Denver’s restaurant community is navigating another tough year. Neighborhood construction, rising labor and supply costs, and cautious consumer wallets are putting pressure on businesses across the city.
In response, some restaurateurs are getting creative to stay afloat. For Bill Espiricueta, chef-owner of Smōk Barbecue in the Source Hotel, that means turning gallons of rendered fat from the 10 to 18 briskets he cooks a day into a new product: edible beef tallow candles.
It might sound unusual, but the beef-fat candles are equal parts resourceful and delicious.
To make them, Espiricueta renders leftover brisket fat in the oven overnight, strains the liquid, steeps it with shallots, garlic, and herbs, and molds the mixture into votives. The two-day process produces candles that burn for 25 to 30 minutes, melting into flavorful, dippable fat for bread, fresh veggies, or other foods. “It’s essentially just like garlic butter,” he said.
But the project isn’t just about minimizing waste and boosting sales — it’s also personal. The candles are a quiet tribute to the late Amos Watts, who died in 2024, Espiricueta’s friend and the beloved chef behind Denver’s now-closed Fifth String.
“Amos was the one who turned me onto these,” he said. A few years ago, he was doing them at the Fifth String, so I passed the torch to myself.”
Espiricueta recommends picking up a set of the edible candles to pair with a loaf of sliced sourdough from your favorite local bakery (like Reunion Bakery in the adjacent Source Market Hall). At his own gatherings, Espiricueta lights a couple on a plate with bread on the kitchen counter for guests while he’s prepping food.
”People just walk through the kitchen and dip their bread and go on about what they’re doing — a nice, casual little thing,” he said. “And then once we have dinner, I light ’em on the table, and you can dip your roll in it.”
Smōk will offer the candles (three for $15) through the end of the year, hoping to draw in holiday shoppers who might stick around for a platter of brisket and cornbread or a burnt end sandwich. While many restaurants see a seasonal bump during the holidays, some key days — like Thanksgiving weekend — bring a dip in traffic, as customers opt to stay in. That’s just the start of a slower stretch in January and February, when spending typically tightens.
“ I think restaurants are having to just get really creative and go above and beyond — anything to get your regular client customer base in — to try to fill in those voids.” Espiricueta said.
Smōk Barbecue in RiNo is open Sunday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday-Saturday, 7:30 a.m.-10 p.m.; 3330 Brighton Blvd., Suite 202.