98 MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2025 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC & VENUES | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SPORTS & RECREATION | SHOPPING & SERVICES | CONTENTS | and lifelong friend Noe García uncover their custom-built underground pit at dawn to unveil and share their delicious culinary culture with the public in a fi rst-come-fi rst-served, get-it-before-it- sells-out barbacoa feast that’s available by the plate for dining in or by the pound to go. Farm-raised lambs from Greeley are processed and cooked in traditional Oaxaca style with a complex chile rub and packed with avocado leaves in huge pots under a seal of agave leaves. Eight hours later, the braised lamb meat is silky smooth and ready to be received by a fresh masa tortilla and housemade salsa. This is homestyle Oaxacan cooking, right in Denver’s backyard. Best Unexpected Taco Destination Olde Town Arvada Olde Town is swimming in tacos. In commu- nity social media groups, every time a new restaurant is set to open, someone jokes, “It’s probably a taco joint.” And more often than not, it is. Tacos are the focus at Teocalli Co- cina, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, Ruta Libre and Co- chino Taco. They’re a feature on the menus at Wapos Cantina and Lady Nomada, too. In addition, you can fi nd them listed at Olde Town Tavern and Grill, Smokin’ Fins and Schoolhouse. And Golden’s Bonfi re Burritos is set to expand to 58th and Olde Wadsworth Boulevard soon. Besides burritos, Bonfi re offers — you guessed it — tacos. Best Old-School Mexican Joint Curtis Park Creamery 908 30th Street 303-295-2404 cpcmex.com Make no mistake (though the family that runs this spot will tell you it still occa- sionally happens): There is no ice cream at Curtis Park Creamery. The only dairy you’ll fi nd is the cheese in an enchilada or sour cream on your taquito — and either choice would be a solid one at this no-frills takeout place across the street from Curtis Park. There are no tables or chairs. There’s usually a line, sometimes a long one, and it’s typically full of locals and families who crave the deliciousness that the Rodriguez family has been serving up since 1969. The tamales are top-notch (and usually sell out before closing), and because this is a family- run business, it’s not open on Sundays. So word to the wise: Plan ahead — and don’t forget the cinnamon crisps. Best New-School Mexican Joint Luchador Taco & More 2030 East 28th Avenue 303-954-0672 luchadortacoandmore.com Chef Zuri Resendiz opened his fi rst brick- and-mortar store in August 2024, after two years of dishing tacos and other Mexican entrees from his food truck. The brightly decorated cubbyhole restaurant is a neigh- borhood joint, a choice that Resendiz made intentionally, citing its proximity to Cattivella in Central Park, where he gained a following serving as its chef de cuisine. The menu, while primarily Mexican, offers much more, with Chef Z’s own unique twists on each dish. The taco menu includes classics, but entrees and appetizers are usually more twisty, with items like wild mushrooms and polenta served with goat cheese and fresh dill, and hamachi tira- dito over sweet potato purée fl avored with habanero peppers and chalaquita salsa. Best Mexican Comfort Food Cocinita Mexicana 707 Federal Boulevard 303-990-6520 cocinitamexicana.com This ghost kitchen run by two sisters and their mother uses multi-generational reci- pes developed by the family to bring tradi- tional Mexican fl avors to soul-food-inspired dishes. Takeout or delivery is the only way to enjoy these eats, but Cocinita Mexicana goes to great lengths to bring the restaurant experience to its customers. In addition to the careful packaging and presentation, each order comes with a handwritten, personal- ized thank-you note — complete with a link to a Spotify playlist made to accompany your meal. The care that goes into each delicious order is unmistakable. Best New Den-Mex Restaurant Chula on Broadway Cocina Mexicana 3866 South Broadway, Englewood 303-993-7486 chulaonbroadway.com Denver has its own regional take on Mexi- can food, and most of the places that serve it are decades old, but Chula, which turned two this year, is doing Den-Mex right. After her divorce, Myrna Soltero Diaz rebranded a former 4G’s location to make it her own, but just days after it opened, a car crashed into the building, forcing it to close. Two months later it was back, and now it has fi rmly established itself as a go-to for green chile-smothered Den-Mex-style crispy rel- lenos (which you can also order as nachos), Mexican hamburgers and more. Even the chips, made fresh with housemade corn tortillas, and fresh salsa with the right hint of heat are notable, as are the margaritas, which are buy-one-get-one-free all the time. Best New Taco Joint Chivis Tacos 2101 East Colfax Avenue 303-862-5618 chivistacos.com After twelve years of slinging tacos from a food truck, it’s no surprise that Chris Here- dia is a real pro. In October, he opened the brick-and-mortar version of Chivis Tacos, a simply decorated counter-service space with just a handful of tables, a stocked salsa bar and damn good eats. The menu in- cludes enchiladas, tortas and burritos, but the tacos remain the star no matter which of the seven protein options you order — though we’re partial to the carne asada. At just $3 each and served with grilled onions and a fried jalapeño, they’re also a damn good deal. Food & Drink continued from page 96 continued on page 100
