Welcome back to our monthly Dig Into Denver series. At the beginning of each month, we’ll deliver a food and beverage-based itinerary for the best ways eat and drink your way through the city — including what’s recently opened and what’s worth celebrating for no reason at all.
Bookmark this page to reference these Denver food events all month long, and let us know in the comments what Denver food events you’d like to see included in Dig Into Denver this November.
Newly Open
These are notable restaurants, coffee shops and bars that opened in Denver last month. For locations that we expect to open before the end of the year, click here.
QuickFish
Photo by Rachel Adams Photography
The Lowdown: As Bamboo Sushi gets its own brick-and-mortar restaurant down the street, QuickFish arrived this month in its place upstairs at Avanti. This poke place is focused on sustainable seafood with many of the same flavors you loved from Bamboo Sushi — they’re owned by the same folks.
Don’t Miss: We have a round-up of the menu here, but don’t miss the Scallop Bowl ($14) with bay scallops, avocado, sweet onion, cucumber, green onion, habanero masago, crispy shallots and yuzu vinaigrette.
Wewatta Point
Photo courtesy of Wewatta Point.
The Lowdown: More seafood docked in Denver last month, this time in LoDo with Wewatta Point. Owned by the same restaurant group as Public School 303 next door, this seafood spot reminds of us a true coastal locale.
Don’t Miss: The crab cake ($17) and lobster roll ($25) are both so stuffed with fresh seafood that they put many we’ve had to shame. But even though it’s a seafood restaurant you can’t miss the Point Burger ($15) smothered in pimento cheese. See all of our favorites here.
Soul Kitchen
Photo by Danielle Webster
The Lowdown: This southern food stop on Colfax just opened a second, larger location in Lakewood. The menu is the same at both locations, but you can appreciate the room that comes with a space that’s almost double the size of the original.
Don’t Miss: All of the weekend specials aren’t to be skipped, including southern-fried okra and seafood gumbo. See more of our favorites— and some fried chicken glamour shots — here.
The Inventing Room Dessert Shop
Photo courtesy of The Inventing Room.
The Lowdown: After closing last November from complications with its lease, The Inventing Room Dessert Shop is back in a new location — this time, at SloHi Village on 29th and Tennyson.
Don’t Miss: Bring on the nitro. Chef Ian Kleinman makes creative concoctions like nitrogen-dunked carrot cake ice cream sandwiches or a rootbeer float with exploding whipped cream.
The Bindery
The Lowdown: This 4,000 square-foot restaurant is European eatery meets urban marketplace. Think freshly baked bread and homemade jams in the front and creative dishes inspired by owner Linda Hampsten Fox’s Czech upbringing in the back.
Don’t Miss: There’s a menu full of dishes you’ve never experienced. One of our favorites is in the works in the photo above — the charred octopus agua chile negra ($19) with a sauce made from a blend of charred tortillas, habaneros and celery and lime juices. See more here.
Excuses to Celebrate
There’s a lot to celebrate for no reason in November. If prepping for Thanksgiving hasn’t left you stuffed, we have more for you. And, stay tuned for Thanksgiving tips and openings later this month.
November 1-3: Denver International Wine Festival
Photo by Delmy Gooch
The Lowdown: This wine festival was named one of the “Best Wine Festivals in America” by Food & Wine Magazine. Back for its 13th year, this festival features a tasting of more than 400 wines, beers and spirits.
Don’t Miss: The DIFW Grand Tasting is on Friday from 4 to 9 p.m., with more than 80 wineries in one room. Nothing says T.G.I.F. quite like that.
November 3: National Sandwich Day
The Lowdown: Listen — we’re never going to pass up an excuse to dig into a good sandwich. We hope you feel the same.
Don’t Miss: Whether you’re in the mood for a sandwich full of fried chicken or ice cream, there’s one for you out there. (Also, if you want to celebrate hungover a day late on Saturday morning, many of our favorite hangover cures are sandwiches).
November 5: National Cappuccino Day
Photo by Glenn Ross.
The Lowdown: Keep it easy like Sunday morning by treating yourself to a cappuccino from one of Denver’s many, many coffee shops.
Don’t Miss: If you’re looking to shake up your routine, check out our list of under-the-radar coffee shops and brace yourselves for a true caffeine buzz.
November 10-18: First Bite — Boulder County Restaurant Week
Photo by Alexandra Palmerton
The Lowdown: If there was ever an excuse to get up to Boulder and explore the dining scene, this is it. During First Bite — Boulder County’s restaurant week — more than 50 of the area’s top restaurants offer three-course, pre-fixe tasting menus for $29.
Don’t Miss: The list of the restaurants — and each menu — is being updated daily on the event’s website —including new restaurants like Emmerson.
November 14: National Guacamole Day
Photo by Rachelle Foos
The Lowdown: This is perhaps the only day that it is socially acceptable to say “Rock Out with Your Guac Out.” Bring it on.
Don’t Miss: There’s a lot of great guacamole in the city, but we can’t resist the Los Chingones-style Guacamole with rattlesnake chorizo, pickled jalapenos, cotija cheese and guajillo oil.
Eat Well, Give Back
Denver is a giving community, and there are countless events every month benefitting non-profits across the city. However, in Dig In, we specifically highlight food and beverage events that supporting food-focused causes and non-profits — those that tackle hunger, service industry assistance and more.
November 1-30: Great Divide’s Tap Room Giving
When: All month, November 1-30
The Lowdown: For the entire month of November, grab a sample Great Divide Brewing Co. flight of three four-ounce tasters for $6 and all proceeds will be donated to the Food Bank of the Rockies and Metro Caring.
November 15: Slow Food Fundraiser at Pizzeria Locale
Photo courtesy of Pizzeria Locale
When: Wednesday, November 15, 4 – 10 p.m.
The Lowdown: On November 15, visit Pizzeria Locale’s location at 550 Boardway for dinner to support Slow Food Denver. Mention that you’re dining out for Slow Food and 50 percent of your purchase will be donated to the organization’s community programming to build school gardens, support local food producers and more.
November 30: Dine Out to End Childhood Hunger
Photo courtesy of Cooking Matters
When: Thursday, November 30 — all day
The Lowdown: Eat at one of the many restaurants participating in Dine Out to End Childhood Hunger to benefit Cooking Matters Colorado — a non-profit that teaches families how to feed their children healthy meals on a $10 per day budget. Participating restaurants are donating 10-20 percent of proceeds for the day to the cause.