The restaurant: Wonderyard Garden + Table, 2200 Larimer St., Denver
About: Francois Safieddine, owner of ViewHouse and My Neighbor Felix, wants to rejuvenate downtown Denver with his new, whimsical concept, Wonderyard Garden + Table, one of our 10 most anticipated restaurants of the year.
Guests can sip on extravagant cocktails and dine on shareable bites in oversized, gilded birdcages, giant, pink teacups or a spinning turntable on a “Secret Garden-inspired” patio. Inside, there’s a meld of velvet, cheetah and deep emerald leather booths and nods to the Roaring ’20s.
“Wonderyard encompasses the love I feel for Downtown Denver,” Saffiedine said in a statement. “I cannot wait to see how this new addition to the Ballpark neighborhood will impact the community, bringing locals and visitors close together over the backdrop of my wildest dreams come to life.”
Who’s cooking: Chef Jose “Pepe” Rodriguez is bringing his experience to Wonderyard’s kitchen from Michelin-starred Frasca Food and Wine and Basta, a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant, in Boulder. Rodriguez homed in on artisanal dough-making techniques at his previous positions and will use Langin grain, grown in northern Colorado and processed in Boulder, as the foundation of the dough he created for Wonderyard.
“Every dish is meant to be shared, which made creating this menu such a different experience than what I am used to,” Rodriguez said in a statement. “The menu ended up being a homage to the communal spirit of Mediterranean cuisine, yet each dish carries a hint of global flair. It has been so much fun creating a menu that blends traditional techniques with unexpected twists to offer something truly special in Denver’s dining scene.”
What’s on the menu: Rodriguez’s dough is the star of nearly every dish on the menu, from appetizers like the seasonal bruschetta to the Caesar salad croutons or main dishes, like chicken thigh shawarma served in a fresh-baked piada wrap. There’s a flatbread section with 11 options, ranging from traditional “Pepe-roni” to cheddar and lamb sausage or a vegan alternative.
The cocktail menu fits the restaurant decor’s over-the-top flair with Instagram-worthy sips. “Le Cloud” features pink lemonade vodka and a cotton candy cloud perched on the glass, and there are large-format drinks for big parties. The carefully curated mocktail list includes a CBD-infused spritz or the “Disco Inferno,” a fiery jalapeno, watermelon and non-alcoholic agave spirit.
Opening: March 8, 2024; Hours: Mon.-Fri. from 11 to 2 a.m. and Sat.-Sun. from 10 to 2 a.m.
