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The Strawberry Rhubarb Danish at Olive and Finch
Olive and Finch

In Season: 11 Dishes To Try with Summer Berries

Berry season is in full bloom in Denver

by Nisa Sedaghat
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The Strawberry Rhubarb Danish at Olive and Finch
| Olive and Finch
by Nisa Sedaghat

The beginning of August means many things, beautiful weather, sunny days cooled down with tasty frozen treats, and the height of the summer season — and berry season. As farmer’s markets, grocery stores, and various food purveyors find their baskets filled to the brim with the colorful and juicy selections of strawberries, cherries, blueberries, and even gooseberries, that means Denver locals get to try some of the tastiest, berry-influenced dishes coming out of chefs’ kitchen’s this season.

From cold soups and semifreddos to tarts and trouts, here are 11 restaurants with exceptional summer berry dishes.

Have another berry-filled favorite dish? Send a tip here.

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Emmerson

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This Boulder eatery has made a name for itself since its opening with its decadent and whimsical creations. This summer, diners can cool off with a whimsical blueberry, cucumber, and sake shaved ice dessert, topped off with the citrus aromatics of Japanese yuzu.

1600 Pearl St #100, Boulder, CO 80302
(303) 953-9852
(303) 953-9852
The blueberry, cucumber, sake ice and yuzu dessert creation.
Emmerson, Yelp

Acorn

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The berry dessert served at this airy RiNo eatery is just as creative as the neighborhood where the restaurant resides. Diners can finish off a great meal with the sorrel tapioca, a vibrant colored dish served with red wagon rhubarb leaves, freeze-dried strawberry, and a red verjus.

3350 Brighton Blvd, Denver, CO 80216
(720) 542-3721
(720) 542-3721
The Sorrel Tapioca
Acorn, Facebook

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Linger

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Summer diners can swap their summer berry dish from dessert to an appetizer at this lively LoHi restaurant, whose menu is comprised of a melange of globally inspired dishes. Diners can cool off with a chilled cherry soup — tart Bing cherries blended with yogurt, cucumber, walnuts, barberries, and a dill gremolata dressing.

2030 W 30th Ave, Denver, CO 80211
(303) 993-3120
(303) 993-3120
Chilled Cherry Soup
Linger, Yelp

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Mercantile Dining and Provision

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Adventurous eaters can dive into a twist on a berry dish at this gourmet eatery that resides in downtown’s Union Station. The restaurant serves a chicken liver mousse whipped up with strawberry-rhubarb marmalade and topped with a cherry pistachio granola, fresh fruit, and seasonal flowers.

1701 Wynkoop St #155, Denver, CO 80202
(720) 460-3733
(720) 460-3733
Strawberry Rhubarb Liver Mousse topped with seasonal flowers.
Mercantile Dining & Provision, Instagram

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Tavernetta

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Sticking to the roots of Italian cuisine, with “simplicity is key,” this upscale LoDo spot serves a traditional vanilla panna cotta topped off with slow-cooked strawberries, and refreshing sprigs of summer mint.

1889 16th St, Denver, CO 80202
(720) 605-1889
(720) 605-1889
Panna Cotta
Tavernetta, Facebook

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Vesta

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This LoDo abode focuses on seasonality as the backbone to all of its creative dishes and cocktails. On the sweeter side of the menu, eaters can order a verbena semifreddo — a lemon verbena frozen mousse served with strawberry shortbread and candied rhubarb — or the dragon’s breath, a fun, raspberry-flavored nitro-frozen dessert served with passion fruit meringues.

1822 Blake St, Denver, CO 80202
(303) 296-1970
(303) 296-1970

Also featured in:

The Kitchen

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At this “garden-to-table” restaurant, located on Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall, eaters can indulge in a lighter dessert fare with the summer berry mess. The “undone” dessert features a shattered meringue served with a scoop of berry sorbet, topped with a cool diplomat cream and fresh mint.

