100 APRIL 4-10, 2024 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC & VENUES | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SHOPPING & SERVICES | CONTENTS | wiches often served as street food in Italy, he launched the Porchetta House out of the Spices Cafe space in 2023. Along with an homage to the traditional version of the sandwich, he also serves two more creative spins — an al pastor take paired with cara- melized pineapple pico, and a spin on banh mi with red miso porchetta on bread from Vinh Xuong Bakery. Best Meatball Sandwich Belfi ore Italian 5820 West 38th Avenue, Wheat Ridge 303-455-4653 belfi oreitalian.com This little Italian deli serves some very big sandwiches, but it’s not just the size that’s impressive. All of the options, which in- clude both hot and cold sandwiches, are built on hefty slices of ciabatta baked fresh at the nearby Dolce Sicilia bakery. While the Penny Lane, with Belfi ore’s housemade hot Italian sausage links, is a top-notch choice, our favorite is the Eleanor Rigby, loaded with fl avorful meatballs (also made in-house), red sauce, Romano and a bal- samic drizzle. Don’t forget to pick up some frozen ravioli and imported olives when you snag your sandwich. Best Philly Cheesesteak at an Iron Maiden Bar Aspen Lodge Bar & Grill 8125 West 94th Avenue, Westminster 303-425-8833 aspenlodgebarandgrillco.com Mesut Cetin has some pretty specifi c pas- sions, and he’s managed to combine them all in a bar that feels like a fever dream come to life. Christmas lights sparkle year-round as Iron Maiden concerts play on the television, and a huge collection of lava lamps glow from seemingly every corner. The food menu is an adventure, too, jumping from breakfast classics like French toast to typical bar fare like wings and burgers to dishes from Cetin’s native Turkey. But a banner out front proclaims that Aspen Lodge also makes “the best Philly cheesesteak in a 666 mile radius,” and while that’s a bold claim, it’s a damn good sandwich, made on soft bread with gooey melted cheese along with plenty of meat and caramelized onions. Best Place to Escape for a Midday Meal Bodega 2651 West 38th Avenue bodega-denver.com In 2022, longtime hospitality pro Cliff Blauvelt introduced Bodega, a funky little Northside sandwich shop that’s quickly become a beloved neighborhood staple. Whether you’re popping by at 11 a.m. for its spin on a chopped cheese made with breakfast sausage, a late-afternoon cheese- burger fi x or one of its tantalizing specials, it’s a daytime slam dunk every visit — es- pecially when paired with its mixed bag of fries on the side. Soon, RiNo will have its very own Bodega: Blauvelt will debut a second outpost in the Novel RiNo build- ing this fall. Best Place to Splurge on Dinner Stone Cellar Bistro 7605 Grandview Avenue, Arvada 720-630-7908 stonecellarbistro.com When we want to go out for a special oc- casion or just want a regular night to feel a lot more special, Stone Cellar Bistro, founded by longtime friends Jordan Alley and Brandon Kerr in 2022, always deliv- ers. You could come in just for the Wildfi re Fried Chicken — inspired by Kerr’s time cooking at Husk — and leave very happy. But why stop there when every single thing on the menu is a hit? Order generously and you’ll be rewarded with more than just a stellar meal, because an experience here is one you’ll remember long after. Best New Neighborhood Market Congress Park Market 2620 East 12th Avenue 303-333-7094 spinellismarket.com What happens when longtime hospitality pros decide to turn their attention to nour- ishing people via neighborhood markets instead? Very good things, it turns out. Husband-and-wife team Jake Riederer and Cecelia Jones became part-owners of Spinelli’s after years in the restaurant industry and followed up that move by revamping a longtime market in Congress Park in 2023, giving the place new life with a smartly curated selection of household staples, specialty items, fresh produce, wine and a new deli counter with some top-notch sandwiches. Now they’re get- ting ready to debut a third, brand-new market in Aurora that will also bear the Spinelli’s name, and we’re