefer the medium salsa with it for redundant tomatillo punch.

Back in for dinner, we order several tacos plus Salchipulpos, which are segments of hotdogs sliced to make octopus-like tentacles (hence the “pulpo” part). A dip in the fryer curls the ends up to complete the effect, while adding crispness to the exterior. A dip in mayo, and done. Easy and fun even if you’re not a kid. Arias tells me that in Guadalajara they often wrap hotdogs with bacon on a street dog that gets grilled onion and jalapeño garnish.

The tacos ($4-$5 each) are roundly good. Interestingly, the chicken gets treated like the pork pastor, tenderized with pineapple and marinated with guajillo chiles and achiote. That spice shows up nicely prominent in the final flavor. Lengua tacos lend authenticity to the menu, as not all gringos go for beef tongue, but I’ve always liked it, loaded up with condiments typically. Beer battered fish tacos hold a little crunch and are light with topping coleslaw and pico. Lastly, rajas, if you aren’t familiar, are strips of poblano peppers mixed here with creamy corn and Mexican panela cheese crumbles; it’s a good vegetarian option that’s rich in its own way.

We wash all this down with a satisfying Modelo Michelada and a tall cup of house jamaica (hibiscus agua fresca), not-too-sweet and pleasantly tart/tannic to clean the palate between disparate bites. And we finish with both of Don Turi’s desserts: churros and “apple-nadas.” The churros are exceptional, crispy with ample cinnamon-sugar clinging to them, and served with a dulce de leche-like house dip that’s also usable with the pillowy puffs of small apple fritters, empanada-esque with spiced apple filling, warm and comforting.

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Juicy Kebab

Opened at the beginning of the new year, Juicy Kebab — totally unrelated to near-neighboring The Juicy Seafood — is the effort of Owner/Chef Shah Ghulam. This is his first restaurant, which he describes to me as a mix of Afghan and Indo-Pakistani cuisines.

On our first stop by, we order a chicken shawarma and the lamb & chicken combo over rice. The chicken holds a nice, zesty seasoning on both items and the lamb is something I’ll return later for in another dish I’ll describe below. We like the pita on the shawarma in that it’s less thick and bready and more crepe-like and thinner, letting the filling stand out more. Those fillings are: fries, tomatoes, onions, pickled turnips, tomatoes, tahini and a “touch of pomegranate molasses” for punctuation. All good stuff.

The combo is composed of a bed of basmati rice topped with grilled chicken chunks, lamb gyro shavings, a tangy “white sauce” plus house hot sauce and a simple side salad and commercial crinkle fries. It’s a lot of food for just under $13, and satisfies.

Upon return another evening, I pick up the Kabuli Pulao to go. It had been sold out on the prior visit and at early evening this night I’ve ordered the last portion available. Which is to point out that they make a limited amount each day (around 20 portions says Ghulam) and when it’s gone it’s gone, so perhaps go for lunch to try it.

Kabuli Pulao is Afghanistan’s national dish, featuring a slow-cooked lamb shank, its tenderized meat sliding easily from the bone. That comes over a bed of savory-sweet, long-grain basmati rice pilaf — vibrant with aromatic spices and colored by shreds of carrots and soft raisins. I quiz Ghulam about what spices he uses, and he notes cardamom, black pepper and cumin among them (and I later see cinnamon and cloves as commonly listed in online recipes). He says the most important part of perfecting the dish is the right ratios of each spice and ingredient to achieve flavor harmony and balance. His rendition holds up in my estimation.

105 West Brewing Co.

As you’ll hopefully recall from my reporting late last year, 105 West has expanded into Colorado Springs from a bustling spot in Castle Rock to take over the former Trinity Brewing space. Much of the Trinity vibe remains, decor wise, but 105 has opened a sizable kitchen in a connecting storefront that serves a fairly robust pub menu: pizzas, burgers, wings, pretzels, cheese curds, brats and sausages, plus a Greek salad.

We aren’t in to dine this evening, with limited time before another engagement nearby, so we nab a tasting paddle to dip a toe (or tongue, more accurately) into 105’s beer offerings. Here’s what we sampled, with some notes on each:

• Blood Orange Ultralite: super sessionable at 3.6 percent ABV. Orangina in the aroma. The flavor unfolds in an interesting way across the palate, which we describe as Korean corn tea-like, challenging notes up front, followed by a smooth and citrusy middle and light finish that falls off sharply.

• Mystery Machine American IPA: strong at 7.1 percent ABV. Lightly bitter with a delightful grapefruit juiciness and rich body. We’re told it’s the owner’s favorite beer. Note: Online the brewery lists it as a New England IPA, but the digital menu at the brewery says “American IPA.” Those styles deviate pretty drastically, but for the average drinker and fan of IPAs, just know it’s a damn good IPA.

• Deez Nutz Hazelnut & Peanut Butter Ale: what you wished all the other peanut butter beers from other breweries that you wasted money on in the past tasted like. It defies its candy-invoking aroma by not tasting cloying or synthetic. There’s a natural-tasting nuttiness to it and almost English bitter vibe to the amber body. Call it a dessert beer that’s not too heavy and can play well with other food pairings, too.

• Pistachio Almond Stout: a small-batch release that we happen to catch before the single keg is gone. It leads with a roasty coffee aroma and has some bitter dark chocolate undertones and a fairly dry finish in which we struggle to discern the intended pistachio sweetness that’s described. Still, we enjoy drinking it.

Overall, we felt this sampler showed high quality throughout and a grasp of non-traditional ingredients handled well. 105 wouldn’t be expanding if they’d failed to make a good impression in Castle Rock over the past decade. Remember that they’ve won GABF awards too, so they’re time- and professional judge-tested.

Of note: all the beers we sample except the stout are gluten-reduced. In a past online post, 105 explains: “We use Clarity Ferm in most of our beers as a clarifying agent to make our beer crystal clear. It also reduces the gluten in our beers to under 20 parts per million. While our beers are not gluten free like Holidaily Brewing Company, it does mean our beers are gluten reduced.”

Gunnar’s Deli

By Lauren Hug

Gunnar’s Deli, the newest food business at Red Leg Brewing Co., serves a curated selection of six signature sandwiches and a few sides and drinks. Two of the sandwiches come on new-to-me Dutch crunch bread, a crackled, tiger-style crust bread that doesn’t disintegrate when filled with hearty, wet ingredients.

When I asked the staff member at the walk-up window which sandwich is his favorite, he answered without hesitation: the Reuben, a classic execution on house-made rye bread. He also called out The Billy Crunch (deli chicken breast, Swiss and cheddar, mayo, chipotle aioli and potato chips on Dutch crunch), and the Mom’s Caprese (fresh mozzarella, tomato, pesto and balsamic on ciabatta). He admitted as a meat-lover, he was surprised by how much he liked the Caprese, the vegetarian option. That recommendation almost swayed me to give it a try, but I was intrigued by The Billy Crunch because of its combination of ingredients I don’t see regularly.

The employee suggested adding pickled jalapeños for an extra flavor punch. He assured me they weren’t overly spicy and offered a sample. They were bright and flavorful, so I opted in. Wow! They’re so good and they add such a texture and flavor pop, I’d advise Gunnar’s to add them to the standard description of the sandwich and let people omit them if that’s not their thing.

I don’t usually rave about sandwiches (other than the Super Bacon Sandwich at The Exchange downtown), but this one deserves praise. The seasoning and flavors work well together and the double crunch of the bread and potato chips add an unusual texture element. Serving it warm makes it feel cozy. And the portion is substantial. We split one and felt satisfied. The sandwich paired perfectly with the Red Leg Llorona Mexican Lager I was sipping.

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You’ve probably heard less about Pure Distilling than you should have by now, but all that’s slowly changing. And for good reason.

The company sold its first bottle in mid December 2024 and through self-distribution already counts upwards of 250 on- and off-premise accounts across the state. You may have even had one of their products already in a cocktail around town without realizing it: perhaps at the Rabbit Hole or at Cocktails After Dusk event.

In September 2025, they opened a tucked-away tasting room at their distillery (in an office park off Janitell Road, near I-25’s Circle Drive exit). Gentleman croupier extraordinaire and industry personality Colby Schaffer has helped put them on the map since by hosting Wednesday night poker nights on site (6-9 p.m.; free with prizes for winners).

As I came to find out on one of those recent Wednesdays, Pure Distilling’s bar is a legit craft cocktail destination. I met with the owners, managers and bartenders to sip through and get to know each house spirit. Here’s everything to know:

Who:

• Taylor Stuart and Drew Leyes are co-founders and best friends, both former Army officers (Stuart is still a reservist officer) who met at the Veteran’s Club at NYU while attending business school. They’ve since traveled through more than 60 countries together, as evidenced by souvenir beer coasters sealed onto a central tabletop — just one tiny detail with a big backstory among many others in the dive-bar-inspired tasting room. (Another is bar counter wood slats reclaimed from our Pikes Peak Trolley Museum & Restoration Shop in town.)

Leyes is a Springs native. A “unique opportunity” to procure distilling equipment from someone who was starting up, but decided to move elsewhere and sell it, created the reason to come home and start the business. Stuart says that after graduating they both wanted to start something, and found a complementary partnership by keeping each other accountable and balancing their roles. With the “bourbon boom over and too many companies leaning too deeply into that,” they saw an opening in the marketplace for “flavor-forward spirits that Millennials and older Gen Z drinkers would like.”

• Cole Chapman is the head distiller, having helped prior lead positions at Blackhat Distillery and Lee Spirits Co. (He’s not on site the night of my visit, so I miss the chance to catch up with him.) He works on a unique, all-glass still. Pure prides itself on using no plastics or artificial ingredients in its spirit-making process. They make their own clear neutral-grain spirit and purchase aged product from Denver’s The Family Jones Distillery to customize on site.

• Emily Kindt is the sales director, who you’ll probably recognize from her time bartending at Shame & Regret. And Ashlee Choi, also formerly of Blackhat Distillery as well as 503W, manages the tasting room and is a brand ambassador.

Kindt and Choi collaborated to build Pure Distilling’s cocktail menu, aiming to not be “too pretentious or make too many touches on each drink, so you can clearly taste the base spirit,” they say. (Cocktails are just $7.50 to $10.) “Our spirits are really good on their own, but phenomenal as plus-one drinks.” As much as they try to maintain a pure ethos at Pure (see what I did there), they say it was impressive to see how the competitors at a recent Cocktails After Dusk bartender battle treated their products: “One took our lemon-honey vodka and fat-washed it with olive oil; it was interesting to see them pull it off.”

What:

• Rocky Mountain Sunrise Vodka — peach and agave flavored, made with real fruit sourced from Palisade. “I was there for harvesting,” says Stuart. “When I got back home and was unloading, I found three snakes in the back of my truck.” (Apparently snakes hunt near fruit trees, as the fruit draws prey in.) The peach skin gifts a little color to the vodka, itself made with corn. “We saw where the market was going with Deep Eddy and BuzzBallz, with a whole generation raised on Mike’s Hard Lemonade,” he says. “We noticed a lot of products are made with high fructose corn syrups colorings. We thought, “we can do something all-natural, with local ingredients, and not have to charge much more than them.” Sunrise sips lightly sweet with a natural flavor (read: no peach schnapps cloy up in here).

• Rocky Mountain Sunshine Vodka — from the same vodka base, this one’s lemon and honey flavored. They get wildflower honey from Loveland and lemons grown in a greenhouse in Rifle, Colorado. The rinds give Sunshine a fitting yellow color, and the pulp gets juiced for drinks behind the bar. This vodka has more of a limoncello vibe going on, minus the saccharin sweetness. Stuart says “just on the rocks it’s half way to a Lemon Drop martini, without having to make one.” He likes pouring a little Sunshine or Sunrise into Coors Light to make an easy shandy, great for golfing. And yes, that’s Leyes’ dog Tank on the label of both vodkas.

• Ma Deuce Bourbon — a high corn mash bourbon further aged in tequila barrels for six months. Named after the M2 Browning 50 caliber machine gun, which is fitting, because there’s a kick to it at 100-proof. Still, it’s nicely smooth with an agave nose and added complexity and spice from the tequila barrel influence. Enjoy it as an Old Fashioned — named the Old Guard at the tasting room.

• Dead Canary Mountain Gin — “Cole makes great gin,” says Stuart. “Gin drinkers really like this one — it’s been a surprise best seller.” He describes it as “very mountain-y” due to Rocky Mountain Juniper, Spruce tips and Cedar leaves plus white sage and orris root. They also rest it on oak chips for a stint. Try it in the tasting room in the Coloradoroni, made with Dead Canary, sweet vermouth and Campari. This one’s named in honor of one of Colorado’s first service animals, the birds who protected miners.

• Tava Botanical Gin — By now you know Pikes Peak’s true name, Tava. This take on gin focuses on high-elevation botanicals that include juniper berries and cedar leaf, but also yerba mate (grown high for its relative elevation). Tava also sees lavender, grapefruit peel and lemon thyme. It sips lighter, more herbal and faintly citrusy. At Pure’s bar, order the Tava And Tea, which is this gin mixed with yerba mate tea, tonic and lime.

• Cane Botanical Rum — atypical for a rum because of botanical additions more common in a gin. They make it with different batches of fermented cane juice. “It sits somewhere between a rum and gin,” I’m told, “which adds more sweetness to traditional gin cocktails.” Kindt says to visit Shame & Regret for the Siptease cocktail, made with Pure’s Cane Botanical Rum, thyme-infused honey, lemon and orange flower blossom water. “It’s fantastic.”

• St. Bernard Mountain Whiskey — think: an Andes chocolate mint in a bottle. Or peppermint schnapps cut with bourbon. Or “Colorado meets Switzerland” says Stuart, noting it’s made with ethically sourced cacao and Vermont-grown peppermint. You could sip this on its own all day and be more than content. (A 200ml, flask-sized bottle with a pop top that they sell fits conveniently in a jacket pocket for a day on the slopes.) Or try the Dog Drool in the tasting room, which puts a shot in a Guinness. Buena Vista’s Eddyline restaurant makes an espresso martini with this spiced whiskey, brown sugar vanilla syrup and house cold brew. Again paying homage to service animals, the St. Bernard on the label commemorates avalanche rescue dogs.

Why:

Adding to their earlier comments on why they wanted to start the business, Leyes and Stuart say they want to make great products, at an approachable price point, with good ingredients. “A lot of blenders and bottlers and producers in Colorado are charging more than they should be,” they say.

Everything is a labor of love here; even bottles are hand-filled and hand-labeled, the hard way.

Speaking to the tasting room specifically, they wished to create a space that people could rally around, and support the local community. To that end, they created their own nonprofit arm, Mountain Paws (which signifies for “patrol and working dogs”), and through it they donate 10 percent of proceeds annually to dog-related nonprofits.

That includes organizations that work with avalanche rescue dogs and military working dogs. And local nonprofits like Karl’s Canine Krew (a dog rescue), The Old Mutt Hut (a forever home for abandoned senior dogs) and K9 Hurricane’s Heroes (helping retired military and law enforcement dogs with vet care).

“In the Army we worked with IED-sniffing dogs in Afghanistan,” says Stuart. “I can’t ever pay them back for what they did for us. We owe them a lot.”

Coming soon at Pure: A Crème de Violette, utilizing Western Dog Violets grown in Cañon City, to localize it. Lee Spirits’ popular Crème de Violette, which left the market after their closure, was made with European Alpine Violets, I’m told. Pure will mix the two varietals and color their product with blue spirulina to keep it natural.

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Lost Friend Brewing to expand, quadruple its capacity

Lost Friend Brewing Company announced last week that it’s expanding into a neighboring storefront. Owner/Brewer Andy France tells Side Dish that he’s going from 3,600 square feet to 11,200 in total once the old and new spaces are connected.

The current brew house will move to the new area, double in size and quadruple its production capacity, leaving room to still expand in the future. France says he’ll focus on on-site sales for now, but eventually consider local distribution “to diversify revenue streams.” Also in the new space expect a full bar, to include cocktails and N/A drinks, plus significantly expanded seating (“with an emphasis on comfort and coziness”) and an event space for 50, to be open as a family area during non-event hours.

In the spot that the brewhouse now operates (i.e. the soon-to-be old space), BC’s Barbecue will introduce a barbecue fusion concept named The Shed. (Recall that BC’s catering and food truck owners/chefs Randy and Sarah Hickey already operate in partnership with neighboring Reception coffee and cocktails, which I profiled here.) France describes the goal of being a neighborhood bar first, and restaurant second, so that the two sides feel cohesive as a brewery that has a great food component, with a familiar identity.

“This is all realizing our long-term plans,” says France “it’s a community-driven project.” Lost Friend will celebrate seven years in business come April. France acknowledges the ongoing struggles in the ever-shrinking beer industry, which has seen brewery closings outpace brewery openings according to the Brewer’s Association’s Year in Beer 2025 report. “We have to grow, or we’ll close too,” France had said to me in an earlier conversation last year. In our chat this week, he clarifies that to say “it’s not so much if we don’t expand we would would close, but we have to adapt, and we’re lucky there was a spot open next door to us so that we could.”

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Bristol Brewing takes over full operations at Ivywild School as Blue Star Group sets full focus on construction of its flagship eatery

In a move of “strategic realignment” according to the Blue Star Group, the company completed a real estate exchange with Bristol Brewing Company earlier this month. The terms of the deal mean Bristol is now the sole owner of Ivywild School and Blue Star Group is now the sole owner of the property at 1645/47 S. Tejon St. — which is the restaurant’s former home and Bristol’s former brewhouse and taproom (from 1998 to 2013, when Ivywild School opened).

Respective business owners Joseph Coleman and Mike and Amanda Bristol had been co-owners in both properties, and they still retain co-ownership in the lot and building that Millibo Art Theatre inhabits. (Both businesses are also Side Dish Dozen member sponsors.)

“This transition reflects a positive and mutually respectful decision to allow each organization to move forward independently,” says Blue Star Group in a statement.

