It’s no surprise that Denver loves brunch. In a city known for its laid-back attitude and proclivity for anything that can help you catch a nice buzz, brunch is a weekly must for many. That’s why there’s no shortage of options when it comes time to decide where to start your day-drinking in Denver.

From down-home style eats at old favorites to more refined indulgences at one of the many new restaurants that opened this year, Denver has had a delicious year of brunches. So settle in with a mimosa (or two) and get ready for the New Year with a look back at our favorite brunches of 2014. But be warned: these will make you hungry.

Note: this is a chronological list of past reviews, to see the most recent reviews scroll to the bottom. Also for your viewing pleasure, all photography was created by 303 Magazine

The Morning After: Brunch at Comida at The Source 

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Photo by Jackie Collins

Words by Molly Martin

What: Brunch filled with the flavors of Mexico with a healthy Southern influence

Where: Insdie RiNo’s artisan market, The Source, at 3350 Brighton Blvd., Denver, CO

When: 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. Sundays          

Pros: If you haven’t checked out The Source yet, brunch at Comida is the perfect excuse to get over there and explore the community of food and drink enthusiasts that is forming. Comida offers food that is familiar enough to be comforting but playful enough to make dining here a unique experience. The staff is a major pro too as they proved the day I visited: a frigid, snowy morning on which their pilot light had gone out. Despite the chill inside, the staff’s positive attitude (and plentiful cute hats) kept me smiling.

Cons: While many of the menu items sound interesting, the flavors didn’t always hit the notes I expected. The Lemon Queso Fresco Pancake, for example, was tasty in many ways. However the blueberry jalapeño syrup that accompanied it was missing the spicy, smoky notes I was hoping it would add and instead tasted simply sweet.

“Denver first became acquainted with  Comida by way of a big pink truck. The brightly colored taco truck has been serving up eats along the front range since 2010, and its location at The Source is its second stationary outpost.” Read the full review here.

 

The Morning After: Brunch at West Flanders Brewing Co.

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Photo by Camille Breslin

 Words by Molly Martin

What: A new brunch menu featuring beer infusion cocktails

Where: 1125 Pearl St., Boulder, CO

When: Sundays 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Pros: This brunch combines the kitchen skills and creativity of Chef Anthony Hessel (of Boulder’s Brasserie Ten Ten among other Boulder favorites) with craft beer from Brewmaster Brian Lutz (creator of Angry Monk). With a varied, but not overwhelming selection of menu items and beer infusions that lend a unique twist to the craft beer drinking experience, this brunch has the potential to become a new Boulder tradition.

Cons: While the food was solid and the beer and cocktails were refreshing, the atmosphere lacked energy. Although, I expect more  excitement to spread quickly to the staff and diners alike as it was easy to see Chef Hessel and co-owner Mark Heinritz’s enthusiasm for this newest addition to West Flanders.  

“Brunch is an untapped movement in Boulder,” according to Chef Anthony Hessel. But West Flanders Brewing Company is ready to change that. Unlike many restaurants that often add on a brunch as almost an after thought, this restaurant and brewery is taking on brunch with a passion for creating a relaxing, satisfying experience for this boozy weekend tradition.” Read the full review here.

 

The Morning After: Old Major’s Brunch

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Photo by Adam Ripplinger

Words by Molly Martin

What: A new brunch menu at from this popular Highlands restaurant that focuses on sustainable farmhouse cuisine (not to mention those in-house cured meats).

Where: 3316 Tejon St., Denver, CO

When: Saturdays and Sundays 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Pros: The atmosphere is a nice mix of rustic and trendy with touches like the open kitchen, curing room situated proudly in the dining area, and the chairs made from heavy, butcher-block like wood. But enjoying the space is secondary to the appeal of the refined comfort food coming out of the always-busy kitchen.

Cons: This is a straightforward brunch; there’s no theme and no bottomless cocktails. But the food is the star here, no gimmicks needed.

“Old Major and its Chef/Owner Justin Brunson have brought carnivorous delights to the Highlands. Now Brunson and his staff are bringing their butchering and curing skills to brunch with a newly launched menu filled with brunch classics made with care, local ingredients, and attention to detail.”  Read the full review here.

 

The Morning After: It’s Better on the BSide

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Photo by Camille Breslin

Words by Matthew Hedgepeth

What: BSide serves American comfort food with a twist

Where: 1336 E. 17th Ave., Denver, CO

When: Open Daily: 11 a.m.-1:30 a.m.- Brunch: Saturday and  Sunday: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Pros: “Topless” bottle service Mimosas and a regular, seasonally conscious menu that changes to guarantee topflight ingredients

Cons: Be prepared to see some of your favorites disappear from the menu. Rest assured the replacements will also be fresh, palatable fare—new favorites are always in the making.

