Colorado’s First Shake Shack Opens for Business in RiNo

At 11 a.m. Wednesday, the grill will begin firing at Colorado’s first and wildly anticipated Shake Shack, planted at 2995 Larimer Street. Following a packed pop-up last month at The Source — that included a visit from the man behind the brand, Danny Meyer — the anticipatory buzz throughout the RiNo neighborhood and beyond was unmistakable.

A smattering of menu items, in both food and liquid form, are exclusively served in the Centennial State, including the Green Chile CheddarShack, a smashed Angus beef patty served with mildly spiced Anaheim, jalapeño, and sport peppers, with shredded white cheddar and marinated onions. Other Colorado-only items include the Glazed and Confuzed concrete with banana bread doughnut chunks in vanilla custard, and the Pie Oh My concrete, which will shift seasonally, now blending a slice of The Long I Pie’s salted honey lavender pie with vanilla custard. A 5 percent portion of its sales will go toward Food Bank of the Rockies.

Ryan Dearth/Eater

Ryan Dearth/Eater

Shake Shack is otherwise known for its burgers and fried chicken sandwiches on Martin’s potato roll buns, crinkle fries, and creamy vanilla and chocolate frozen custards and shakes.

A rotating beer list will start out to include Ratio Beerworks, Odell Brewing Co., Denver Beer Co., Funkwerks and Great Divide Brewing Co. Stumptown cold brew coffee is also available at all Shake Shack locations.

Ryan Dearth/Eater

The sizeable space is airy and industrial, with vaulted ceilings and high beams, functional and decorative light pine accents, and the brand’s signature neon green scattered throughout. The 3,700-square-foot, new-build project seats 108 between its indoor and outdoor areas, and General Manager Deborah Sheetz has a staff of nearly 60.

Ryan Dearth/Eater

A patio with seating for nearly 30 people is dog friendly — befitting the canine concoctions on the menu, like the Pooch-ini, a vanilla custard with peanut butter sauce and dog biscuits.

The original Shake Shack opened in New York City’s Madison Square Park in 2004 and has grown to global proportions, now with more than 150 locations stateside and internationally. The Larimer Street space is the first of three slated for the Denver metro area before year’s end, with spots in Highlands Ranch and Denver International Airport to come.

Ryan Dearth/Eater

Ryan Dearth/Eater

Ryan Dearth/Eater

Correction: A previous version of this article misidentified the original location of Shake Shack. It is New York’s Madison Square Park, not Madison Square Garden.

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