New dinner spots and cocktail bars tend to be the hot seats around Denver, leaving lunch in their dust. However, there are some true gems to find for the midday meal. I found one in Gozo on South Broadway. The lunch menu from this Mediterranean-inspired restaurant features sandwiches, pizzas, soups, salads and a fantastic charcuterie platter with a rotating selection of cheeses and meats. On a recent visit, we sampled across the menu, enjoying a classic marinara pizza ($9) and the steak sandwich with fontina cheese ($12)—which are fantastic dishes in their own right. However, my fork kept finding its way back to the outstanding Brussels sprouts salad ($8).
The heaping bowl of shaved Brussels sprouts mingles with chopped Marcona almonds, egg, pecorino cheese, and a touch Dijon dressing. Each bite is a burst of tang met with crisp texture from the cool Brussels sprouts. My dining companion and I agreed this is a salad we could eat, not just for lunch, but all day long. Bonus: If the salad by itself isn’t enough for you, add grilled salmon ($6), chicken ($4), or steak ($6) to spike it with some protein.