Sips and sounds
Thrashers anchors another cool music venue downtown; Bittersweet to pair coffee and a performance venue on the West Side; Edelweiss at Christmas + food & drink news briefs and events
It’s the first Friday in December and I’m belatedly catching my first show at Thrasher’s Bar. My friends’ band Antivirus is part of the night’s lineup and they have a large crowd nodding heads and dancing in place, that is until the most peaceful, Gen X, middle aged white dude mosh pit forms and gently bumps shoulders to the tunes. (Everybody move, nobody get hurt.) The set ends, shots are had, hugs are given and we disappear back out into the cold night, warmed by the whole experience.
Thrasher’s opened this past July in the former Zodiac space that had turned into an expanded Green Line Grill for a time. Green Line Owner Bobby Couch — who’s part of whatever’s happening at the Navajo Hogan space that remains under renovation — retreated back to his original footprint. A pass-through window remains between Green Line and the bar, so you can still enjoy their awesome burgers on the Thrasher’s side. It opens daily at 1 p.m. and stays open until 10 weekdays and as late as 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays during live music performances. If you ever need a bite outside those hours, the Thrasher’s team might make you a grilled cheese for a couple bucks or serve you some chips and an Uncrustables snack.
For drinks, look for a mix of craft and domestic drafts and cans ($4-$6), including Goat Patch and Red Leg brewing beers plus $3 PBR all the time. Weekday happy hours from 3-6 include $1 off beers and well drinks. Mid-shelf spirits cost around $9 and signature cocktails average $12. There’s also an N/A list that includes a few house mocktails. (And jokes on you if you order a pour of the $25, barrel-aged Jeppson’s Malort which widely retails for just a few bucks more per bottle; it’s a playful poke that exists for a laugh, though I’m told people do order it.)
Connor and Dania O’Neal are behind the bar venture. Connor’s best known locally as the singer and banjo player from the popular local trashgrass (punk/bluegrass) band Tejon Street Corner Thieves. (They’re next playing the bar on New Year’s Eve.) Dania hails from a deep industry background that includes recent management of the Triple Nickel Tavern. And she formerly traveled as a stage hand with major touring acts, having first gotten a degree in show production.
I returned to Thrasher’s last week to sit down with Connor and chat over a drink, and he further describes his and his wife’s breakdown of responsibilities as “she’s the business side and I do the music and social media.” He says they were both ready to work for themselves and be their own bosses, calling himself “too headstrong to work with others.” He also elaborated on some of what I’d read in an earlier interview the Gazette, about them both growing up skateboarding and listening to music. That informs the name and design scheme, complete with artfully designed custom boards hung on walls around the whole space. (Here’s a quick scavenger hunt for you: find the Tejon Street Corner Thieves deck as well as The Black Sheep and What’s Left Records boards as you tour around.)
In a first for Colorado Springs, they’ve also installed a huge (read: lengthy) fingerboard skatepark on the rail of a half wall above a bank of booth seating. I didn’t know what those were until being introduced to them here. They’re literally miniature skateparks complete with platforms, rails, ramps and bookend half pipes, on which riders use their fingers to ride mini skateboards. Thrasher’s sells Tech Deck boards near the bar (click that link to get a good visual of someone doing tricks). Connor makes me feel a little better about being out of touch by telling me that a lot of people didn’t know what fingerboarding was until seeing it here. (Phew. Greetings my fellow uncool bretheren.) He found a local builder on Reddit to construct the outsized park and they’ve hosted one skate competition since opening. There’s a smaller park near the rear bathrooms and another small park currently under construction with a tentative January installation date.
“We think this shit’s cool and want our bar to be edgier but also welcoming and friendly,” he says. “We don’t want to scare people away.”
Though there’s a fair amount of punk, metal and hardcore bands booked that aren’t everyone’s speed, Thrasher’s also hosts softer acts like bluegrass groups. Connor says he’s open to all styles. They just don’t want to encourage cover bands unless it’s on a specific theme night. The fair $10 cover charge for a night worth of music on weekends doesn’t feel unwelcoming or burdensome when we pay it. Periodic Sunday matinee shows are aimed at the under 21 crowd (until 9 p.m.) to include that demographic. Mondays bring show-and-tell nights and Tuesdays usher in bingo, with prizes such as tickets to Black Sheep shows.
“Even though we’re a dive,” says Connor, “we want to put on an air of professionalism with our music.” He notes providing good maps, load-in schedules and beer for the bands, and working with his extended network from Tejon Street Corner Thieves touring to draw good talent in. Black Sheep owner Geoff Brent will send other bands his way if they can’t take them; they have a close working relationship. It’s a testament to some of the long time camaraderie among our local music community, into which Thrasher’s fits in seamlessly.