“We are excited to continue building on the vision that we started at Ivywild School in 2013,” Mike Bristol tells Side Dish.

From patrons’ perspectives, nothing major will change for guests at Ivywild School immediately. Blue Star Group will continue to operate The Principal’s Office, Ivywild Kitchen, Decent Pizza Co. and Gold Star Bakery, while Bristol has assumed management of events and catering. But come Sept. 1, Gold Star will relocate its bakery into Blue Star’s building, leaving Bristol to assume ownership of all the other brands.

“We are proud of what we helped build at Ivywild over the past decade,” Coleman says. “This next chapter allows Blue Star Group to focus fully on reimagining The Blue Star, reinvesting in Stellina, and looking for opportunities to grow our company in new and exciting ways.”

And for those who’ve been asking when the Blue Star will finally reopen — perhaps you remember the big teaser story I wrote about that in early 2025 — we now have a fresh projection from Coleman and crew: “by the end of 2026.” I’ll report updates as I receive them.

Bites & Bits

• Aurora Is Now Home to the Largest Hispanic Food Hall in the Country reports Westword. It’s called La Plaza Colorado.

• Cajun- and Creole-focused Po’ Brothers food cart has taken over the kitchen inside Vultures Bar says owner Connor O’Neal (also of Thrashers Bar, as I recently profiled here). I wrote favorably about Po’ Brothers in the CS Indy years ago, and they just recently took 1st place at Manitou Springs’ Mumbo Jumbo Gumbo cook off. CoS Foodies personality Tex Stetson shares a shot of the current menu at Vultures. On their own Facebook page, Po’ Brothers expresses excitement about now “serving both sides of the block,” which is to say their cart will remain open.

• Visit Colorado Springs’ Peak Into COS podcast featured Side Dish Dozen member business Bristol Brewing Co., with founders Mike and Amanda Bristol reflecting on their early brewing days and what’s come since at the Ivywild School. (If you just can’t get enough once your palate is whet, or wet if you’re sipping their beer and listening… then you can also tune into Side Dish’s past podcast with them, Talk 30 To Me.)

• The Cliff House at Pikes Peak has a new owner, who’s planning a “top to bottom renovation of [the] 1873 constructed hotel” to include “a newly constructed bar, restaurant and all of its 57 rooms renovated and redecorated… in the next 18 months.” Said owner Mark Wyant also says in a Facebook post that the hotel is “just steps from Garden of the Gods,” which gave me a chuckle to read, since it’s in actuality closer to two miles a 30-plus-minute walk to get into the park. (Maybe he thought he bought the Garden of the Gods Resort? Tee-hee.)

• Springs Magazine reported last week that WestFax Springs has formed an exclusive food truck partnership with Prime Kitchen. (I reviewed their burgers here last July.)

• Also, Springs Magazine offers a profile this week on Side Dish Dozen member business Red Gravy, noting that “Chef Eric Brenner Cooks for People, Not at Them.”

• The first Jeff’s Bagel Run location in the state has opened at 6082 Stetson Hills Blvd. According to a press release, “What makes this one different (and why it’s a fun story beyond ‘another bagel shop’) is that they lean hard into a ‘fresh bagels through the day’ experience. Every bagel is mixed, boiled, and baked in-house throughout the day, so you can grab something genuinely fresh even if you’re not a 7 a.m. person.”

• ROHR Coffee has put up a “coming soon” sign at the drive-thru kiosk outside their cafe, at 2103 Templeton Gap Road (in the former Humble Coffee location).

• Porkbutt BBQ — which I noted went up for sale in January — announced this week that “we have a buyer for the restaurant!” Owner Joshua Cheney and his wife will step out after their final day of service on Feb. 28.

• Ahead of the State of the Union Address, Side Dish sponsor Mike Callicrate of Ranch Foods Direct spoke to KKTV about his disappointment that imported beef has been exempt from tariffs. “You’ve got the Cisco’s [sic], the U.S. Foods, the big food service companies that source globally, and much of this product that’s imported comes in at half the cost of our production… so, we just have no chance in those markets to compete,” he says.

• Natural Grocers has added two new organic, Fair trade‑certified chocolate bars to its private‑label lineup: Dark Chocolate Raspberry and Dark Chocolate Caramel & Sea Salt. The bars are made with “premium” Belgian chocolate, organic, non‑GMO ingredients and fair trade‑certified cocoa. Being a chocolate slut, I said yes to samples. And yes, the flavors are delightful, requiring discipline to eat just a modest square at a time and not keep chomping. (Most days I succeed.)

• In my most recent monthly segment with KRCC/CPR, I shared how Side Dish’s recent digital metrics point to more excitement about the Navajo Hogan reopening than Michelin coming to town.

Hoppenings of the week

Beer Events

10 Year Anniversary at Whistle Pig Brewing: Feb. 27, 5 p.m. Come for new beer releases to include special tribute brews. El Taco King food, live music at 7 p.m.

A Storybook Brewing Book Fair at Storybook Brewing: Feb. 28, 1 p.m. A low key Saturday to throw back a few and enjoy company with fellow reading enthusiasts.

Chili Cook-Off at WestFax Springs: Feb. 28, 1 p.m. Compete with your best chili or come taste and vote.

Beer Releases

We are almost done with Stout Month, alas there is still plenty of malty deliciousness awaiting you in our wonderful local taps. Check out these latest Stout drops:

Thin Mint Stout at Red Leg Brewing: A fan-favorite stout with notes of chocolate and mint, reminiscent of a classic thin mint cookie. (Drops Feb. 27).

King Cake Stout at Storybook Brewing: Festive stout inspired by King Cake, featuring notes of vanilla, cinnamon and sweet pastry character to celebrate FeBrewary.

Curated by Brandon Heid and Gerry Reyes. For full listings of beer-related events and releases download the free Hoppenings app on Apple on Google.

Side Dish Dozen happenings

Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar: Our fantastic new lineup of Weekly Specials means different daily deals, like All Night Happy Hour on Mondays, Po Boys on Wednesdays, a bundled $65 Friday Date Night for two, and $1 oysters on Locals Sunday. Also, March is Oyster Month, with features like 90s Hip Hop Tuesdays with East and West Coast oyster specials. (Take a sneak peek here.)

Kangaroo Coffee: Looking for that cozy meetup space for your organization to gather? Day or Eve? Our Hillside Coffee House has been hosting great conversations, fostering collaborations and creative activities. Contact our Community Engagement Director Addi at addison@roocoffee.com and book a spot. Or just stop in and talk to our friendly baristas about it. And yes, it’s free!

Wobbly Olive: Every weekday happy hour at both locations is 4-6 p.m.; all cocktails and beers half off, plus $5 house wines. We have a fantastic N/A cocktail menu, too. Current themes not to miss at Allusion Speakeasy are Lord of the Rings at our Powers location and Bar-kini Bottom (SpongeBob SquarePants) downtown.

Edelweiss: We’re known as a dessert destination, too. Come check out our new dessert sampler, featuring three of our most beloved cakes on one plate for sharing: Hazelnut, Black Forest and German Chocolate tortes.

Goat Patch Brewing: New pizza specials every Thursday at Grazing Goat Kitchen at Northgate. Single-topping pizzas are only $10 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays. Tuesday Twos-Days gets you two single-topping pizzas and two flagship pints for $25.

Upcoming events

Feb. 27: Polaris Pour — A Night with Chopin at The Aviator at Hotel Polaris. An intimate, guided tasting of Chopin Vodka with sushi pairings and à la carte entrées.

March 4-7: 34th annual Wine Festival of Colorado Springs. Benefitting the Colorado Springs Conservatory. Tastings, educational seminars, winemaker experiences, the iconic Grand Tasting with live music, and an elegant Gala Dinner & Live Auction.

March 14: Equinox, A Culinary Scholarship Fundraiser at The Broadmoor’s Cheyenne Lodge. 5-8 p.m.; $125-$150. Event benefits Pikes Peak State College’s culinary program.

March 15: Murder is All Blarney — Murder Mystery Dinner at Ephemera. 5 p.m.; $122 buffet meal includes a first drink.

March 19: Georgian Wine Tasting Evening at Evergreen Restaurant. 6 p.m.; $75 includes six wines and share appetizers.

[Save the date] March 31: National Oysters on the Half Shell Day Sip with Schnip at Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar. Details to come.

Parting shot(s)

National Margarita Day

Thanks to everyone who came to last week’s Sip with Schnip at T-Byrds. If you missed the “Schniperita” that’s just too bad, so sad — ’cuz it was an awesome mezcal-hibiscus margarita mixed with tequila and triple sec plus fresh orange and lime juices. Nice work, Burger! (Which is to say creating bartender Steven Burger.)

Big Table at Colorado College

Thanks to Chef Eric Brenner and the Red Gravy crew for allowing me to jump back in the kitchen at the recent Big Table Industry Dinner at Colorado College. It was a nostalgic moment for me to relive my back-of-house days as a line cook at a fine dining Italian restaurant in Birmingham where I grew up. And a double nostalgic moment to be back at Bemis Hall on CC’s campus, where I attended in 1997 and used to make giant woks of stir-fry for my friends and myself at lunch. (There was a self-cook station as part of the student dining facility there.) Anyway, if you still aren’t acquainted with Big Table’s work, check out my story on them here.

No big organization survives on the work of a single person, but an individual can certainly have such a profound impact on the whole that they become the symbolic linchpin in the operation.

For Choice Restaurant Concepts, which is to say the interconnected trio of T-Byrd’s Tacos & Tequila, District Elleven and bird tree cafe, that person is Co-owner Crystal Byrd Thompson. But not because of a traditional top down management approach. Rather, she’s the first to say she can’t make decisions alone, relying on staff input. She trusts their feedback and thrives on their enthusiasm.

“I don’t use words like ‘buy-in’ and ‘agency’, she says. “I say ‘do you like this, does it feel good, because you’ll be the one doing it. It’s your business and money when you step out out onto the floor. You’re in charge of what you take home.’ I want them to be happy and proud of where they work, and to have a sense of ownership. If they’re feeling good, they’ll treat our guests well.”

To borrow from the cliché about needing to know the rules before you break them, Crystal did come out of the corporate structure of the fashion and beauty brand Dior. She spent 14 years with the company, starting at a single beauty counter in the Dallas-Fort Worth area (where she and her husband Mikey grew up, and where she attended UTA), and rising to become an account executive overseeing Dior counters inside more than 40 big-name retail stores between Colorado and Utah.

She hired, trained and developed reps; she traveled as a makeup artist; and she created marketing concepts and events to promote the merchandise. “All that translated to building our team here,” she says, pausing for a contemplative beat, before adding: “Dior was a dream job. Not something you just quit.”

And yet she did.

Not too long after the couple opened T-byrd’s in 2016 in its original location on Kiowa St. Mikey was working inside the marijuana industry and Crystal found that juggling Dior duties with running a restaurant didn’t leave time for much else. And this was before they had their daughter Sunny. “I’d be on my way home from Fort Collins or somewhere, and see on the cameras that the T-byrd’s staff was slammed. So I’d show up there, still in my suit, and jump in on the line.”

It’s that kind of roll-up-the-sleeves action that’s earned her not just staff respect, but loyalty. Allie Johnstone, barista, bartender and operations lead for Choice Restaurant Concepts, says “Crystal works harder than I’ve ever seen an owner work.”

She recalls “the moment I knew I loved Crystal,” which was the soft-opening date of Mood (a prior tapas concept in the current T-byrd’s space). A couple of hours before showtime, she and Crystal were both still in paint-covered shorts and t-shirts touching up the end caps of the booths. “It was blood, sweat and tears,” describes Johnstone, saying they’d been working since sun-up, and only had time to run home to change clothes before the long night shift ahead.

“Six years later we’re still busting our asses every day,” she says. “So much care goes into every corner of these businesses. Crystal’s fingerprint is all over it. Nothing is here just because. If something’s there it’s because she cared, and put it there.”

That speaks to the decor and atmosphere that makes the taqueria, coffee cafe and whiskey bar all so interesting and inviting. Once you get to know Crystal, you’ll realize they’re all expressions of her personality and person. (I’ve gotten to know her well over the past two years as a supportive Side Dish sponsor.)

In high school, she worked in her mom’s interior design store. They loved to go thrifting together in search of unique items, things “with a story.” District Elleven best represents that passion, as a wild, floor-to-ceiling array of odd artworks and decorative items. Some paintings came from her mom’s store and almost everything else was curated around Colorado Springs. It took two weeks maneuvering a scissor lift around to hang it all. “I wanted it to feel like your grandfather’s den,” she says, “like things collected over a whole lifetime.” (In fact her grandfather’s antique radio is positioned against a wall near the bar. One other easter egg: an amateurishly painted portrait of Gordon Ramsay in the lounge area that she didn’t hang herself. She has no idea how it got there, like a Banksy-esque art joke played on her.)

In bird tree cafe, rotating art on the walls contributes to its whimsical vibe, as do seasonal decorations tied to themes that inform Johnstone and team’s specialty coffee and tea drinks. (That’s everything from a holiday to a work of literature or movie.) Crystal tells me she also waited tables in college, and always wanted to own a coffee cafe. Even now that she does, she hasn’t had time to train on the espresso machine properly. “I live vicariously through my staff for now,” she jokes. “But when Sunny goes to kindergarten, I want to learn to barista.”

T-byrd’s by contrast is artsy in a colorful and social way. There’s an enormous Mexican-iconography-themed mural spanning an entire wall, hanging faux plants and thatched lanterns, neon lighting framing the large tequila selection at the bar, and papel picado (the strings of folk art banners reminiscent of Tibetan prayer flags). This is Crystal’s playground for events, like themed DJ nights (typically on third Saturdays monthly). The staff loves doing events,” she says. “They all help create them, and they’re really the embodiment of everyone here.

“We’re one big island, but each space has its own dynamic and vibe, she says. “With all three spaces our dynamic is so wild. But back-of-the-house is the heart of it all, where we live. Their energy and creativity fuels us. They’re always playing good music back there.”

She says the respective staffs will retreat to one another’s spaces for social breaks and that they’re all “besties in a way.” Some, like Johnstone, are cross-trained to work at multiple spots. “They manage themselves — that’s how I train,” Crystal says. “I want them to feel like part of the space. Their opinions matter. We’re in this together.”

Johnstone says Crystal doesn’t just understand business, but understands people as individuals, and wants to see both succeed.

“She’s really good with people,” says Mikey. “It’s her best skill. She gets people in a way most people don’t. People genuinely have a connection with her. It’s not fake. We have a lot of regulars because she’s here all the time. She’s become a mom to the staff. And probably half the customers, too,” he jokes.

When it comes to Crystal’s big why, her reason for giving up Dior for all this, she says “It’s because I want to see all these people. I look forward to coming to work and helping the staff and getting to know our regulars. I enjoy talking to them, and seeing people light up in the spaces we’ve created — when they see the new decorations in bird tree or go into District Eleven for the first time and look around with amazement. I just like for people to feel good and have a good time at a fun getaway.”

National Margarita Day Sip with Schnip at T-Byrd’s

Join us for a special Sip with Schnip from noon to 3 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 22. Happy Hours run ALL DAY with $6 Tommy-style and frozen margaritas, and a full food menu that includes $4 HH nachos, $9 Dirty Byrd Wings, $7 pork belly burnt ends and $3.95 tacos. We’ll have a one-day-only, “Schniperita” Margarita special too. Tunes from DJ HotBoii from noon to 5. (In summation: Yeah boyeeeeee!) Be there.

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Chef Mario’s pozole with Ranch Foods Direct

I ate at the Alpenrock: Dining and drinking through Breckenridge’s new resort property on the mountain

A few weeks ago, we overnighted as guests of Hotel Alpenrock to check out their culinary offerings. Here’s a breakdown on the spot and our favorite bites and sips:

The setup:

Hotel Alpenrock was formerly a DoubleTree by Hilton, built in the mid 1980s and ready for an overhaul. We’re told that took 18 months. It’s now operated by Sage Hospitality Group, who oversees other resort properties like Denver’s The Oxford Hotel and Estes Park’s The Stanley Hotel. Alpenrock is located directly across from Peak 9’s QuickSilver Super 6 Chairlift, and is Curio Collection by Hilton’s first property at a major ski resort.

Alpenrock’s overall design theme hearkens to snowy Western mountainscapes. The lobby level hosts an array of eclectic artworks, from black and white photography and colorful landscapes to canvas portraits and music-inspired collages. The hotel’s entryway (past valet service) features modernist lines, metamorphic rocks as reception desks and an homage to ski gondolas with the overhead lighting.

Edwin:

Visually designed to be an ode to summertime in the area, Edwin is named for 19th century Breck pioneer and miner Edwin Carter. Its color palate evokes evergreen trees. You enter past reclaimed aspen tree trunks, a bar and an open-fire pizza station. A dining room highlight is a commissioned work by artist Crystal Liu in the style of a Chinese landscape painting: it’s the Blue River that runs through town from the Tenmile Range, with local wildflowers like bluebells, violets and chamomile. Though the setting’s quasi-fine dining, attire is casual, to welcome après-ski guests alongside townies and tourists. Pricing is reasonable given the location and setting.

Edwin bills its menu as “modern, mountain cuisine that balances richness with seasonal freshness.” For our meal, that translates to a hearty, warming bowl of elk green chile, creamy squash ravioli and toasty Winter Harvest pizza. The respectably spicy chile arrives in a house-baked sourdough bread bowl, a crusty treat on its own as we disassemble and dip it. Garnishing fresh herbs and crème fraîche brighten and cool bites. On the side we sip a citrusy and lightly sour N/A cocktail named the Snow Baby, made with Seedlip Spice 94, almond essence, lime and honey.

