18 DECEMBER 8-14, 2022 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | LETTERS | CONTENTS | charm and high-quality comfort food for over a decade. Founded by Manuel and Trish Gatsiopoulos in 2011, Hits the Spot is more than just a speedy fi x, thanks to specialties like cinnamon roll French toast, Polish sau- sage sandwiches and a six-pound breakfast burrito smothered in the diner’s excellent (and gluten-free) green chile. Hong Kong Station 6878 South Yosemite Street, Englewood 720-592-0861 hkstationdenver.com Hong Kong Station isn’t a typical Chinese restaurant serving only the familiar stir-fried dishes and noodles. Nor can it be counted in the current cadre of popular dumpling shops. Instead, it’s a very specifi c kind of eatery unique to Hong Kong called a cha chaan teng, or tea restaurant. Hot and iced teas are the specialty, some brewed strong and served with sweetened condensed milk — but there’s plenty of food, too. Among the signature cha chaan teng items are the Hong Kong-style French toast and the baked rice dishes. Hop Alley 3500 Larimer Street 720-379-8340 hopalleydenver.com Building on the success of Uncle, his ramen joint, Tommy Lee opened Hop Alley in 2015. Lee’s exhilarating take on Chinese food, with interpretations of Cantonese, Sichuan and Beijing-inspired dishes, among others, paired with a hip-hop playlist create a lively atmo- sphere and a memorable experience. It’s best enjoyed with a group for a fast-paced spin through longtime favorites like bone marrow fried rice and la ji zi, fried chicken loaded with mouth-numbing Sichuan chile spice. House of Bread 2020 South Parker Road 720-727-0000 houseofbreadinc.com This Armenian bakery offers a full range of pastries, cakes, breads and deli products, so you’ll fi nd traditional barbari and matnakash breads along with pans of savory manti dump- lings. But you can also get a full-on meal at House of Bread. Order a few lahmajun — small fl atbreads topped with fi nely ground beef — or the ajarski, a canoe-shaped bread fi lled with cheese and eggs in its hollow center. If you’re somehow not full, add kabobs, available in a few varieties as lunch specials. But plan ahead for a 35-minute prep time. Joy Hill 1229 South Broadway 303-954-8784 joyhilldenver.com When Joy Hill opened in early 2020, owners Julia Duncan-Roitman and Andy Templar wanted the spot to be beverage-focused. But when the pandemic closed dining rooms just weeks later, they reconsidered their strategy. Almost three years later, the result is a place where the main draw is the sourdough-crust pizza, bolstered by a cocktail lounge-worthy beverage program. Grab a seat on the rooftop patio and settle in for a pie (or two) and any- thing served with the housemade sourdough. La Chiva 1446 South Broadway 720-389-9847 lachivacolombian.com La Chiva got its start as a food truck in 2015 and moved into its original brick-and-mortar location on South Broadway in 2017. In November 2020, when the space across the street became available, owner and na- tive Colombian Jorge Aguirre relocated his operation, gaining double the seating, an upstairs area and a large back patio. The menu is small, but the portions of traditional Colombian fare are generous — especially the heaping Picada platter for two. La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal 2233 Larimer Street 720-519-1060 ladiabladenver.com When La Diabla opened in the summer of 2021, it became the fi rst pozoleria in Colorado. Chef/owner Jose Avila and his team nixtamalizes corn in-house for both the pozole — which is available in verde, blanco, rojo and vegan varieties — as well as the tortillas. Hit up La Diabla’s happy hour for tacos and agave spirit-based drinks, or swing by on the weekends, when the restaurant often cooks meat outdoors on a spinning trompo. La Fiesta 2340 Champa Street 303-292-2800 lafi estadenver.com La Fiesta has seen many changes since it opened twenty years ago in what had once been a Safeway, including the loss of founder and patriarch Michael Herrera, who passed away in February 2020. But the Den-Mex mainstay has carried on, with members of the extended family serving timelessly tasty chiles rellenos fried in giant wonton wrap- pers and smothered in hot, hot green chile. Over the decades, La