Shots and beats
Look for the opening sometime in January of Bittersweet Coffee and Venue, located diagonally across the street from Summa and within eyesight of Frankly Coffee. It comes to us via Lance Dunlap, owner, jeweler and piercer at Kind Find Jewelry & Piercing, also just doors away from Bittersweet.
Dunlap’s also a touring DJ, mostly working with a group of rappers out of Nashville, he tells me. Which begins to explain Bittersweet’s music component. He says the artists love performing at smaller spaces where they can better interact with audiences, and they’ve often talked about creating even more intimate experiences. Such as exclusive VIP nights, capped to 100 people, where they could play but also offering a form of storytelling and behind-the-scenes access — something casual and really special for fans.
Bittersweet might land one of those “A-listers” every so often through Dunlap’s music industry connections; he tells me he’s also been a promoter and booker over the years. But on other nights weekly he aims to keep his new venue bustling with everything from open mic and jazz nights to local and touring live acts on weekend nights. The space, a former tire shop that’s taken eight months of renovations to gut and rebuild, will top out at 150 people. That’s 80-100 in a modular rear performance room and the overflow in a front cafe space as well as a wide patio in warmer months.
It’s small, with the feeling of a DIY venue, but rest assured there’s actually adequate egress and Dunlap’s doing this above board. At a recent private event, invite-only with area musicians, he was able to do a dry-run of sorts ahead of opening doors. He says the feedback was overwhelmingly positive, that he’s been getting supportive and encouraging messages in the days since. “I didn’t go into this having done business research,” he tells me when I inquire about his projected demographics and the Springs’ saturation point for supporting venues. “I was thinking ‘how can I add something to the community, and not about what’s here already.’”
One might ask a similar question in terms of being a stone’s throw from Frankly with Bittersweet’s coffee cafe, and not far from established spots like Jives and Carnelian in OCC. (Though let’s celebrate that we’re talking about all local, independent places versus a Starbucks and a Starbucks, as used to the case downtown years ago.)
It turns out Frankly plays a small part in this story, as Dunlap, who lives directly in the neighborhood, befriended a barista named Joshua Slama who was working at Frankly for a stint. After Slama left, Dunlap approached him to create a smart coffee program for Bittersweet and manage the cafe component.
“When I watched him at Frankly, I saw that customers were noticeably happier,” says Dunlap. “I like the energy he brings to a place in a cool, funky way. He’s professional but has fun. It’s a good mix. And he kicks ass at making drinks. I support his art.”
Slama carries a decade experience in the coffee biz, seven years of that in Sacramento, where he was also a roaster at a place named Milka. He became an espresso technician during that time as well, so he’s one of the rare people you’ll find in our direct area who’s capable of working on shops’ fussy (and expensive) machines. Oh, and he’s bartended too, so he’s familiar with the late-night culture behind a bar counter as well.
I talk to him about what type of coffee culture he wants to establish at Bittersweet and it’s definitely on the craftier side but nothing too pretentious or uninviting to average people. “I want to keep it simple with classic espresso drinks,” he says, noting he’ll likely offer one seasonal item too. Something like a Japanese sweet potato and salted caramel latte he’s tentatively planning to open with for a winter flavor.
The batch brew will likely be Loyal Coffee’s Double Zero Blend and he plans to use their Number One Decaf as well. He mentions a second batch option from Roseline Coffee (out of Portland) and a desire to highlight single-origin beans from rotating roasteries. So on any visit, a guest might have three to four choices, some on pourover.
They’re looking at procuring pastries from spots like Provision or La Baguette and possibly hosting food trucks in their front parking lot to support more substantial food options on show nights. (Then again, Summa is right there and I’ve always been a fan of the spot.) They’ve yet to apply for a liquor license so that’s easily many months away at the earliest. (Again, Summa is right there meanwhile.) Coffee cafe hours at Bittersweet will be something like 6 or 6:30 a.m. to 2 or 3 p.m. at opening, says Slama.
Scratch focused and extra special at Christmas
Step inside one of the Springs’ most beloved restaurants as we sit down with Dieter Schnakenberg, owner and general manager of Edelweiss Restaurant, to explore how his family transformed a rundown property into an authentic German dining destination that’s become a cornerstone of the community. (Revisit this story if you need a primer; Edelweiss is a Side Dish Dozen member and supporter.)
