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Mercantile Dining & Provision
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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.

by Jessie Levine
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Mercantile Dining & Provision
by Jessie Levine

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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Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.

1. Cart Driver

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2500 Larimer Street
Denver, CO 80205
(303)292-3553
(303)292-3553
Visit Website
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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2. bittersweet

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500 E Alameda Ave
Denver, CO 80209
(303) 942-0320
(303) 942-0320
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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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3. The Kitchen Next Door

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1701 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80211
(720)460-3730
(720)460-3730
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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.

4. Humboldt Farm Fish Wine

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1700 Humboldt St
Denver, CO 80218
(303) 813-1700
(303) 813-1700
Visit Website
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.

5. il posto

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2011 E 17th Ave
Denver, CO 80206
(303) 394-0100
(303) 394-0100
Visit Website
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.

6. Ophelia's Electric Soapbox

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1215 20th Street
Denver, CO 80202
(303)993-8023
(303)993-8023
Visit Website
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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7. Fuel Cafe

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3455 Ringsby Ct Ste 105
Denver, CO 80216
(303) 296-4642
(303) 296-4642
Visit Website
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.

8. The Populist

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3163 Larimer St
Denver, CO 80205
(720) 432-3163
(720) 432-3163
Visit Website
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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9. Sweet Action Ice Cream

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52 Broadway
Denver, CO 80203
(303) 282-4645
(303) 282-4645
Visit Website
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.

Also Featured in:

10. Mercantile Dining & Provision

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1701 Wynkoop St
Denver, CO 80202
(720) 460-3733
(720) 460-3733
Visit Website
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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11. Lower48 Kitchen

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2020 Lawrence St Unit A
Denver, CO 80205
(303) 942-0262
(303) 942-0262
Visit Website
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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1. Cart Driver

2500 Larimer Street, Denver, CO 80205
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.
2500 Larimer Street
Denver, CO 80205
(303)292-3553
Visit Website

2. bittersweet

500 E Alameda Ave, Denver, CO 80209
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.
500 E Alameda Ave
Denver, CO 80209
(303) 942-0320
Visit Website

3. The Kitchen Next Door

1701 Wynkoop Street, Denver, CO 80211
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.
1701 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80211
(720)460-3730
Visit Website

4. Humboldt Farm Fish Wine

1700 Humboldt St, Denver, CO 80218
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.
1700 Humboldt St
Denver, CO 80218
(303) 813-1700
Visit Website

5. il posto

2011 E 17th Ave, Denver, CO 80206
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.
2011 E 17th Ave
Denver, CO 80206
(303) 394-0100
Visit Website

6. Ophelia's Electric Soapbox

1215 20th Street, Denver, CO 80202
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.
1215 20th Street
Denver, CO 80202
(303)993-8023
Visit Website

7. Fuel Cafe

3455 Ringsby Ct Ste 105, Denver, CO 80216
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.
3455 Ringsby Ct Ste 105
Denver, CO 80216
(303) 296-4642
Visit Website

8. The Populist

3163 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205
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.
3163 Larimer St
Denver, CO 80205
(720) 432-3163
Visit Website

9. Sweet Action Ice Cream

52 Broadway, Denver, CO 80203
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.
52 Broadway
Denver, CO 80203
(303) 282-4645
Visit Website

10. Mercantile Dining & Provision

1701 Wynkoop St, Denver, CO 80202
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.
1701 Wynkoop St
Denver, CO 80202
(720) 460-3733
Visit Website

11. Lower48 Kitchen

2020 Lawrence St Unit A, Denver, CO 80205
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.
2020 Lawrence St Unit A
Denver, CO 80205
(303) 942-0262
Visit Website

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