We move to a nice glass of Nebbiolo to pair with our pasta and pizza. The squash-stuffed ravioli gets a garnish of toasted hazelnut crumbles and arugula, adding texture and nutty-bitter offset to the herby balsamic cream sauce drizzled with citrus oil. The pizza crust holds a delightful chew to its airy crust. It’s designed to be vegan, with a gooey, faux Mozzarella melt, rustic tomato sauce and interesting array of spinach, red onion, butternut squash bits, dried cranberries, basil, sage and rainbow peppercorn. Picture pops of sharp acidity cut with vegetal freshness and some sweet punctuation.

Dessert delivers a fantastic, colorful, lavender-infused cheesecake topped with honeycomb and plated with berries and an electric blue lavender coulis. The portion’s perfect for us given the richness, and the cheesecake texture is ideal: sans gumminess, thicker and not over-sweet by itself.

Canary Speakeasy:

Honoring the legacy of canaries in mines to protect workers from poisonous gases, this charming, dim-lit bar devotes itself to bespoke cocktails built out of conversation with their talented bartenders. In other words: There’s no menu, so what do you like? (Compare this to Breck’s other new speakeasy on Main Street, Chalet Breckenridge, where I’m told the booze is batched for quicker service. Still, I want to check it out on our next visit to town, and I also wish to hit James Beard Award-winning Chef Matt Vawter’s spots. But I digress… )

I won’t spoil the entryway experience into Canary for you, other than to tease that it’s in back of Edwin somewhere, and the staff will guide you. If you want to get really esoteric and artsy: Lauren picks up on the amusing cat portraits modeled after “The Blue Boy” and “Pinkie” — famous works she and I saw in-person last year during our visit to The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California. Hey, meow!)

Our bartender Danny Delgadillo tells us he loves guiding people to design custom drinks, saying it pushes his own creativity constantly. He makes us unique riffs on a classic dirty martini and contemporary espresso martini, discussing desired flavor profiles that lace the drinks’ respective finishes. I wish I’d taken better notes to describe the extra infusions, but I was enjoying myself too much and just wrote down “outstanding drinks.” (Nice job, jackass. Way to get buzzy on the job.)

He’d also welcomed us with mini hot toddy sippers, made with Woodford Reserve and ginger and sage syrups plus muddled rosemary. Yum. I learn he’s from Vegas and most recently worked in Big Sky, Montana at an upscale steakhouse. He has about a decade of experience total in bartending, and it shows, as we sit at the bar and watch him make drinks for everyone else in the cozy, intimate room.

The Carter Lobby Bar and Coffee Bar & Bistro:

Outside of Edwin, and also named after local pioneer Edwin Carter, The Carter Lobby Bar consists of high stools around the U-shaped counter with additional seating fanned out across the lobby, which you can also utilize to enjoy items from the nearby coffee kiosk. Seats around a long fireplace that split the bar from the lobby entryway are particularly coveted for the ambiance.

The coffee kiosks serves craft espresso beverages made with beans from La Colombe out of Philadelphia. Bites include curated pastries plus egg sandwiches made on English muffins, croissants or bagels, and a couple of loaded burrito options.

The Carter offers an expansive craft beer list (that includes Bristol Brewing’s Laughing Lab — heeyo!) and creative cocktail list that reads quite alluring, though we’re not drinking before our drive home this afternoon. (Next time, Sir Carter, ye’ old-fashioned made with Caffè Borghetti, cinnamon and bitters!)

What we do grab to fill our bellies for the road is the bison patty melt on toasted rye, with house-made Thousand Island, a gooey Gruyere melt and caramelized onions. We sub out the fries for a side salad to lighten the load, and it makes for a great sendoff from our lavish overnight.

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Bites & Bits

• Manitou Thai & Ramen recently opened in Manitou Springs, at the Barker House, where Persephone Grae’s Cafe formerly resided. (As I noted last month, that outfit relocated to 30th St.) The new Thai spot introduces itself as being owned by sisters, and offering vegetarian and vegan options. See their menu here.

• Bunzys & Booze announced last week that it is relocating. Valentine’s Day was their last day in operation at 1919 E. Boulder St. No new location or timeline for reopening has yet been announced, but owner Nicole Martinez assures me that Side Dish readers will be the first to hear news when it’s time.

• The former Dicky’s Barbecue Pit at 1466 Garden of the Gods Road, #160 — directly next to the newly opened 105 West Brewing Co. — has a “coming soon” sign outside it announcing Japon sushi, ramen, hibachi, teriyaki. It appears to be an expansion of a spot in Denver’s Congress Park neighborhood, owned by the same folks who’re behind Castle Rock’s Ito Sushi Asian Bistro.

• Moctezuma Mexican Grill has expanded from its food truck setup at 5690 N. Union Blvd. to a new brick-and-mortar spot at 1015 N. Academy Blvd., in the former Boston Market. (Nice to see a local take over a chain space.) They’re rightfully known for having some of the better birria in town.

• The Pueblo Chieftain reports that the north side of their town has a new Italian eatery with an attached speakeasy, named A Tavola Italian Cuisine and The Hidden Handle.

• I went live on KRDO last week to talk about the impacts of Michelin now considering Colorado Springs. (I razzed them later by way of constructive feedback, saying the looping footage of Rosie’s Diner wasn’t exactly the best visual B-roll to run over a Michelin story. Tee-hee.)

• The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union condemned the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s proposed rule that would increase line speeds in meatpacking plants, “presenting a great harm to workers,” they say. “Consumers aren’t safe either… The safety of our food depends on the safety of the workers who process it.”

• From Food & Wine: A Breakthrough Plastic That Leaves Zero Microplastics Behind Is Here. “Made primarily from carboxymethyl cellulose and choline chloride — both FDA-approved food additives — the material is strong, flexible, and capable of decomposing rapidly… scientists believe the plastic could be produced at scale, marking a major step toward reducing global plastic waste.” (Think: shrink wrap over shipped food products, etc.)

Side Dish Dozen happenings

Blackhat Distillery: Our Distiller’s Vault guided tasting is our most exclusive experience. Our head distiller takes you behind the scenes. Advanced tickets required; RSVP at production@blackhatdistillery.com. (The first person to call 719-999-5148 and mention Side Dish will win two free tickets for our March 16 Distillers Vault!)

Bristol Brewing Company: Do you love to sing? Plus good company and good beer?Come join our next cycle of Bristol Beer Choir. We start Feb. 22. All voices 18+ are welcome! 21+ to drink. $50; $35/teachers and college students for the cycle. Also, two words: Chocolate Lab.

Red Gravy: Join us all month for Pastarama Lobster Mac & Cheese is battling Short Rib Ravioli! Try them both and vote for your favorite. The winning dish lives to content against next month’s newcomer. Either way, you win with delicious pasta.

Elephant Thai and Chaang Thai: Check out our dedicated gluten-free and vegan menus at lunch and dinner. Extensive offerings include noodle and curry dishes as well as fried rice plates, soups, salads and veggie-focused entrées.

T-Byrd’s Tacos & Tequila: Our $12.99 lunch special gets you chips & salsa, two tacos, rice, beans and a fountain drink; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Taco Tuesdays feature $3.50 tacos all day and $5 Margaritas and Swirls. Also, killer happy hours specials at bird tree cafe are 3-6 p.m. daily.

Four by Brother Luck: Book a private Chef’s Table with us for any occasion. Choose five or seven courses. Wine pairings available. Limited to six people for an intimate experience. Email us at info@fourbybrotherluck.com for questions or to reserve.

Hoppenings of the week

Beer Events

Beerio Kart at Westfax Brewing: Feb. 20 6 p.m. Mario Kart meets craft beer for one of the most chaotic, competitive and fun nights at WestFax Springs. Racers compete in Mario Kart 8 (Nintendo Switch) with four racers per heat — top two advance.

Speed Dating at RedLeg Brewing: Feb 21, 4 p.m. Anything is possible! Join us for a post-Valentine’s Speed Dating mixer with all of the fun and none of the pressure.

Bad Romance Slam Poetry & Open Mic at Storybook Brewing: Feb 22, 5 p.m. Celebrate poetry and community at our taproom.

Beer Releases

Jack Sparrow’s Rum Stout at Storybook Brewing: Bold stout infused with rum character, delivering notes of molasses, caramel and warming spice. A pirate-worthy finale to Storybook’s February stout lineup.

Stout Month Anti Stout at Peaks N Pines Brewing: Blonde Stout brewed to celebrate the end of Stout Month. Brewed with and aged on cocoa nibs and infused with cold brew coffee, delivering the flavors of a dark, roasty stout in a bright, pale beer.

Curated by Brandon Heid and Gerry Reyes. For full listings of beer-related events and releases download the free Hoppenings app on Apple on Google.

Upcoming events

Feb. 21: Southeast Asia family style community dinner at The Carter Payne. $45; 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 22: National Margarita Day Sip with Schnip at T-Byrd’s. Noon to 3 p.m. All day happy hours with $6 Tommy-style and frozen margaritas, and a full food menu that includes $4 HH nachos, wings, burnt ends and $3.95 tacos.

Feb. 24: Passport to Italy Wine Dinner at Pizzeria Rustica. 6 p.m.; $89, five courses, partly benefits the Colorado Springs Therapeutic Riding Center.

Feb. 26: California Coastal Wine Tasting Dinner at The Margarita at PineCreek. 6:30 p.m.; $85 includes five courses. Call 719-598-8667 for resos.

Feb. 26-28: Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy at The Loft Music Venue. Storytelling performances and cocktail sipping.

Feb. 27: Polaris Pour — A Night with Chopin at The Aviator at Hotel Polaris. An intimate, guided tasting of Chopin Vodka with sushi pairings and à la carte entrées.

March 4-7: 34th annual Wine Festival of Colorado Springs. Benefitting the Colorado Springs Conservatory. Tastings, educational seminars, winemaker experiences, the iconic Grand Tasting with live music, and an elegant Gala Dinner & Live Auction.

March 14: Equinox, A Culinary Scholarship Fundraiser at The Broadmoor’s Cheyenne Lodge. 5-8 p.m.; $100 early bird tickets through Feb. 14; $125-$150 GA later. Event benefits Pikes Peak State College’s culinary program. Eight tasting stations will revolve culinarily around phases of the day. Enjoy a dessert bar and drink stations.

Parting shot(s)

Our scene lost its Bar Mom this past November.

The industry came together to properly honor her at a memorial this past weekend, held at Lulu’s Downtown. A lot of poignant and funny stories were told at an open mic by everyone who loved her.

Longtime bestie Luis Rodriguez talked about the three times while hanging out with Sally that he lost her, including on their Jay and Silent Bob cruise a couple years ago.

Jacob Pfund told the backstory of launching Rebel Rebel with Sally on Halloween; how when he first called her seeking an investor she said “let’s go” after only a three-second pause. “The support and love I got was incredible,” he said. When she sat at her bar for the first time and he asked her what she thought, she said “it’s perfect.”

The Archives’ Shayne Baldwin reminded everyone that Sally was “a badass bitch.” (Hell yeah she was.)

A number of bartenders told stories of how intimidating it was to make a drink for Sally, who initially only wanted legendary barman Nate Windham to make her drinks. You had to earn her trust and respect, but after that, you were one of her people.

After the passing of her husband John, “You helped her be happy again,” said her niece to the bartending community.

“She built a room full of people to love. She kept going,” Chiba Bar’s Michael Carsten added to that.

That theme was at the heart of the Bar Mom story I wrote about Sally in mid 2024. The Archives’ Dylan Currier noted the story as the turning point of when Sally “got famous.” Strangers would come up to her to say hi, “she’d lean over to me after and say, ‘Who the fuck was that?’ And that was Sally. Rough around the edges. Soft as hell underneath.”

Attempting to sum up her gravity in the community, he said: “As much as we were there for her, she was there for us. She held this industry together in ways that are hard to explain to people outside of it. She shaped friendships. She bridged rooms. She reminded us why we do this in the first place.”

So, as with the post-pandemic revenge travel itch I scratched and scratched, I set out to make things right in my world, with sidedishsidekick along for the journey, of course.

Below you can check out what we got into a few weeks ago, which you should certainly consider for your next day-trip or overnight, if not a full weekend. Enjoy. And maybe take action.

Coyote Mezcalería y Cervecería

Coyote is instantly one of the best bars I’ve set foot in: stylish, sincere and soaked in desert essence, which is to say mezcal and tequila. It’s quite likely my favorite spirit category (to include other agave and agave-adjacent drinks like bacanora, sotol, raicilla, pechuga, etc. I love them all!)

Owner Steve Trujillo shows true hospitality and knows his shit, should you choose (and have time) to converse about the more than 300 products available. After bartending in Denver and considering a sommelier track, he discovered a passion for mezcal and tells me he generally found the agave spirit world less pretentious. He studied up on his own and soft-opened Coyote on Cinco de Mayo 2024.

His partner Jen Cousins says: “Steve brought mezcal to BV, and I brought fashion.” Her very cool store Hi-Lonesome Boutique (which we stop by the next day) on Main Street predates his bar by a couple years. She describes it to me as “men’s and women’s clothing with desert-mountain vibes inspired by music and a love of Western style.” Hi-Lonesome and Coyote feel like sister businesses, both hip and artsy, with a common theme that now includes hat bars for designing one’s own custom cowboy hat (properly fit, brim shaped how you want and decorated as you please). The Lonesome Hat Bar inside Coyote just opened for a sneak peek on Feb. 13 — they were excited to tell us all about it during our late January visit.

But this night we were here to have drinks before dinner across the way. We want to try everything, naturally, and we labor to make decisions. Would that I lived here or nearby, I’d join their membership program and partake in monthly educational flights to work my way through the list. (Or at least I like to believe I would, given the time and dime and liver fortitude.) We finally decide on the eponymous Coyote cocktail and a variant of the M&M.

The first is Madre Espadin Mezcal (said to have inherent notes of pine, ginger, mesquite and sandalwood) mixed with a house pomegranate-ginger syrup, lime and ginger beer. That last ingredient lends it a mule vibe a little, plus sweetness to balance the pom pucker and mezcal smoke and heat. It sips refreshing and joyous throughout.

The M&M starts with Bozal Ensamble, self-described as a blend of three different magueys (agave plant varietals) designed to be slightly smoky, herbaceous and citrus forward. Amaro Montenegro is the other “M” and is a classic Italian herbal bitter liqueur, also crafted to be citrusy and botanically bold. Where Trujillo further brings it into Coyote’s wheelhouse (paying homage to Mezcal’s home in Mexico) is with the addition of chocolate and mole bitters, which connect to ancient Mayan and Aztec cultures via the cacao and spice essences. This M&M drinks gorgeously, making me think of descriptors like lavish, regal, or just special — but not how we say it casually when referring to nightly menu specials; more like when you tell your person they really mean something to you. (Which could totally happen after a couple drinks here.)

Anyway, I’m clearly in love with Coyote after one too-brief date, and I rate it an 11 out of 10. I think that’s partly because Trujillo capitalized on the concept of focusing on one thing (agave stuff!) and doing it really well. Hitting it out of the park (or over the river, if we’re talking Buena Vista lingo).

That’s something I’ve talked about with many chef friends over the years, by way of simplification and putting on blinders. Things so good you don’t need a wide menu, just to become legendary for your item. Coyote is like that in its own way.

In fact, if you end up needing food while you sip, you can only get a bowl of chips and the house salsa, which doesn’t break character or spoil the evening’s magic because it’s not an afterthought either, but actually some kick-ass chip dip that’ll leave you wondering if everything this place touches turns to gold.

Veya Coffee Bar

Let’s cut to the chase: Visit Veya for their spectacular pop tarts. No joke, the finest I can remember eating, anywhere ever.

And this is coming from someone who generally cares little about pop tarts. I haven’t eaten the commercial ones since I was a kid; I rarely order the homemade versions at other coffee shops; and I generally try to avoid excessive sugar. But Veya’s stand apart from the pack. I’ve since had that confirmed by other frequenters of Buena Vista, who also venture in every time for the item.

Our affable barista tells us that Veya’s co-owner Mary Lou has a baking background (it shows!), and that she’s taught him to prepare these delicacies in the back of the house. He says the pop tarts essentially work out to around 24 layers of pastry through the laminating process (folding butter into the dough to yield airy, flaky pastries).

We order one of the flagship flavors, strawberry, from a limited (as in nearly sold-out) selection this day. I find out that the reason it’s not a cloying child’s item (like too many pop tarts) is that the inside filling is just real strawberries, reduced down to a soft gel consistency, with no added sugar. Hence natural flavor, not “natural flavor” as a BS ingredient on a commercial label. The only enhanced sweetness comes from the strawberry icing, flecked with dehydrated strawberry bits as garnish. Yum and yum.

Damn, that’s four paragraphs on a pop tart and I’m supposed to be writing about a coffee shop. Ahem. Okay, so they get beans from Storyline Coffee Roasters just down the road and also from celebrated bougie brand Onyx Coffee Lab from Arkansas. Veya started as a coffee cart around five years ago we’re told, and opened in brick-and-mortar at the top of Main Street (at the Highway 24 intersection) in May 2025.

From a short list of seasonal drink specials, we order a Winter Pine Latte with house-made rosemary honey syrup. The woodsy evergreen element is subtle but detectable, balanced with the mild sweetness, making for a delightful drink… but how ’bout them pop tarts, huh!

The Buena Viking

By Lauren Hug

In C. Springs, Matthew is the expert and lead finder for all things new and interesting. When we travel, though, I take on the research role — looking for anything that has opened relatively recently and anything interesting that’s unique to the area.

While researching for Buena Vista, I discovered that after several years as a popular food truck, Buena Viking moved into brick and mortar within the past two years. That satisfied the “new” criteria, but hitting a burger place wasn’t initially scratching Matthew’s novelty itch. That is, until he saw the special-of-the-day sign announcing “The Cluck Norris” (hilarious!), plus the horn handles on the eatery’s front doors. (Oh, and the sign also said “There is no theory of evolution, just a list of animals Chuck Norris allows to live.”)

Wandering inside we were greeted by spectacular turquoise fish-scale tile half-wall below a rack of horn beer steins, signage reminiscent of a renaissance fair, and a welcoming space filled with locals gathering for the soon-to-be-aired Broncos playoff game. Instant charm.