In this short sit-down with us, Schnakenberg places a focus on making almost everything in house from scratch daily, including traditional German dishes, soul-warming soups and an incredible array of European pastries. The holidays are a particularly special time of the year to appreciate Edelweiss, as it takes nearly two weeks for them to decorate for Christmas. They roll out special drinks and sweets like their beloved stollen. Over the years, December has grown to be their busiest month of service all year.
Bites & Bits
• A new spot named The Happy Cow quietly opened in the former Pop Kitchen spot in Old Colorado City this past week. They’re promoting Ranch Foods Direct beef burgers; gluten-free chicken fritters; A2 milk from Colorado Cow for coffee drinks; seed oil-free cooking, utilizing beef tallow instead; and honey, maple syrup and coconut sugar in place of refined sugars. I haven’t visited yet, but I plan to soon.
• Wild Rose Bake Shop will celebrate its grand opening Dec. 19 at 119 E. Boulder St. downtown. It comes from the same mother-daughter team behind Toodles Tearoom across the street and promotes itself as Southern influenced and hospitality driven.
• Side Dish was featured by Inside the News in Colorado for its recent sit down with KRDO to discuss its Restaurant Roundup segment. “Honestly, kudos to KRDO management for sitting for such an interview,” writes Inside the News in Colorado’s Corey Hutchins. “They could have taken an easier route and said, ‘We think the segment speaks for itself’ or some other lame blowoff — and they didn’t.” If you’re not subscribed to Hutchins’ free Substack, I’ll again recommend it for staying abreast of happenings across Colorado’s media landscape. “It pokes and prods, critiques, and uplifts, and seeks to spark debate and a better understanding about the practice of local journalism” describes Hutchins by way of introducing readers to his work online.
• Applications remain open until Dec. 31 at Exponential Impact for a Survive & Thrive SPICE workshop for locally owned restaurants. Participants will get between $4,000-$10,000 (in exchange for gift cards) and a grant stipend. The gift cards will be distributed throughout local nonprofits. Attend an in-person application assistance session from 1-3 p.m., Dec. 29. Apply here.
• The Broadmoor was featured by the New York Times this week in an article titled 5 Glittering Getaways, Just in Time for the Holidays. The other four selected spots are in New Jersey, Vermont, Italy and Austria. In the Broadmoor’s writeup, the author notes the property’s annual gingerbread display, holiday music performances, and holiday meals at the hotel restaurants, including La Taverne’s Hanukkah menu.
• Westword named The Fifteen Best New Denver Restaurants of 2025. For her part, New Denizen selected 10 for her publication.
• You’d be forgiven if you aren’t familiar with the trade publication Pizza Today, which isn’t in my regular rotation. And I have to say on a first visit to their site I’m annoyed AF by popup ads that I couldn’t make go away and un-clickable page links, entirely ruining an attempted reading experience. (Man, I’m feeling whiney right now, but seriously fuck those ads.) But the reason I’m mentioning Pizza Today at all is they just announced the nationwide 2025 Pizza Industry Excellence (PIE) Awards Winners and among them in the Pizza Company of the Year - Mountain West Region is … wait for it … Pizzeria Rustica! Congrats to the Old Colorado City stalwart.
• I thought I had missed something when I saw a CBS News post titled Distillery in Colorado wins “America’s Greatest Whiskey” award at International Spirits Competition. The winner is Talnua Distillery out of Arvada, and the article is dated Dec. 10 by way of an “updated on” note which does not indicate when the original post appeared. (Not helpful; not best journalism practices.) But I wasn’t recalling a recent spirits competition taking place, so I went digging and found that this all seems to be a reposting of awards announced in May of this year. Here’s a Forbes article, for example. It didn’t help that Talnua just reposted the CBS News content as if it were fresh info (why shouldn’t they, it’s a great promo), further confusing me for a moment. It would have helped also if in the CBS News article the writer had identified which 2025 International Spirits Competition and where and when it took place. There are multiple other prestigious 2025 International Spirits Competitions out there to be mixed up with. All of which makes this blurb I’ve just written more about less than excellent reporting and less about the whiskey in focus, which you can now read about in those article links if you haven’t already. Cheers.
Side Dish Dozen happenings
Bristol Brewing Company: Need a cool last minute gift? Spend $50 or more on Bristol swag in our Merch Store through Dec. 24 and get a free pint card! We have $25 mystery swag bags in festive wrapping paper containing Bristol goodies like t-shirts, souvenirs and free pint cards! Also, new 8 p.m. happy hour means $5 pints until close.
