Last Thursday, the suburban gourmet staple Tony’s Market opened a location downtown, finally giving us city dwellers all the delicious goods those Dry Creek Road residents have enjoyed for years. Over the weekend, I made my way through stands of plump strawberries to cases of decadent desserts and thick cuts of steak, imagining fresh Italian pasta dinners and Greek picnics.

Eventually, I turned the latter into a reality, collecting pita and baklava from the bakery, hummus and tangy stuffed-grape leaves from the coolers, and swinging by the olive bar for marinated sweet artichokes and citrus-tinged green olives stuffed with orange rind.

Although the southern locations of Tony’s have garnered outstanding reputations for their meat (which the new store sells as well), I suspect the downtown branch will serve as more of an upscale grocery store than a butcher. And in some cases it may even stand in as a dinner destination. The new Tony’s also houses a small bistro that dishes up pizzas, burgers, and mussels–along with wine and beer.

950 Broadway, 720-880-4501