Hungry for modern American cuisine? These 5 new Denver spots will satisfy your cravings

Hungry for modern American cuisine? These 5 new Denver spots will satisfy your cravingsPhoto: Brightmarten/Yelp
Hoodline
Published on June 07, 2018

So you're hungry — and you're ready for some New American food. Good news: we've found the freshest spots to satisfy your appetite. Here are the newest places to check out.

Acova

3651 Navajo St., Highland

Photo: avoca/Yelp

South Broadway's The Hornet has a new sibling restaurant in LoHi. The New American spot, serving brunch, lunch and dinner is called Acova.

Acova's brunch menu includes prime rib hash and whipped avocado, grapefruit, radish, golden beets and goat cheese crumbles on toast. For lunch and dinner, check out the chimichurri cauliflower steak, served with cherry tomatoes, capers, toasted almonds and haricots verts.

Craving something sweet? Acova offers cinnamon bread pudding served with bourbon caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream, and flourless chocolate torte with mint and candied orange zest.

Early Yelp users are excited about Acova, which currently holds five stars out of four reviews on the site.

Yelper Holly S. wrote, "The decor and ambiance is amazing. I absolutely adore the outdoor seating. The wings and perogies were to die for! We also got the caprese salad, which was so fresh and delicious, and the shaved kale salad with ahi. Both were amazing. The drinks are also on point."

Yelper Adam P. wrote, "Off to a great start! We wandered in on opening night and were treated to some excellent Mules and great service. The vibe was casual and comfortable."

Acova is open from 11 a.m.–midnight on weekdays and 10 a.m.–midnight on weekends.

Brightmarten

730 S. University Blvd., Bonnie Brae

Photo: brightmarten/Yelp

Brightmarten is a New American-style restaurant and bar that, according to its website, sources its products from local distilleries, breweries, growers and other producers.

Entrees include cured, boneless pork chop served with garlic sausage, roasted spring vegetables, grilled onions and pickled mustard seeds. Craving something lighter? Try the caprese salad: house-pulled mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes and prosciutto drizzled in 12-year-aged balsamic dressing.

Brightmarten's current Yelp rating of 4.5 stars out of 30 reviews indicates positive attention from users.

Bryan S. noted, "Pork chop with asparagus and potatoes — deliciously seasoned and cooked perfectly. Mushroom risotto was creamy and flavorful with a fantastic hint of citrus, without being too rich or heavy. A must-try! Awesome place with a cozy, neighborhood atmosphere, and an elevated menu that will certainly bring me back!"

Yelper Dani O. wrote, "Drinks were phenomenal. Consistent flavors and profiles that complemented food and atmosphere wonderfully. Food was beyond delicious. Naturally, we sampled desserts as well. I really loved the skillet cookie, but the table favorite was the Orange Cranberry Cake."

Brightmarten is open from 3 p.m.–11 p.m. from Monday-Thursday and Sunday and 3 p.m.–midnight on Friday and Saturday.

Ad Hominem

43 W. Ninth Ave.

Photo: Ad Hominem/Yelp

Ad Hominem is a New American spot opening in the Golden Triangle. Its small plates menu offers pad thai egg roll stuffed with peanuts and pickled vegetables, and roasted zucchini, asparagus, strawberry and lemon served with mint and white cheddar.

Ready for more? Ad Hominem's large plate menu includes scallop and blood sausage, served with porcini buttermilk and oyster mushroom, and many more options.

With a 4.5-star Yelp rating out of 22 reviews on Yelp, Ad Hominem has been getting positive attention.

Yelper Jessica H., who was one of the first users to visit Ad Hominem on April 20, wrote, "Upon walking in, you are greeted by a friendly host and entranced by glass tanks full of freshly growing greens (and yes, these are used in menu items!). My favorite was the cachapas, which is chicken breast (butterflied first and stuffed back into the skin) served with Venezuelan-style cachapas - a corn-like arepa filled with cheese."

Yelper Courtney J. wrote, "The wait staff were friendly and attentive. The food was awesome, and they even brought out a complimentary octopus dish for me and my date. I'd never think goat cheese could be used in dessert, but the goat cheese cheesecake was great, and I'm not even a dessert person."

Ad Hominem is open from 4 p.m.–10 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, 11 a.m.–10 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m.–11 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m.–11 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m.–10 p.m. on Sunday.

Sip eat + drink

891 14th St., Suite 110, Central Business District

Photo: sip eat + drink/Yelp

Sip eat + drink is New American lounge that hosts live, local music every Friday. 

The shareable menu includes seared, sesame-encrusted ahi tuna, served with miso coleslaw, and smoked pork belly tacos. Full plates include the blackened mahi served with mango salsa, rice pilaf and vegetables.

Yelp users are excited about Sip eat + drink, which currently holds 4.5 stars out of 18 reviews on the site.

Yelper Alex H. wrote, "Modern-styled bar and restaurant with an extensive cocktail menu and great liquor selection. The ambiance is fancy-casual. They also offer tasty appetizers and entrees. Great staff from the chefs, waiters and bartenders."

Heidi A. added, "The decor is beautiful and classy, so we expected it to be on the pricey side. Not even close! The cocktails are absolutely lovely, and the wine offerings well-selected, yet the average price was like $10!"   

Sip eat + drink is open from 3 p.m.–midnight on weekdays and 11 a.m.–1 p.m. and 3 p.m.–midnight on weekends.

CALL

2845 Larimer St., Rino

Photo: megan r./Yelp

CALL is a New American cafe located at the heart of Rino. Its day menu includes shaved fennel and apple salad, served with a country loaf, romaine shreds and celery. 

Looking for dinner? Check out CALL's Anasazi bean salad of bagna cauda, wild onions and bread crumbs, or sample the daily cheese selection, served with a fruit compote and spiced honey.

CALL's current rating of 4.5 stars out of 33 reviews on Yelp indicates positive attention from users.

Yelper Aveeda G. wrote, "It's a fairly small place, not a lot of seating. As soon as you walk in you are greeted with a beautifully displayed array of breakfast pastries, sammies, desserts, etc. The menu is projected on one of the walls - very unique and un-coffee shop-like menu items like Cured Fish Tartine and Confit Potato Salad. I had a perfectly scrambled egg with arugula and something pickled (onions maybe) and definitely a sharp cheese of some kind in there — all warm and toasty in an English muffin. So surprisingly good, I really wanted seconds."

Yelper John A. wrote, "It is a jewel box of a restaurant, small and intimate and high design from the interior to the dishware and presentation. Everything is made from scratch including the freshly baked breads and pastries. The flavors are vibrant. The homemade desserts are heavenly, and vary from one visit to the next. One can also buy their fresh baked bread which is made daily at 4 a.m."

CALL is open from 8 a.m.–3 p.m. from Monday-Wednesday, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. from Thursday-Saturday, and 10 a.m.–3 p.m. on Sunday.