It’s easy to find people roaming around Denver as all of the fall markets around town have people waking up early in the morning to see what farmers will provide them with this week. Whether it’s the lovely weather, or your dog constantly begging you to go outside, you may head to the park for a relaxing walk in the sun’s warmth. If you are like me, your travels will take you to every inch of Denver to see what’s hiding around every corner. Usually, these adventures consist of new restaurants that look tasty enough to be the next great bite.
A lot of great Denver restaurants are perched downtown where the bustling crowds walk and neighborhoods meet. Thankfully, the roaming can end because the soulful Roaming Buffalo restaurant is located right down Downing Street. With their attention to detail and pit master mentality, the restaurant has become one of the best barbecue joints in town.
Roaming Buffalo provides all of their customers with their version of classy plateware – a silver tray topped with a slab of brown parchment. Their beautifully smoked meats and sides crowding together like a Thanksgiving table would look out of place on an individual pristine white plate. Their trays foster community, where you and your friends order a smorgasbord of everything, resulting in a Texas charcuterie plate.
This is definitely the joint to go to with a ton of people; Roaming Buffalo is like a backyard cookout except there is no fear of burning down the backyard. Owners Coy and Rachel Web are producing some of the highest quality meat in Denver. They execute the classics flawlessly, like shredded pulled pork with the perfect meat to sauce ratio.
Even without their tangy or hot barbecue sauce, the meat is incredibly juicy and tender. Their brisket is marbled throughout so that when the fat is rendered, the flavor of the meat is that much more pronounced. The bones of their pork and bison ribs slide out easier than a Jenga piece to ensure nothing gets stuck and you can officially be a part of the clean plate club.
Roaming Buffalo might even change the way I enjoy Thanksgiving. Sorry mom, but their smoked turkey beats the bird we stuff in my family every year. They also have diverse meat options like venison, bison ribs and sausage.
Yet, the real star can be seen in their Colorado classic lamb protein. Roaming Buffalo offers two choices– a lamb shank or pulled lamb shoulder, both cooked low and slow in their pits until the meat has no choice but to break apart into glorious shreds. Upon first glance it looks just like your average pulled pork, but the subtle gamey flavor is pure and present. Lamb often gets outshadowed by rosemary, dijon or Italian seasonings when presented on the rack, but here the natural flavor is brought out with salt and pepper. Pairing it with sauce surprisingly does not allow the authenticity to go by the wayside; instead it gives it a new fun perspective.
Furthermore, their meat does not have to stand alone. The restaurant also offers sandwiches that are piled tremendously high. What doesn’t taste better than good barbecue stuffed between two slices of bread? Their interpretation of the reuben sandwich features sauerkraut and swiss, with brisket smothered in black and white barbecue sauce. Another option is “the Real McCoy” featuring a trio of venison sausage, chopped pork and brisket, when you’re feeling indecisive.
In addition to a tasty sandwich, their sides are classics.The mac and cheese has a photogenic cheese pull and a crispy bread crumb top that resembles a classic oven-baked offering from grandma. Equally as yummy, their smoked andouille and roasted corn grits will take you down to New Orleans. These grits have a smoky sweetness from the corn that a box mix could never resemble. In addition, you can cut the richness of barbecue with a refreshing slaw that hits you with a bit of crunch and vinegar flavor.
Although it’s not listed under sides, the counter is also topped with their homemade potato chips that are a must for adding a crunch to a sandwich, or can make for the coolest plate of nachos ever. They are fried hot in cottonseed oil and thin enough to shatter upon first bite. A great addition that comes with every plate is definitely the soft-textured cornbread. I even go on to order an extra, because the first I make into the cutest slider ever. The other, I top with the strawberry-jalapeño jam that feels like dessert, warming you up even more with that added bit of heat.
Of course, no home-style country cooking can be left without having a sweet treat to cement the happiness you feel after an excellent meal. At Roaming Buffalo, dessert plating won’t be sparse, won’t have crazy flavor combinations and won’t be as ridiculously priced as they are at upscale restaurants. Instead, they offer what I like to call bakesale winners. Each dessert is simple, but they represent nostalgia from the goodies that we would see our moms and grandmas whip up for the school bake sale. The restaurant serves rocky road brownies with a marshmallow on top and a chocolate chip layer to ensure that these iconic mix-ins don’t get lost. Additionally, their peach upside-down cake gives the tropical classic a Colorado twist with Palisade peaches as the stars.
There’s so much to love about this little joint, especially because of the family love that went into its construction. They offer special events and daily offerings that further intertwine you into their Texas barbecue culture. Roaming Buffalo is open until they sell out, making enough to where each piece, end, side and muffin gets the attention it deserves. It is the quintessential place to roam when looking for a place to hang out, either inside on their picnic tables or outside in the Colorado breeze.
