Located in the trendy Lower Highlands neighborhood (LoHi), Carbon Beverage Cafe sprouts from where the longstanding and very loved Paris on the Platte formerly stood. The quite popular cafe and bar billed itself as the first real coffee shop in Denver and since its opening in 1986 had served the community with care and love. However, with its closing a year ago, the LoHi neighborhood was left with a hole in its community fabric. Carbon aspires to fill that hole the loss of “Paris” left. The new cafe serves multiple purposes, shifting throughout the day from a lunch spot, to a coffee hangout and eventually an evening watering hole.

Along with the rest of the buildings on hip Platte Street, Carbon follows through wholeheartedly with the “hipster” aesthetic. The inside is trimmed with bright, industrial-style lighting, exposed pipes and frequent colorful table plants. Wood and chrome bar accents, including a “Mod-Bar” style espresso  are prominently featured. The industrial theme compliments the simple and perfectly delicious food and drink, well displayed throughout the venue.

Carbon’s drink menu radiates innovation. For coffee, they have the typical espresso-based drinks you can find anywhere, but if you’re hankering for something new and different, there are multiple options to choose from. For example, there is the “Working Man”, a doppio espresso shot poured over housemade chocolate-vanilla syrup and finished off with chilled milk ($3). Or you could have an “E.T.”, a drink made by pouring espresso over ice and lemon syrup, topped with tonic water ($3). Also on the menu are homemade syrup-based sodas ($3) and creative cocktails for the over-21 crowd.

Served on wooden Colorado flag trays, the food at Carbon includes breakfast options such as “Green Eggs and Hash” ($10) and “Almond Waffles and Bacon” ($6.50). Along with the breakfast entrees, there are modern takes on Classic TV dinners, such as “Monday Meatloaf” ($9.99) and delectable, novel sandwiches such as the “Cubano”, a brioche bun toting sandwich layered with house-cured ham, slow-roasted pork, house-brined pickles, swiss, red hook whiskey mustard and butter ($10). Included with the sandwiches, and available for individual order, are “Wu-Tang Tots”—light and buttery brioche tater-tots that go well with any entree.

This Grinder had a “Working Man” and a “Chic Fillet” sandwich composed of devil-fried chicken butter lettuce, house-brined pickles, citrus mayo and a brioche bun ($8). The sandwich was well worth the price and quite competitive with similarly and even more expensive options, and the included tots were a nice treat on the side. The coffee was smooth and sweet, but the high price point ($3) for such a small (7 oz) drink seemed a little steep.

Only time will tell if Carbon will live up to its predecessor’s reputation, but the modern spot has got a lot of good going for it. With its urban and detailed styling, as well as a fresh take on decades-old dishes and newly-introduced coffee drinks, Carbon sets itself up as the new go-to place for a light lunch or mid-afternoon pick-me-up for those who find themselves in the LoHi neighborhood.