Residents on the west side who've grown weary of chain restaurants are rejoicing over the arrival of Teller's Taproom and Kitchen [2] in Lakewood. You can practically hear the relief when you walk in the front door: "Finally, a locally owned place to enjoy a mug of craft beer, a burger, some barbecue, or a bloody Mary brunch on Sunday."

The casual space, which was full and lively by 6 p.m. on a recent Saturday, features a long, marble-topped bar with 30 beer taps (13 of them from Colorado), a community table, several booths and four-tops, and garage-style doors that open onto a small patio on warm evenings.

Order a mug of Agave Wheat from Breckenridge Brewery [3] and a platter of expertly spiced peel-and-eat shrimp (pictured) for happy hour, or settle in for dinner with a plate of pan-fried fish and a grilled artichoke. This is casual comfort food to be enjoyed with good friends from the neighborhood.

1990 Youngfield St., Lakewood, 303-237-1002