Avelina Impresses Most Diners with Style, Service, and Desserts

The Sexy News: This October, Zagat named Avelina one of Denver's ten sexiest new restaurants and bars. The LoDo restaurant, whose name means "little bird," stands out with its perfect combination of classic, comfortable, sleek, and homey. With its vibrant use of color and slick leather furniture, Zagat compare's the restaurant's interior design to the "equivalent of Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart at the beginning of Key Largo.". [Zagat]

The Experience News: Facebook reviewers generally praise the restaurant's attentive service, warm atmosphere, and, above all, sophisticated menu. One guest praised the "dedicated" staff's commitment to "providing you the best dining experience that you will ever have!" The same reviewer found that chefs and local power couple John Broening and Yasmin Lozada-Hissom crafted a menu that displays the chefs' "award-winning style and passion [that] shines in every dish!" [Facebook]

The Dessert News: Lozada-Hissom, an award-winning pastry chef and repeat nominee for the James Beard honors, resonates with local and visiting foodies through her unique creativity. At the new restaurant, Westword claims the dessert menu is "as big a draw as the entrees." The dessert menu features fan favorites like the citrus olive oil cake and dulce de leche stack. [Westword]

Not All Glows: While most diners had positive service and culinary experiences at Avelina, some online reviewers  found the restaurant's food and staff underwhelming and occasionally absent-minded. Following forgotten ingredients and spacey service, one diner on Yelp states that they won't return to the LoDo spot: "[a]s a new place on Denver you need to make sure to follow up on small details or you won't last." Another user asserted that they were "underwhelmed" by their experience and that the food, while tasty, was "overpriced," leaving to doubt if they will return. [Yelp]

Fast Favorite for Most: While a young spot, Avelina quickly got a 4.5 star ranking on Opentable with nearly 70 reviews logged. One guests said: "One of our favorite new Denver restaurants. Beautiful ambience and professional staff. Superb food at a reasonable price - not cheap but not break-the-bank expensive. Wine list is particularly affordable. The charcuterie board options are exceptional as are the desserts coming from the chef's wife - make sure to save room - we're usually not dessert eaters but they are so worth the calories here." [OpenTable]