Consider the brownie. For some, the bar—dense, sweet, and rich—represents the ultimate chocolate treat. Me, not so much. I usually find the dessert monochromatic and cloying. I’d rather have a piece of pie, a spoonful of panna cotta, or a snickerdoodle. That is, until I tasted Stowaway Coffee & Kitchen’s cashew brownie.

The three-week-old RiNo cafe subs cashew meal (leftover from making the house cashew milk) for flour. So maybe that’s the secret: The nut’s earthy creaminess tempers the bar’s richness. I also suspect that owners Amy Cohen and Hayden Barnie play down the sugar to let the chocolate’s bittersweet note speak for itself. As for texture? Even gluten-free, the treat is perfect in a slightly cakey way that falls smack in the middle of neither too dry nor too fudgy.

Tip: Secure your brownie, but don’t overlook Stowaway’s small menu deep with interesting choices, including a slightly spicy shakshuka; dukkah eggs and steelhead trout on toast; and Japanese curry.

2528 Walnut St., 720-609-2835

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Amanda M. Faison
Amanda M. Faison
Freelance writer Amanda M. Faison spent 20 years at 5280 Magazine, 12 of those as Food Editor.