1530 16th St, Denver, CO 80202
(303) 623-3127
(303) 623-3127

Also featured in:

Tables

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Diners will feel like their walking into a cozy bungalow at this American locale, located in North Park Hill. It takes inspiration from summer berries in the form of desserts such as the strawberry-fennel ice cream finished off with a rhubarb jam and almond biscotti, as well as the apricot-blueberry, a brown butter buckle garnished with a ricotta cream and gingered oat crunch.

2267 Kearney St, Denver, CO 80207
(303) 388-0299
(303) 388-0299
“Strawberry Fennel Ice Cream” with rhubarb jam and almond biscotti
Tables Restaurant

Olive and Finch

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Patrons can find a variety of delicious sandwiches and pastries at this bright cafe located in the Uptown neighborhood. It’s the perfect spot to grab a quick berry breakfast, with baked goods such as its savory strawberry rhubarb danish, the personal-sized strawberry shortcake, or the tangy cherry upside-down cake.

1552 E 17th Ave, Denver, CO 80218
(303) 832-8663
(303) 832-8663
The Strawberry Rhubarb Danish
Olive and Finch

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Fruition Restaurant

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This Capitol Hill restaurant, helmed by Alex Seidel, has redefined farm-to-table cuisine in the Denver area with a menu that has always innately coincided with the nature of the movement — and its summer berry dessert is no exception. Fresh farm berries blended into a Skyr panna cotta and topped with mixed farm berries and pistachio.

1313 E 6th Ave, Denver, CO 80218
(303) 831-1962
(303) 831-1962
Panna Cotta
Fruition Farm

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Bittersweet

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Diners who prefer a sweet-savory combo will enjoy a dinner berry-inspired dish at this cozy gastropub. Its steelhead trout entree is topped with berry and beet foam and completed with an avocado poblano puree, chia aguachile, fried potatoes, and shishito peppers. Those who still have room left for dessert can taste a strawberry goat cheesecake with a buckwheat almond crumb or the strawberry sorbet served with pickled fruit and a chocolate kiwi lime foam.

500 E Alameda Ave, Denver, CO 80209
(303) 942-0320
(303) 942-0320
Steelhead Trout topped with beet & berry foam, avocado poblano puree, chia aguachile, fried potato, shisito peppers.
Bittersweet, Yelp

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Emmerson

1600 Pearl St #100, Boulder, CO 80302

This Boulder eatery has made a name for itself since its opening with its decadent and whimsical creations. This summer, diners can cool off with a whimsical blueberry, cucumber, and sake shaved ice dessert, topped off with the citrus aromatics of Japanese yuzu.

1600 Pearl St #100, Boulder, CO 80302
(303) 953-9852
(303) 953-9852
The blueberry, cucumber, sake ice and yuzu dessert creation.
Emmerson, Yelp

Acorn

3350 Brighton Blvd, Denver, CO 80216

The berry dessert served at this airy RiNo eatery is just as creative as the neighborhood where the restaurant resides. Diners can finish off a great meal with the sorrel tapioca, a vibrant colored dish served with red wagon rhubarb leaves, freeze-dried strawberry, and a red verjus.

3350 Brighton Blvd, Denver, CO 80216
(720) 542-3721
(720) 542-3721
The Sorrel Tapioca
Acorn, Facebook

Linger

2030 W 30th Ave, Denver, CO 80211

Summer diners can swap their summer berry dish from dessert to an appetizer at this lively LoHi restaurant, whose menu is comprised of a melange of globally inspired dishes. Diners can cool off with a chilled cherry soup — tart Bing cherries blended with yogurt, cucumber, walnuts, barberries, and a dill gremolata dressing.

2030 W 30th Ave, Denver, CO 80211
(303) 993-3120
(303) 993-3120
Chilled Cherry Soup
Linger, Yelp

Mercantile Dining and Provision

1701 Wynkoop St #155, Denver, CO 80202

Adventurous eaters can dive into a twist on a berry dish at this gourmet eatery that resides in downtown’s Union Station. The restaurant serves a chicken liver mousse whipped up with strawberry-rhubarb marmalade and topped with a cherry pistachio granola, fresh fruit, and seasonal flowers.

