Eight stories up in Halcyon, the Cherry Creek hotel that housed Departure, Quality Italian, and B&GC, sits Departure Elevated, a seasonal rooftop bar that is now open to the public.
Designed by Skylab Architecture, the patio has a sleek, stone bar as its centerpiece,
flanked by spacious cabanas veiled with curtains. The teak-lined social and dining areas offer guests not just cocktails and a fun dim sum menu but also sweeping views of downtown Denver set against the Rocky Mountains.
Views aside, the dim sum menu, served from roaming carts, includes dishes like pork shumai, harami skirt steak skewers, and hamachi poke. Among the cocktail highlights are the Tao of Tanuki (Takara shochu, lime, watermelon, chili salt, basil, and soda) and the Battle of Batida (barrel-aged Novo Fogo Cachaça, coconut milk, passion fruit, and lime). Beyond craft cocktails, the menu also features no-proof drinks, a variety of Japanese whiskies and sakes, plus group cocktails that serve up to four guests.
Departure Elevated is open Monday through Friday starting at 4 p.m. and Saturday and
Sunday starting at 11 a.m.