sure they’ll do it proud. Best Old-School Butcher Shop Oliver’s Meat Market 1718 East 6th Avenue 303-733-4629 oliversmeatmarketllc.com Stepping inside Oliver’s is a nostalgic ex- perience. It’s the kind of classic butcher shop that there aren’t many of these days, and even more impressive is that it truly is a classic. The shop celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023 and is still run by founder Ed Oliver’s great grandsons Rich and Jim, who dole out cuts of beef, lamb, pork and housemade sausages from behind the counter, trading quips with each other and customers as they work. As much of Denver continues to change, it’s places like this that we hold on to even more dearly. Best Place to Buy Salmon Alaskan Salmon Company 4300 East Colfax Avenue 303-333-4298 alaskansalmon.com Duffy Fanganello knows how to tell a good fi shing story — and he also knows good fi sh. At an easy-to-miss shop called Town & Country that was once a convenience store run by his uncle, the salmon man of East Colfax gets deliveries of Alaskan salmon and other sea creatures from his network of suppliers that he’s built relationships with for decades. Those in the know stop by year-round for big fi lets of the good stuff and a chat with Fanganello, whose family roots in Denver run as deep as his love for supplying fi sh to his many loyal customers. Best Vegan Bakery The Cake Bar 214 East 13th Avenue 720-837-9703 thecakebardenver.com Although the Cake Bar opened less than a year ago, it has already become a well- established mecca for vegans with an insa- tiable sweet tooth. All of the bakery’s cakes and frostings are nut-free, plant-based, vegan and certifi ed kosher, with gluten- free options available, as well. Peanut buddies, macarons and brownies abound, but the best part of the Cake Bar are the build-your-own cakes available in three sizes with a variety of fl avors, frostings and toppings to choose from. Craving red velvet with maple vanilla frosting and sprinkles? No problem. Plus, you’ll get a dessert so decadent, you’ll forget it’s vegan. Best Vegan-Friendly Spot for Special Occasions El Five 2930 Umatilla Street 303-524-9193 ediblebeats.com/el-fi ve El Five ensures that every guest can indulge on holidays, birthdays and other special occasions, regardless of their dietary re- strictions — or lack thereof. Its Spanish and eastern Mediterranean menu will please omnivores and vegan diners equally, which is a rarity among many upscale restaurants. Savor plant-based plates like crispy harissa eggplant fries, charred carrot hummus with house-baked pita and a mouthwater- ing paella made with local Carbon Culture mushrooms. These and other specialties, including large-format sangria and several gin and tonics, are served within a dimly lit, lively atmosphere complete with sky- line views. Best Vegan Pop-Up The Easy Vegan 675 South Broadway theeasyvegandenver.com The Easy Vegan makes magic out of whole, plant-based ingredients — without associ- ating itself with any health trends. Rather, its unpretentious street food is fun, fl avor- ful and constantly rotating based on the whims of co-owners Alexi Mandolini and Taylor Herbert. Last year, their culinary creativity and business savvy earned them $50,000 when they won The Great Food Truck Race on the Food Network. The duo has teased opening a brick-and-mortar space, but for now, you can get pierogi, elote-inspired loaded potatoes, kimchi melts and more by pre-ordering and pick- ing up from its South Broadway kitchen and at farmers’ markets. Best Surprisingly Vegan Bar Food The Crypt 1618 East 17th Avenue 720-542-9543 thecryptdenver.com With metal music bouncing off darkly painted walls covered in zombie manne- quins and scary clowns, the Crypt might be the last place you’d expect to fi nd in- tentional, affordable vegan fare. But its kitchen, which is open until midnight daily, dishes out an array of housemade vegan comfort food like spicy caulifl ower fritters and a poutine with mushroom gravy and housemade vegan provolone. The kitchen isn’t entirely vegan Food and Drink continued from page 98 continued on page 102 GETT Y IMAGES/ LITTLEART VECTOR
