The Tastiest Events in Denver This Week

A rooftop summer kickoff party, Whiskey Olympics in Lyons and a night market under the Colfax Viaduct are just some of this week's tastiest events.

Be sure to bookmark this page — we update it weekly with the best food and drink events in metro Denver. Check out the highlights for the next seven days, as well as upcoming dates to put on your calendar, including the return of Westword's Out to Brunch in June and Tacolandia in July.

Through Sunday, May 19
Check out the $20 deals for Belmar's Restaurant Week. Participating eateries include GQue Barbeque, Little India, Mason's Dumpling Shop, Mono Gogo and more.

Wednesday, May 15, and Thursday, May 16
Civic Center EATS returns for another season, bringing a food truck rally to Civic Center Park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays through October 16. Learn more at civiccenterpark.org.

Thursday, May 16
Rare Bird, a seasonal restaurant and bar atop Halcyon, a hotel in Cherry Creek, is celebrating its reopening with a Birds of Paradise summer launch party complete with a pig roast, a fire and dance hula show and live music by the Denver Ukulele Orchestra. It will also introduce a new seasonal cocktail menu. The event starts at 6 p.m. and is free to attend.
Friday, May 17
Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant in LoDo is celebrating its 25th anniversary from 5 to 9 p.m. Festivities include a prize wheel where you can win items such as premium Rockies tickets and shots of tequila, as well as anniversary merch like T-shirts, pop sockets, bottle openers and cocktail shakers.

Saturday, May 18
Tickets are on sale now for Stranahan’s 2024 Cask Thief, during which you can taste whiskey from rare barrels. General admission starts at $75, and the event includes a catered barbecue lunch, live music, a photo-op station and a chance to purchase bottles. For more information and to get tickets, visit stranahans.com.

Lotería, an annual fundraising event for Focus Points, is back at Comal. This year, it's partnering with Michelin-starred Frasca Hospitality Group for a reception starting at 5 p.m. The main event includes a multicultural feast prepared and served by Comal program participants, live music from Los Mocochetes, custom-made cocktails, dancing, a silent auction with prizes from top local restaurants, and the namesake lotería, a Mexican game of chance. Tickets start at $100.

The Sun Valley Viaduct Night Market will bring food and drinks from over thirty vendors along with live music, family-friendly activities and more to the south end of Empower Field, parking lot B, under the Colfax Viaduct. The event is free to attend and takes place from 4 to 10 p.m.
Taste one of the best whiskeys in the world with the distiller in Lyons. As part of its World Whisky Day celebration, Spirit Hound's Craig Engelhorn is hosting an exclusive seated event with snacks, an array of whisky samplings and more, including a special "hidden gem reserved just for this occasion," according to the announcement. Tickets are $65. The Lyons tasting room will also be debuting a single-barrel American Single Malt Whisky finished in a rare barrel. Other activities include a three-part Backyard Olympics competition that features wooden horse races, a whiskey-pouring contest from 4 to 5 p.m., live music from 6 to 9 p.m., and a full slate of food trucks from noon to 9 p.m.

Sunday, May 19
Wings & Whiskey returns to Ace Eat Serve. This year's event benefits the Denver Housing Authority's Youth Employment Academy and features top chefs from eight Denver restaurants competing for the title of tastiest wings. Admission, which starts at $70, includes two drink tickets for whiskey cocktails, unlimited beer from WeldWerks, access to a whiskey-tasting booth, and plenty of wings.

From 3 to 8 p.m., Fort Greene and Yes Wine are hosting Wine Down. Tickets for the event are $50 and include the chance to taste over twenty natural wines, as well as take home a wine tote and a wine-tasting glass. There will be DJ tunes from 4 to 8 p.m., and Lottie's Meats will be offering eats at an additional cost.

Monday, May 20
The Flavor Social is kicking off a limited-edition dinner series with Esoteric: A Love Note to Korean Comfort Cuisine, with food from chef Sean Lauer hosted at Roxy on Broadway. Check out the full menu and purchase tickets, $125, at theflavorsocial.com.

Tuesday, May 21
Cocina Libre is a collection of recipes gathered as part of the University of Denver's Immigrant Resistance Recipes initiative that will be available on Amazon starting May 16. On May 21, there will be a book launch party from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Raíces Brewing, complete with food, a raffle, music and the screening of a mini-documentary. All proceeds from the sale of Cocina Libre will directly support the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC). The event is free to attend.
Save the date:

May 22: Chef Troy Guard is welcoming celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito for a cocktail-style gathering at Guard and Grace starting at 5 p.m. Guests will enjoy drinks and appetizers while mingling with the chefs. Admission is $85 and includes a signed edition of DiSpirito's new cookbook, Everyday Delicious: 30-Minute(ish) Home-Cooked Meals Made Simple.

May 22: Inspired by chef Steven Redzikowski's Sundays growing up on Long Island, OAK is hosting its first-ever Nonna's Classics dinner. The four-course menu is $85 with optional wine and cocktail pairings. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

May 28: Chef Deuki Hong is returning to Hey Kiddo as part of his national KOREAWORLD cookbook tour. He'll be taking over the restaurant's “Trust Us” tasting menu with recipes from the book for one night only. Reserve your spot for $115 per person via Tock.

May 30: The Colorado Restaurant Association's annual summer bash, Drink Red Wear Red, will be at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Early-bird tickets are on sale now.

June 1-4: The nation’s top thirty bartenders will compete for the title of U.S. Bartender of the Year at the twelfth United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG) Presents World Class Sponsored by Diageo. Visit worldclassdenver24.com for the full schedule, which includes competitions and the World Class Denver Cocktail Festival, taking place at various venues around town.
June 8: Westword's Out to Brunch returns for its second year, with unlimited drinks, bites and entertainment at York Street Yards. Tickets start at $50 and are on sale now.

June 18: To commemorate Frasca Food and Wine's milestone twentieth anniversary in August, it's hosting a guest chef series. This special night features Bobby Stuckey's long-time mentor, Thomas Keller, chef/proprietor of three-star Michelin restaurants the French Laundry and Per Se. The evening includes a collaborative menu and a discussion of wine, hospitality and the longevity of the profession. Tickets are $595 per person and include wine pairings.

June 20: Rare, the Denver steak competition, returns to the Tivoli Quad, with restaurants serving entries in both the traditional and creative steak categories. Tickets for general admission with entry at 7 p.m. start at $99; there are also First Bite and VIP options with earlier entry.

July 13: Westword's seventh Tacolandia will be back at Civic Center Park from 4 to 7 p.m. (3 p.m. for VIP), offering unlimited tacos, boozy beverages, entertainment and more. Tickets start at $35, but prices will go up as the date gets closer.

Know of an event that belongs on this calendar? Send information to [email protected].