Best Restaurants 2019: Blackbelly

Blackbelly’s restaurant and butcher shop in Boulder are widely lauded for their excellent, innovative, meat-driven menus and charcuterie based on responsible, whole-animal sourcing. But chef-owner Hosea Rosenberg also takes excellent care of his employees: Benefits include medical and dental insurance, paid time off, shift meals, company parties and outings, and an R&D dining stipend and subsidized ExpressToll passes for managers. Subsidized acupuncture for all employees aims to make the physical labor of culinary work easier to bear, and, three weeks ago, Blackbelly added a two percent living wage surcharge to its checks to increase the kitchen staff’s take-home pay. Even more crucial in an industry notorious for mental health and substance abuse issues: The staff spent Labor Day being trained by Aurora-based Code-4 Counseling on how to better manage stress and well-being in the workplace. You can feel good knowing that Blackbelly’s people are as well cared for as the animal(s) on your plate (or in your shopping bag). $$$, 1606 Conestoga St., Boulder, 303-247-1000