The whimsy carried over to the menu with creatively named burgers and sandwiches accompanied by entertaining prose that begs to be read out loud. Alas, I don’t think Matthew fully appreciated my readings of several humorous descriptions.

Ordering the Cluck Norris daily special (cornmeal chicken tenders, hot honey pickles, and rosemary garlic sauce on a brioche bun) was a no-brainer since it was what drew us in. The sandwich delivered every element of the description, and each bite was wonderful.

We also opted for the Sunday special: any burger (except for the daily sandwich special or the epic, two-burger “Berserker”) and a Bloody Mary for $18. What a great deal! It was a challenge to choose just one burger option from all the interesting spins. We finally opted for the Crisp Air Don’t Care — a burger with sharp white cheddar, maple-dripped bacon, whisky caramelized onions and Granny Smith apples. While I would’ve preferred a more medium-rare cooking temp for the patty, the flavors melded beautifully, with the apples providing a pop of freshness and sweetness.

I also zeroed in on multiple drinks incorporating aquavit, a Scandinavian spirit known for its caraway or dill flavor, of which I am a huge fan. After chatting with our server about the different executions, we went with the aquavit negroni, which is something we haven’t seen anyone else do yet. Matthew loves classic negronis. I don’t. But both of us were wowed by this aquavit version. The spices in the spirit elevated the familiar cocktail and delivered an unexpected finish.

With unique cocktails, interesting flavor combinations and a cozy gathering space, Buena Viking is much more than a burger spot. I’d consider it a must-visit the next time you’re in town.

Surf Hotel

By Lauren Hug

Let me start with the hot salt water pool. This relaxing, luxurious experience rivals nearby hot springs (minus the minerals). The water is actually hot, not just warm, and it’s included in the cost of your stay. The pool — added recently to the nearly 8-year-old hotel — is in an enclosed courtyard surrounded by beautiful stone walls, lit by natural light during the day and the glow of a fire pit and rustic outdoor lighting at night. A large indoor fireplace with cozy leather seating is housed between the pool and indoor changing rooms. It’s magical.

The hotel shows careful attention to detail. The distressed wood flooring in the lobby area is arranged in an intriguing zigzag pattern, and a giant fireplace is flanked by a variety of inviting leather seating. Each window along the front is turned into an window seat with the inclusion of a cushion and a metal foot rest.

Rooms are sparsely decorated, but lovely in their simplicity and comfort. You don’t need much in the way of decoration when the natural beauty observable from the windows is so stunning. Despite frigid temperatures, we spent a fair amount of time on the wraparound balcony taking in the scenery. I didn’t expect to enjoy the entire experience as much as I did. I’m already planning a trip back.

Wesley & Rose

Far surpassing the sadness that becomes too many lobby bars inside hotels, Wesley & Rose shines as the Surf Hotel’s vibrant and happening local gathering place. It dabbles between casual pub food like pizzas and pastas to finer dining options like an elk rack or local beef ribeye. You can keep it chill with beers and small plates or go ham with expensive bottles of wine and top shelf cocktails.

The decor pulls in a little NOLA-evoking, Colonial architecture with high ceilings and rows of tall windows and blends it with an open beer-hall vibe complete with long community tables. Menu design has a naturalistic, art nouveau feeling with a touch of Nordic sensibility — which in writing those words all together seems very original and damn cool. Inviting exploration.

By night:

We’re half-assing Dry January (’cuz obviously we’re coming from a mezcalería) but decide to make it a mild evening with mocktails once we hit Wesley & Rose.

The Salted Paloma fakes it well with grapefruit, lime, tonic, cucumber juice, salted syrup and chile lime salt on the rim. It’s bitter-citrusy but hydrating, refreshing and lively with the pops of heat. An iced turmeric tonic adds to the underlying carbonation bite of sparkling Topo Chico with fresh turmeric, lime juice, black pepper and red pepper corns (floating in the drink as garnish) buffered only by a little local honey sweetness. It’s zingy and invigorating.

We start with a bread board that’s elegantly rustic and simple, reminding me of something served to me once in a Czech beer hall abroad. It’s just an organic small loaf of house-baked bread served with organic butter (because yes it’s the type of place that points out its better sourcing, as one should), plus a generous dollop of chèvre drizzled with honey, and a whole bulb of roasted garlic. It’s laborious to de-paper each garlic clove to scoop out the tacky paste, still with a faintly biting raw edge to it (which I love). But I appreciate how it makes you slow down and work for each spread over the bread, hearkening to the slow food movement that asks us to pause and appreciate the labor and love that goes into producing food, and to consume it mindfully and reverently. Yes, even if it is just humble bread and butter with easy accouterments.

Next comes an equally provencal dish, which is wonderfully hearty Tuscan soup that’s perfect for the extremely frigid conditions this particular weekend (when the Arctic blast came through). It hosts white beans, baby kale and sweet potato in a thin, warming broth.

We follow that with a (gluten-free) Crispy Chicken Osso Bucco served in a cast iron skillet as a trio of thickly breaded, delightfully crunchy pollo lollipops. They’re floated in a truly spicy-sweet Medjool date and chipotle chutney and topped with a cilantro raita for herbal accent and a slightly cooling creamy factor. They’re fantastic, like a serious level-up for people who love chicken wings. I write down that this dish, as-is, could fly at Latin Social in C. Springs. Or any esteemed fine dining spot.

We skip edible dessert in favor of some drinks from the thoughtful wellness beverages menu. The first, MUD/WTR Rest, has weary travelers in mind as a blend of organic functional mushrooms with rooibos tea, and calming herbs like passionflower, chamomile and valerian root. The next is Rose Almond Drinking Chocolate Elixir from Santa Fe based Kakawa Chocolate, with 100-percent cacao, coconut sugar, almond, rose, chipotle morita chile pepper and Mexican vanilla. Yes, all the staff really has to do is heat water and stir so it’s no credit to them for the making of the drinks, but kudos for the curation of quality, truly healthful items that feel special as after-dinner sippers.

By day:

We skip Sunday brunch (the only day it’s offered) to venture to the other spots we’ve written about here. But we do duck by the bar to sip a cortado and cappuccino. And since I’ve become a little obsessed about the wellness beverage menu, I can’t resist the Blue Moon Brew and Golden Brew.

For both we select an oat milk base. The latter is the conventional mix of turmeric, ginger, cinnamon and black pepper (with pink, white and green added), plus coriander, clove and cardamom. You can add CBD for $3 but we don’t. It’s a good Golden Milk rendition.

The Blue Moon Brew is listed as “for purification, peace and calm,” and contains Clitoria ternatea — not a part of a woman’s body you’ve never found (loser) but the botanical name for butterfly pea flower, which I’m sure you’ve seen in drinks. With it comes lavender, vanilla, charcoal and edible mica for magical sparkle (the same food-grade “mica-based pearlescent pigments” that are in glitter bitters at cocktail bars). It’s fun to watch it be poured and appreciate the baby blue color in the glass, and it’s even more satisfying to drink it. I taste the oat milk body mostly, with hints of the lavender and vanilla, as the other elements are more for color and gut scrubbing.

Anyway, with sunlight flooding in, Wesley & Rose is prettiest by day. You’ll be tempted to linger at the fireplace, under an arched stone hearth that splits the eatery from the actual lobby check-in counter and small retail gift shop. We pause for a pensive moment to savor the scene, then step out into the cold for adventure.

Joyful Coffee

By Lauren Hug

Directly across the square from Surf Hotel and next door to Coyote Mezcalería is Joyful Bakery and Coffee, a small, cheerful coffee shop serving excellent pastries (according to our server at Wesley & Rose, the hotel restaurant).

As tempting as the pastries (which included vegan options) looked — and believe me, I was very tempted by chocolate peanut butter brownie I saw in the display case — we were visiting too early in the morning for a dose of dough and sugar. Instead, we grabbed drinks to go as we headed out on a chill snow walk along the riverbank.

The Lavender Cayenne Latte provided a unique combo of calm and heat while the House Made Chai (dirtied up with a shot of espresso) balanced warming spices with just the right amount of sweetness. Both measured up to quality, craft standards. Like Veya Coffee Bar, Joyful also uses beans roasted locally by Storyline Coffee Roasters.

With easy access to a riverfront trail, Joyful — which opened in this location in the fall of 2024 — was a convenient and pleasant spot to fuel our morning walk.

Parting shot

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“If Colorado Springs wanted to get involved, they have to get involved.”

That’s what Tim Wolfe, Colorado Tourism Office’s director, told the New York Times back in late 2023 when commenting on which cities in our state did and did not pay to place themselves in consideration for Michelin awards.

“So while it is still true that individual restaurants can’t buy stars, tourism boards and hotel owners can buy the possibility,” explained author Julia Moskin, who noted the “costly undertaking” of Michelin’s thorough reviewing process.

Springs Top Chef Brother Luck was quoted in the article, saying, “How do you leave out the second-largest city in the state? It feels like a slap in the face.”

He later gained insight from Visit Colorado Springs on their decision, and as I reported in my writeup at the time, he came to agree that they “made the right call.”

Luck has since become an outspoken evangelist for our city to ante up and play. “This isn’t about copying another city’s food scene. It’s about giving ours the framework it deserves,” he said in a recent social media post.

In 2023, the price tag facing Visit COS would have been at least $70,000 annually with a three-year commitment. By waiting and watching — evaluating economic impact elsewhere — the Pikes Peak region’s marketing arm has surely saved money. That’s because as Michelin expands into smaller markets and more cities invest, each destination’s costs go down.

Our visitor’s bureau will not disclose exactly what they’re paying this year. I politely push, ’cuz I’m me and we have good rapport, and I tell them my readers will be asking.

Visit COS President & CEO, Doug Price, offers me this: “While we did not elect to participate in the program back in 2023, the expansion of The MICHELIN Guide to include the full state of Colorado has opened new possibilities. The Guide has proven to have a positive impact on the state’s restaurant industry over the last few years, and it is now more accessible for destinations like ours to be involved. We’ve committed to supporting The MICHELIN Guide Colorado.”

Price says that Michelin contracts are confidential, but “the program takes a shared approach to financial and marketing responsibilities that allow various destinations across the state to work together and ensure it’s a success.”

In a Visit COS press release sent to wider media — which, transparently, I am quoted in, having quietly been involved behind the scenes in conversations with Visit COS and other stakeholders for many months — the agency formally announced that it’s finally game-on for C. Springs’ culinary contention:

“We are thrilled that the Michelin Guide will now consider all four corners of the state for its program,” says Price. “… we are confident the inspectors will recognize that the incredible chefs and restaurants in Colorado Springs deserve a seat at the table.”

If you wish to read Michelin and the Colorado Tourism Office’s press releases too, just click those links. Notably, Michelin’s states that “anonymous Inspectors are already in the field, making dining reservations and scouting for culinary gems throughout the state of Colorado.” And in their methodology disclosure, they note that “each restaurant is inspected several times a year” for consistency.

“A huge motivator”

Visit COS’ release points to the value already provided by Michelin awards in Colorado in the past few years: “… unprecedented national recognitions like OpenTable’s Top 100 Restaurants, the New York Times’ America’s 50 Best Restaurants, 17 James Beard Foundation nominations and more.” And it cites a 2025 travel statistic that “food and cuisine is the highest travel passion category for recent or likely visitors to Colorado.”

Visit COS calls it “a huge motivator and deciding factor for visitors choosing one destination over another.” Data I was privy to earlier shows that 74 percent of frequent travelers consider Michelin restaurants as “decisive in their choice of destination.”

For its part, Visit COS makes it clear that attracting tourist dollars is the motivator, not anyone’s ego. “It’s not about a chef earning a ranking — it’s about inspiring the destination’s entire culinary scene to elevate,” Price had said in a prior meeting. He recognizes, by way of workforce development, how awarded restaurants can help attract and retain talent, which adds sustainability to the system. There’s also high value to culinary credibility, which factors in community pride and positive public perception.

By way of return-on-investment, Visit COS’ goal is to grow overnight stays in C. Springs year-round, especially during the off-season, as well as increase the average length of stay for visitors. They view Michelin attention as ideal for attracting desired “higher-spend visitors,” who have greater economic impact across all industry segments, including lodging and retail.

All of this can help us polish our image as a worthwhile food city. Visit COS researched online rankings and local social media forums, concluding that our culinary scene has a less-than-stellar reputation. (That’s a topic I tackled in my first podcast, State of Plate.) They’re well aware that we’re known for having a high ratio of chain restaurants to independents. That dates back at least 25 years, to when the Springs was prominently profiled as part of Fast Food Nation by author Eric Schlosser.

We’ve got a lot to overcome, and Michelin might help.

But nothing is guaranteed. Ponying up doesn’t mean Michelin’s inspectors will definitely award anything here. And if they don’t, it could perpetuate negative perception of C. Springs — that we suck, and should just stick to things served with ketchup or ranch dip.

The aforementioned NYT’s article noted how chefs in many markets have begun pushing back against Michelin, even renouncing stars. Part of that factored into the true cost of trying to attain and maintain them, especially in an industry that lives on a knife’s edge and has never been able to find its footing with parity between front- and back-of-the-house staff. As much as insiders hoped that the Covid pandemic’s forced reset might offer an inflection point for restaurants to recreate how they operate, and do better, they simply didn’t. (Recall the provocative article from May 2020, “The Case for Letting the Restaurant Industry Die.”)

Risky business

Beyond any one city’s, Michelin’s own image remains at stake. Again quoting from that article: “… when thousands of vaguely recommended restaurants can call themselves ‘Michelin’ destinations, Michelin may risk diluting its brand.”

Chef Mark Henry, from Wobbly Olive/Allusion Speakeasy, says he’s against Michelin coming because he’s doesn’t think we’re ready for them, and worries it can affect “being genuine in our craft.” He’s partly concerned that awarded chefs elsewhere will arrive and open satellite outfits, believing this to be an easier market to earn more accolades (think: big fish, smaller pond). That could contribute to driving up what he can afford to pay his cooks, as the market might trend higher in the pursuit of awards.

Henry also points to the imposition of higher standards “that won’t truly benefit the customers, but will negatively impact staff members,” including their mental health. On that point Luck’s actually in agreement with him. Luck told the NYT’s in 2023 that he worried “chasing the validation of these standards and these stars can be dangerous.” But still, he’s now expressing support, despite the risks. (Transparency note: Both Wobbly Olive and Four by Brother Luck sponsor Side Dish.)

We won’t find out whether our bet has paid off until Michelin announces awards for Colorado in September, more than half a year from now.

Between now and then I expect Michelin to stay near the forefront of town banter. Firstly, restaurants who think they have a shot at even making the Recommended list (below a Bib Gourmand or Star award) will be on their best behavior, striving to be excellent every shift. Even more so than they might already be given the pressure that KRDO’s Restaurant Roundup has added to the scene this past year.

Chefs: If you have any fucks left to give, now is the time.

I’ve talked to restaurateurs already scanning their dining rooms for reviewers, just in case all this talk of Michelin coming means inspectors are already among us. (That wasn’t confirmed until Visit COS’s press release went out, but given Luck’s prolific postings in recent months, it was suspected it was a matter of time.) The new suspicious eater for 2026 around these parts won’t be someone likely to dine-and-dash on the bill — but instead, a conspicuous solo diner, or possibly a two-top that triggers a Spidey Sense amongst the staff. (How’s paranoia factor into plating? We’ll find out.)

Inevitably I’m going to field a lot of questions by readers, industry pals and perhaps other media. I’ll be asked to opine on whether we have a shot at awards, and if I think we should have paid to play.

Back in my formal newsroom CS Indy days, I would have had to write a separate editorial column to present an opinion safely removed from an impartial news story. But I can now proffer it here, thanks to the new-era of Substack and the slightly looser format that entrepreneurial journalism (which occasionally dabbles at the edges of advocacy or social impact journalism) affords me.

I see no reason to remain neutral and sit on the sidelines when perhaps the most impactful thing to happen to our food scene locally during my whole career is going down real-time. Any way you slice it, this is a big deal.

The odds

So, do we have a chance? Shit yeah we do. I wouldn’t have chosen to be quoted in Visit COS’ press release expressing support if I didn’t believe so. And frankly I’d be stabbing my thumb in the eye of many a talented industry friend and colleague if I pre-judged them as unfit. I’ve experienced moments of pure gustatory joy inside our restaurants just as I have in major U.S. cities and abroad. The question has always been consistency. Can you do it again, night after night, perfectly?

Sure, I just told KRCC last month that I believed our scene to be “nascent” on the whole and too-often middling. But I couched that by not wanting to detract from what we’re doing right already. I can confidently say there’s a small — call it elite — number of folks operating inside the boundaries of what could excite and warm the cockles of a Michelin critic’s heart. Which of course we perceive to be as frosty and sour as a citrusy sorbetto served as an intermezzo at froofy meal.

I’m not going to prognosticate here and share my full mental list of worthy candidates, such that I can either be validated come September or embarrassed. I’m reluctant to name names, but let me offer you a few crumbs for now.

Working just from Michelin experiences I’ve had in the past couple of years, I’ve dined at an overwrought and over-priced ($600 for two) place in Portugal, and a totally impressive (at around half the cost) destination-spot in Spain. Then we undertook an effort to try several approachable spots in Denver that have earned Bib Gourmand status. My goal was to weigh modern interpretations of old-world stuffy with new-world, Instagram-era places that often lean as heavy on design and atmosphere as what’s being served.

In-part, we learned that service points, such as being greeted and seated in an overly formal versus casual manner, don’t matter too much. Location and signage and menu presentations and such can be goofy, but easily overlooked if the food and drink impress. Something bordering on mom-and-pop or dive-bar vibes is just as likely to win as an opulent place if the goods are really good.

