LoDo and Ballpark Serving Up Some of Denver’s Best Restaurants

Our December blog focused on the many popular holiday events just minutes from Solera’s downtown apartments, but for Solera tenants, easy access to Denver hot spots is a year-round benefit.

The Mile High City boasts a flourishing restaurant scene, and Solera is lucky to be near many top eateries in Denver. We’ve compiled a list of stops you’ll want to hit up on a regular basis:

Snooze: 2262 Larimer St.

Winning Best Breakfast/Brunch in 5280 magazine for three consecutive years, Channel 7’s A-List in 2008 and 2009, and a Mayor’s Design Award in 2007, it’s no wonder that Snooze has created quite the buzz (and we don’t mean the sound of your alarm.) This A.M. eatery serves beautiful and flavorful breakfast fare, making each dish not only the most important meal of the day, but the most delicious as well. With hours from 6:30am-2:30pm Monday-Friday and 7:00am to 2:30pm Saturday and Sunday, you can either get your day going early or stroll in for a post sleep-in pancake. Either way, you’ll be welcomed by a fun, fresh atmosphere to kick your day off right.

Hi*Rise: 2162 Larimer St.

Another morning/early afternoon joint, Hi*Rise is a must-visit bakery, deli and café in the Ballpark neighborhood. The inclusive menu features everything from artisan breads, bagels and sandwiches to seasonal salads, sweet treats and locally roasted coffee. All of the breads, pastries, and sweets are made from scratch every day. And for those on a gluten-free regimen, Hi*Rise offers breads and sandwiches sans gluten to satisfy those needs. Open Monday through Saturday from 6:00am to 4:00pm and Sunday from 7:00am to 3:00pm, Hi*Rise is at your service for most of the day, and even delivers! We also hear they make a tasty cupcake, as proved by their two awards at Gabby Gourmet’s Cupcake testing and an award for Best Cupcake at the Taste of Colorado. Yum!

Marco's Coal Fired Pizza: 2129 Larimer St.

If you’re looking for service, style, and some of the best pizza you’ve ever had, Marco’s Coal Fired Pizza is the place to go. Winner of the Mayor’s Design Award for the category “Buildings that Beckon,” Marco’s creates a trattoria-style atmosphere that is both elegant and fun, with an attentive staff and exposed pizza kitchen so you can follow your order from the oven to the table. A 5280 favorite, Marco’s was awarded Top of the Town for the categories Top Pizza and Top Meatball Sandwich. They were also noted as one of 5280’s Best New Restaurants in 2008. Stop by Sunday through Thursday from 11:00am to 10:00pm or Friday and Saturday from 11:00 am to 11:00pm.

twelve restaurant: 2233 Larimer St.

An instant favorite among many, twelve restaurant (and yes, the lowercase is intentional) earned the Readers Choice award in Westword’s 2009 “Best of” under the categories Best New Restaurant and Best New American Restaurant. Serving dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 5:30pm to 10:00pm, twelve features globally influenced and seasonally inspired cuisine with vegetarian and gluten-free options. Make sure to stop by often to see what’s new, because, as the name implies, twelve restaurant changes its menu monthly meaning twelve new and exciting dining experiences each year.

When the evening rolls around, it’s time to hit the downtown bars for happy hour or late night events. If you’re looking for an active party scene, you might hit up Market Street between 19th and 20th. Home of Lodo’s Bar and Grill, Giggling Grizzly, The Tavern Downtown, Theorie and Cowboy Lounge, this strip is full of life on the weekends. Lodo’s is open 7 days a week from 11:00am to 2:00am and always has events going on throughout the month, whether it’s Super Bowl parties, Keggs and Eggs or Brunch and Build your own Bloody Mary bars.

If you’re looking for a more laid back scene or maybe some live music, head over to Larimer St. between 20th and 21st. Check out Scruffy Murphy’s, Herb’s Hideout and the Ginn Mill after catching a show at the Marquis Theatre. The Denver Cruisers, a local bike club, meets at the Gin Mill every Wednesday night at 7:00pm in warm seasons to ride to the local bars with other Cruiser lovers and enjoy a low-key atmosphere. Scruffy Murphy’s also hosts nightly events such as Punk Rock Mondays, Geeks who Drink, open mic sessions and live music.

Other great (and close!) places to visit include the Great Divide Brewery for monthly events, Pacific Mercantile for authentic Asian grocery shopping, and Twentieth Street Café for a great meal morning, noon and night.

There are countless options nearby when living downtown, regardless of the time of day or mood you’re in. Grab pancakes, coffee, and pastries in the morning. Swing by for an award-winning meatball sandwich at lunch. Make reservations for a globally influenced meal at dinner. And then hit the bars to celebrate a long and successful day.

Solera encourages urban dwellers to support the local restaurants and shops within blocks of their homes and to take advantage of the places that give Denver its fantastic reputation.

From the options we’ve pointed out, it’ll be a job both fulfilling and filling.

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Indoor Air Quality: Take a deep breath; it may not be as clean as you thought.

Did you know that it is estimated that people spend up to 90% of their time indoors? Did you also know that the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that indoor pollutant levels may run two to five times higher than outdoor air?

These facts of course make the materials utilized in building construction and the mechanical systems that process indoor air essential to occupant health. Unfortunately, though, many buildings, new and old, do not pay enough attention to the quality of materials utilized or the cleanliness of building mechanical systems and their respective impacts on indoor air quality. Not surprisingly, it is estimated that 2% of all office workers suffer from some type of Sick Building Syndrome.

LEED-certified office buildings have been found to be a healthier work place, with decreased absenteeism and increased productivity. Though there aren’t nearly as many LEED-certified residential buildings as LEED office buildings, it’s likely that, in time, research will show that people are healthier and less often sick in LEED-certified homes, just as documented in LEED-certified office buildings.  

At Solera steps are being taken now, during construction, to protect the building’s indoor air quality. All air ducts being installed are covered and sealed to protect the mechanical system from construction debris and dust. When the mechanical system is used during construction, which will be kept to a minimum and will only occur in building corridors, high density filters will be used. These air filters will be replaced frequently and of course prior to move-in. Also steps are being taken during construction to reduce the production of air pollution by restricting idling vehicles, timing the installation of porous materials to protect them from air pollution and exhausting sources of indoor air pollution to
the exterior.

Did you know that that new car smell is actually bad for you? That’s because new car interiors are made of materials that are high in Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). VOCs are known for off-gassing irritants that are hazardous for occupant health. That’s why at Solera we’re selecting only healthy materials – that are low in VOC content - to ensure the indoor air of Solera is a high quality. Paints, sealants/adhesives, carpets and wood will all be made of little to no off-gassing VOC materials; a precaution that few other buildings take.

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