Avanti – Italian for “forward” or “to move ahead” – is a progressive collective eatery closely resembling a tech incubator. With three locations, Avanti Food & Beverage leases professional kitchens to up-and-coming impassioned chefs looking to introduce their unique elevated flavors. As Hayley Edmisten, the Director of Marketing put it, it’s a “stepping stone to owning their own brick and mortar – a culinary think-tank for chefs to create gourmet dishes at affordable prices paired with great craft beer, cocktails and wine.” The Denver location opened its doors again in mid-March – this time with four new concepts.
With the recent facelift and new concepts, Travis Christ, Director of Operations told us they “are so excited to reveal Avanti Denver’s new look and introduce our guests to four exciting new concepts – creating dynamic and diverse dining experiences has always been at the heart of what we do.” With the addition of the newly minted all-day Cafe Avanti – it is a great working space that now includes more plugs and nooks for comfortable computing. Edmisten continued, it’s a “nice little place to pop in, get your coffee, get your day going, and the hope is after coffee, do a little bit of work that turns into lunch and then into happy hour.” The cafe prides itself on endorsing local Denver based goods, offering artisanal pastries from Rebel Bread, mouthwatering Buenos Dias breakfast burritos and the local favorite Huckleberry Roasters coffee.
For those staying for lunch or dinner, Avanti now has three new must-try culinary additions.
Eloise – An American Bistro
The Lowdown: From the mind of Quincy Cherrett, a seasoned chef with a degree from the premier Culinary Institute of America in New York, Eloise is an introduction for many to the American Bistro. Named for his sister’s favorite book, Eloise resembles his real life upbringing being raised in hotels across the country. Seeking to incorporate savory bites from his travels, Cherrett designed his menu to be approachable and offers a melting pot of different French and Italian inspired dishes. Our favorites include the big seller, the steak sandwich with cheddar, caramelized onions and chipotle aioli and the beef bolognese beautifully plated with parmesan and nutmeg. Be sure to accompany any of your dishes with the tasty thin cut french fries.
The Pizza Bandit
The Lowdown: The Pizza Bandit was named by the owners Federico and Melina Felix’s 14-year-old son. A true family affair, the pizza bandit brings Denver new and stimulating slices. Federico – trained in Italy – was offered a great opportunity in America and brought with him his expertise. After meeting his wife Melina they decided to leave their 9 to 5 corporate jobs and open this passion project – describing themselves as a “pizza family.” The excitement is evident when describing everything from its fresh – never-frozen dough, fermented for 72 hours to every sauce made from scratch. The Felix’s pride themselves in “calculating everything perfectly by weight and temperature” to ensure a perfect flavor every time. A new pizza is always on the horizon but a Bandit favorite, the Sweet Heat has customers flocking from all parts of Denver. This pizza dons cupping pepperoni, jalapeños, hibiscus pickled red onions and the Bandit exclusive house-made hot honey. Stop by for a slice or a hand-tossed pie.
READ: Leven Deli Co. Opens Its Newest Concept in Wash Park
Farang Thai Kitchen
The Lowdown: Chef Ben Whelan spent a year in Thailand discovering the symphony of flavors the islands have to share. Denver is thrilled to welcome Whelan’s extensive knowledge and love of the Thai culture and diverse tastes. At Farang, he “wants to elevate the idea of what Americans think of what Thai food is” describing his dishes as having “a ton of stuff happening at once, everything has everything – every dish is sweet, sour, spicy, salty and amped to a 10”. All sauces are made in house and seeks to elevate your idea of what Thai takeout is. Curries are the center of each dish with the popular Gaeng Kiaw Waan or green curry being a highlight of this complex menu. Be sure to add the marinated flank steak to this beautifully curated broccoli, anaheim pepper, thai basil and lime leaf dish.
Don’t forget these chefs also inspire what happens behind the bar. For example, with the addition of Farang, the bar now offers a Thai Singha lager to compliment his tastes. This collaboration with the chefs is truly inspiring and creates a remarkable experience. Be on the lookout for upcoming events at all the Avanti locations, including the Songkran Dinner, trivia and outdoor summer film series.
Avanti F&B Denver is located at 3200 N Pecos St., Denver, and is open Sunday – Thursday 7 a.m. – 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. – 1 a.m. Friday – Saturday.