The fact that Michelin awards street stalls and food trucks now means the proverbial bar has been lowered to everyday food instead of just fine dining for the 1 Percent. As Michelin has broadened its scope to modernize and remain viable (now that less people purchase tangible guides in the internet era), the legacy travel brand is meeting the people where they’re at.

Now that’s us, right here in humble Smallorado Springs. Look at the current Colorado Michelin list. Is it too hard to fathom we have spots that could hang in that crowd?

I don’t think so. Neither does Top Chef Brother Luck. Or Visit COS. Their decision to say no in 2023 was about fiscal responsibility, not a down-vote of confidence in the best our scene has to offer.

So finally they’re answering the Colorado Tourism Office’s call to get involved —making an unprecedented investment in our culinary scene. Whether that’s overdue, right on time, or jumping the gun, it’s happening. Olympic City USA can no longer say it hasn’t gotten the chance to prove itself, and shine.

Michelin is coming. Be ready.

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Quick hits at the Moon Market

I ducked into the Downtown Winter Fest last weekend for a moment on my way to the Moon Market where SideDishSideKick Lauren Hug’s daughter was among the vendors. Outside, in the food truck Lot at the Meanwhile Block, I found Pizza Paul’s Perfect Pies.

The truck was on my list already, as I’d just met owner Paul Di Diego the week prior as part of the latest Exponential Impact Survive & Thrive cohort. (I’ll be co-presenting to the group later this month.) Paul began serving in 2024 and keeps a pretty packed schedule around town weekly.

When I ask about his pie method, he says he serves Neapolitan in New York-style slices, which is to say big wedges that overhang my paper plate. He ferments 00 Italian flour overnight for his chewy crust, crisped at the edges by an Ooni gas pizza oven deck mounted on the rear of his trailer.

I order slices of his Taste of Italy (a flagship) and Three Little Pigs (a special for the day). The first sports an olive oil and garlic base and gets roasted bell peppers, spinach and goat cheese with a balsamic glaze. The second starts with a raspberry-chipotle sauce and receives sausage, ham and bacon. Both are delightful, poppin’ with flavor, respectively zesty and sweet-heat rich. If my stamp of approval fails to speak loudly enough, just know that Lauren’s daughter loved the pizza, having already eaten a slice earlier in the day before I arrived; she asked me to get more.

Next up, inside the market space I met Samuel McCarville from State 38 Coffee, named in honor of Colorado being the 38th state in the Union. He tells me he became a barista at Garden of the Gods Market and Cafe downtown before working in banquets at the Broadmoor.

Around a year and a half ago he launched this mobile coffee cart, available for private event bookings. It sports an eye-catching yellow La Marzocco espresso machine, very capable of making legit craft coffee drinks.

I learn that he sources a craft dark roast from Building Three Coffee, as he’s not a personal fan of medium-roast’s acidity, he says. Plus, he believes his beans to pair better with the Monin syrup flavors.

Next to a standard menu of traditional coffee drinks he’s offering four daily specials, from which I choose the Honeycomb delight, a honey-vanilla-cinnamon latte. I ask for it iced, with oat milk and less syrup than he might typically use, as my go-to “not too sweet” request whenever I’m wanting a little flavor without too much sugar.

McCarville nails the drink, which goes down too fast because it’s damn good, laced with discernible flavors from each syrup that balance each other well and don’t overpower the inherent coffee flavor. I’m usually a medium-roast drinker, but he proves his point with the dark roast. Well made, sir.

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Bites & Bits

• Josh & John’s — who now counts 40 years in business, and with whom I’ve done multiple recent flavor collaborations — has announced plans for a seventh location. It’s tentatively opening mid-April in the former Dutch Bros Coffee kiosk at 870 Garden of the Gods Road, which is just a scoop’s throw away from J&J’s Churn Barn, where all the yummy cold stuff is made. (In other words, it’s their production facility.) What makes this new location most notable is the drive-thru aspect, a first for the company. It will also host a walk-up window. A new line of specialty shakes — including a Polar Vortex, Nuclear Freeze and Bomb Cyclone (whatever those are; we don’t know yet) — will also be exclusive to this location. The full company-wide menu, including pints, cookie sandwiches and ice cream cakes, will also be available.

I ask J&J’s owner John Krakauer why a drive-thru and why now, and he firstly says “We have been looking for a second-generation kiosk to convert into a Josh & John’s Drive-thru concept for a couple of years… I am intrigued by the challenge of offering super-premium ice cream in a format that typically isn't done… Our Scoop Buses and Grab & Go kiosks have been very successful, so this felt like the next logical step.”

• And while we’re on the topic of expanding legacy ice cream businesses, The Gazette reported this week that BJ’s Velvet Freez, originally opened in 1954, plans on opening a second location in late March. It will be at 2900 E. Platte Ave., next to another legacy outfit, Fargo’s Pizza. Read the article for further details.

• Rusty Crab Daddy soft opened Feb. 6 at 1430 Harrison Rd., which is off of I-25 and S. Circle Drive in a former Village Inn space. The outfit specializes in seafood boils. I noticed another location online in a small town named St. George, Utah, near the Arizona and Nevada border in the far Southwest of the state. I called to ask if there’s a connection and a staffer told me yes, the business is beginning to franchise outward, and that we could see more locations around here if this one does well.

• A blip I saw on the ever lively local resource that is Nextdoor: “Just wanna let everybody know I just tried that heavenly tacos truck food truck on 19th and uintah it was fantastic and reasonably priced.” (Editor’s note: I inserted the link; they spelled the formal names lowercase.)

• KUNC reported that Colorado lawmakers want to charge new fees on beer, wine and spirits to fund addiction services. “The bill, which is expected to be officially introduced in the Colorado House this week, would apply the fees to beer, wine and spirits manufacturers and wholesale distributors, charging $0.26 per bottle of spirits, $0.05 per bottle of wine and about $0.03 per six-pack of beer. Small breweries would be exempt,” explains the article, which is well worth a read for all the details. The Colorado Brewers Guild expressed concerns to reporter Lucas Brady Woods, saying new fees would “continue to harm Colorado's craft breweries at a time when they are already struggling with rising costs and softening demand.”

• “Imports aren’t ‘filling a gap.’ They’re replacing what American ranchers used to raise here at home. It’s time to protect the U.S. market, rebuild our herd, and restore truth in labeling.” That’s what Montana-based R-CALF USA, “the largest cattle producer-only trade association dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle and sheep industries” said back in October 2025 on X. On Friday, President Trump signed an executive order quadrupling beef imports from Argentina — who received a $20B loan from the U.S. in November 2025.

• Here’s 6 new Denver-area restaurants & bars you should know about via New Denizen. One is a “glamorous Spanish escape” and another is an “immersive, rotating themed cocktail bar.” (Hmmm, wonder if they’re aware of Allusion Speakeasy here in the Springs?)

Hoppenings of the week

Beer Events

Hoppenings × Underline Internet Speed Dating at OCC Brewing. Feb. 13, 5:30–8:30 p.m.; free. Looking for love before Valentine’s Day? Or just want to grab a beer and meet new people? Join us for a relaxed, interactive speed dating night.

Date With Your Dog at Pub Dog Colorado. Feb. 13, 11 a.m. onward; free. Enjoy a charcuterie board for you and a barkuterie board for your pup.

Anti-Valentine’s Day Party at Nano 108 Brewing. Feb. 14, 5 p.m.; free. Not into Valentine’s Day? Perfect. Nano 108 is hosting a no-pressure night focused on good beer and good company.

Beer Releases

White Chocolate Blonde at Storybook Brewing: Smooth and creamy blonde ale brewed with white chocolate for soft sweetness and a clean, approachable finish.

Thin Mint Stout at Red Leg Brewing Company: A fan-favorite stout with notes of chocolate and mint, reminiscent of a classic Thin Mint cookie.

Curated by Brandon Heid and Gerry Reyes. For full listings of beer-related events and releases download the free Hoppenings app on Apple on Google.

Side Dish Dozen happenings

Edelweiss: We’re running our Valentine’s Day specials Feb. 13-15, 3 p.m. to close, to spread out the love. Check out our special four-course menu here. $60/person or $105/couple.

Goat Patch Brewing: Stay in the know and download our new app! Galentine’s Day Hat Bar at Northgate, 5-8 p.m., Feb. 13. Grazing Goat Kitchen is now on Uber Eats; new pizza specials every Thursday. Brushes & Brews at Monument, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Feb 13. Trivia nights: Tuesday/Monument and Wednesday/Lincoln Center and Northgate.

Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar: Savor our four-course Love & Fishes journey at Jax on Valentine’s Day. The indulgent menu ($90/person) includes dishes like caviar-topped blinis, lobster bisque, squid ink bucatini with scallops, and a chocolate budino for two. And save the date to join us for Mardi Gras, with NOLA-inspired specials all day Feb. 17.

Allusion Speakeasy: Whether your journey leads to Bikini Bottom or Middle-earth, Allusion has you covered. Choose your adventure wisely. (Or, you know, hit both!)

Stellina Pizza Cafe: Date Night at Stellina is here all month long. Cozy up, slow down, and share a meal for two, made with love, and really good food! $65 per couple, four customizable courses, dine-in only. Pick between two salads, two apps, four pizzas or three pastas, and two dessert options. Add a carafe of housemade red sangria for $25.

Kangaroo Coffee: Visit each of our locations to discover delightful drinks of the week, created by our staff. Order online for in-store pickup, or if you don’t wish to go out, have a drink delivered through Uber Eats or DoorDash.

Upcoming events

Feb. 12: Shima Navajo Fusion popup at Seven’s Gate. 7-11 p.m., first come first serve. Serving two savory and one sweet frybread dish.

Feb. 15: A Celebration for Bar Mom Sally Wood at Lulu’s Downtown. 4-8 p.m. With after party at Rebel Rebel, 8 p.m. to close.

Feb. 21: Haute Chocolate Hop. 2-5 p.m. A self-paced, progressive dessert tasting at 13 downtown venues.

Feb. 22: National Margarita Day Sip with Schnip at T-Byrd’s. Noon to 3 p.m. All day happy hours with $6 Tommy-style and frozen margaritas, and a full food menu that includes $4 HH nachos, wings, burnt ends and $3.95 tacos.

Feb. 24: Passport to Italy Wine Dinner at Pizzeria Rustica. 6 p.m.; $89, five courses, partly benefits the Colorado Springs Therapeutic Riding Center.

Feb. 26-28: Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy at The Loft Music Venue. Storytelling performances and cocktail sipping.

Feb. 27: Polaris Pour — A Night with Chopin at The Aviator at Hotel Polaris. An intimate, guided tasting of Chopin Vodka with sushi pairings and à la carte entrées.

March 4-7: 34th annual Wine Festival of Colorado Springs. Benefitting the Colorado Springs Conservatory. Tastings, educational seminars, winemaker experiences, the iconic Grand Tasting with live music, and an elegant Gala Dinner & Live Auction.

March 14: Equinox, A Culinary Scholarship Fundraiser at The Broadmoor’s Cheyenne Lodge. 5-8 p.m.; $100 early bird tickets through Feb. 14; $125-$150 GA later. Event benefits Pikes Peak State College’s culinary program. Eight tasting stations will revolve culinarily around phases of the day, like dawn, dusk and midnight. Enjoy a lavish dessert bar and open drink stations.

If the tentative mid-March timeline for opening indeed works out for the Navajo Hogan’s new owners, it will roughly mark six years since on-site dining ceased at Johnny’s Navajo Hogan in March 2020 as the Covid pandemic set in.

There’s less intentional symbolism in that than matters of circumstance, though.

The Johnny’s staff had limped through the rest of 2020 with takeout service, then finally called it quits after a fire in May 2021, which followed a prior fire in January of that year, compelling then-owner Johnny Nolan to call it quits.

Nolan told Side Dish that story, plus lessons learned in his 30 years in the industry, in this February 2025 interview. That was the same month he sold the historic building, which was constructed in 1935 and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1990.

Ever since that time, the town has been clamoring to know who bought it, when will it reopen, and what the hell is taking so long? Though I’ve known the answer to that first question for some time now, I visited the site last week to glean the answer to those other questions, plus what to expect food-and-drink wise once the roadhouse is back up and rockin’.

Here’s what I learned:

Who’s behind it?

The owner is Bobby Couch of The Green Line Grill, backed by a silent partner. I’ve known Couch since I co-judged his culinary school final in 2009, four years before he opened his popular burger joint. I last wrote about him in Side Dish in late 2023, when that restaurant was faltering, before it was financially stabilized by said silent partner. The situation has improved since, with Thrasher’s Bar now co-anchoring the cool corner at 230 Pueblo Ave. downtown.

In its dozen years of business, Green Line has become somewhat modern-iconic in a way that places like King’s Chef Diner have, partly because of uniquely designed digs and quirky vibes, but also because of staple menu items. They’ve built loyal followings that patronize them in the same way that folks line up in the summer at the Tasty Freeze on Weber Street or year-round at BJ’s Velvet Freez on Union Boulevard. There’s just something culturally sticky about them. Which leads me to opine that the Navajo Hogan makes sense in the hands of someone like Couch to usher it into a new era. He’s used to higher-volume quick service and giving people what they crave, with a little attitude (okay, sometimes more than a little) and the culinary chops to pull it off. Plus, he has the chutzpah to make it all happen, like endure a year of renovations and reconstruction to reopen the Hogan with the right foundations in place, literally.

Couch is far from alone in the kitchen, and will eventually step back into more of an operations manager-type role once he helps get the new Hogan launched. He’s hired Ketil Larsen to be his executive chef and Eric Hill (who we all know as “Chicken”) to be chef de cuisine. The three have worked together before in various capacities over the years and between them count decades of industry experience. Hill and Larsen each spent over a decade at Flying Horse, and Larsen’s also known for a period (12 years) at Phantom Canyon. They can both cite lists of shorter stints elsewhere, common to the musical chairs nature of cheffing, but suffice to say they put the Navajo Hogan on respectable footing out of the gate.

“This is the best fucking team I’ve assembled in a while,” says Couch, noting a fourth chef who’ll soon be joining them. (He couldn’t name them yet, as they are concluding other employment.) “The more eyes and flavor profiles the better. Everyone will taste things and give input.” He says they all recently drove to Denver to cook through their menu at a Shamrock test kitchen, and that its development has been collaborative.

“We aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel here at all,” says Larsen. “We’re trying to keep it simple.” Adds Couch: “Yeah, this place is gonna be busy as fuck, so we need a tight menu, and to focus on quality, execution and flavor. Everything has got to taste killer. If it doesn’t, nobody’s coming back.”

To that end, they’re eschewing some of their respective fine dining training to aim for what roadhouse fare should be. “No tweezers, no microgreens, no spoon pushes,” says Larsen, earning a hearty laugh from Couch, who adds, “We’re not gonna torture ourselves with BS.” (To make sure I’m clear on their meaning of a “spoon push” I confirm that indeed he means smearing sauces across a plate like a skid mark, for pompous presentation.)

What’s on the menu?

Appetizers, like smoked chicken wings, barbecued shrimp (locally raised in Yoder, interestingly), customizable nachos and quesadillas, and chicken-bacon-beer-battered ranch fritters with boilermaker (a beer and bourbon reduction) barbecue mayo.

Two soups: house-smoked cheddar beer cheese soup and roasted chicken and wild rice corn chowder. Salads, including a Caesar, Southwest Chop, roasted chicken romaine and spinach salad with fixings.

Note I said “roasted chicken” not “broasted chicken” à la Johnny’s Navajo Hogan’s once-popular item. They aren’t doing that — don’t ask for it. And while we’re on comparisons, no, Couch never considered calling it “Bobby’s Navajo Hogan.” (I asked, he practically scoffed at the notion.)

Anyway, that roasted chicken — scored deep, rubbed with house spices, roasted, and picked skin-on with pan juices reincorporated — is one of four proteins that the chefs intend to make widely interchangeable throughout the menu for smart cross-utilization. The other three are a smoked pork butt, ground beef, and roasted mushrooms for a vegetarian option.

Expect half a dozen pizzas plus customizable frybreads, which will be more of open-faced sandwich/tacos with protein choices. (Larsen clarifies “we aren’t trying to use an indigenous label here,” given the large Navajo Indian head which constitutes the Hogan’s iconic sign on the roof. A plaque on the building explains that the Hogan’s founder, a labor organizer for the United Mine Workers, “spent considerable time with the Navajo Indians, many of whom were miners.”)

Of course you can’t have a roadhouse without a burger, or many burger options, in fact. But Couch quickly clarifies that “we aren’t smashing burgers here,” and that they’re intentionally doing something different than at The Green Line Grill. What that looks like is a brisket-chuck-short rib beef blend they’re buying for the patties. Look for familiar toppings like a mushroom and Swiss burger, bacon and blue cheese, and the Hogan Burger with house-smoked white cheddar, guajillo bacon, barbecue mayo and crispy onions.

Entrées will include fish and chips, fried chicken thighs, a sirloin steak, chicken-fried steak, cedar plank trout, rigatoni mac & cheese with protein topper choices, and a smoked, maple-glazed pork loin with peach chutney, wild rice and veggies.

For desserts: house made peach and apple cobblers and a maple crème brûlée. Plus some Shamrock-purchased cakes they selected from a wide tasting: one’s a triple chocolate and the other a gluten-free and vegan banana cake with coconut icing.

Yes there’ll be a kid’s menu, plus a pared down late night menu that will kick in after 11 p.m. And for you brunch fanatics, a Sunday morning menu that includes Rice Krispies-crusted French toast with cinnamon whipped cream, chicken-fried steak and eggs, and pancakes with toppings like strawberry-basil and bananas foster.

What about drinks?

Working backwards from brunch: “mimosas and shit.” (Haha! I love talking to Bobby.)

A custom-blend, dark-roasted coffee from Barista Espresso, all the time.

Beers to the count of 16 on draft and more in cans and bottles. Equally split between domestics and craft labels. Local taps include Storybook, Goat Patch, Red Leg and Paradox breweries. Cocktails will consist of “roadhouse classics” and “a few spins” but nothing too fancy by way of whatever the cocktail equivalent of “spoon pushes” is. (So no house tinctures, glitter, bubble guns or fat washes.) But Couch mentions a smoked maple Old Fashioned.

