Beast & Bottle and Aviano Coffee, Denver

D and I spent the weekend in Denver with my sister, her husband, and their sweet dog Bella – it was a short trip, but we packed in a lot of fun and definitely some great eating!

On Saturday, my sister and I started the day on the patio at Aviano Coffee, where I had an excellent espresso and a canelé and we people-watched for a while.

Then it was off to Beast & Bottle for brunch.  I love their menu – there are lots of savory options with protein, which strikes me as a more prudent choice before heading off for a busy day.  (Of course, there’s an oatmeal buttermilk waffle or deep fried brioche French toast if you prefer something sweet in the morning!)

I was quite tempted by the wild nettle frittata and the pork shoulder tostada with charred tomatillos, but settled on the lemon ricotta tart with a sunny-side up egg and a tangle of pea shoots and fresh herbs, plus a green salad on the side.  It was pretty as a picture, and tasted as good as it looked.

My sister had the chicken-cherry sausage, and we shared some toast and homemade blood orange marmalade.  I definitely recommend the agua fresca, which that day was a blend of citrus – slightly sweet but also really refreshing, and perfect for a day that hit 80 degrees.

In the afternoon we visited the Botanic Garden and saw this spectacular Chihuly installation before I got too hot and we had to retreat indoors for some ice cream…  Stay tuned!