13 JUNE 8-14, 2023 westword.com WESTWORD | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NEWS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | Midnight Munchies LATE-NIGHT DINING ISN’T DEAD — AND IT’S TRYING TO MAKE A COMEBACK. BY MOLLY MARTIN Summer hasn’t offi cially begun, but it feels like Denver is in for a hot one — and we’re not talking about the temperature. If you’ve been out on the town recently, whether near Union Station or in RiNo or on South Broadway, you sense a certain energy fi nally returning to the city. Over three years after bars and restaurants were forced to close because of the pandemic, effectively taking out the nightlife scene — and late-night dining along with it — people are go- ing out again. And someone has to feed them. Yes, we’ve lost pretty much every 24/7 joint (RIP, Breakfast King and the Denver Diner), and those that remain continue to have limited hours. But more and more eateries are staying open later and later, looking to capture a crowd that’s hungry once again for 1 a.m. munchies. For the past couple of years, 24/7 Mexican drive-thrus have been the savior for those with late-night cravings, and we couldn’t have got- ten through without them. Sometimes, though, you want to sit down inside a restaurant at 1 a.m. and scarf French dips or gyros or fries loaded with chicken masala. And now you can. Here are our current favorite go-to’s for food served after midnight: Caddywampus Comfort Foods 3126 Larimer Street caddywamp.us Open 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday through Sunday Serving out of RiNo bar Gold Point, Caddywampus is all about playing with comfort foods, which is exactly the kind of fare we want to indulge in well after dark. It serves its entire menu until close — current options include snacks like cream cheese and pepper jelly with crackers and boiled peanuts along with a few larger meals like mac and cheese topped with Cheez-Its and a Cuban sandwich with toum (garlic sauce). But the best part is the $10 late-night breakfast sandwiches, available only from 10 p.m. until the lights come on. Funny Plus 2779 South Parker Road, Aurora 303-745-3477 funnyplus.wixsite.com Open 4 p.m. to midnight Sunday, 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Thurs- day, and 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Fri- day and Saturday This spot in the H Mart shopping center is known for its Korean fried chicken, but that’s just one of the many dishes you can choose from; others include Ko- rean barbecue and hiba- chi, and they’re all served until it closes. The place is pretty low-key during ear- lier dinner hours, but the pop music playlist-fueled energy really turns up as the night gets darker and the soju fl ows. Gaia Masala 609 Grant Street 720-779-0762 gaiadenver.com Open 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily Our 2023 Best of Denver pick for Best French Fries also happens to be one of the only spots to grab late- night food in Cap Hill. Still, its Indian fusion offerings represent some of the most fun food in town no matter what time you’re eating. Of course, the masala-topped fries are a must, but you can also dig into straight-up Indian dishes, a smattering of Mediterranean entrees like falafel and shawarma, burgers topped with tikka masala sauce and the neon-orange tikka masala cheesesteak. Inga’s Alpine Tavern 5151 Leetsdale Drive 720-389-6203 ingasalpinetavern.net Open 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily This kitschy bar recently started serving again on Sundays and Mondays, which means you can head in any evening for a menu stacked with options. The Bavarian plate with sausage and a soft pretzel is a favorite, as is the burger smothered with green chile, but Inga’s serves everything from tacos and pizza to wings and fried pickles. If it’s nice out, you can even enjoy your meal on the back patio — because fried food and fresh air are a combo that just hits different after midnight. Jerusalem Restaurant 1890 East Evans Avenue 303-777-8828 jerusalemrestaurant.com Open 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily A longtime Middle Eastern staple near the University of Denver, Je- rusalem used to shut down for just a few hours every day. When the pandemic hit, it scaled way back, but it’s now pushing closing time later and later as the bar crowds re- turn. Our go-to here is the Combi- nation Super Plate, a feast that can serve two — or ensure that you have some leftover hummus, falafel and dolma to munch on in the morning. A few treats from the bakery case are never a bad call, either. Kyu Ramen 2205 East Colfax Avenue 303-353-8497 kyuramendenver.com Open 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily There’s nothing quite like a big bowl of noodles to soak up whatever hijinks hap- pened earlier in the night. Thankfully, Kyu Ramen serves up more than ten options, from spicy chicken to kimchi to udon. There’s also a DIY menu where you can mix and match whatever broth, protein, noodle and toppings you fancy. Little India 330 East Sixth Avenue 303-871-9777 3496 West 32nd Avenue 303-561-2855 littleindiaofdenver.com Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday and Tuesday and 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Wednesday through Sunday Simeran Baidwan opened the fi rst Little India with his parents in 1998 on East Sixth Avenue and has continued to expand the business, which turns 25 this month. Now the original, plus the Highland outpost, are staying open later several days a week, serving a full menu of masalas, kormas, curries and more. My Brother’s Bar 2376 15th Street 303-455-9991 mybrothersbar.com Open 11 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday The oldest watering hole in town (it opened as the Highland House in 1873, when Denver was just fi fteen years old), My Brother’s Bar is known for its deep history, lack of TVs and killer burgers. After cutting back hours during the pandemic, CAFE continued on page 14 FIND MORE FOOD & DRINK COVERAGE AT WESTWORD.COM/RESTAURANTS Jerusalem has been a longtime late-night staple near the University of Denver. DANIELLE LIRETTE Make like Neal Cassady with a late-night visit to My Brother’s Bar. MOLLY MARTIN
