Officers Club

No, you haven’t been transported via time machine back to the 1950s: Lowry’s former Air Force base is once again home to an officers’-club-style watering hole. The four-month-old restaurant and bar tips its captain’s hat to the base’s original era with a posh combination ​of​ gleaming blond wood, studded black leather accents, Edison bulbs galore, and even a baby grand piano. Chef-proprietor Sterling Robinson (of adjacent North County) serves crowd-pleasers like a towering bacon double cheeseburger and crab cakes so meaty they barely hold together. There are also lighter options, including a gorgeous spread of seasonal crudités with spicy hummus. As long as you’re not bound for the cockpit—er, driver’s seat—try a few of the excellent cocktails, which include several riffs on the old fashioned and the aptly named Flyboy (gin, crème de violette, and lavender syrup). 84 Rampart Way, 303-284-0714

Gabys German Eatery

This adorable Lakewood restaurant advertises “food like Grandma’s.” Provided your grandmother is A) German and B) a gifted cook, then the tagline rings true. Jovial owner Gaby Berben, a Deutschland native, delights in welcoming guests into her black-and-white-tiled dining room for big bowls of cheesy spätzle or juicy bratwurst with sauerkraut. She specializes in soups and desserts, which change by the week, if not by the day (recent selections included iced tomato soup and decadent Sachertorte). It’s worth planning your visit around the recurring specials—schnitzel on Saturdays and Sundays, potato pancakes on Tuesdays. But if you want the complete Oma experience, show up on “chef’s surprise” Thursdays, when Berben, like any grandma worth her ‘kraut, will decide for you. 245 S. Harlan St., 720-329-8188

5280 October 2018
More From The Issue

Snowl

Photo by Sarah Boyum

Got “taiyaki”? As of April, Aurora does—at a little dessert shop called Snowl, where the hollow, waffle-esque, fish-shaped Japanese cakes are lined with sweet red bean paste or Nutella and then filled with (or placed in a bowl alongside) your choice of vanilla, matcha, honeydew, milk tea, or taro soft-serve. Snowl also sells boba drinks, which range from slushies to milk tea to blended frappés, along with its signature snow bowls. The latter—mountains of flavored shaved milk enshrined in a landscape of toppings—are wonderful for sharing. But such treats aren’t the only sweet things about Snowl: Its fluffy cloud pendant lights, cushy chairs, and exposed brick make it a comfortable, cheerful spot in which to hang out and indulge. 1930 S. Havana St., Unit 5-6, Aurora, 720-542-9902

This article was originally published in 5280 October 2018.
Callie Sumlin
Callie Sumlin
Callie Sumlin is a writer living in Westminster, and has been covering food and sustainability in the Centennial State for more than five years.
Denise Mickelsen
Denise Mickelsen
Denise Mickelsen is 5280’s former food editor. She oversaw all of 5280’s food-related coverage from October 2016 to March 2021.