Who’s Hungry? Three New Restaurants to Quench our Hunger in 2018

Well, who’s surprised? There are about a million new spots opening up in 2018, each representing its own shard of the mosaic that has become Denver, the city of transplants. But before you start ranting about traffic, rent prices, and the number of times you’ve had to explain the difference between Indica and Sativa, let’s pause to appreciate the variety of experiences Denver now has to offer.

If you’re anything like me, this culture of constant openings and closings leaves you with a bad case of FOMO and a little bit of vertigo, so let’s get a jump on 2018 and see three restaurants set to open in the new year.

The Grateful Gnome
4300-4344 W. 44th Ave., Denver

One might say that The Grateful Gnome owner Dan Appell is a “Friend of the Devil” for dreaming up the sinfully brilliant combination of New Jersey-style Italian deli and craft brewery. Deadhead and New Jersey native, Appell grew up working in his father’s deli, and he plans to include 50 family-based sandwich recipes on the Grateful Gnome’s menu. He and head brewer Bess Daugherty are also plotting to brew up to 13 types of beer on site.
Daugherty has a formidable passion for brewing, which is especially necessary as a woman in the brewing industry. As recently as 2012, when Daugherty was getting started, only about four percent of the 161 breweries in Colorado employed a female brewer. That number has increased since then, and Daugherty has certainly helped pave the way for women in the industry, citing the help of events such as Women’s Collaboration Brew Day, whose fifth annual occurrence is coming up in March 2018.

Daugherty has known Appell for many years, since she worked with him at a liquor store and later at Wynkoop Brewing, and she said that he has been talking about opening his own unique deli-brewery since she met him. His dream hasn’t been without obstacles, though. Mere weeks before the planned opening of the Grateful Gnome, a massive piece of scaffolding punctured the roof, barely missing Daugherty and dramatically postponing the opening until January 2018.

But they’ll keep on truckn.’

Anecdote
955 Bannock St., Ste. 100, Denver

“Above all else: community.”

Creator Emily Hurd says it best in her biography on the art-centric website for her café, where she and the rest of the Anecdote team are listed as the “Cast of Characters.” Hurd’s brain-child, Anecdote is so much more than just a café. It was thoughtfully fashioned to inspire artists of all types and to encourage collaboration, networking, and skillshare. Even the cocktails speak to the artistically-minded: drinks like the Writer’s Block and the Work in Progress may provide the extra push a project needs to transform from idea to reality.

Hurd is a pastry chef, wedding cake designer, and all-around brilliant artist, and she is never short on ideas. Even though Anecdote just opened, Hurd and her team have already held several DIY and crafting workshops, including succulent-planting and antler-making, and Hurd says they are going full steam ahead on programming events for the coming year.

In addition to continuing weekly DIY workshops, or open-ended “create-stations,” and Artist Happy Hours, Anecdote is planning independent film screenings, music video launches, and live performances from local musicians, poets, and story-tellers. During performances, there will be options to sit family style and eat meals together with other audience members and performers. Keep Anecdote in mind if you’re considering bringing your talent to the community. Even if you’ve only ever performed for your shower head or your dog, Anecdote will provide a welcoming environment to begin your burgeoning career. Or maybe you’re an old pro at performing, but you want to get some real feedback from other artists who share your passions.

Whatever way you spin it, Anecdote is gearing up to be a creative hub.

“To us, places of food and drink are places to commune, and we want the creative community to feel welcome and encouraged to gather here and build something together,” Hurd said.

In-N-Out Burger–TBD

I would be remiss to write an entire article about food coming to Colorado without mentioning the much-anticipated arrival of In-N-Out Burger. But before you get too excited, Denver won’t actually see any stores for another few years. In-N-Out Burger is currently under contract to build the distribution center in Colorado Springs, which will support 50 restaurants. After the distribution center is built, the Colorado Springs store will be built, shortly followed by stores in Denver and other surrounding cities, and then the frenzy will commence!