With GABF on the horizon, we are thinking about all the event-goers who will be flooding town for the event weekend, and that they’ll be looking for somewhere to assuage the overindulgence of the night before come the harsh light of morning.
Morning After Great American Beer Fest Brunch Spots
Since Denver’s a brunch-loving town, we pulled together for your consideration six of our favorite brunch dishes in Denver perfect to cure a GABF hangover:
Postino WineCafé 2715 17th St. Denver, CO
With a solid list of Colorado beers on tap, Postino WineCafé isn’t just a vino lover’s paradise, and the unique Postino brunch from the scratch kitchen holds just the ticket for the morning after a night of indulgence. If you want to start light, try the Walnut Toast with triple crème brie and tartly sweet house-made berry preserves. If you need something to really line your belly, dig into fan-favorite B.E.L.T., a hearty grilled breakfast panini on soft ciabatta with applewood smoked bacon, scrambled eggs, dijonnaise, lettuce, and tomato. Naturally, the signature bruschetta boards are available, including the seasonal grilled cauliflower and corn bruschetta served over spicy romesco. Wash it down with a selection from the eclectic wine list or grab a pitcher of craft Colorado beer for $5 until 5 p.m., and the fresh housemade mimosas are also $5.
Del Frisco’s Grille 100 St. Paul St.
Stop by Del Frisco’s Grille in Cherry Creek North and nurse your hangover with the promise of an “anytime eats,” upscale, casual menu of brunch comfort food designed and built for sharing, indulging, and enjoying. As usual, Del Frisco’s is over the top with its celebratory brunches, try something sweet like the Red Velvet Belgian Waffle with whipped vanilla bean-spiked cream cheese and thick-cut hickory-smoked bacon.
Or if sweets in the morning aren’t your thing, go savory with the crabcake benedict with poached eggs, asparagus, toasted focaccia, and a spicy fresh Cajun lobster sauce.
Wash it down with the hangover-busting Build-Your-Own Bloody Mary that arrives at your table with house-made Bloody Mary Mix, Tito’s Vodka, and a hefty plate of “Fixin’s.”
If you’re still celebrating, stay simple with the House mimosa of champagne and fresh-squeezed orange juice, available by the glass or in a carafe, as are all the Grille’s brunch cocktails.
Ace Eat Serve 501 E. 17th Ave Denver, CO
Hit Ace Eat Serve not far from GABF in the Uptown neighborhood for a comforting bowl of Shoyu Ramen with pork shoulder, wheat noodles, soft egg, and fish cake. Don’t miss the Tiger Wings with a triple effect of salty, sweet, and crispy created with fish sauce—the funky Asian condiment. Or, opt for a filling vegetarian dish with the new Green Curry Noodle Bowl filled with chicken, snap peas, green papaya, broccoli, local greens, coconut milk, and cashews. After you’ve replenished with your brunch, don the terry cloth headband, grab a carrot-pineapple-turmeric fresh juice from the Ace juice bar, and hit the pong room for a few all-star table tennis matches.
Punch Bowl Social 65 Broadway, Denver, CO
Whether you’re hungover or just hungry for more than necklace pretzels, pop over to Punch Bowl Social to indulge in hangover cures like the popular Crispy Chicken Biscuit from the brand new menu courtesy of culinary partner and celebrity chef Hugh Acheson. No need to choose savory or sweet when you can have both on this sandwich with bread n’ butter pickles, spicy honey, and crisp potatoes. Or, go bigger with The Knockoff Burger, two grass-fed hormone-free patties, comeback sauce, pickled onion, lettuce, and American cheese on a sesame seed bun. For a somewhat healthy reset, pair any brunch item with a house-made juice such as The Sharpest and bring back those brain cells – the juice is made with apples, cucumbers, and fresh lime juice. Take it easy and sing some tunes in one of the private karaoke rooms or burn some calories bowling, playing 80’s arcade games, corn hole, and skee ball.
Hopdoddy Burger Bar (1747 Wynkoop St. )
A burger’s a no-brainer for a hangover, and at Hopdoddy Burger Bar skip the fancy brunch crowds and head over to the fun and funky burger joint where the all-natural beef and bison is hand-ground throughout the day. Grab the October special Boss Hog Burger, with pulled pork generously slathered with Hopdoddy’s sweet mustard BBQ sauce then piled high on a fresh ground Angus beef patty. Topped with three slices of applewood-smoked bacon, oozing melty Tillamook Cheddar, and a dollop of chipotle coleslaw, brunch-goers know to top it with a farm-fresh egg and call it brunch. Pro tip: pair it with a local craft brew from draft or the Hopdoddy October special cocktail High & Rye, with the zippy flavors of ginger, honey, and lime with local rye bourbon for a mile-high sipper
Of course, if you haven’t had enough of the Denver Microbrew scene, there will be bar taps waiting throughout metro Denver for your enjoyment.