What about the space?

I tour the extensive guts of the basement and see the dough room (pizza prep area) and keg cooler and dry storage. The upstairs kitchen isn’t something you’d call “big,” as the poor pizza guy’s gonna have to poke his pizza peel (the paddle) halfway out of a doorway into a wait station to rotate pies. There’s not an inch of cooler or oven or counter space to spare. I’ve seen worse, but this crew’s gonna be up in each others’ business all day. (Ah, who doesn’t love this industry?)

In the front room/entryway (amazing Hogan dome ceiling number one) there’s a cocktail bar counter and tables and booth seating. Dividing that from the back room (stunning Hogan dome ceiling number two) is a beer-service counter where the tap lines lead. The rear room hosts more mixed seating and a newly constructed stage, with a big TV at the rear of it for sports viewing and such. There’s a front and rear patio, each seating 40 people, and inside should hold around 200.

For entertainment, Couch mentions a Sunday night jam session and acoustic sets on Wednesdays, with karaoke on Thursdays and live bands on Fridays and Saturdays. Those will range from popular locals to some touring acts, with an assist as needed on bookings from Thrasher’s Bar’s Connor O’Neal, of the Tejon Street Corner Thieves. “There’ll be some metal here and there, but mostly calmer music,” he says.

What took so long?

From the purchase time a year ago, Couch and an army of tradespeople have been working diligently. There’s an entirely new electrical, mechanical and plumbing system, due in-part to the prior fire damages. (Plus, you know how long things take to make their way through permitting and final inspections, etc.)

They’ve sanded and soda washed all the wide beams in the Hogan domes to clean up smoke damage. Couch got a surprise with a water drainage issue in the rear parking lot, so that was re-graded and re-paved. He had the Navajo head sign atop the building repainted and repaired the neon lighting on it to fully restore it. And behind the main roadhouse there’s an ancillary building that they’ve laboriously converted into a private events and banquet space, so they can cater larger parties.

The big cosmic why:

When all this gets up and operational, it will mark an unprecedented era of growth for the Navajo Hogan. The building has seen a lot in 90 years. Couch says he was told it was a strip club for time back in the ’70s, and that a prior owner attempted fine dining some years before seasoned restaurateur Southside Johnny Nolan brought his aesthetic under the domes.

I ask Couch why he wanting to go to all this trouble, and he at-first jokes it’s because his silent partner told him to. But he finally settles into a more serious answer, saying “this is a beautiful building and I wanted to put some life back in it.”

Growing a little more pensive after a sip of beer, he says “I’m blown away that we’re sitting in this room about to do what we are gonna do. It’s mind-blowing where we’re going, and the amount of work that’s already gone into it. Everyone who’s worked on this place is important. My friends the plumber and electrician. All of them. Johnny Nolan even welded the iron rails around the patio out front.”

I love thinking about the symbolic baton-handoff in that, picturing Nolan at work on the building he too had poured lots of love and energy into restoring back in his days with it. But doing it for Couch and crew to start anew.

The legacy of the Navajo Hogan will hopefully outlive us all, so future generations can rejoice as they will under the spectacular, swirling, beehive-like wooden domes. As I stand under them and stare up once again, in awe of the craftsmanship, I’m reminded of the feeling of being under some great vortex. It’s a little trippy and transportive.

It makes me think that all who take on the task of being overseers for this place are like cosmic gatekeepers, but you know, in a boozy culinary way. (That makes no sense, just go with it, like it’s an edge of the galaxy pit stop or something in movie.)

I snap out of my dumb daydreaming and think to ask Couch what comes next for him, if he’ll continue to open restaurants. “No,” he says. “I’m pretty sure this is it for me.”

Sounds fatalistic. Or maybe just realistic. Either way, however it came to be, the Navajo Hogan has its new steward. The ovens will fire up, the taps will flow and music will play. There will be roadhouse revelry, but no spoon pushes.

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Ranch Foods Direct February recipe: Pozole

“This is my grandmother’s recipe, but I’ve been working on it for 15 years and tweaking it,” says Chef/Co-owner Mario Vasquez from Colorado Craft. “I make it at home a couple times a year. I find a lot of comfort in it. Some of my garnishes aren’t traditional, but they’re things I like. I don’t think it’s ever going to be perfect, or done.”

Bites & Bits

• Alchemy, which first opened in late 2013 in Old Colorado City, is under new ownership. “… We’ve retained staff, and intend to maintain the decor and stay true to the menu,” write incoming owners Mickey & Nancy on a Facebook post. “Free Poker Night, Trivia, Live Music, and Daily Specials are still offered. We have also added Karaoke, Wing Wednesdays, and DJ Clark After Dark on Saturdays. While we have some ideas under our flat caps, it’s most important to us to preserve the original soul of this pub, which we love too.”

• Roth’s Sea & Steak, which I previewed here in November, just won a nod on Star Wine List’s International Open roundup for 2026. They earned a Silver Star on the Best Newcomer List.

• As reported widely by other local media, including the Gazette, Carboy Winery and Angelo’s Taverna are expanding from Littleton (and beyond) into Colorado Springs. They will open in the former Old Chicago Pizza + Taproom at 7115 Commerce Center Drive, off of Woodmen and I-25. It will mark the third Angelo’s location (originally started in 1974 in Denver) and fifth tasting room for Carboy, which owns two estate vineyards in Palisade. As for the connection between the two brands, they’re owned by the same folks, and generally co-located.

• Back in November I reported on the opening of a pretty fantastic ramen popup named Hayato, serving on Sundays and Mondays weekly inside of District Elleven. And last week in this briefs section I noted how they’ve found a new home at Coati food hall. Well, I stopped by for a preview the night before service officially began, and finally got a taste of Chef Kei’s tonkatsu ramen that business partner Melvin Davila had been talking up since the day I first met him. The bowl did not disappoint. Davila tells me they’re still working on sourcing everything they need through specialty purveyors, and while we were on site a couple of boxes of goods arrived, last-minute. It was a hectic but happy launch, with Davila passing us the first two bowls of ramen served in the new space (aw, shucks, what an honor). The food hall’s atmosphere works perfectly to give Hayato an authentic feel, as if it was in a bustling metro station in Japan. Seats wrapping around the kitchen counter are perfect for an omakase-like, more intimate dining experience. I recommend eating there if you can versus taking your bowl elsewhere in the wider hall. But consider walking down to Rival Bar in the rear to bring back a sake or cocktail to enjoy with your noodles.

• By way of an update on my Jan. 9 story about the impact of the Tejon Street Revitalization Project on the immediate businesses, as cited by Oskar Blues Grill and Brew when it closed: General Manager Cooper Davidson from Jack Quinn’s Irish Pub wrote me after my Side Dish segment aired on KRCC to offer perspective from his spot. In-part, he wrote: “… our experience at Jack Quinn’s was quite different. Outside of COVID, 2025 was one of the more challenging years we’ve had in our 28 years downtown... While we recognize broader trends such as shifts in drinking habits and tourism, we felt the construction itself had a real impact on our business. Our clientele tends to skew a bit older than some nearby spots, and many guests chose to avoid the area during that period. Because of this, we made several difficult adjustments, including eliminating weekend brunch and operating with a reduced staff for much of the year. We also had to change how we approached food and beverage ordering in order to adapt. Once construction was completed, we noticed business returning fairly quickly, which reinforced how much the project had affected us… While the finished project is an improvement visually, it didn’t bring the practical benefits we had hoped for, including the promised increase in patio seating.”

• SoCo Insider has revived a year’s worth of CS Indy (and short-lived Sixty 35) archives thus far. Meaning I can now re-share a couple of fun cover stories I wrote for them in 2023: “Crunchy water with fish flavor: Popping my lingonberry at IKEA” and “Yak Pak: Divide herd uniquely adapted to thrive at high altitude, but what do they taste like?” (About PBJ Cattle Co.)

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Side Dish Dozen happenings

Edelweiss: Dine with us before Feb. 11 and purchase an entrée and bottle of wine and you’ll be able to enter our Love Is In The Air Valentine’s raffle to win a fireside meal on Feb. 14, which includes a $50 gift certificate, two glasses of Champagne and our Cupid Heart dessert. (Mondays offer half price bottles of wine; hint hint.)

Bristol Brewing Company: Smoked chicken wings special at Spark BBQ through Feb. 8: 6/$10, 12/$20, 25/$39.50. Stout Month Barrel Aged Coffee Warlock release, Feb. 6. Chocolate Laughing Lab release, Feb. 13: We added cocoa nibs to our flagship Scottish Ale! They impart a hint of chocolate goodness which linger on the palate, enhancing the Lab’s nutty, roasted character.

Red Gravy: Pastarama continues in February. Last month’s winning pasta and our reigning champion, the Lobster Mac & Cheese, has advanced to battle a proven fan favorite, Red Gravy’s Short Rib Ravioli. (The month is young, but so far the Mac & Cheese is taking quite a beating from the Ravioli!)

Blackhat Distillery: The Distiller’s Vault is our most exclusive on-premise experience, offering a guided tasting and spirits education class led by our Head Distiller. Limited to 10 guests. We take you behind the scenes of the production space and into a deeper understanding of distillation, aging and flavor development. Advanced tickets required; RSVP at production@blackhatdistillery.com. Explore more experiences at blackhatdistillery.com/events.

Elephant Thai: & Chaang Thai: We have dedicated gluten-free and vegan menus for both lunch and dinner, with extensive offerings, including noodle and curry dishes as well as fried rice plates, soups, salads and vegetable-focused entrées.

District Elleven: Book your Valentine’s Day dinner with us and enjoy An Evening in Paris (our theme). Five courses include Salade Niçoise, Steak Au Poivre, and chocolate mousse Profiterole for two. $95 per couple, $35 wine pairing. Serving Feb. 13 and 14.

Four by Brother Luck: Book a private Chef’s Table with us for any occasion. Choose five or seven courses. Wine pairings available. Limited to six people for an intimate experience. Email us at info@fourbybrotherluck.com for questions or to reserve.

Hoppenings of the week

Beer Events

8th Anniversary Party at Deuces Wild Brewery: Feb. 7, noon to 9 p.m. All day party with three new beer releases, specialty merch and live music.

Valentine Charcuterie & Craft Class at Urban Animal Downtown: Feb. 9, 6 p.m. $50 gets you a hands-on, Valentine-themed charcuterie and craft class.

Bristol Beer Choir: Songs from the Heart at Bristol Brewing: Feb. 10, 7:30 p.m. The Bristol Beer Choir has been rehearsing for weeks. Grab a beer and enjoy their free concert!

Beer Releases

Dank and Confused at Storybook Brewing: Balanced IPA brewed with Nugget, Summit, Strata and Nelson hops. Expect a slight tropical fruit character up front.

Samoa What at Peaks N Pines Brewery: Coconut Caramel Amber Ale inspired by Girl Scout Cookie season.

Curated by Brandon Heid and Gerry Reyes. For full listings of beer-related events and releases download the free Hoppenings app on Apple on Google.

Upcoming events

Feb. 7: Local Relic’s Small Brew Saturday. Noon to 4 p.m. New beer releases and light bites available.

Feb. 7: Winterfest at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum. Food trucks will be part of the kickoff of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games festivities.

Feb. 9: National Pizza Day. Find specials around town, including a BOGO Classic Neapolitan pie at Pizzeria Rustica.

Feb. 10: Raise Hell for a Reason Charity Pint Night at Seven’s Gate. 4-7 p.m. $1 from every draft sold benefits Mattersville, a veterans’ program; come meet a wolf dog.

Feb. 15: A Celebration for Bar Mom Sally Wood at Lulu’s Downtown. 4-8 p.m. With after party at Rebel Rebel, 8 p.m. to close. (Get to know Sally here.)

Feb. 21: Haute Chocolate Hop. 2-5 p.m. A self-paced, progressive dessert tasting at 13 downtown venues.

Feb. 22: National Margarita Day Sip with Schnip at T-Byrd’s Tacos & Tequila. All day happy hours with $6 Tommy-style and frozen margaritas, and a full food menu that includes $4 HH nachos, wings, burnt ends and $3.95 tacos. More details coming soon.

Feb. 24: Passport to Italy Wine Dinner at Pizzeria Rustica. 6 p.m.; $89, five courses, partly benefits the Colorado Springs Therapeutic Riding Center.

Feb. 26-28: Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy at The Loft Music Venue. Storytelling performances and cocktail sipping.

Feb. 27: Polaris Pour — A Night with Chopin at The Aviator at Hotel Polaris. An intimate, guided tasting of Chopin Vodka with sushi pairings and à la carte entrées.

[Save the date] March 4-7: Wine Festival of Colorado Springs. Benefitting the Colorado Springs Conservatory. Tastings, educational seminars, winemaker experiences, the Grand Tasting and an elegant Gala Dinner & Live Auction.

[Save the date] March 14: Equinox, A Culinary Scholarship Fundraiser at The Broadmoor’s Cheyenne Lodge. 5-8 p.m.; $100 early bird tickets through Feb. 14; $125-$150 GA later. Event benefits Pikes Peak State College’s culinary program. Eight tasting stations will revolve culinarily around phases of the day, like dawn, dusk and midnight. Enjoy a lavish dessert bar and open drink stations.

Parting shot(s)

Cocktails After Dusk hosted its Fight Night Title-Belt Championship Round 3 earlier this week at Caddie’s at Valley Hi Golf Course. Here’s how it shook out:

Ascent Brewery reopens for the season on March 5 after a two-month winter break that owners Joe and Stephanie Prue took, having originally opened in April 2025.

During our visit in late December, Stephanie gives us a tour of the brewery, located in the rear of the taproom. The structure is situated on a little over 13 acres in Falcon, which they purchased in 2021. Completely self-funded, they, spent four years rehabilitating the land, to include tearing down dilapidated structures like an abandoned horse arena, and ultimately hauling away 130 tons of waste, she tells us. Then they got to work building, able to use some reclaimed items such as stall dividers from a horse barn, which were used to construct Ascent’s Bar.

Both Joe and Stephanie are Air Force veterans (of 26 and 20 years respectively), and they retired in 2017 to travel, taking an RV all over North America and gleaning a vision for what would become Ascent. Joe has home-brewed for around three decades, and they both took brewing classes before opening their own place.

Stephanie acknowledges that Ascent is somewhat of a destination-drive from for folks in the Springs, where they too live. But that’s what we find special about it, kind of like Paradox in Divide. It’s a reason to take a short Sunday drive away from the big city (to a much smaller, growing town) and enjoy the farmland vibes that still hold great mountain views. (For what its worth, JAKs Brewery in Falcon is roughly a 10 minute drive away, but it’s in a strip mall, so less scenic and purpose-built.)

From our tour we learn that they brew on a one-barrel Ruby Street Brewing system that yields a little over 30 gallons a batch, making this a true nano operation. “This will be a great pilot system once we expand later,” she says, noting they plan to jump up to a 5-barrel rig. She also shows off their “no waste” distribution lines from their coolers into the taproom, praising Pro Bev for their highly efficient design and custom install. Everything’s clearly been created with intentionality and good stewardship in mind. They recycle water from the brewing process and give spent grains to local farmers.

The taproom hosts 12 taps and the day we’re in they’re trying to run through what product is on hand before the long holiday break, so selections are a bit more limited. We grab a tasting paddle with a Christmas Ale, a Spruce Tip Blonde, an English IPA and a Dunkle, spanning a good range of styles. Our beertender says they tend to rotate regularly through New and Old World beers.

I know by the time you’re reading this you’re likely past cravings of holiday-season flavors, so transport yourself back a couple months to set the mood. (Make your mantra “pumpkin spice, pumpkin spice, pumpkin spice … okay, now you’re with me.)

The Christmas Ale didn’t actually exude too much baking spice, so I’d call it nicely balanced. It had a toasty, maltier profile with a dark amber, velvety body — lovely. The Spruce Tip Blonde (made from Colorado-harvest spruce tips) had a darker coloration than expected, which was of no matter at all other than observation. It drank bready and crisp without excessive spruce influence, which is to say the natural adjunct was folded in subtly and well.

The English IPA played true to form — the opposite of wildly citrusy and highly hopped American IPAs if you aren’t familiar — with mild bitterness, higher maltiness and a dry finish. This one was dark-bodied with a creamy head and I was reminded for a moment of a Scotch Ale flavor, due to a faint caramel note.

Lastly, the Dunkle landed the anticipated Bavarian dark lager flavors with a dark body, toasty maltiness and big, bready vibe. We felt pumpernickel was the closest loaf we could associate. In my notes I also wrote down “coffee acidity,” which in retrospect I think speaks to a hint of chocolate bitterness that bit the tongue a little.

Since I wasn’t there to judge and grade at a GABF level by style — which I’m not qualified to do, let’s be clear — I didn’t care to nitpick and dive deeper than our own tasting notes. We relished the samples of what we drank and overall enjoyed our time at the brewery, dining on Gossip Point’s awesome butter chicken dishes. So that answers that question: Yes, they have food trucks regularly servicing Ascent, so you can generally feed yourself well, too.

Make time to check it out when you can. I won’t fault you if you wait for a warm day to enjoy the sun on Ascent’s patio or stroll around their carved wood sculpture garden. Either way, pause over a sip to appreciate all the effort that went into bringing Ascent to life. It’s a unique place.

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Peak Empanadas & Latin Bites

We find the Peak Empanadas food truck at its prior spot on 4650 N. Nevada Ave., outside the now-defunct Señor Manuel’s Restaurant. They’ve since moved to regular service at Golden Hills Park off of Delmonico Drive — 3:30-6:30 p.m., Thursdays-Fridays, and noon to 5 p.m., Saturdays — but make sure to check their Facebook page for the latest updates before you venture for them.

