In a very charming, yet slightly hidden, section of Wash Park on Gaylord Street lies Homegrown Tap and Dough, a new Italian restaurant created by the owners of Park Burger.
This restaurant is probably what you’d assume based on it’s lineage. Environmentally -conscious and focused on bringing in local ingredients without being overtly ‘‘hippy vegan’’-ish, there is something about this place that is uniquely Denver. Also similar to Park Burger, the food is pretty delicious.
The entrance of the moderately-sized restaurant sits within a large courtyard stocked with benches, a cornhole game and a small juicery called Denver Roots, which serves smoothies and drinks made with local, organic fruit. The family-friendly atmosphere evident in Park Burger is also present here, as kids run around playing tag while their weary parents supervise from wooden benches around the perimeter.
But, don’t be deterred by the little ones. Once the waitress brings you through the rustic, warm restaurant to the patio, you will be surrounded by people young and old enjoying the restaurant’s large selection of wine and beer.
The patio has a great view of the courtyard and surrounding neighborhood. Strings of lights hang above the tables, providing warm lighting amidst the cool afternoon. The surrounding street is rich with the sights of newly-changing trees and the sounds of other local eateries. A casual and charming atmosphere permeates the restaurant.
The menu includes homemade pastas, salads and handmade pizzas featuring a variety of fresh vegetables and herbs. Again, the sentiment of having earth-conscious and healthy food without getting extreme rules.
The customer service was excellent, if not a tad disorderly. I felt as though we had three waiters, as three different employees were frequently checking on everyone. We ended up getting two sets of plates to share our bruschetta appetizer on, but over-zealous service is never something to complain about.
The bruschetta was amazing. The bread was toasted to crunchy perfection on the outside and was soft on the inside. The vegetables and sauce were flawless.
My friends and I each got pizzas to share, and, in retrospect, this was far too much. We had to take home about half of each pizza, although no one was complaining about it.
I had a traditional Meat-Lovers pizza, though my friends ordered more specialty pizzas, the “Funguy” and the “Scarpone.” Here is where the “healthy minus hippy” backfired a bit. The “Funguy”—basically bread with fresh vegetables, garlic and every kind of cheese you can’t pronounce—had the flavoring of an “all-natural”-type dish without actually being “all-natural.” It was still very tasty, but kind of like eating ice cream that tasted fat-free, but still had all the fat.
I was more than satisfied with my unsophisticated Meat Lovers, though. It was loaded with Italian sausage, meatball, salami and cheese. Here is where the formula worked—the pizza still tasted delicious and pizza-y, but I could also taste the difference in the better -quality ingredients.
Overall, the food and dining experience were both excellent. If you like Park Burger, or are just looking for tasty Italian with a twist in a delightful Wash Park yuppie neighborhood, you should definitely give Homegrown Tap and Dough a try.
