Rarely is a hotel restaurant a destination for both travelers and locals, but Apple Blossom, which debuted inside the Hyatt Centric Downtown Denver this past October, is one such place. Owners Paul and Aileen Reilly—the siblings behind Coperta (and beloved Beast & Bottle, which closed in June 2021)—and chef de cuisine Russ Fox stocked the all-day venue’s seasonally rotating menu with crave-worthy sustenance. For breakfast, there are ultra-flaky pastries; the gumbo with duck-bourbon sausage makes for an ideal lunch; and we love the rigatoni in Colorado-lamb-studded Bolognese sauce at dinnertime. “The gumbo and the rigatoni are perfect examples of dishes that are on this menu purposely for the hotel traveler,” Paul says. “If I checked in after a shitty day of traveling, I’d just want to eat something comforting and get a buzz on and go to bed.” Apple Blossom’s soulful offerings—including the violet-hued gin and tonic cocktail—cater to those desires, while the jovial ambience is heightened by a mural of the eatery’s eponymous flower, the work of pastry chef Jodi Polson, who is also a chalk artist. In many cultures, Paul says, the blossom is a symbol of peace, love, and good things to come, a promising sign for this instant Denver classic.

This article was originally published in 5280 March 2022.
Patricia Kaowthumrong
Patricia Kaowthumrong
Patricia joined the 5280 staff in July 2019 and is thrilled to oversee all of the magazine’s dining coverage. Follow her food reporting adventures on Instagram @whatispattyeating.