When we visit in mid December (yeah, you could say I’m late to this write-up) they’ve only been open a few weeks but they seem to have things dialed in enough. I chat with the crew through the open side door while they cook, learning that the chef/owner is Panamanian, but representing other Latin American and Caribbean cuisines with his tight menu of a half-dozen items.

We’re damn tempted by the Cubano sanwich — which they’ve really been hyping on social media lately as their flagship item, even offering a money-back guarantee (which may have just been promotional — not sure).

But for reasons I can’t recall, we opted for the Pan Con Bistec, which is sirloin steak and caramelized onions with “potato sticks” — not fat fries — on Cuban bread (delivered from Tampa we’re told) with an optional Swiss melt plus tomatoes, lettuce, ketchup and mayo. We get the cheese and forgo the rest. I like that they lightly toast and glaze the soft bread on their flat-top with honey butter, which adds to the onions’ sweetness. The chewy steak bits pop with a seasoning that’s almost evocative of Italian spices, mainly oregano. It’s a good sandwich overall.

On the side we get yucca fries a pair of beef empanadas, as they’re sold out of the ham and cheese and pizza flavors late in the shift. The fat, crispy and highly starchy yucca fries are a textural treat as always.

The thick, Panamanian-style, wheat-flour empanadas — almost as big as a sandwich half, for $4 each — have almost a pizza dough vibe, with a dense but soft chew. The ground beef core’s rich and delightful dipped in the provided chimichurri and habanero hot sauce, which I learn has been discontinued since our visit. When I later reach back out for details, the staff tell me the chimichurri is their “secret” recipe, but do share that it’s made with garlic, cilantro and a little jalapeño for atypical heat.

We’re happy with every bite of the meal, which feeds two of us for around $35 post-tip.

“Food has always been political”

• As I write this, a National Shutdown general strike is underway on Jan. 30 that encourages no work, school or shopping, with a call to “stop funding ICE.” In response, I’ve seen several local businesses post on social media to express support, but explain why they’re staying open; mainly to support the livelihoods of their own staffs. One particularly well-expressed statement came from Fountain’s Olde Town Coffee Shop, who in-part wrote: “We respect every individual and business making the choice that aligns with their values, and we’re grateful to be part of a community where people care deeply about the important events happening right now.”

• James Beard Foundation posted earlier this week to say “The independent restaurant industry needs immediate action on immigration enforcement… The current approach to immigration enforcement is hurting our communities, restaurants, and the immigrant workers who are essential to America’s food system.” (As just one example that gained a lot of attention, you might have heard the story about ICE detaining a Mexican restaurant’s workers in small town west of Minneapolis after eating lunch at the spot.) “…Fear has replaced community,” JBF continued. “The social fabric that restaurants help weave and rely on is unraveling.”

• “Like a lot of people, I’ve been sitting with a deep sense of powerlessness and dread. I’ve found myself questioning the value of my own work. Helping people cook dinner, or pointing them toward a great slice of pizza feels so trivial when the stakes seem so enormous. But this instinct to dismiss everyday care as meaningless is exactly what oppressive systems rely on,” wrote James Beard Foundation Award-winning Chef/Author James Kenji López-Alt a few days ago on his Instagram page as part of a poignant, larger lament and call to action. I recommend reading it. It hit home for me.

Bites & Bits

• Three Colorado Springs breweries medaled at the recent 2026 Colorado Brewers Cup Beer Competition: Bristol Brewing Co. won Gold in the Export Stout category for their Winter Warlock Oatmeal Stout. Phantom Canyon Brewing Co. won three silver medals: in the Experimental India Pale Ale category for their Nuthin’ But a G(uava) Thang; in the Other Strong Beer category for their Her Majesty’s Hammer; and in the Dark Mild category with their Dark Mild. (What? You ran out of clever names, guys? Sheesh.) Lastly, Mash Mechanix Brewing Co. won Silver in the Chili Beer category with their Bullitt Green Chile and Bronze in the American-Style Black Ale category for their Power Brake Black IPA.

• Colorado has 17 semifinalists up for James Beard Awards in 2026. Here’s the full list, via Westword. (None are in Colorado Springs.)

• 105 West Brewing has now opened in the former Trinity Brewing spot. Here’s details on it if you missed my December preview.

• Braving the capriciousness of Colorado weather, the Great American Beer Festival announced this past week that it will be leaving its longtime venue at the Colorado Convention Center and heading outdoors to Levitt Pavilion for its “first-ever open-air festival.” The event will be held Oct. 10-11, with tickets going on sale in June.

• ArkCleoRich African Kitchen — which I reviewed here in early 2024 — announced it will be expanding from its original spot at 1371 N. Academy Blvd. into a second location at 10 N. Sierra Madre St. It’s taking over the former Owambe African Restaurant & Lounge — which I reviewed here in early 2025. ArkCleoRich plans to open its doors at the downtown location on Feb. 14.

• I kept getting reports this week that Salsa on the Rock has closed. Their website remains up though, as does a Facebook page last posted on on Jan 4 (with a call for Gazette Best Of votes), and an Instagram page (that hasn’t been fed with content since April 2025). So, I did the old-school, pre-internet thing and picked up my phone to call them. Nobody answered, but a recording said: “We are officially closed at the moment and will reopen at a later date, thank you.”

• Brett Bixler, founder of Mission Coffee Roasters — founded in 1991 but located in the Springs for the past 13 years — has created his own line of Grinder Hopper Extensions, which he’s manufacturing himself on site. The 3D-printed units fit onto the top of commercial bean-grinding units and allow baristas to pour more beans all at once, instead of having to feed the units smaller portions which must be weighed to equal wholesale, 5-pound bags. Essentially it’s a labor-saving device that pays for itself with time savings.

• Back in November, I told you about a pretty fantastic ramen popup inside District Elleven that’s operated by a couple guys from Miami seeking to establish a location here. It’s named Hayato, and those guys — Chef Keiichi Maemura and apprentice/friend/employee-turned-partner Melvin Davila — tell Side Dish they’ve now landed their next location: inside of COATI food hall farther south down Tejon Street. They launch on Feb. 3. And they initially plan to serve weekdays, 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and until 11:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. And for February only, they’ll still popup at District Elleven on Sundays and Mondays.

• Among destination drives in the area for a unique food and drink experience, Stage Stop Cantina off of Old Stage Road makes a strong case for barbecue and beers during warm months. (It’s currently closed for the winter season.) When I first visited in late 2024, I met the owner, Eve, and enjoyed a pulled pork sandwich with some fruited brews from Red Leg Brewing and Mash Mechanix. It was at that second brewery that I caught up with her again in mid 2025, dining from her barbecue cart parked there daily. And just recently, I learned she’d set up another food cart at Urban Animal Beer Co.’s original Star Ranch Road location for exclusive food service. So I reached out to say hi and check in. “I can’t believe how quickly time is flying!” she responded, noting that she’s underway with changing the business names. “Mash will be Mash Mechanix Smokehouse, and Urban is Urban Animal Kitchen, and the Cantina will stay Stage Stop Cantina, all by Chef Eve Natasha.” So, now you know three spots to find her ’Q around town depending on where you are, or where you feel like venturing.

• Gunnar’s Deli grand opens at Red Leg Brewing Company on Feb. 2. It’s the latest business to occupy one of the conex boxes in front of the brewery as part of its food courtyard. “The new deli will feature classic and elevated sandwiches made with fresh ingredients,” says a press release. It’s operated by Malek Deeb, who also owns Sasquatch Cookies, also located in a conex at Red Leg as one of its three locations.

• Evergreen Restaurant will launch a new lunch menu on Feb. 3. New owner Crystal Kiernan sent me a preview copy this week. It shows roughly a half-dozen items in each category of apps, soups, salads, pastas, flatbreads and entrées. Eastern European cuisine remains on prominent display with items like smoked salmon on potato latka; pierogi; a Georgian salad with eggplant, burrata and za’atar seasoning; borscht; and Chicken Kiev Piada. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, which includes weekend brunch service with the existing menu.

• My latest segment with KRCC aired/published Jan. 28. Check it out here.

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Ranch Foods Direct founder Mike Callicrate recently presented at Seattle’s City Hall as part of a hearing titled “From Farm to Kitchen Table: How Consolidation Spikes Food Prices.” (Watch it here.) Callicrate spoke alongside a handful of Congress members from Washington, Oregon and Philadelphia. The takeaway: Corporate consolidation is a key factor driving up food costs for consumers. Partly because of predatory pricing and leveraging of size to control supply. Watch the five-minute talk (which begins around the 22-minute mark) to learn more.

Porkbutt BBQ for sale

I had been hearing great things about Porkbutt BBQ, particularly since they moved into brick-and-mortar in mid 2024. They’d started as a food truck the year prior and gained a barbecue following as loyal as Chuckwagon 719’s. For no good reason other than I fell behind in my long list of spots to review, I didn’t make it by until last month.

I was long overdue, but owner Joshua Cheney was gracious when I introduced myself, saying something to the effect of wondering when I’d make it by. We chatted for a bit, as the evening rush had died down, and he told me the quick version of his backstory, which included moving across the country 17 times. Hence truly knowing barbecue coast-to-coast. He’d been making his own at home for a couple decades, perfecting his recipes, and he tells me he “loves smoked meat and a good cigar.”

Rather than a puritan approach to one regional style of barbecue, his menu is an unapologetic catch-all, best reflected in a basket of delicious house sauces set at tables for guests to doll up their own plates. Those range from a chipotle aioli and flagship Sweet Heat to a not-too-spicy Creeper sauce. Everything in house is gluten-free, as Joshua’s wife Bonnie has celiac disease. Even items in their front retail coolers, like GF breads, are carefully curated to be on-theme.

They’re already sold out of their signature Texas brisket and Memphis-style ribs this evening, so I promise him I’ll make it back in to try those before I write anything up. Meanwhile, we order a smoked turkey sandwich and side of delightful fried Brussels sprouts lightly glazed with maple syrup. The sandwich comes piled high with juicy meat, lettuce, tomato and pickled onions, and the GF bread’s good enough to not raise alarms as an alternative produced (as many GF items have textural or taste issues).

We also get the Pig Pile, which is smashed chunks of baked potato, deep fried and then seasoned with salt-, pepper- and garlic-laced, smoked tallow. On top comes succulent hickory-smoked pulled pork, a thick house cheese sauce and more pickled onions. It’s a symphony of rich, crispy-crunchy, creamy and smoky elements with the acidic offset of the sharp onions — overall a total comfort-food treat.

Now comes the part where I confess that I didn’t yet make it back for the brisket and ribs, though it was literally on my to-do list this week. But on Monday, Jan. 26, I noticed a trending Facebook post, where Porkbutt BBQ announced that it was placing itself up for sale, “turn-key.” Damn. They had even been working on expanding into the neighboring storefront, having held a fundraiser in mid November toward that end. That night, Joshua told me it would likely be summertime before they would be able to punch through the wall to connect the new space.

Joshua, by way of explanation, wrote: “My wife, whom many have come to know as the heart of this place, has been facing many health challenges that require more of my attention… We will continue to operate as normally as possible until a smooth transition can be made for our team and customers.” They remain open regular hours for the time being: noon to 8 p.m., Wednesday-Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday.

I’ll still aim to get back by to try more items, even if the future remains uncertain as to whether a new owner will execute them as well as Joshua and his team have. I’m confident, given how many people have told me positive things about Porkbutt BBQ, that everything they serve is pretty on-point. I do have one friend, a diligent pit-master at home, that doesn’t prefer their brisket style; that’s the only criticism I’ve heard. Writing this now, I’m almost relieved that I don’t have to compare it to the spectacular substance that is Chuckwagon 719’s brisket, and playfully argue it out with that friend. When I do get by Porkbutt, I might just savor the moment quietly and say nothing to anyone. Just enjoy a rare meal without working alongside my bites. Appreciate the fleeting moment, and wish Joshua and his family well on whatever their next move is. In short time, they established a legacy-deserving business.

Springs gets a Beans & Brews franchise

Beans & Brews Coffee House launched in Salt Lake City in 1993 and began franchising in 2008. They’ve since opened 30 corporate locations, and a newly opened Colorado Springs shop marks the 59th franchise. There’s only one current other location in Colorado, in Englewood, which is a couple years old.

The Springs shop is located at 3703 Bloomington St., directly across the street from Kangaroo Coffee’s New Center Point location. It’s also a five minute walk from a Starbucks location inside Target, just up the hill, and a short drive to multiple others along the Powers Boulevard corridor.

I mention all this for context, and because I chat about it with the Springs franchise owners Andrea and David Kruth on the first day of their opening earlier this week. They’ve lived here since 2022. She’s leaving 18 years in the nursing profession and he’s still a Colorado Branch Director for Huntington Bank. Neither have food or drink industry background, she says, but she’s ready to “build independence” and work for herself. “We love coffee and connecting with community,” he adds.

I’m curious why they chose Beans & Brews a franchisees, in a sector where national coffee brands proliferate. They researched others and had even traveled to California to look closer at one they almost bought into, but decided it wasn’t the right fit. When they later ventured to Utah to explore B&B, they felt “the mountain vibes connected with their high-elevation roasting… there’s a more natural connection to Colorado.”

They also appreciated a very hands-on training regimen — a pair of trainers were still on site during my visit — and like that there’s a good structure to B&B’s menus but they also allow for some “autonomy to do some things locally.” One example David offers is a plan to have local high schools compete to create custom energy drinks for their store, which could get named after them.

B&B’s food menu features bagel and croissant sandwiches, panini and a few more items like avocado toast and pastries. Corporate sends down a buying guide and franchisees order via Shamrock. The extensive drink menu offers everything from frappes and iced items to protein-infused coffees, sweet lattes, chai and matcha drinks, teas and lemonades and basic brewed coffees and traditional espresso drinks. With automated Franke machines it’s more of a quick-service, volume coffee model than contemporary craft coffee independent shops. To that end, there’s a drive-thru imminently opening (as soon as permits clear and signage goes up), which wraps past B&B’s building facing N. Carefree Circle.

Even though there’s the impersonal drive-thru option, David and Andrea hope to be a vibrant sit-down space for folks (differentiating them from the other nearest drive-ups). In addition to lots of seating in the front of house near the ordering counter, there’s a rear private meeting area that’s open for private bookings and community events. That could be a work presentation or a candle-making workshop, and the TV could be tuned to sports games as well, like World Cup matches this summer.

The couple will soon offer catering options like grab-and-go breakfast platters, lunch boxes and coffee carafe takeaways, and they’ll soon be up on all the local delivery platforms as well. Guests can also purchase retail bags of beans from B&B’s roastery in Utah, some of which are special releases, not necessarily served on drip or in espresso drinks on site.

First look at Amore Italian Grille

Earlier this month I noted how Ambli Kitchen + Bar in University Village was planning to rebrand into an Italian eatery, saying, “the Ambli name doesn’t carry the clarity or strength we need to truly thrive in this space.”

Now, the spot has re-opened as Amore Italian Grille. We paid to attend a $75 per person, five-course soft launch on Jan. 27. I’ll share photos and dish descriptions below that give a first gander at the goods (versus reviewing on day one — not cool).

Chef/co-owner Ricardo Morffin doesn’t make bad food, so everything was roundly delicious, even if tiny elements like some soft, sweet cornbread-like croutons on the Caesar salad didn’t fully make sense to us. They were still a joy to eat on their own.

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Nostalgia at The Brit

By Lauren Hug

A friend and I popped into The Brit Pub the other day and enjoyed a delightful time downing a pint and sampling several dishes. Since it was happy hour (Monday-Saturdays, 3-6 p.m.), starters were $2 off and 16-ounce beers were only $5. (The standard pour at The Brit is a “proper 20-ounce pint,” regularly priced at $9.)

I was thrilled to see Old Speckled Hen on the draught list! It was my drink of choice decades ago while working on my masters of law at University College London. The first time I went to a pub with my classmates, I had no idea what to order, so I picked the brand name that jumped out at me. I was later informed by a pal that Fuller’s was superior, but by then I was hooked on the Hen. Instant nostalgia sipping that pour.

My dining companion was not as enthusiastic about my drink choice and opted for a Strongbow Cider. We both ordered the soup of the day — corned beef, cabbage and potato. Filling and flavorful. We shared the accurately named Crispy Cauliflower which popped with curry leaf, garam masala, cilantro and mango chutney. We also shared the Tikka Chips, fries (to Americans) smothered in tikka masala sauce. It wasn’t a pretty plate, but it was darn delicious.

We couldn't leave without trying the Sticky Toffee Pudding, a classic British dessert of dense date sponge cake topped with a toffee sauce. The sauce was a little grainy and wildly sweet sampled on its own, but when eaten with the not-very-sweet cake, it created a balanced flavor combo. We promised each other we’ll return soon to try more things, especially the Sunday Roast (11 a.m. until sellout, Sundays only).

Hoppenings of the week

Beer Events

Free Comedy Night at Nano 108 Brewing: Jan. 31, 8 p.m. Featuring Joe Cruz, with special sets from Ashton Wayne and Joe McKenna.

Apres Ski Party at Red Leg Brewing: Jan. 31, Noon to 4 p.m. Shot ski, beer pong, DIY hat bar, dance party and contests.

Aravaipa Group Run at Fossil Craft Brewing: Feb. 2, 5:30 p.m. Weekly run in Red Rocks Open Space, adjacent to the taproom. Love running? Join our community!

Beer Releases

It’s my Father’s Lager at Storybook Brewing: Light and refreshing brew that drinks easy while still packing flavor. Crisp, clean and approachable.

Dude Incredible at Urban Animal (both locations): Dude Incredible is back and better than ever. Brewed with Cryo Cascade and 20 pounds each of grapefruit and Cara Cara navel oranges.

Curated by Brandon Heid and Gerry Reyes. For full listings of beer-related events and releases download the free Hoppenings app on Apple on Google.

