Metro Denver’s food scene has never been as vibrant as it is today, something The Denver Post’s food writers and the rest of the staff of The Know understand. That’s why we’re out on the town as much as possible. Each month, we’ll provide you with recommendations about a few of the dishes we tried over the previous weeks. Want to hear about them early? Subscribe to the Stuffed newsletter, where we introduce one of these dishes every Wednesday.
Konjo Ethiopian Food
My only other experience with Ethiopian food — aside from a recent lunch at Konjo Ethiopian Food’s new location inside the Denver Milk Market — was in Minneapolis, where there’s a large East African refugee population, and a beloved restaurant called Dilla’s. The owners of Konjo, Fetien Gibre-Michael and Yoseph Assefa, have introduced an untold number of Denverites to injera, a spongy bread that accompanies most meals. On its own, the bread’s distinctively sour taste is undeniable. Beneath the turmeric rice, chicken simmered in vegetables and berbere spice, and the mixture of yellow peas with garlic and onion (called kik), the injera rounds out the heat for a filling meal.
1800 Wazee St., Denver; konjoethiopianfood.com
Dang Soft Serve Ice Cream
A property of Little Man Ice Cream Co., Dang Soft Serve, in the Park Hill neighborhood, keeps its options simple. Ice cream churns behind the counter, two flavors to each machine. (One machine has non-dairy soft serve.) I asked for the combination of Dole Whip and fudge cake on a cake cone, and for the shop attendant to sprinkle some graham cracker dust on top. It was a sweet-and-tart treat that was all I needed to combat the midday summer sun. A toddler sitting with her grandmother at the table next to me was more adventurous, though, with the peak of her mini ice-cream mountain coated in pink sprinkles. Show-off.
2211 Oneida St., Denver; dangsoftserve.com
Nana’s Dim Sum and Dumplings
Nana’s Dim Sum and Dumplings has expanded massively across Colorado in recent years, opening restaurants in Parker, Colorado Springs and soon, Denver’s Golden Triangle neighborhood. The interior of the location at 3316 Tejon St. in Denver glimmers as trays of dishes, ordered at the table, arrive from the kitchen in quick succession. The most visually appealing of these is the shrimp and pork dumplings. Purple dough is wrapped around a juicy, savory filling and pan-fried to perfection. The texture was chewy and consistent between dumplings, as it was with other steamed and fried delicacies on the menu.
Locations across Front Range and New York; nanasdimsumanddumplings.com
Moe’s Broadway Bagel
Moe’s Broadway Bagel gets a lot of things right about the bagel experience. Its location on 550 Grant St. in Denver has chalkboards behind the counter that list hot and cold sandwiches in multiple colors, and sunlight filters in through the storefront glass windows, warming the space and uplifting the spirit. All that would mean little if the bagels themselves weren’t of quality. The ‘funky’ chicken salad on a cheddar tomato bagel was stellar, a hearty sandwich with soft, chewy bread. Paired with an apple, I felt like a second-grader on a school field trip, giddy and taken care of.
Multiple locations across Front Range, including its first new Denver location in 30 years, at 1390 S. Colorado Blvd.; moesbagel.com