Fiesta has become a living-history museum of Mexican food for a changing neighborhood. La Fogata 5670 East Evans Avenue, 303-753-9458 8090 East Quincy Avenue, 720-974-7315 la-fogata.com The original location of La Fogata was opened by Danette Calhoun back in 1990; in 2004, a second spot was added in the Den- ver Tech Center. Both eateries are staples in their neighborhoods, and regulars are greeted warmly by longtime staff. The thick, warming, gravy-style green chile is one of the best versions in town, and the pink-hued house margarita pairs perfectly with menu standouts like the Mexican hamburger and pollo asado bathed in a creamy sauce. Lechuga’s Italian Restaurant 3609 Tejon Street 303-455-1502 lechugasitalian.com They don’t make them like they used to — but Lechuga’s marches on anyway, an old-school Italian joint where you can order pasta by the bucket, square pizzas, and Denver-style can- noli, with your choice of a meatball, sausage or sausage-and-jalapeño combo wrapped in dough with a little bit of cheese in the mix, baked and then smothered. With a $7 all- you-can-eat Tuesday night spaghetti special and lunch deals every weekday, Lechuga’s is a tasty reminder that here in the Mile High City, we like our Italian food greasy and cheap, served up in a place that feels suspended in time. A second, (much) newer outpost is located in Lakewood. Lucina 2245 Kearney Street 720-814-1053 lucinaeatery.co In March 2022, Create Cooking School co- owners Erasmo “Ras” Casiano and Diego Coconati opened this Latin eatery that spe- cializes in the food the two were raised on — which includes dishes inspired by Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and Miami. Named for Casiano’s mother, the restaurant is a labor of love, with a bright and airy decor and a menu that includes an ever-changing paella available on Fridays and Saturdays. Mama Lolita’s 8181 Arista Place, Broomfi eld 303-997-9589 mamalolitas.com This debut eatery from chef/owner Joe Mazzocco, which opened in Broomfi eld in July 2022, brings together Mexican faves like ceviche, queso fundido, enchiladas and a tight selection of tacos with an enticing array of tequila cocktails. With colorful ingredients, sourced locally whenever pos- sible, it’s Mexican fare elevated to delicious new heights and served in an unexpectedly charming space. Mercantile Dining & Provision 1701 Wynkoop Street 720-460-3733 mercantiledenver.com The concept for Alex Seidel’s second res- taurant was as grand and ambitious as that of Union Station itself, where Mercantile launched in the summer of 2014. The re- furbished train station showed off vaulted ceilings, gleaming marble, dark woods and a variety of new bars and restaurants that fi t nearly every traveler’s needs. Likewise, Mer- cantile offered something from morning to night, from a cup of coffee and a croissant for breakfast to an elegant dinner for an evening of refi nement and exquisite service. Even as the food and drink offerings in and around the station continue to grow, Mercantile hasn’t lost its luster. Mexico City Restaurant & Lounge 2115 Larimer Street 303-296-0563 ilovemexicocitytacos.com Opened by Willie and Esther Garcia, Mexico City Lounge has been a Denver staple for over fi fty years. It hasn’t changed much in that time, with the exception of a slight facelift in 2012, but the area around it sure has…and the ownership has moved down a couple of generations. But despite the evolution of LoDo, Mexico City remains a down-home cantina full of guaranteed good food and good times — and its famous, must-try fried tacos. Misfi t Snackbar 3401 East Colfax Avenue 201-679-7079 misfi tsnackbar.com Chef Bo Porytko was half of the duo behind Rebel Restaurant, which served some of Denver’s most thrilling cuisine for three years before closing in 2018. Now he’s manning his own tiny kitchen inside the Middleman, where he turns out a dizzy- ing array of small plates and bigger dishes, with no regard for culinary tradition or international borders. Never expect the same thing twice (except for the menu staple — one of Denver’s best burgers), but always expect a balance of the delicate and the audacious. Oak at Fourteenth specializes in wood-fi red foods. EVAN SEMÓN Eat Here continued from page 16 continued on page 20