Upcoming events

Jan. 31: 31st annual Great Fruitcake Toss in Manitou Springs’ Memorial Park. Noon to 3 p.m. Collecting canned good donations; Great Fruitcake Bakeoff with prizes; and yes, this is pretty much the most Manitou-ish event of all the bizarre annual Manitou events, like the coffin races. Stay weird, Manitou!

Feb. 2: Cocktails After Dusk’s Title-Belt Championship, Round 3 at Caddie’s. 7 p.m.; $25 includes a welcome drink, samples of seven competition cocktails and more.

Feb. 3 (and 17): Wine Education Tuesdays at Enoteca. 6-8 p.m.; $49. Chef Jay Gust presents four wines with accouterments.

Feb. 4: WhistlePig Rare Whiskey Dinner at Viewhouse. 6:30 p.m.; $100 includes four paired courses.

Feb. 7: Local Relic’s Small Brew Saturday. Noon to 4 p.m. New beer releases and light bites available.

Feb. 7: Winterfest at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum. Food trucks will be part of the kickoff of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games festivities.

Feb. 10: Raise Hell for a Reason Charity Pint Night at Seven’s Gate. 4-7 p.m. $1 from every draft sold benefits Mattersville, a veterans’ program; come meet a wolf dog.

Feb. 15: A Celebration for Bar Mom Sally Wood at Lulu’s Downtown. 4-8 p.m. With after party at Rebel Rebel, 8 p.m. to close.

Parting shot(s)

Wow! That was quite the turnout at Thursday’s Sip with Schnip at Stellina. Way to show up, everyone. We packed the place out!

Nobody ended up ordering the 10-scoop Side Dish Surprise gelato. Boo — where are my thrill-seekers?! And we totally forgot to auction off Ava’s amazing portrait of me — which everyone says makes me look like a Hasidic dude, haha! (She was going to give the proceeds to the staff as a tip — sweet!)

But the wine flowed and paddles of pizzas were fabulous as always. Thanks to everyone who shared a magical evening with us.

A couple of weeks ago I dropped into a new sushi spot that I noticed as I was driving by Asia Pacific Market, on Platte Ave. Sushi Mori is located in an adjacent parking area and new-built construction row of retail fronts. I learn it had only opened the week prior to my visit.

Oops! Too soon to review in fairness, but our experience proved strong enough that I’m not shying from reporting on them now anyway. As local sushi spots go, Sushi Mori at minimum rates standard-good, and quite possibly a cut above many others. We were thoroughly happy with our meal.

I was about to make calls earlier this week to glean the biz’s backstory, but I found that my industry colleague Teresa Farney at the Gazette already put out a short preview writeup the day after my visit. For those of you allergic to clicking links, the quick synopsis is: Sushi Mori arrives via Liyan Jin, “Born to Korean parents in mainland China, she immigrated to the U.S. as a young adult and settled in Los Angeles. In 2000, she joined the U.S. Army, working as a health inspector. She was stationed at Fort Carson in 2010 and completed her military service in 2019.”

Farney goes on to say that Jin first opened a Chinese restaurant in Castle Rock, which she sold in late 2024, excited to start somewhere fresh with a sushi concept in a space she could design herself from the get-go, “modern, minimalist.” She hired a sushi chef with 30 years experience.

Now back to my own footwork: Sushi Mori indeed is beautiful inside (with a large patio overhang out front just awaiting warm weather), with warm wood accents and lots of tidy line-work visually to define the modernist vibe. That includes stained beams running this way and that overhead and vertical dividers between some tables and booths. A blue LED light strand lines the wall behind the sushi counter, giving a cool glow to the rear of the room where all the action happens.

We bypass the extensive appetizer and entrée menu in favor of five sushi rolls, proving just the perfect amount for two this night, paired with a draft Sapporo. Yes, Sushi Mori opened with a liquor license ready. So if you prefer to sip sake with your sushi instead, go for it. Now, let’s run through our rolls:

• Ume Shiso: plum paste, shiso, cucumber. Faintly tart and a tinge sour, it holds a fresh essence like after you chew mint leaf. It’s a perfect palate cleanser, paced out as you eat the other rolls; add the provided pickled ginger for extra zing and refreshment. I say start with a bite, hit another mid meal and save one for a final rinse.

• Futo Maki: kanpyo, pickled radish, tamago, salmon, avocado, cucumber, yamagobo, green onion. Great crispness with complex flavor bouquet. There’s a hint of something like smokiness in the finish the we enjoy.

• Drunken Tiger Roll: the night’s special on the entryway blackboard, made with spicy tuna, shrimp tempura, cucumber and seared tuna topping. Wow — richness, supported by a soft crunchiness and nice kick of heat plus concluding creaminess, partly from a kewpie mayo garnish on top. If you see it, get it.

• Bronco Roll: soft shell crab, crab mix, eel and avocado topped with multicolor tobiko. Open wide or take it in two bites; it’s a thick roll. The roe garnish pops in your teeth with a briny umami that leads into the snappy-to-the-tooth crab components. The eel adds a pop of sweetness and avocado fattiness. In a word, it’s luscious.

• Volcano Roll: spicy albacore and pickled radish topped with spicy scallops, green onion and bonito flake. The most standout interesting roll, presented like an erupting mountain and bursting with bonito flake umami. It’s baked, so warm and in this case a little smoky and spicy, evoking barbecue for a fleeting moment.

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Pot roast season with Ranch Foods Direct

Periodically I like to remind people that if you care sustainable food systems then it’s well worth following Ranch Foods Direct’s founder Mike Callicrate via his No-Bull Food News blog. By his own description, he’s a “Rancher’s Advocate. People’s Advocate. Animal’s Advocate.”

(Not) a cat café, but sort of …

So … you free subscribers were supposed to receive a newsletter earlier this week that already went out to my paid-level subscribers a couple weeks ago. It’s my writeup on AffoGatto Coffee, but due to a backend Substack mistake in the auto-scheduling, that didn’t happen. (Hey meow — oops.)

So I’m entreating you to please click that link, or even this redundant one right here, to check out the worthwhile Falcon spot. It’s a cat-themed cafe, but not one with the actual animals to pet like at the Springs’ Biscuit Factory or Comfort and Joy. AffoGatto is a legit coffee shop first, and they give 2 percent back to Wild Blue feline rescue and sanctuary in Black Forest.

And, well, you need to click that link to read all the rest. Including their awesome house AffoGatto with caramel cat stripes caramel drizzle and white chocolate cat ears. And their blackberry, Brie and bacon croissant. (Photos await you!)

And — bonus: In the same writeup, I also write about my return visit to Reception Coffee & Cocktails to check out their daytime slow bar. Whereas I’d spotlighted their brilliant build-your-own-espresso-martini menu by night hours, here I’m sampling superlative pourovers and seasonal specialty espresso drinks. To get the deets on the image below — you know you wanna — click it to read the writeup.

Also, while we’re on the subject of backend buffoonery on Substack, if you want to be among the first to read my dining reviews when they publish versus wait for the re-release, you can subscribe and check out currently available write-ups on Gossip Point (Indian food truck) and Wild Rose Bakeshop. Here’s my 2026 special offer:

Get 26% off for 1 year

Colorado Craft celebrates its 8th anniversary, launches Colorado Springs Airport kiosk (finally)

“Our Craft Burger was the first thing we put on our menu,” says Chef/Co-owner Mario Vasquez of Colorado Craft Tejon Street Social. “We knew we had to have one, and it ended up helping us survive through Covid. It’s a reminder to stick to the basics and our belief in fresh ingredients. It’s why it’s at the front of everything we do.”

It’s also why the Craft Burger — with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and house Comeback Sauce — is at the focus of the restaurant’s 8th anniversary celebration. All day on January 22 (from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.) the Craft Burger will be just $10, down from the regular $17.50. And it will be paired, should you wish, with $4 beers from sister company Urban Animal Beer Co.

I was at Colorado Craft earlier this week to photograph next month’s Side Dish collaboration recipe with Ranch Foods Direct. Chef Mario is contributing his personal pozole recipe, handed down from his grandmother and in development since for the past 15 years. “I don’t think it’s ever going to be perfect, or done,” he says, telling me he makes it at home at least twice a year, making minor tweaks and playing with different, non-traditional garnishes.

While we’re chatting, I comment on Colorado Craft’s steadiness with a rarely-changing menu that hearkens back to The Ritz and its heyday in the ’90s and early aughts. (If you’re newer to town: The Ritz used to be in Colorado Craft’s space, operated by Concept Restaurants, who still runs José Muldoon’s and MacKenzie’s Chop House. In the old days, The Ritz was THE place for a Cosmo and convo. It’s where Chef Jay Gust of Pizzeria Rustica and Homa cut his culinary teeth.)

Mario says “it’s the curse of this building,” adding that people still come in asking for and even expecting items from the Ritz menu. Yes, eight years later.

In a way, Colorado Craft has dialed in an eclectic enough, catch-all menu to match consumer demands in the same approachable, relatively affordable way that The Ritz did in its day. Mario says he’s still trying to fully grasp the demographic, but they enjoy a good business-lunch crowd, reliable happy hour patrons and good dinner rush ranging from families to folks from the colleges and people just wanting to watch a sports game over the bar.

When they first opened, the menu catered more to casual fine dining. During Covid they literally pared down to burgers to run on a skeleton crew. When it was time to reboot full force they leaned more into a gastropub direction with greatest hits, comfort-food items. Mario revived his Cubano alongside the bestselling spicy chicken sandwich. They upgraded their mac & cheese into an entrée portion with optional protein add-ons. Of course there’s wings and nachos and french fry variations (including green chile smothered). But at lunch, the buttoned-up Cobb Salad among half a dozen others. Only sporadically will you find seasonal weekend specials, such as a recent short ribs entrée with winter accouterments for seasonal flavor.

What else is there to know about Colorado Craft right now, I ask. Mario mentions The Archives’ new social media push on Instagram. That’s been lots of videos featuring Bar Manager Shayne Baldwin and his crew breaking down cocktail components or riffing on something amusing, such as calling a bartender a mixologist. (The Archives is located in the basement of Colorado Craft, if ya’ didn’t know.)

Lastly — and this is something I’ve been monitoring since I first reported on it in October 2023 — Colorado Craft’s spot at the Colorado Springs Airport has finally opened as of Jan. 21, says Colorado Craft co-owner Bryan Bradigan, who I spoke a couple of weeks ago for my Tejon Revitalization blurb. He says it’s initially just bar service, with their food menu following sometime later in the year or so. Their concept will be sharing a kitchen with Brother Luck’s kiosk.

Relatedly, I had last reached out to the Airport’s PR people seeking updates in July 2025, and was told “the brands are still being discussed with the Airport. We don't have a final decision.” My question to them had been: “Drifter’s Hamburgers was on the original list for concessions coming, but they have since closed their sole location in town. I was wondering if that means they’re no longer planning to be a vendor at the airport?”

I messaged them again this week seeking updated info and timelines, but didn’t hear back by publishing time.

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Bites & Bits

• 707 Pizza Co., who launched last July at the Ed Robson Arena on CC’s campus — and I reported on here — appears to have permanently closed. Google has them listed as such, and reporting by the Gazette earlier this month placed 707 as temporarily closed. Several social media pages and websites have dark recently for both 707 and the owners’ original Penrose Pizzeria & Pub near Cañon City and Florence. The business didn’t respond for comments to the Gazette and I have yet to hear back from messages I left 707 this week as well. I also reached out to CC for information and didn’t hear back by publishing time.

• Codswallop has introduced a new item that’s apparently been a viral social media item in the past, born out of Chinese takeaway shops in Ireland. Called a Spice Bag, it’s “a mix of chicken, chippy chips, sliced onions and peppers, chip shop curry sauce, and a sprinkle of imported spice bag flavourings” according to their press release.

• Food Trucks Against Homelessness is looking for food trucks “to help serve our neighbors experiencing homelessness with care, dignity, and really good food.” Service is at Westside Cares, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Mondays; a $1,000 stipend covers 100-125 meals. More info here.

• Last week I wrote about taking a staycation at Hotel Polaris. Another local staycation deal happening now, FYI, is at The Mining Exchange Hotel, where, with a minimum two-night stay, they’re offering a $400 food and non-alcoholic beverage credit. It can be used at Oro and Golden Hour, which I recently wrote up here.

• “Shane in Los Angeles is weighing the pros and cons of opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant for his focaccia sandwich retail and catering concept.” That’s part of the episode description for a recent episode of the Wondery show How I Built This Podcast with Guy Raz. And the Shane mentioned is my pal and C. Springs-launched Chef Shane Lyons. The sandwich business noted is Vesti, which Lyons co-founded and co-owns. Give the episode a listen here.

• How would you like to crack open a can of cold beer brewed from recycled shower and laundry water?

• Gourmet magazine, dead since 2009, is being revived as an online newsletter.

• Even Mayor Yemi had things to say about news of Aldi coming to C. Springs.

Hoppenings of the week

Beer Events

Pint Night with Odell Brewing at PubDog: Jan. 23, 6 p.m. Pint night with Odell Brewing, featuring their Isolation Winter Warmer Ale, Off Leash Lager (Pub Dog’s own Lager!) and Mountain Standard IPA.

Battle Bots at Wackadoo Brewing: Jan. 24, 2 p.m. An officially regulated battle bot competition. Come enjoy the chaos with some delicious beers and BBQ.

Puzzles & Pints at RedLeg Brewing: Jan. 25, 2 p.m. Ready, set, puzzle! Join a speed jigsaw puzzle contest where teams go head-to-head. $22 entry includes a 500-piece puzzle to take home and two flagship pints.

Beer Releases

Nottacider Apple Ale at Lost Friend Brewing: It looks like a cider, drinks like a cider, and smells like apples, but it’s still beer.

C’s Get Degrees Session IPA at Peaks N Pines Brewing: Celebrate the end of Dry January with this crisp Northwest Coast IPA featuring Cascade, Chinook and Citra hops. Releases Jan. 26.

Curated by Brandon Heid and Gerry Reyes. For full listings of beer-related events and releases download the free Hoppenings app on Apple on Google.

Side Dish Dozen happenings

Gold Star Bakery: Valentine’s Cookie Kits now available for preorder. Reserve interactive kits online by Feb. 10 for pickup Feb 12-14 at Ivywild School. Enjoy hours of fun with 12 freshly baked sugar cookies, 3 piping-bags of house-made vanilla frosting and decorative sugars and sprinkles! Great for kids, date night and family-time. $24/kit.

Edelweiss: Join us in the Ratskeller for our NFL Playoff Championship Event, running 1-9 p.m., Jan. 25: Broncos vs. Patriots followed by Rams vs. Seahawks at 4:30. $25 tickets get you access to a special buffet and happy hour pricing on select drinks, plus entry into a raffle. Also, make Valentine’s Day reservations early — we fill up!

Kangaroo Coffee: We’re excited about many new developments as we’ve hopped into 2026! Stay tuned for updates on our growing partnership with Gold Star Bakery, a Pike Ride bike station, and about the buildout of our Hillside Coffee House! Meanwhile, stop in with your holiday gift card to treat yourself to our featured January beverages!

Allusion Speakeasy: The Stranger Things theme closes Jan. 25 downtown. Next up: Bar-kini Bottom (SpongeBob SquarePants) at the downtown location. Lord of the Rings returns to our Powers location Jan. 22. Wobbly Olive: Every weekday happy hour at both locations is 4-6 p.m.; all cocktails and beers are half off, plus $5 house wines.

Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar: Walking in the light... or joining the dark side? Either way, we’ve curated a special menu that flips the script on January. Choose your vibe with boozy or booze-free beverages this Dry January at Jax, where every choice is the right one. Catch happy hours, 4-5:30 p.m., Tuesdays-Sundays and all night Mondays.

Goat Patch Brewing: Stay in the know and download our new app! Live music with Deuces Wyld, Jan. 23, 5-7 p.m. in Monument. Join our laid-back social Singles & Mingles Mixer at Northgate, Jan. 24, 6-9 p.m.; $20 tickets include two pints and charcuterie. Bleating Heart Night with CASA, Jan. 27, 5-9 p.m. at Lincoln Center.

Upcoming events

Jan. 22: Colorado Craft 8 Year Anniversary. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; $10 Craft Burgers and $4 Urban Animal Beers.

Jan. 24: Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) wine certification courses at Ivywild School. WSET Level 1, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., $350; a foundational course with guided tastings, food pairing and an exam.

Jan. 24: Local Relic’s Small Brew Saturday. Noon to 4 p.m. New beer releases and light bites available.

Jan. 24: Cooking Class with Chef Brother Luck. 2 p.m., $65 includes instruction on the five French mother sauces, with companion tastings.

Jan. 27: Neon Poker Night(s) at Cocktails After Dusk. 6-9 p.m. every Tuesday. $5 drinks; get an extra $100 in poker chips per dry good donated to Care & Share.

Jan. 27: Passport to Veneto Wine Dinner at Pizzeria Rustica. 6 p.m.; $89, five courses, a portion of proceeds to benefit Ukraine Power.

Jan. 29: Sip With Schnip at Stellina. 6-9 p.m. Get $2 off select apps + $2 off boozy bevs + BOGO gelato. Any pizza + half salad for $20.26. Guests entered to win a $50 gift card or seat at the March Stellina Supper Club. Goodie bags for paid Side Dish subscribers.

Jan. 29: Jake & Telly’s European Wine Tour dinner. 6 p.m.; $99, five paired courses.

Feb. 2: Cocktails After Dusk's Title-Belt Championship, Round 3 at Caddie’s. 7 p.m.; $25 includes a welcome drink, samples of seven competition cocktails and more.

Feb. 4: WhistlePig Rare Whiskey Dinner at Viewhouse. 6:30 p.m.; $100 includes four paired courses.

Parting scoops

In anticipation of our Jan. 29 Sorseggia Con Schnip popup at Stellina, I ducked in to scope out the gelato selection last week. Because at the event the extended happy hours means gelato will be BOGO all evening! Anyway, we had a, um, large misunderstanding. But it all worked out in the end: