On bustling 17th Street, in the heart of Denver’s Lower Downtown (LoDo), the taste of Northern Italy is brewing at Amante Coffee. Located next to the historic Oxford Hotel and just a few steps away from the revamped and booming Union Station, Amante Coffee’s LoDo location is serving up some of the best coffee not only downtown, but in the entire city.
Boulder-based Amante Coffee was founded on the principle of bringing a coffee heritage stemming from Northern Italy to the Front Range and America at large.
The company solely uses the beans of a third generation roaster in Bra, Italy whose beans are widely considered some of the best throughout Italy and Europe. These beans are different than what you would get from a Starbucks or any other coffee shop. The Italian blends mix the usual premium Arabica beans with a handful of Robusta beans. Although usually not used due to poor quality control, Amante’s roaster sources them from high quality estates. These Robusta beans contain nearly double the amount of caffeine as the Arabica beans and therefore lend Amante’s coffee both an extra punch and a richer, nuttier flavor.
It is this dedication to Italian delicacy and tradition that Amante dutifully conveys. The LoDo location is located adjacent to the Oxford Hotel, a traditional boutique hotel that harkens back to the roaring 20’s and a much more livatious downtown. Amante, on the other hand, feels almost out of place next to the Oxford, but in a good way.
The space feels so inherently European, as if it was directly lifted from a Milan streetscape. The inside is bright, sleek and modern. The interior decoration mixes marble with stainless steel and ergonomical chairs not unlike an IKEA showroom. Italian wines and aperitifs line the bar and a television near the sitting area of the cafe plays Italian soccer games. In the late afternoon, the glowing neon “Open” affixed to the storefront beams a warm red through the massive streetside windows, creating an unmistakingly cosmopolitan type of location.
Amante offers the basics for delicious espresso consumption: latte ($3.66 for a small), cappuccino ($3.34), latte macchiato ($3.66), mocha ($4.24), etc. In the evenings, the espresso menu is complimented by a drink menu including various old world wines, speciality cocktails and espresso martinis, including the Shottino (Amaretto, espresso and cream in a shot $5.00).
This reviewer had a cappuccino, served by a very happy and generous barista. The warm beverage was incredibly good. Velvety and smooth, there was little bitterness, acidity or anything of a negative nature. The Robusta-influenced coffee packed both a punch in two shots and lended a fantastic rich and nutty taste to the drink. Included with the cappuccino were two equally delicious chocolate covered coffee beans, a small gesture obviously, but sometimes the little things can make a coffee outing both delightful and memorable.
Amante is a perfect addition to LoDo. Its cosmopolitan aesthetic and Italian flavorings greatly match the bustling cityscape it resides in. It’s not rare to watch people work out business deals or talk about earnings and other metro-lingo over a cup of perfectly pulled espresso within the modern space. The place can be loud at times and is certainly not the best choice for studying. However, if you are searching for very good, traditional European-style coffee, Amante honestly makes some of the best this side of the Atlantic ocean.
Amante is located at 1612 17th Street, just steps from Union Station.
Amante is open Monday to Thursday: 5:45 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Friday: 5:45 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Saturday: 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Sunday: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
