It’s Restaurant Week in Denver and there’s never been a better time to enjoy all the city’s culinary scene has to offer.
In honor of the city’s elevation at 5,280 feet, the Mile High City celebrates every year with a special event in which more than 300 local restaurants participate in providing a multi-course dinner for a fixed price of $52.80 for two, or $26.40 for one person (not including gratuity or tax).
The tradition began in 2004 by Visit Denver, a private nonprofit trade association that markets Denver as an enjoyable place to travel and live. Larger cities, such as San Francisco and New York City also have restaurant weeks. Denver joined in the fray in an effort to cultivate a more reputable restaurant scene and evoke a sense of pride for the culinary scene here.
Restaurant Week started last Saturday and continues until March 9, extending two full weeks due to the event’s popularity in recent years.
Each participating restaurant offers a different dining experience; some include wine or alcohol, others have a fixed menu and some restaurants offer multiple entrée and appetizer choices, all for the price of $52.80 for two diners.
With Denver’s immense culinary excellence, this is the perfect time for students to try out some of the local tasty gems that might normally seem out of the price range for a starving college student.
It may be surprising to DU students to hear, but the Mile High City is actually an up-and-coming restaurant capital of the west, with chefs from New York, Los Angeles and everywhere in between moving to Denver to explore all the Rockies have to offer.
Small but prominent restaurants all over the city are frequently featured on the Food Network and in various prestigious culinary magazines. With local produce and health-conscious diners, the Mile High City is known for it’s eclectic and fresh, healthy options.
As for restaurant suggestions, there are over 300 dining options for students to check out, including prestigious and normally unaffordable culinary delights.
For a true taste of classic American fine dining, try Elway’s restaurant in Cherry Creek. Award winning and serving one of the best steaks in the area, Elway’s offers USDA approved hand-cut steaks and seafood. Prices at Elway’s generally range from about $15 for appetizers to $50 for a steak, so Restaurant Week is a great way for DU students to take advantage of a dining experience that might not otherwise be affordable.
On the menu for Restaurant Week’s signature price of $52.80, Elway’s is offering a soup or salad, a choice of salmon, chicken or their signature steak, a side of either mashed potatoes, creamed corn or sautéed asparagus. For dessert, a chocolate chip cookie cheesecake sandwich or a S’more in a cup.
Another great restaurant to splurge on is Vesta Dipping Grill located downtown near Larimer Square. A short light rail ride away, DU students should take advantage of this award-winning grill known for its inventive dipping sauces and unique atmosphere.
Serving up a four-course meal for $52.80, Vesta’s Restaurant Week menu includes, among other options, coconut curry tomato soup, smoked paprika shrimp skewers, Masala grilled chicken, Chinese barbeque Mahi Mahi and chocolate or lemon cake.
Generally entrees at Vesta cost between $18-30 dollars, so bring your date here during Restaurant Week for a nice evening out that doesn’t break the bank.
A few restaurants closer to the DU area are also participating in Restaurant Week, notably Devil’s Food Bakery by Wash Park, Saucy Noodle in the Bonnie Brae district and Black Pearl on Pearl Street.
Restaurant Week ends next Friday, so be sure to take as many advantages as your wallet allows of this exclusive and fun way to explore Denver’s restaurant scene.
For a list of all participating restaurants and menus, visit http://www.denver.org/denverrestaurant.