Four by Brother Luck: Attend a cooking demo with Chef Brother Luck that includes a three-course lunch. Holiday Dinner: Prime Rib & Potatoes au Gratin, Dec. 20, $65. Ring in the New Year: Surf & Turf, Dec. 27, $95. Book your next celebration or meeting at our Eleven18 Event Space. Catering for any occasion available.
Elephant Thai and Chaang Thai: We offer catering for your next big party or meeting. Enjoy a selection of authentic Thai beers with your meal, or Thai-inspired cocktails at Elephant Thai’s full bar. Extensive gluten-free and vegan menus always available.
Red Gravy: Meatball Mondays feature a $5 slider, $9 app, $12 sub or $16 spaghetti and meatballs. Wine Wednesdays bring half-off all bottles of wine. Happy hours, 4-6 p.m., Mondays-Thursdays, with half-off wines, drafts and well drinks plus apps on special.
bird tree cafe: We serve breakfast plates all day! You have to try the Rick & Morty or our biscuits and gravy. Vegan items available. Our awesome happy hour runs 3-6 p.m. daily, with half-off sandwiches and select entrées and drink specials like $4 beers, $6 Bloody Marys and a $7 espresso martini.
Stellina Pizza Cafe: Join us for Italian food on Christmas Eve! We’ll be open Dec. 24 from 3-9 p.m., serving up all the scratch-made classics like Italian Sausage Lasagna, Roman-style Pizza, Cacio e Pepe and much more... Buon Natale, amici!
Rasta Pasta: Join us for Wine-Down Wednesdays, where all house wines are two for one! Come in for our daily lunch specials until 3 p.m., ranging from $11 to $17 and including our killer garlic bread.
Upcoming events
Through Dec. 23: Christkindlmarket in Old Colorado City. Food vendors include Wimberger’s Old World Bakery, Bob’s Roasted Nuts and Germans Pretzelkings.
Dec. 18: American Culinary Federation Pikes Peak Chapter Holiday Happy Hour Mixer at The Warehouse. 4-7 p.m. A Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Chef Sigi Krauss.
Dec. 18: Cookies & Cocktails at Pure Distilling. 5:30-10 p.m.; $20 includes a cocktail flight and four macarons to pair.
Dec. 20: Local Relic’s Small Brew Saturday at The Carter Payne. Noon to 4 p.m.
Dec. 20: ‘Isa Pang Lasa’ (One Last Taste) dinner with Baon Supper Club at Good Neighbors Meeting House. 6 p.m.; $125 includes seven courses and takeaway treats.
Dec. 21: Winter Solstice Gathering at Flying Pig Farm. 3-5 p.m.
Dec. 24-25: There are several holiday meals to be had out if you aren’t doing the family thing, particularly on Christmas Eve. Make resos early.
Dec. 30: 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.
Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve prix fixe menus abound around town. Make resos early.
Parting shot(s)
Great seeing all of you who made it out to our Sip With Schnip popup at Kangaroo Coffee this past weekend. Many a chicken and waffles and biscuits and gravy plate were slain in the name of fine flavors and fun times. Seasonal coffee flights sipped superlatively next to Gold Star Bakery sweets. The tunes were super tasteful too.
We revisited Totem last week as guests of co-owner David Ferretís and bar manager Alejandro Martinez to try some newly added dinner-menu items. We also talked with them about the early challenges Totem has faced since launching in late October. They’ve addressed issues with service in particular, adapting to little things like being better at refilling water glasses. David joked at one point that at the home base in Mazatlán people don’t aggressively drink water like we do here. I remind him of our dry air and altitude in defense of our eager hydration practices.
Anyway, our food and drinks were roundly fantastic. We started with a pineapple mezcalita paired with a plate of Ceviche del Pacifico (tuna and shrimp in a Leche de Tigre sauce with avocado and tropical pico). Next came a mushroom and white wine creamy Risotto del Pacifico made with ancho chile shrimp fumet (stock) and served with head-on shrimp and roasted vegetables. Plus a carne asada steak sandwich on grilled house sourdough, with caramelized mushrooms, avocado, Dijon and a side of au jus for dipping. We drank the Cumbia de Agave cocktail with it, composed of reposado, cucumber juice and pineapple syrup with mint and tortilla salt garnishes.
For dessert: a lavender honey cream cheese corn flour muffin paired with a Carajillo. The muffin is nicely under-sweet and they aren’t shy on the cream cheese frosting portioning, which itself is also less sweet than expected. Lavender flower petals add both beauty and floral impact, heightening the honey’s wild flavor. All the baked goods we’ve so far tried from Totem have been great, but this one’s exceptional.
