Fast-Casual Superiority; Craft Breweries Contribute Big

CHAIN THINGS— Denver does a lot of things well, and fast-casual be added to the list. Six Denver-based chains made FastCasual.com’s 2012 “Movers and Shakers” list, including Smashburger, Chipotle, Qdoba, Noodles & Company, Mad Greens and Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill. [DBJ]

BREW NEWS— We all have reason to love our breweries a little more. According the University of Colorado in Boulder Business Research Division's data for the Colorado Brewers Guild, the craft brewing industry contributed $446 million to the state's economy. [Eaterwire]

WHEAT RIDGE—Right Coast Pizza is now open at 7100 W. 38th Ave. Westword reports that the restaurant even offers pizza wisdom in the form of housemade fortune cookies. [Westword]

ASPEN— May is just around the corner, and according to The Aspen Times, it's "the single slowest month of the year for retail sales, including lodging and restaurant receipts, in the city of Aspen, according to data tallied by the city Finance Department." Maybe it's time for a trip to Aspen to show some restaurant love. [AT]