DENVER - The Dairy Block development in downtown Denver finally got its long-awaited marketplace. The Denver Milk Market opened on Friday, June 1.
The buildings near 19th and Blake Streets were home to the Windsor Farm Dairy from 1918 until 1973 (at that point it was owned by Windsor Dairy, which was moving production out of downtown).
It has since been redeveloped into a boutique hotel, shops, public art installation, office space, coffee shop and a few restaurants.
And now, one of the cornerstone pieces of the project is completed: a food hall by renowned Denver Chef Frank Bonanno.
In honor of Friday's grand opening, Milk Market will be hosting several special events through the weekend including a Rockies-themed Happy Hour on Friday, puppy yoga and a milkshake giveaway on Saturday and a violin brunch on Sunday.
The Denver Milk Market will have 16 different restaurants, bars, and food stands all run by Bonanno, who is also behind favorites like Osteria Marco, Bones, Luca and Russel's Smokehouse.
Here is a look at each of them:
A look inside the Denver Milk Market
Named after Bonanno's grandmother, Albina by the Sea offers steamed clams, crab cakes, po boys and more. They also sell fresh seafood to take home and cook your own feast.
Cellar is a wine shop that offers bottles to take home as well as both bottles and glasses that can be enjoyed within the food hall.
Specialty salads are the only thing on the menu at Green Hunstman. They offer both their own menu of salads as well as a create-your-own option.
Fem stands for flour, eggs, milk - the three ingredients in the batter for the crepes made at this crepe stand. They offer a menu of both sweet and savory varieties.
The specialty at Lou's Hot|Naked is ultra-spicy Nashville Hot fried chicken. The sit-down restaurant also serves breakfast every morning and brunch on weekends and has roasted or naked chicken if you aren't feeling the heat.
Engine Room is there for those late-night cravings. It offers New York style pizzas, either by the slice or by the pie. This is not open yet, but is expected to be soon.
The Moo Bar serves classic and modern cocktails, handcrafted by expert bartenders. There are also special shout-outs to each of Bonanno's other bars including the Bones G&T, Green Russell Old-Old, and Vesper.
First perfected at Bones, Bonanno is bringing Bao buns to the Denver Milk Market at Bao Chica Bao. You can either order just the buns or build a bowl of rice or ramen, protein, and broth.
Build your own poke bowls at MoPoke by choosing a protein, base, and toppings. Mopoke is also the name of a small farm owl, just in case you were wondering.
You can find fresh, farm-raised meats and more at Ruth's Butchery, the little butcher shop inside the Denver Milk Market. There's also a selection of sandwiches to grab if you're looking for a quick bite.
At Mano Pastaria you can enjoy hand-rolled pasta in a variety of sauces including a wild boar ragu and spicy lobster tagliatelle. Or, buy a pound of homemade pasta to make a special dinner at home without having to roll it yourself.
Cornicello serves both homemade gelato and ice cream. Get it by the scoop, in a cone or even in a boozy shake.
A collection of local draft beer is on tap at the Stranded Pilgrim. The taproom prides itself on offering selections that can be hard to find on draft outside the breweries themselves.
Morning Jones is the stop for the beautiful morning pairing - fresh-baked pastries and coffee. Each morning they make everything from danishes to crumb cake to zucchini bread.
The cured meats and cheeses that are made in the cellar beneath Salt & Grinder will be also offered inside Denver Milk Market at the S&G Salumeria. Pick some up to make your own charcuterie board or grab a sandwich made with the products.
Likely the most talked about opening, Bonanno Brothers Pizzeria is reopening in the Denver Milk Market after closing a Park Meadows location in September 2014.
The Denver Milk Market is located at 1850 Wazee St in downtown Denver. It will be open daily from 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. beginning Friday, June 1. Morning Joes and Lou's open earlier at 7 a.m. and Moo Bar, Mano, Stranded Pilgrim and Engine Room all stay open later.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/2KMDeaI.
Have a tip on anything food-related in Colorado? E-mail me! Amanda.kesting@9news.com
