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A photo of a plate containing a tartlette filled with pumpkin filling at Bistro Barbès
Pumpkin tartlette at Bistro Barbès
Bistro Barbès [official photo]

13 Places for Pumpkin Dishes and Drinks in Denver

In a pumpkin spice-saturated city, these spots give the squash a fresh spin

by Rebecca Treon
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Pumpkin tartlette at Bistro Barbès
| Bistro Barbès [official photo]
by Rebecca Treon

With the onslaught of pumpkin spice everything seemingly starting earlier and earlier each year, it’s no surprise that diners often feel like some of the thrill is gone by the time pumpkins are, uh, actually in season.

Thankfully, chefs across Denver are fighting fall (and pumpkin) fatigue by creatively crafting October’s favorite squash into everything from ice cream sandwiches to risotto. Of course, there are also plenty of places to get classic pumpkin favorites like breads and salads with original twists of their own.

So with pumpkin featuring so prominently (and inventively) on so many local menus just as cooler weather is making it really feel like fall, there’s no reason not to enjoy the autumnal bounty. After all, it’s only a matter of time before pumpkin season becomes a distant, if fond, memory as local diners are bombarded by all things gingerbread, eggnog, and red and green.

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Precision Pours - Coffee and Bakes

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Louisville’s sweet jewelbox of a coffee shop, Precision Pours, is baking pumpkin spice brioche, pumpkin spice sourdough loaves and, for the pumpkin spice-averse, a straight-up pumpkin (no spice) sourdough.

1030 E South Boulder Rd, Louisville, CO 80027
(720) 883-3301
(720) 883-3301
A pumpkin spice brioche pastry on a plate at Precision Pours
Pumpkin spice brioche at Precision Pours
Precision Pours [official]

Smok Barbecue - Denver

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Chef Bill Espiricueta’s summer fruit pies have have earned him many fans. But starting next week, he’s turning his attention to serving pumpkin pies at his barbecue destination inside The Source Hotel and Market Hall. His Southern-inspired take on that fall classic boasts a flaky, golden crust that took months to perfect, as well as a hint of savory flavor. The pies will be topped with a dollop of crème fraîche and sold by the slice as well as whole.

3330 Brighton Blvd #202, Denver, CO 80216
(720) 452-2487
(720) 452-2487
A slice of pumpkin pie at Smok
Pumpkin pie at Smok
Smok [official]

Also featured in:

Julep

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RiNo’s beloved ode to Southern cuisine, Julep, is offering an elegant pumpkin agnolotti made with pumpkin seed pasta, brown butter, roasted pumpkin, and a pumpkin seed and collard green pesto.

3258 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205
(303) 295-8977
(303) 295-8977
A white plate with the pumpkin agnolotti on it at Julep
Pumpkin agnolotti at Julep
Julep [official]

Also featured in:

Old Major

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This Highland favorite is serving a delicate pumpkin risotto this fall that is a notable departure from the restaurant’s usual focus on all things butchered. It’s made with beech mushrooms, mascarpone, and chili pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and is a rare vegetarian option on one of the most meat-centric menus in town.

3316 Tejon St, Denver, CO 80211
(720) 420-0622
(720) 420-0622
Pumpkin risotto at Old Major
Old Major [official]

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Sushi-Rama

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Sushi-Rama, chef Jeff Osaka’s conveyor belt sushi concept, doesn’t leave the vegetarian diner in the lurch: the pumpkin dragon roll is a standout on the line. It consists of avocado, cucumber, warm tempura pumpkin, and honey tamari wrapped in nori and rice.

2615 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205
(720) 476-4643
(720) 476-4643
Pumpkin dragon roll at Sushi-Rama
Sushi-Rama [official]

Also featured in:

The Inventing Room Dessert Shop

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At The Inventing Room, Denver’s own Willy Wonka, chef Ian Kleinman, is serving up an an over-the-top ice cream sandwich with a dose of fall flair. Made with pumpkin cookies that are baked fresh daily, that sandwich is topped with a house-made whipped marshmallow that’s torched and then layered with cream cheese ice cream before being submerged in liquid nitrogen for a frozen texture.

4433 W 29th Ave #101, Denver, CO 80212
(303) 960-6656
(303) 960-6656
Pumpkin ice sandwich at The Inventing Room
The Inventing Room [official]

Bistro Barbès

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North Park Hill is where diners will find Bistro Barbès, an intimate North African-inspired French restaurant. Currently on the menu there is a pumpkin tartlette made with a pine-nut short-bread crust, spiced pumpkin filling, and seckle pear-kumquat coulis. It’s served a la mode with olive oil ice cream.

