It is well known that University of Denver students have their go-to restaurants and cafes. We get sushi at Ginza, burritos at Illegal Pete’s, brunch at Jelly, and burgers at Park Burger. Sure, these places are great, but there are so many other little-known food/drink joints that deserve our attention.
1. Yum Yum Spice
Photo by Amelia Schwartz
A lot of people have had animosity towards Yum Yum Spice because it “took over” our beloved Greeks. But here is a public service announcement: the food at Yum Yum Spice is AMAZING. If you go there (which everyone should) make sure you order off of the Chinese hot pot menu. The spices are unlike a flavor you have ever tasted, and the ingredients are always fresh and delicious.
2. La Belle Rosette
Photo by Amelia Schwartz
Guess what? There are other coffee shops around DU aside from Starbucks and Kaladi. La Belle Rosette is an amazing, family run cafe that sits right next to the Newman Center. The shop is the perfect place to study because of its not-too-crowded space and its alternative vibe. Not only does this place have fantastic paninis, smoothies, and coffee (obviously), but it is also a wine bar. What else could you want?
#spoontip: Make sure you get some iced coffee. It is made with coffee iced cubes. That means that even when you drink all the coffee, in a few minutes, there is more coffee.
3. Deli Zone
Photo courtesy of @angrybuffs on Instagram
Looking for that perfect hangover sandwich and don’t want to carry your tired ass all the way to brunch? Deli Zone is the place for you. They have delicious, East Coast style sandwiches, stuffed with deliciousness, squeezed into the even more delicious, and traditional, kaiser roll. Deli Zone is right next to La Belle Rosette. Therefore, you can wake up after a big night out, stroll over to Deli Zone, get a fresh and affordable breakfast sandwich, then plop down at La Belle Rosette and get down to studying. Moral of the story: everyone should be eating at Deli Zone.
4. Asbury Provisions
Photo courtesy of @asburyprovisions on Instagram
Asbury Provisions is commonly known as “that fancy place adults go to drink on campus,” Little do they know, there is a full brunch, lunch, dinner, and snack menu. Your ears probably perked up when you read “brunch”. Yes. Asbury Provisions has what I like to call the “DU Special” — breakfast burritos and bottomless mimosas. Their dinner is also a must. You can either feast on a burger or nosh on some gourmet popcorn. Either way, no one should be intimidated of Asbury Provisions.
5. Tokyo Bowl
Photo courtesy of @josephzzhao on Instagram
When there are so many asian places to choose from on DU’s campus, it is easy to forget about Tokyo Bowl. Let’s be honest, it looks pretty sketchy from the outside. But as we all learned in elementary school, we should not judge a book by its cover. Tokyo Bowl provides customers with heartwarming udon noodle soup and flavorful curry bowls. All in all, Tokyo Bowl is home to your asian comfort food and is definitely worth a try.
6. Maddie’s
Photo by Amelia Schwartz
Drive about five minutes off campus onto South Downing street and you will happen upon this gem. Maddy’s is the cutest little breakfast place in the Denver area. Even though there is limited space, it is rare that you will have to wait longer than a half hour to begin your meal. Maddie’s has awesome breakfast burritos, french toast, and Eggs Benedict. Most importantly though, they have bottomless mimosas, Bellinis, and Bloody Mary’s. This sounds cool, right? Want to know something cooler? You can order bottomless mimosas and then switch it up to bottomless some-other-drink at no additional cost. Maddie’s is the perfect spot for anyone who wants all the food and all the drinks.