78 APRIL 6-12, 2023 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC & VENUES | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SHOPPING & SERVICES | CONTENTS | order’s up. In a nice twist, Jake Riederer, owner of the now-closed sandwich concept Open, is working at the market these days and has brought back its popular spin on a French dip, the Lee, which comes with a spicy Sichuan peppercorn dipping sauce. More Open throwbacks could make an ap- pearance on the menu board in the future. Best Sandwich Shop in an Alley Duke’s Good Sandwiches 2748 Welton Street 303-927-6758 dukesgoodsandwiches.com Tucked into a back patio at the end of a thin walkway and pinched between a couple of old Five Points build- ings sits Duke’s Good Sandwiches. Flanking the walk-up order window are old photos of famous Dukes of history, from jazz musicians to ac- tresses, but the real stars are on the menu: a streamlined four-sandwich list of Italian sausage, meatball, Ca- prese and the main attraction, the Chopped Cheese. That last option is an old-school New York City delight consisting of griddle-cooked ground beef and white cheddar cheese melted into gooey harmony and folded into a soft hoagie roll. Here, though, it also comes topped with fresh onions and crunchy pepperoncini. “Good” is a massive understatement. Best French Dip French 75 717 17th Street 303-405-7575 french75denver.com Denver is lucky to have a lot of great French dip sandwiches available, but for a stellar classic version, head down- town to Frank Bonanno’s French 75. First, there’s the hoagie roll itself, which comes from the restaurateur’s nearby bakery, LoDough. On top of that soft, chewy bread sits a heap of shaved, mid- rare rotisserie-roasted sirloin. The fi nal kicker is the umami-rich jus to dip it in, not to mention the pile of crispy fries. Bonus: The $21 sandwich is huge, and it could, if you have the willpower, last for two meals. Best Chicken Sandwich Music City Hot Chicken 227 Broadway 303-357-1141 mchcco.com When the original Music City Hot Chicken opened in Fort Collins, there were no other restaurants in Colorado specializing in the regional dish from Nashville that’s exploded in popularity since. Now hot chicken is ev- erywhere, and Music City brought its ver- sion to Denver in 2021 with an outpost inside TRVE Brewing. These hefty sandwiches are available in varying spice levels, from heat- free classic Southern and a mildly hot green chile seasoning to “fl ammable solid.” As a bonus, you can score one (plus a bag of chips) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays for just $6, with the option to add a 10-ounce beer from TRVE for $3 to cool your tastebuds. Best Chicken Wings King of Wings 7741 West 44th Avenue, Wheat Ridge 303-424-3489 king-of-wings.com There’s a reason we were salivating for Eddie Renshaw and Evan Pierce’s King of Wings to open up again after a December 2021 kitchen fire and permitting delays forced it to pivot to smashburger pop-ups to stay afl oat. But while Snipeburger was a hit (and one the owners plan to bring back), the chicken wings are simply the best around. Each order gets grilled — add- ing a deep, smoky essence and a charred caramelization to the skin — before being doused in one of ten sauces, including Thai BBQ, bourbon Buffalo or tangy gold. Visit the now-reopened Wheat Ridge location, which doubles as a taphouse, and watch for a second location to open in Golden soon. Best Fried Chicken Noble Riot 1336 27th Street 303-993-5330 nobleriot.com Noble Riot in RiNo is one of Denver’s best wine bars, especially if you’re into sipping — and talking about — fun, funky fermented grapes with a bunch of equally enthusi- astic vino lovers. That may not sound like the kind of place you’d also hit up for fried chicken, but Noble Riot serves up a seriously good take on the classic, with a thick, crackly crust that also happens to be gluten-free and pairs perfectly with a glass of sparkling Le Monde Ribolla or a light and airy Grüner Veltliner. Best Chicken-Fried Steak The Post Chicken & Beer Multiple metro locations postchickenandbeer.com Back when Big Red F had Lola, it in- troduced an unusual brunch entree for a Mexican coastal seafood spot: a great chicken-fried steak smothered in cho- rizo gravy. Today the space that was once home to Lola is one of the Big Red F’s Post Chicken & Beer, but Lola’s great chicken-fried steak remains a hallmark of the brunch menu. The gravy is now the more traditional, but still tasty, country kind that comes with all the actual chicken dishes, but here it Food and Drink continued from page 76 continued on page 80
