Street Feud has been successful at Avanti Food & Beverage since its opening last fall but chef and owner Merlin Verrier has bigger dreams for the international street food concept. Verrier has been in the restaurant industry for almost 28 years and his culinary endeavors include cooking a birthday dinner for former President Barack Obama, guest judging on MasterChef and working alongside celebrity chef Graham Elliot to help his Chicago restaurant receive six Michelin stars within four years. With all of that experience in his tool belt, Verrier opened Street Feud with the goal of providing Denver with the authentic, flavorful South East Asian and Mexican food he grew up eating made with high-quality ingredients. “We’re using all the same ingredients I’d be using in a fine dining restaurant,” he said. “Street food becomes kind of a sketchy adventure, though. Getting all the great flavors without the sketch is what we’re going for.” Though in order for Verrier to realize his dream, he needs a larger space. “To be able to fully offer the vision of what this concept is and what we believe it can become can only be experienced in a true brick and mortar,” Verrier said.
Come Summer 2020 Street Feud will move into the former El Diablo space at 101 Broadway – now part of the retail space underneath the newly renovated Quayle apartment building. “It’s like moving from your friend’s couch to your own four-bedroom house,” said Verrier, “we’re ready for that four bedroom house.” With more space comes more opportunity for the chef and his kitchen staff to get creative with the dishes they serve. “I like to get everyone’s opinion of what street food should be. I’m a big fan of collaboration and creativity,” he said.
As part of the expansion, Street Feud will offer a larger menu, beer and wine. Its current menu includes three options for each of the following categories: bao buns, tacos, bowls, flatbreads and salads. Once in the new space, two more options will be added to each section along with a lettuce wrap section and dessert section which will include an American staple – snow cones. “I think all of us have eaten a snow cone at a fair or on the street,” said Verrier.
Verrier will allow his passion for art to shine through in this expanded space in several unique ways. The first is through the artwork on the walls that will constantly alternate out and be auctioned off with all the proceeds going to the artist’s charity of choice. Verrier is also a big fan of thrifting so each employee will be able to pick out a shirt from a thrift store to get screen-printed with the Street Feud logo and wear as their “uniform.” “My goal is to become a lifestyle brand,” he said, “I think that starts with the art and we’ll see where it goes from there.”
As Street Feud grows into the concept that Verrier and the team envision, you can rely on it for great street food. Keep an eye out for the new location on South Broadway coming in summer 2020 and until then, enjoy the Avanti location.
You can stay up to date with the move by following Street Feud on Instagram.
Street Feud is currently located at 3200 N Pecos St., Denver. Open Sunday – Wednesday 11 a.m.- 9 p.m. and Thursday – Saturday 11 a.m.- 10 p.m. Street Feud’s new location will be at 101 S. Broadway, Denver.
All photography by Lauren Magin.