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Por Favor Tacos' hospitality-forward approach carries it to second location; "poppable" Rocky Mountain Beignets; make Ephemera's pork belly; discover new spring menus + food & drink news
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.”
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.
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.
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)
Thanks for opening my eyes to Rocky Mountain Beignets… your coverage and script gets better and better..
It might be time for a list of places in town who don't source from Sysco so we know they'll at least taste unique. There needs to be more pushback to their almost-monopoly making every place taste the same.