The Buzz Around the Popular Cart Driver in RiNo

The team behind Basta, the upscale Italian restaurant located in the Peloton project in Boulder, is at it again with a more casual iteration of its food. With a great reputation to live up to, Cart-Driver's team has been hard at work to impress diners and critics alike. Here's what they've been saying.

The Famous Family News: This is not this team's first try at success. Boulder darling Basta, opened in 2010, has encountered great success. Despite the renowned scale of Basta's service and food, Chef-owner Kelly Whitaker and co-owner Andrew Birkholz decided to steer this Cart in the direction of Italian street food. [Westword]

The Only Good For The Novelty Alcohol News: Yes, it's true; Prosecco is on tap. Yes it's true; that's really cool. This being said, for $8 per glass, one Trip Advisor user concluded that "it is really only good for the novelty." Even more, only one draught beer is available on tap. Simple is in though, right? [Trip Advisor]

The Small But Efficient News: Place your order at the door and quickly make room for yourself to dig in; many Yelpers rave about five-minute pizzas. After all, for a space as small as Cart-Driver's, long ticket times are a mortal enemy. Still though, you can pack a restaurant full with people who want a warm, wood-fired meal. That's likely why the concept behind the space is "Slow Food Fast," as is printed on the menu. [Cart-Driver]

The Fast but Not Too Casual News: Though Cart-Driver functions like a fast-casual place with walk-up counter service, nothing was left to be desired during many Yelpers' experiences. Warm, friendly service is standard for this place, even if you may have to find your own seat. [Yelp]

The Tough Competition News: The space in which Cart-Driver developed is already home to some serious competition: Work + Class and Huckleberry Roasters are the bigger players in the Cart-Driver's complex. However, the vibes are not competitive and high-stress; co-owner Andrew Birkholz has found that "there's such a great alchemy of creative minds in different industries." [Cafe Society]

The Rockin' Tunes News: When you fight for a seat at a new hip eatery, you'd hope for a hip playlist. Cart-Driver delivers the jams, according to the raves of one Twitter user. [Twitter]

The Tomorrow's Lunch News: Whether you don't have the minute-and-a-half to spare to wait for a wood-fired pizza or you're offended that Cart-Driver's not open until 5 p.m., grab-and-go options at C-D will keep you stocked through tomorrow's dinner. [Zagat]

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