5021 E 28th Ave, Denver, CO 80207
(720) 398-8085
(720) 398-8085
Pumpkin tartlette at Bistro Barbès
Bistro Barbès [officia]

Snooze an A.M. Eatery

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Colorado’s home-grown breakfast chain Snooze has notoriously long lines, but that’s because dishes like their famed pumpkin pancakes are so popular. The chain has also collaborated with chichi cookware store Williams Sonoma on a pumpkin pancake mix that lets diners make pancakes that are just as yummy in their own kitchens — without the wait.

2262 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205
(303) 297-0700
(303) 297-0700
The pumpkin pancakes at Snooze
Snooze [official]

Rosenberg's Bagels & Delicatessen (Five Points)

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At the Five Points location of Rosenberg’s Bagels and Delicatessen, guests can pick up some pumpkin rugelach and pumpkin babka made with a hint of pumpkin spice that are just as good as the ones bubbe makes.

725 E 26th Ave, Denver, CO 80205
(720) 440-9880
(720) 440-9880
The pumpkin rugelach at Rosenbeg’s
Rosenberg’s Bagels [official]

Also featured in:

Sarto's

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Jefferson Park’s upscale Italian gem is serving an elegant dessert for the pumpkin lover this fall: hand-formed pepita and cherry nougat top a soft pumpkin custard accented with candied pear and balsalmic vinegar pearls.

2900 W 25th Ave, Denver, CO 80211
(303) 455-1400
(303) 455-1400
Pumpkin custard and nougat dessert at Sarto’s
Sarto’s [official photo]

Rioja

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At Rioja, James Beard Award-winning Chef Jennifer Jasinski’s Mediterranean restaurant on Larimer Square, the fall menu features a baby pumpkin salad with crispy Brussels sprouts, Ela Farms apples, sage vinaigrette, rye-hazelnut crumble, and gooseberries.

1431 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80202
(303) 820-2282
(303) 820-2282
The baby pumpkin salad at Rioja

Also featured in:

Strange Craft Beer Company

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With a Halloween-centric name like Strange Craft, it’s only natural that this Lincoln Park-based brewery is brewing its own homage to the season. This robust 5.5% ABV porter is made with over 450 lbs. of baking pumpkins (about 65 pounds per barrel) that have been blended with holiday spices to make a pumpkin beer with roasty, burnt chocolate and toffee-like notes. It’s available through Thanksgiving.

1330 Zuni St Unit M, Denver, CO 80204
(720) 985-2337
(720) 985-2337
Strange Craft Brewing Company’s Pumpkin Porter
Strange Craft Brewing Company [official]

Also featured in:

Fruition Restaurant

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James Beard Award-winning chef Alex Seidel’s central Denver restaurant, Fruition, is offering a sweet and savory pumpkin cake dessert containing candied squash, brown butter, sage, and cream cheese icing.

1313 E 6th Ave, Denver, CO 80218
(303) 831-1962
(303) 831-1962
The pumpkin cake dessert from Fruition
Fruition [official]

Also featured in:

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Precision Pours - Coffee and Bakes

1030 E South Boulder Rd, Louisville, CO 80027

Louisville’s sweet jewelbox of a coffee shop, Precision Pours, is baking pumpkin spice brioche, pumpkin spice sourdough loaves and, for the pumpkin spice-averse, a straight-up pumpkin (no spice) sourdough.

1030 E South Boulder Rd, Louisville, CO 80027
(720) 883-3301
(720) 883-3301
A pumpkin spice brioche pastry on a plate at Precision Pours
Pumpkin spice brioche at Precision Pours
Precision Pours [official]

Smok Barbecue - Denver

3330 Brighton Blvd #202, Denver, CO 80216

Chef Bill Espiricueta’s summer fruit pies have have earned him many fans. But starting next week, he’s turning his attention to serving pumpkin pies at his barbecue destination inside The Source Hotel and Market Hall. His Southern-inspired take on that fall classic boasts a flaky, golden crust that took months to perfect, as well as a hint of savory flavor. The pies will be topped with a dollop of crème fraîche and sold by the slice as well as whole.

3330 Brighton Blvd #202, Denver, CO 80216
(720) 452-2487
(720) 452-2487
A slice of pumpkin pie at Smok
Pumpkin pie at Smok
Smok [official]

Julep

3258 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205

RiNo’s beloved ode to Southern cuisine, Julep, is offering an elegant pumpkin agnolotti made with pumpkin seed pasta, brown butter, roasted pumpkin, and a pumpkin seed and collard green pesto.

3258 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205
(303) 295-8977
(303) 295-8977
A white plate with the pumpkin agnolotti on it at Julep
Pumpkin agnolotti at Julep
Julep [official]

Old Major

3316 Tejon St, Denver, CO 80211

This Highland favorite is serving a delicate pumpkin risotto this fall that is a notable departure from the restaurant’s usual focus on all things butchered. It’s made with beech mushrooms, mascarpone, and chili pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and is a rare vegetarian option on one of the most meat-centric menus in town.