“The BSide evokes a not-so-distant past when record labels were pop culture’s master puppeteers. When the time came for an artist’s compositions to be pressed and released for radio play, the label chose which song would feature as the promotional single on the 45 format. The artist, however, was often left to select the cut on the backside, or B-side, of the record.” Read the full review here.

The Morning After: Lou’s Food Bar Carries on American Traditions 

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Photo by Liz Zaharski

Words by Matthew Hedgpeth 

What: Lou’s Food Bar offer a classic brunch menu complete with breakfast staples and  American deli-inspired sandwiches

Where: 1851 West 38th Ave., Denver, CO

When: Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Pros: Excellent service and classy, clean décor. The stuffed beignets are exceptional. 

Cons: The bitter cayenne aftertaste of the Chicken and Waffle recipe.

“Frank Bonanno, a name synonymous with the Denver restaurant scene, opted for nostalgia on this go-round. Lou’s Food Bar in the Highlands was modeled off of Lou’s Hamburgers—in name, at least—a fast food joint that originally occupied the space in the late 1950s. All the way down to the script of the earlier establishment’s iconic neon sign, Lou’s Food Bar is the American diner of the twenty-first century. Having capitalized on the burgeoning retail market in the Highlands, the restaurant situates the ease of the drive-in within a modern interior design. A well-seasoned and happy staff round out an authentic experience of casual dining, serving mouth-watering, high quality fare.” Read the full review here.

The Morning After: Old and New Worlds Collide at Argyll Whisky Beer

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Photo by Lindsey Bartlett

Words by Matthew Hedgpeth

What: English and American cuisine with stiff drinks in an immaculate, modern, yet historically informed space.

Where: 1035 E. 17th Ave., Denver, CO

When: Brunch service Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Pro: The Buttermilk pancakes with marmalade and thin-sliced ham are a stunning representation of Argyll’s effort to satisfy the cosmopolitan’s modern tastes. 

Con: The beans in the English Breakfast are a bit on the dry side. 

“Drink slowly, speak warmly” beckons the Argyll Whisky Beer brunch menu–encouragement carried over from the Old World, where the city’s taverns and pubs have always been its nuclei. Proprietor Robert Thompson’s family hails from the western region of Scotland known as Argyll, hence the unique spelling of the restaurant’s name.”  Read the full review here.

 

The Morning After: Humboldt’s Triple Threat

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Photo by Lindsey Bartlett for 303 Magazine

Words by Matthew Hedgpeth

What: A brand new brunch menu that boldly declares unique ingredients and embraces the overarching principle of indulgence that defines the portmanteau meal.

Where: 1035 E. 17th Ave., Denver, CO

When: Brunch service Sun 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Pro: The signature Washburn oysters and fancy fried foods blend the best ends of the (typically) seaside restaurant spectrum. 

Con: The Classic Clam Chowder is the only offering not quite up to snuff. 

“Uptown’s Restaurant Row (17th Street from Broadway to City Park) is best explored on foot and a comfortably empty stomach. It is natural that steakhouses and burger joints abound there; it being Colorado, however, one wouldn’t necessarily expect to find a restaurant with seafood as one of its focal offerings, let alone with a direct reference to it in name. Enter Humboldt Farm-Fish-Wine.” Read the full review here.

The Morning After: Post Up For Brunch at The Post Brewing Co.

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Photo by Matthew Hedgpeth

Words by Matthew Hedgpeth

What: An affair of hot chicken and cold beer in a chic, roadhouse-esque family oriented brewpub that is steeped in Americana.

Where: 105 W Emma St., Lafayette, CO

When: Brunch service Sunday at 9 a.m.

Pro: A well-rounded menu that knows how good its beer list is. 

Con: The dining room is dark and can get noisy with the guest musicians that frequent the Sunday brunches. 

“Sure, driving 30 minutes outside the city is probably not the first thing to cross your mind on a Sunday morning. Under any different circumstance I’d probably grumble a bit, too—sometimes it’s all about saving a little face, lest one betrays the fragility of his hangover. But, then again, if this hypothetical situation involved going to Lafayette to check out the Post, you would have had me at beer and fried chicken. Out of fairness to the folks at the restaurant, the drive to Lafayette isn’t too daunting but if you’re still on the fence, I’ll spell it out: the trip is well worth the gas.” Read the full review here.