Staycation or Date Night – The Kimpton Claret Hits the Mark

The new 19-floor hotel conveniently near Belleview Station offers guests finer amenities and nearly 360° views from the Cherry Creek Reservoir to the Front Range mountains. Despite being away from the city, The Kimpton Claret Hotel boasts two delightful dining options and is in the perfect location to become a secret local spot for a night away, girls night or a great prime time date spot. Let’s check out the rooftop dining and main restaurant with a behind the scenes look.

Photo by Whit Preston

Located next to the lobby in the Kimpton Claret you will find Saverina – the hotels take on Modern Italian cuisine offering wood-fired pizzas, rustic pastas, and freshly caught fish. We caught up with Assistant General Manager Crystal Wilson and she explained, “We are very lucky for how Kimpton chose to design the space, as there is less of a chance of guests feeling like they are in a hotel lobby than a hotel guest feeling like they are in a restaurant. The space was very thoughtfully put together with that in mind. Having the front desk tucked off to the side really helps separate the two.” Saverina showcases a vibrant atmosphere with options for intimate dining or larger parties – offering a menu from breakfast all the way to dinner. The bar boasts a hearty wine menu that Crystal explains, “the wine list at Saverina is primarily Italian but has a section of Stateside red and whites along with International Heavy Hitters section. There you can find iconic wines from here and around the world respectively.”

Whether you are making a quick stop in for a date night, or catching up with friends – the menu hits all the cravings from light to heavy. Start out with the Fresh Mozzarella with Chili Crunch – fried bread, charred scallion puree, bee pollen, purple basil and Villa Manodori balsamic – presenting a creamy and slightly sweet appetizer with balanced heat and just enough complexity. Or go for the Tuna Carpaccio with Semolina Fried Sweetbreads topped with fennel pollen and crispy capers – this dish starts light and fresh before it leans into a rich, buttery and umami combination. Next stop would be to pick out a wood-fired sourdough pizza to share – The ODB features spring onions, spicy ‘nduja, salt cured olives and anchovies which makes for a salty, spicy and satisfying bite. You can also find in house made seasonal pasta offerings such as the White Corn Ravioli with Heirloom Tomatoes – slow roasted corn, white truffle and brown butter – and date night worthy dishes like the Charred Hangar Steak with sea salt, fried potatoes, arugula, ‘nduja-honey and salsa verde.

Rooftop Lounging

With the option to start or end your visit with the 19th floor rooftop bar Halo, the choice is yours for light bites and cocktails or an all inclusive experience. Crystal notes, “Halo will have both a food and beverage menu that rotates seasonally. Currently our menus are inspired by the flavors and textures of Asia! Our lead bartender, Evren Bora, loves playing with infusions and uses a lot fun techniques to build the menus for both Halo and Saverina.” Some of the most loved options are “Tequila Mockingbirds – Espolon Blanco tequila, marigold, hibiscus, lime and soda; and Halo Halos – Roku gin, ube, coconut, jackfruit, eggwhite and soda, BUT there are almost always a couple glasses of wine at each table as well.” Halo Rooftop bar offers year round indoor and outdoor dining – complete with firepits and spacious seating outside.

Presenting more of a sharing vibe, the food options at Halo are a variety of small plates perfect for the pre dinner setup, such as the Dungeness Crab Fried Rice – cucumber, avocado, mizuna, cured yolk – or a classic Little Gems Wedge Salad with double smoked bacon, cherry tomatoes, radish, pickled onion, wasabi and blue cheese dressing. Maybe you need something a little heavier after dinner and a few drinks? Share the Brisket Griddle Burger – double patty with lettuce and sweet onion, served with Sage fries.

Insider tip to ensuring a proper time whether you are a guest of the Kimpton Claret or just looking to try something different, Crystal said “In both venues we mention visiting the other one for which ever meal/experience the guest might be looking for. A big one is letting hotel guests that are at Halo late night know that we have a great breakfast. I always recommend having dinner in Saverina before heading up to Halo to get that base needed to drink more! Sometimes you can head up there and forget to eat, even with the bites we offer upstairs.” Regardless of your reason for visiting, we suggest you take the time to do a little yapping, take in the views and the chance to feel like you’re somewhere different than Denver – because after all – even the locals need to getaway sometime.

The Kimpton Claret Hotel is located at 6985 E Chenango Ave., Denver. Halo Rooftop is open Wednesday – Friday 4 p.m. – 11 p.m. and Saturday – Sunday 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. Saverina is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner – check hours on its website.

All photos courtesy of Saverina and Halo Rooftop on Instagram.

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