3316 Tejon St, Denver, CO 80211
(720) 420-0622
(720) 420-0622
Pumpkin risotto at Old Major
Old Major [official]

Sushi-Rama

2615 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205

Sushi-Rama, chef Jeff Osaka’s conveyor belt sushi concept, doesn’t leave the vegetarian diner in the lurch: the pumpkin dragon roll is a standout on the line. It consists of avocado, cucumber, warm tempura pumpkin, and honey tamari wrapped in nori and rice.

2615 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205
(720) 476-4643
(720) 476-4643
Pumpkin dragon roll at Sushi-Rama
Sushi-Rama [official]

The Inventing Room Dessert Shop

4433 W 29th Ave #101, Denver, CO 80212

At The Inventing Room, Denver’s own Willy Wonka, chef Ian Kleinman, is serving up an an over-the-top ice cream sandwich with a dose of fall flair. Made with pumpkin cookies that are baked fresh daily, that sandwich is topped with a house-made whipped marshmallow that’s torched and then layered with cream cheese ice cream before being submerged in liquid nitrogen for a frozen texture.

4433 W 29th Ave #101, Denver, CO 80212
(303) 960-6656
(303) 960-6656
Pumpkin ice sandwich at The Inventing Room
The Inventing Room [official]

Bistro Barbès

5021 E 28th Ave, Denver, CO 80207

North Park Hill is where diners will find Bistro Barbès, an intimate North African-inspired French restaurant. Currently on the menu there is a pumpkin tartlette made with a pine-nut short-bread crust, spiced pumpkin filling, and seckle pear-kumquat coulis. It’s served a la mode with olive oil ice cream.

5021 E 28th Ave, Denver, CO 80207
(720) 398-8085
(720) 398-8085
Pumpkin tartlette at Bistro Barbès
Bistro Barbès [officia]

Snooze an A.M. Eatery

2262 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205

Colorado’s home-grown breakfast chain Snooze has notoriously long lines, but that’s because dishes like their famed pumpkin pancakes are so popular. The chain has also collaborated with chichi cookware store Williams Sonoma on a pumpkin pancake mix that lets diners make pancakes that are just as yummy in their own kitchens — without the wait.

2262 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205
(303) 297-0700
(303) 297-0700
The pumpkin pancakes at Snooze
Snooze [official]

Rosenberg's Bagels & Delicatessen (Five Points)

725 E 26th Ave, Denver, CO 80205

At the Five Points location of Rosenberg’s Bagels and Delicatessen, guests can pick up some pumpkin rugelach and pumpkin babka made with a hint of pumpkin spice that are just as good as the ones bubbe makes.

725 E 26th Ave, Denver, CO 80205
(720) 440-9880
(720) 440-9880
The pumpkin rugelach at Rosenbeg’s
Rosenberg’s Bagels [official]

Sarto's

2900 W 25th Ave, Denver, CO 80211

Jefferson Park’s upscale Italian gem is serving an elegant dessert for the pumpkin lover this fall: hand-formed pepita and cherry nougat top a soft pumpkin custard accented with candied pear and balsalmic vinegar pearls.

2900 W 25th Ave, Denver, CO 80211
(303) 455-1400
(303) 455-1400
Pumpkin custard and nougat dessert at Sarto’s
Sarto’s [official photo]

Rioja

1431 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80202

At Rioja, James Beard Award-winning Chef Jennifer Jasinski’s Mediterranean restaurant on Larimer Square, the fall menu features a baby pumpkin salad with crispy Brussels sprouts, Ela Farms apples, sage vinaigrette, rye-hazelnut crumble, and gooseberries.

1431 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80202
(303) 820-2282
(303) 820-2282
The baby pumpkin salad at Rioja

Strange Craft Beer Company

1330 Zuni St Unit M, Denver, CO 80204

With a Halloween-centric name like Strange Craft, it’s only natural that this Lincoln Park-based brewery is brewing its own homage to the season. This robust 5.5% ABV porter is made with over 450 lbs. of baking pumpkins (about 65 pounds per barrel) that have been blended with holiday spices to make a pumpkin beer with roasty, burnt chocolate and toffee-like notes. It’s available through Thanksgiving.

1330 Zuni St Unit M, Denver, CO 80204
(720) 985-2337
(720) 985-2337
Strange Craft Brewing Company’s Pumpkin Porter
Strange Craft Brewing Company [official]

Fruition Restaurant

1313 E 6th Ave, Denver, CO 80218

James Beard Award-winning chef Alex Seidel’s central Denver restaurant, Fruition, is offering a sweet and savory pumpkin cake dessert containing candied squash, brown butter, sage, and cream cheese icing.

1313 E 6th Ave, Denver, CO 80218
(303) 831-1962
(303) 831-1962
The pumpkin cake dessert from Fruition
Fruition [official]

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