Food Matters: A Sampling of Healthy Eating Options in Denver

Welcome to spring in Denver! There’s never been a better time to explore healthier dining options in the Denver area than now. From our expansive farmers’ markets opening, to our well-stocked local supermarkets, to fresh and healthy dining chains, to our grand vegan and vegetarian restaurants, there’s no end to discovering a way to eat fresh, delicious, and locally sourced foods than right now.

Native Foods

Upon walking into Native Foods, I’m not sure I would have had a clue this is a chain. While you do order from a counter, it does not have the feeling that it’s part of a chain. Seating is expansive and comfortable. Parking can be a little difficult, as the restaurant is surrounded by many other smaller stores and two large hotels.

We decided to start this culinary adventure with the Nachos, crispy chips covered with all the ooey, gooey, salty, and spicy ingredients you’d expect from a hearty gathering of corn tortilla chips. Most surprising to my two dining companions, whose palates had not experienced vegan dining, were the cashew cheese and the plant-based taco meat. The cheese had a pleasant umami flavor, and the texture was smooth. While lighter in color than beef, the taco meat had a ground-beef texture and provided a flavorful addition to a rendition of classic nachos.

The BBQ Brisket Burger looked like a solid, beefy burger. Upon portioning, it still looked like a beefy burger. The BBQ sauce was tangy and slightly spicy, with an onion ring and plant-based provolone on top, and a creamy-tangy southern slaw beneath the patty. The toasted pretzel bun was substantial enough to support the burger components.

The Cauliflower Chickpea Shawarma Bowl reminded us of a super fresh salad and would have been great as a shared first course, filled with chickpeas, quinoa, tomato, cucumber, mint, parsley, and a creamy ranch. Lastly was the Chicken, Bacon, and Avo Club. It was perhaps the least reminiscent of its doppelganger. The plant-based bacon didn’t taste or look much like bacon, to our eyes and taste buds, nor did the plant-based chicken. Add all the fresh vegetables, sauce, and freshly toasted bun, it was a hearty sandwich, for sure. 

Dessert was mixed as well. The Oatmeal Cream Pie had two large oatmeal cookies which were sweet, with a good crumb, but the filling was bland. A bit (more?) of vanilla would have made it perfect. The Peanut Butter Parfait was wonderful, with layers of graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter mousse and chocolate chips. The Key Lime Parfait was good. While the key lime-ness was spot-on, the mousse was a bit runny. 

Lastly, the refreshments were a real surprise. The Watermelon Slush was a summer’s dream made with real watermelon. We all took advantage of free refills, like the Lavender Lemonade and three different freshly made ice teas. 

City, o’ City

With a tagline of “Denver’s favorite vegetarian restaurant,” my regular dining companion and I were excited to visit. On a warm and sunny Sunday afternoon, it wasn’t hard to find the place. On the corner of 13th and Sherman, just a stone’s throw from the Capitol, you will immediately know this place looks like fun. It was packed, both inside and outside, where there is an extensive outdoor seating area. Inside, the decor was funky, artsy, and welcoming. We had the chance to sit at the large communal table in the middle of the front dining room and were glad we did, as I had a view directly into the kitchen or the bar, depending. 

Owned and operated by Jennifer Byers, Hannah Kuehl, and Lauren Roberts, the restaurant uses local produce whenever possible, and even have their own urban micro farm which provides much of their produce in the summer. 

My dining companion spotted the Ravioli and had to try it. It honestly is one of the most delicious renditions of a fried ravioli I’ve ever had. The inside was filled with a creamy combination of roasted mushrooms, artichokes, and a cashew ricotta. In combination with the perfectly deep-fried crispiness of the wonton, it was culinary perfection. Served with a side of a house-made basil pesto, neither one of us needed it. 

The Breakfast Burrito was my main course of choice. It came out, and we both gasped. It was huge. Perhaps it didn’t need to be. The bulk of the filling was fried potatoes and not much of the other ingredients. The plant-based scrambled eggs were dead-on for scrambled eggs and were delicious. It was covered in a hearty helping of a spicy-earthy green chili sprinkled with vegan cotija cheese.

We shared the Chophouse Burger, in the desire to sample a comparable burger to what we’ve had elsewhere. It was every bit as delicious, but different. The burger here was made of vegetables, sunflowers seeds and walnuts, and every bit as texture worthy as any other burger. Combined with the other goodies like crispy onions, vegan cheese, and house-made steak sauce, it was incredibly satisfying.

We had room for one dessert to share and given my companion’s penchant for chocolate, we had the house-made Ho-Ho Cupcake. The cake was dense and moist, with the center filled with a smooth vanilla “cream.” Topped with a chocolate ganache that was perfectly tempered, it was a perfect bite, no matter how we divvied it up.  divvied it up.  

Leevers Locavore

It’s a grocery store. It’s a place to order freshly made dishes. It’s a place to get a hot and fresh cappuccino. It’s a place to sip a glass of your favorite red wine. It’s the superhero of supermarkets! Most importantly, its neighborhood market provides top-notch, locally sourced produce, meats and other healthy groceries for the Highlands neighborhood and beyond. 

Originally established in North Dakota, the chain arrived in Colorado in 1983. This store opened with great fanfare in 2019 and is decidedly distinct from its closest competitors, like Whole Foods. A bar serving wine, beer, coffee, and other soft drinks greets guests as they enter. The shopping carts feature a drink-holder positioned in the front-right corner of the cart, encouraging guests to grab a beverage and enjoy while perusing the aisles.

While carting through fresh produce, at the back as you enter are micro-restaurants serving up fresh dishes, to include Basil Doc’s Pizzeria, One Two Three Sushi, and Oscar’s Eats. If a fresh pizza or sushi isn’t in the offing on your trip, make sure you travel through every aisle. I experienced deja vu, growing up in Minnesota like I did, where we had access to one of the great grocery store chains, Byerly’s. In a smaller package, Leevers Locavore is every bit as impressive. I had no intention of purchasing anything, yet there I was, picking up items I hadn’t ever seen in my local markets. (OK, it’s Parker, don’t judge.) 

Then I got to the meat department. I nearly passed out. Most of the products—bacon, sausage, chicken breast, ground beef, pork, and lamb—come from chef Justin Brunson’s own River Bear American Meats, which only uses family farm- and naturally-raised animals. The cuts of meat are extensive. But Brunson wants you to have goose and rabbit and prosciutto to eat, too, and so he brought in a smattering of meats from his favorite (also responsibility-minded) brands. Charcuterie galore. And the cheese selection!

I can share a couple items only found at Leevers that I have since prepared. The handmade beef pot pie was scrumptious. The handmade, hand-formed crust was hearty and the beef filling, with a sprinkling of vegetables, was the pinnacle of umami flavoring. I also prepared the pumpkin and sage ravioli, which I paired with an alfredo sauce. Fresh ravioli pasta surrounded the delicate pumpkin and sage filling, which was dense and delicious. 

Fresh, healthy, delicious, and locally sourced ingredients—All three establishments offer some of the best of all four elements. Denverites, enjoy!