In an industry where it is so easy to feel stuck in one place, so common to hit burnout, and incredibly recurrent to get lost in the dark side of things with hurtful habits and negative mindsets – one special couple has emerged – and they’re tackling the waves together. A couple who has created not only a safe space for their employees, but a delicious concept for those on the outside looking in to enjoy. Cliff and Cara Blauvelt have built more than just a hot concept – and it all started in 2022 with Odie B’s.
Sometimes in this industry, you spend a heck of a lot of time inventing, conceptualizing, planning and bringing to fruition your dream restaurant with a clever name such as “Bodega.” And then sometimes you must move quick and reinvent yourselves – or at least get through a forced name change – and thus Odie B’s was born. But where did it all start? Owner Cliff Blauvelt explained, “At my last hired Chef job, during some tough financial conversations, I had an owner say to me, ‘You’ll understand when you have your own place’. At that moment my response was, No I won’t – and I made the decision to go off on my own. I was tired of people being treated poorly and wanted to open a place that was aligned with my personal values. I was delayed by the pandemic for a few years but made it happen, and guess what… I still have no idea what that owner was talking about.” As if it weren’t a feat to make it through the Pandemic and still wanting to pursue this industry, it’s safe to say pushing yourself to prove a point might be the extra kick it takes – and with the wild success of Odie B’s – maybe a necessary evil.
What started as a sandwich shop has quickly become a staple in Denver dining, filling a void maybe we didn’t even know we had. Odie B’s launched in Sunnyside and quickly added a second outpost in Rino – making them accessible to most of the Denver metro area. But being a sandwich shop, that must mean Cliff has a favorite, too? Not necessarily – he explained, “I ask this question to all my team members. I don’t have favorites in life though, but I do love the creative and collaborative environment we have fostered. Those menu development talks, tastings and tweaks are my favorite. Hanging out tasting and creating with the team is my favorite. When I’m bored or tired of a specific item I get the itch to bring the heat on the next one. That’s just it. Keep pushing and having fun.”
You can expect elevated vibes at either location, but there is something deeper that makes it feel like Odie B’s has been here all along. Maybe it’s the familiar faces from restaurants’ past or maybe it’s built into the menu.
“While in the menu development stage we looked at what was the world’s fav burger. The burger that stuck out is the Big Mac. Personally, I prefer the double quarter pounder with cheese. So, we took the ideas of both and made our burger. It has some of the nostalgic flavors like the onions and dill pickles but mashed up together to create the dilly o’s (dill pickled onions). The Big Mac sauce is a basic 1000 island and we wanted to make a nod to that but also Colorado so we made a 1000 island-esque sauce with the substitution of a green Chile relish. Now you see the process of the two iconic burgers turned into our burger with our creative process. We love food but we also don’t take ourselves too seriously. We like to make things that may be familiar but are far better than you could make yourself at home. If it’s not better than the competition it’s not going on the menu.”
WIth enough options to satisfy everyone, it’s no wonder a sort of cult following has come about for the restaurant, with a menu that hits the tune of brunch and a little lunch you can find sandwiches such as The Hustler – with house chorizo, scrambled egg, roasted green chiles, tots, cheddar jack + habanero crema in a flour tortilla – or satisfy your veggie craving with the Vegan Birth of Cool – calabrian chile marinated soy curls, sweet + spicy tofu bacon, LTO, balsamic and ruffles on thicc sliced vegan wheat. But just because Odie B’s falls into a brunch category, doesn’t mean they have any intent on following the ‘trends’. Cliff laughs, “Brunch trend totally over with in drinks – is the bottomless mimosa. Who thinks this is a good idea? Cheap champagne and cheap juice = a real hangover for Monday. Food – Shit just piled on top of each other to create some sort of abomination of flavor for Instagram likes. Here to stay – ODIE B’s baller breakfast sandwiches.”
With two killer locations serving up the goods the question that comes up is, what’s next? For Cliff and Cara that means noodles.
Tucked safely into Sunnyside as they finish navigating through the City of Denver hoops, Boombots Pasta Shop is set to open later this year. Cliff said, “The idea came from the idea of the ramen shop. Not ramen but the vibe of the ramen shop. They are minimalist in design, comfortable enough for solo dining, sleek, efficient, quick in service and people love it. Pasta is worldly not just Italian and can be just like anything – fun & creative. We want to push the envelope here a little bit. It’s approachable but unique. Honestly this has been a passion project as well. We call Boombots, Odie B’s bougee older brother. Creative and unpretentious.” With all pasta being made in house, its sure to be an instant hit just like its older brother – promising to be playful, colorful and downright delicious. The vibe across all locations will stand the same, too. Providing inclusive and inviting spaces with hospitality beaming from start to finish.
With now three restaurants on the horizon, part of the initial success is the incredible pairing that is Cliff and Cara. But that certainly doesn’t mean it didn’t come with some lessons – but even still Cliff proclaims the importance of being able to “ride the waves. There will be ups and downs, don’t hold onto either. Listen to the guest. Also, hospitality in the world today can go a long way.” On the topic of success and working with your partner, Cliff continued, “our success is built more off our teams. We will continue to build off what we created while staying true to our values and culture. We want to hire teams that believe in our values and do our part to help change the restaurant industry for the better, even if it’s only our restaurants. We’re going to keep working hard and having fun and see where it takes us. And remembering that the restaurant is not permanent but this person is. That helped change a lot of my perspective personally.”
Odie B’s is proud to be participating as a Colorado Recovery Friendly Workplace in an effort to aid the food and beverage industry and reduce the rates of substance abuse among restaurant workers. It has become a haven for staff to be better versions of themselves. “Seventy percent of staff at Odie B’s don’t drink and are in active recovery,” including The Blauvelts, who will celebrate 6 years of sobriety in July 2025. With the bonus factor of knowing that you are not only getting amazing and creative sandwiches and future pasta, but in doing so, you can contribute to the better good of our struggling industry, the only question that remains is – are you down with Odie B’s? – yeah, you know me.
All photos courtesy of Odie B’s and Boombots Pasta Shop on Instagram
Odie B’s Sunnyside is located at 2651 W 38th Ave., Denver. Its hours are 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Monday – Saturday and 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Odie B’s RiNo is located at 1350 40th St., #180, Denver. Its hours are 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday – Saturday and 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Sunday; Boombots Pasta Shop is located at 2647 West 38th Ave., Denver. Its slated to open in late 2025