Early summer produce gives Denver kitchens a rich palette to source from. The eleven Mile High kitchens spotlighted here tap into seasonal produce to craft dishes that showcase summer fruits and vegetables, overshadowing the classic protein-driven plate.
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Eleven Kitchens That Make Seasonal Vegetables Shine
Chard, beets, asparagus and more become the stars of the show in these dishes.
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Cart Driver
Cart-Driver's current "Four Seasons" pizza reflects the shift from late spring into early summer with an arugula pesto base, green onions, asparagus, strawberries, ham, and burrata. Patrons can even substitute a cast-iron cooked chick pea crust if skipping the gluten is the goal.
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bittersweet
Many ingredients at Bittersweet are fresh from the garden, and right now that means chard. Chard is one of early summer's most colorful and flavorful vegetables, and Bittersweet matches the green appropriately in the halibut dish with pickled rainbow chard. Don't miss out on the third Thursday tasting menu every month with four courses paired with wine and featuring some exceptional seasonal produce.
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The Kitchen Next Door
For one of the best veggie burgers in town, check out The Kitchen Next Door's beet burger. This vegetable masterpiece features a house-made beet patty with arugula, balsamic onions, and feta.
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Humboldt Farm Fish Wine
Humboldt's new chef, Will Tuggles, is showcasing some serious chops when it comes to cooking with seasonal produce. The Uptown eatery's Cilantro-lime Ahi tuna salad is served with summer ingredients like fresh corn, mixed lettuces, compressed watermelon, pickled jalapeño, and a cumin-agave vinaigrette. For a veggie-centric appetizer try the crispy broccoli with Grada Padano and pepperoncini aioli.
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il posto
A recent look at the Uptown restaurant's perpetually changing risotto dishes showcases some early summer vegetable-oriented options like risotto with squash, almonds, baby sage, and Grana, as well as a risotto dish with pancetta, corn, stracchino, and arugula.
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Ophelia's Electric Soapbox
The menu at this Ballpark hot spot features a range of international options including many utilizing seasonal produce. The arepas with queso fresco, plantains, black beans, cilantro pesto, and strawberry pico are a treat, as well as the super seed veggie burger served with Havarti, ponzu onions, green goddess apple slaw, and sweet potato bun.
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Fuel Cafe
The menu at Fuel Cafe shines a light on Colorado's summer produce with dishes like the swiss chard canneloni served with marjoram, house made pasta, ricotta, parmesan, and a lemon herb cream. Don't miss Fuel's exceptional brunch options like the Mediterranean-inspired shakshuka done with poached eggs in spicy Tunisian tomato sauce, feta, green harissa, and grilled bread.
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The Populist
The charming patio at this RiNo restaurant is a perfect setting to enjoy some of the vegetable-forward dishes that The Populist is dishing now. Sweet corn agnolotti, grilled leek pesto bucatini, smoked jackfruit, cavatelli and summer ragout, and chilled zucchini soup are some of the current offerings.
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Sweet Action Ice Cream
There are always seasonal ingredients in these amazing frozen treats. Current flavors include cherry lime sorbet, strawberry, almond cardamom, passion fruit, lemon poppy seed, strawberry rhubarb crumble, huckleberry, alpine herbal strawberry swirl, and watermelon sorbet.
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Mercantile Dining & Provision
This Union Station hot spot constantly changes its dishes with the seasons. Right now that means vegetable-forward dishes like the chickpea soup served with crab salad, green garlic panisse, and trout roe, and the green strawberry and rhubarb salad with Fruition Farms' skyr, miner's lettuce, and green almond vinaigrette. For a vegetarian entree, try the broccoli a la plancha with yogurt curry, sunflower seeds, and black currants.
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Lower48 Kitchen
Lower48 Kitchen strives to showcase vegetables as the main point of a dish. A recent version of the weekly toast dish is served with garlic scape pesto, avocado, and smoked trout roe. The current asparagus dish allows the late spring/early summer vegetable to take center stage with backup accents of ham salt, gribiche, sesame, and cured egg.
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