1701 Wynkoop St #155, Denver, CO 80202
(720) 460-3733
(720) 460-3733
Strawberry Rhubarb Liver Mousse topped with seasonal flowers.
Mercantile Dining & Provision, Instagram

Tavernetta

1889 16th St, Denver, CO 80202

Sticking to the roots of Italian cuisine, with “simplicity is key,” this upscale LoDo spot serves a traditional vanilla panna cotta topped off with slow-cooked strawberries, and refreshing sprigs of summer mint.

1889 16th St, Denver, CO 80202
(720) 605-1889
(720) 605-1889
Panna Cotta
Tavernetta, Facebook

Vesta

1822 Blake St, Denver, CO 80202

This LoDo abode focuses on seasonality as the backbone to all of its creative dishes and cocktails. On the sweeter side of the menu, eaters can order a verbena semifreddo — a lemon verbena frozen mousse served with strawberry shortbread and candied rhubarb — or the dragon’s breath, a fun, raspberry-flavored nitro-frozen dessert served with passion fruit meringues.

1822 Blake St, Denver, CO 80202
(303) 296-1970
(303) 296-1970

The Kitchen

1530 16th St, Denver, CO 80202

At this “garden-to-table” restaurant, located on Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall, eaters can indulge in a lighter dessert fare with the summer berry mess. The “undone” dessert features a shattered meringue served with a scoop of berry sorbet, topped with a cool diplomat cream and fresh mint.

1530 16th St, Denver, CO 80202
(303) 623-3127
(303) 623-3127

Tables

2267 Kearney St, Denver, CO 80207

Diners will feel like their walking into a cozy bungalow at this American locale, located in North Park Hill. It takes inspiration from summer berries in the form of desserts such as the strawberry-fennel ice cream finished off with a rhubarb jam and almond biscotti, as well as the apricot-blueberry, a brown butter buckle garnished with a ricotta cream and gingered oat crunch.

2267 Kearney St, Denver, CO 80207
(303) 388-0299
(303) 388-0299
“Strawberry Fennel Ice Cream” with rhubarb jam and almond biscotti
Tables Restaurant

Olive and Finch

1552 E 17th Ave, Denver, CO 80218

Patrons can find a variety of delicious sandwiches and pastries at this bright cafe located in the Uptown neighborhood. It’s the perfect spot to grab a quick berry breakfast, with baked goods such as its savory strawberry rhubarb danish, the personal-sized strawberry shortcake, or the tangy cherry upside-down cake.

1552 E 17th Ave, Denver, CO 80218
(303) 832-8663
(303) 832-8663
The Strawberry Rhubarb Danish
Olive and Finch

Fruition Restaurant

1313 E 6th Ave, Denver, CO 80218

This Capitol Hill restaurant, helmed by Alex Seidel, has redefined farm-to-table cuisine in the Denver area with a menu that has always innately coincided with the nature of the movement — and its summer berry dessert is no exception. Fresh farm berries blended into a Skyr panna cotta and topped with mixed farm berries and pistachio.

1313 E 6th Ave, Denver, CO 80218
(303) 831-1962
(303) 831-1962
Panna Cotta
Fruition Farm

Bittersweet

500 E Alameda Ave, Denver, CO 80209

Diners who prefer a sweet-savory combo will enjoy a dinner berry-inspired dish at this cozy gastropub. Its steelhead trout entree is topped with berry and beet foam and completed with an avocado poblano puree, chia aguachile, fried potatoes, and shishito peppers. Those who still have room left for dessert can taste a strawberry goat cheesecake with a buckwheat almond crumb or the strawberry sorbet served with pickled fruit and a chocolate kiwi lime foam.

500 E Alameda Ave, Denver, CO 80209
(303) 942-0320
(303) 942-0320
Steelhead Trout topped with beet & berry foam, avocado poblano puree, chia aguachile, fried potato, shisito peppers.
Bittersweet, Yelp

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