88 MARCH 27-APRIL 2, 2025 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC & VENUES | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SPORTS & RECREATION | SHOPPING & SERVICES | CONTENTS | own menu of specialty coffee drinks, like the Korean Cereal Latte. Whether you’re driving or walking, this is the top spot in Denver to get your joe on the go. Best Cafe for Community Events Subjective 3695 West 72nd Avenue, Westminster 303-284-4424 subjectivecoffee.com When Subjective opened inside of a for- mer ballroom, owner Jeff Bebout knew he wanted to use part of the 7,000-square-foot space for an employee-owned roasting col- lective and climate-controlled storage for green coffee, but what to do with the other several thousand square feet? The cafe, decked out in retro furniture, is the perfect work-from-home option, and even better for holding community events. Since opening in 2023, Subjective has hosted maker markets, open mics for standup, poetry, drag shows, workshops and game nights. It’s truly an in- clusive, communal space that welcomes ev- eryone, which is something we need more of. Best Coffee Shop Inside a Third Space Migas 2590 Walnut Street 720-227-5405 migascoffee.com Located in Green Spaces, Migas is a Latina- and Black-owned coffee shop from college amigos Marisol Jurado and Alex Merriex, who both grew up in Denver. The two teamed up to create a coffee shop inside the 12,500-square-foot Five Points space where patrons can grab a coffee and utilize the large area to work, meet with friends and patronize the adjacent small busi- nesses, such as Black and Blossomed and Obscura Ink. Migas has even taken to host- ing a monthly book club and collaborative events with fellow vendors in the space. Best European-Style Cafe Amante Coffee at the Oxford Hotel 1612 17th Street 303-396-1757 amantecoffee.com Occasionally we fi nd ourselves jonesing to travel but don’t have the budget to fl y across the ocean. An inexpensive way to soak up European vibes in the heart of downtown is at Amante Coffee, which uses beans from a third-generation roaster in northern Italy. Amante also has three locations in Boulder, but entering the Denver outpost, with its door hidden behind a column inside the his- toric Oxford Hotel, feels like discovering that small alleyway cafe that only the locals visit. Best Themed Coffee Menu Coffeegraph 3800 Julian Street 720-751-8899 instagram.com/coffeegraph.colorado Although it just opened at the end of 2024, Coffeegraph has quickly impressed — not only for its house-roasted coffee, but also for its creative seasonal menus with themes such as Harry Potter, Lunar New Year and Love. Many of the drinks include ingredi- ents inspired by the owner’s native Indo- nesia, so you’ll fi nd fl avors here that you won’t fi nd anywhere else, such as lychee rose, lemon EVOO, Osmanthus fl ower and gula aren (unrefi ned palm sugar) fi ve spice. Now that Coffeegraph has extended its hours, we’re looking forward to stopping by even more frequently to see what the shop comes up with next. Best Sparkling Cold Brew Paloma at Queen City Collective Coffee Multiple metro locations queencitycollectivecoffee.com Meet sparkling cold brew, the espresso tonic’s sweeter, smoother cousin. Not many spots have picked up on this bound-to-be trend yet, but Queen City is already in the know and serving its Paloma at all six of its locations. Fizzy grapefruit soda and frothy nitro cold brew is an unexpected yet delicious combo with notes of citrus and chocolate — it’s reminiscent of an or- ange Tootsie Pop, in the best possible way. Give this layered drink a good swirl to meld the fl avors, and keep it in mind for a hot summer day. Best Non-Coffee Drink at a Coffee Shop Mortado at Panda Coffee House 3120 Uinta Street pandacoffeehouse.com Owner Vinay Patidar and his fi ancée sam- pled dozens of types of matcha green tea before deciding on which they would offer to the public at Panda, which opened inside the FlyteCo Tower last year. They settled on a ceremonial-grade matcha from Japan that is chocolatey and nutty rather than grassy, a common fl avor note in many mat- chas that a lot of Westerners aren’t fans of. The dark-green color and luscious texture of Panda’s pick make for a smooth, rounded matcha, which is available in several bever- ages, such as the Matchacano, matcha milk with homemade strawberry purée, and a matcha tonic. Our favorite, though, is the Mortado, a short drink with a one-to-one ratio of matcha and milk that is creamy and delicious hot or iced. Food & Drink continued from page 84
