Welcome to Denver!
On behalf of Rocky Mountain Rugby, we'd like to take a moment to welcome attendees to the 2018 USA Rugby Congress Meeting to the wonderful city of Denver, Colorado. Since we know you're likely not native to the area, please see below for a list of food, drink, and entertainment options to ensure you get a fulfilling experience while visiting the Mile High City.
Note: though the 16th Street Mall is very well known, it's largely a tourist area and not well-visited by Denver city-dwellers. We recommend you take advantage of the free shuttle on 16th Street, but most of the good things about the mall area are at the end of the street towards Union Station.
Note: though the 16th Street Mall is very well known, it's largely a tourist area and not well-visited by Denver city-dwellers. We recommend you take advantage of the free shuttle on 16th Street, but most of the good things about the mall area are at the end of the street towards Union Station.
Food
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Avanti Food & Beverage
1.6 miles from the NDS hotel (Highlands) 3200 N Pecos St, Denver, CO 80211 Bi-level shipping container with a variety of vendors (pizza, sushi, & more), plus a rooftop bar. Avanti has incredible views of downtown and includes a lot of food-truck businesses that have taken up shop in a more permanent location. Avanti also includes a great selection of craft beer. |
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Freshcraft
0.7 miles from the NDS hotel (LoDo) 1530 Blake Street, Denver, CO 80202 Comfort food & bar snacks share spotlight with bevy of beers at this low-key, late-night alehouse. Freshcraft has an excellent selection of brews and a good menu to boot. We recommend the pretzel bites and the steak frites. From the NDS hotel, you can easily get to Freshcraft by taking the 16th Street Mall Shuttle (it's free) to Blake Street. |
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Illegal Pete's
1530 16th St. #101, Denver, CO 80202 0.7 miles from the NDS hotel (LoDo) Looking for a cheap but local option? Illegal Pete's is a Colorado-based burrito chain with a unique vibe to its interiors. From the NDS hotel, you can easily get to Illegal Pete's by taking the 16th Street Mall Shuttle (it's free) to Blake or Wazee. |
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Linger
2030 W 30th Ave, Denver, CO 80211 1.6 miles from the NDS hotel (Highlands) This old mortuary is now a lively restaurant with a rooftop lounge & global small plates. |
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ChoLon
1555 Blake St #101, Denver, CO 80202 0.7 miles from the NDS hotel (LoDo) Chef Lon Symensma puts together an elegant Southeast Asian menu at this sleek dining destination, commonly described as 'French-Asian fusion.' From the NDS hotel, you can easily get to ChoLon by taking the 16th Street Mall Shuttle (it's free) to Blake. |
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Zeps Epiq Sandwiches
1147 Broadway, Denver, CO 80203 0.9 miles from the NDS hotel (Golden Triangle) One of Denver's newest sandwich shops, Zeps delivers gourmet sandwiches for affordable prices. The LoDo Dipper, in particular, is a local favorite. |
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The Source
3350 Brighton Blvd, Denver, CO 80216 1.8 miles from the NDS hotel (RiNo) The Source is one of Denver's trendiest food locales. This bustling artisan food market located in a landmark 1880s building, features 13 vendors & a bar. |
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Little Man Ice Cream / Sweet Cooie's
2620 16th St, Denver, CO 80211 (Little Man) 3506 12th Ave, Denver, CO 80206 (Sweet Cooie's) 1.6 miles (Little Man; Highlands) / 2.9 miles (Sweet Cooie's; Congress Park) Little Man is milk-jug shaped shop scooping unique flavors of homemade ice cream & open until midnight. Sweet Cooie's is its sister location that is an old-timey ice cream shop & confectionery serving frozen treats, homemade truffles & more. |
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Blue Pan Pizza
3509 12th Ave, Denver, CO 80206 (Congress Park) 3930 W 32nd Ave, Denver, CO 80212 (Highlands) 2.9 miles (Congress Park) / 3.2 miles (Highlands) Airy, casual pizzeria serving Italian specialties alongside Colorado-centric beer & cocktails. If you go, we recommend the award-winning Brooklyn Bridge. The Congress Park location is also right across the street from Sweet Cooie's (ice cream; recommended above). |
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Angelo's
620 E 6th Ave, Denver, CO 80203 1.9 miles from the NDS hotel (Capitol Hill) Casual Italian plates, plus oysters & a full bar, featured in homey surroundings. Angelo's is the best cheap Italian in town, and has a plate of chile relleno ravioli that you have to eat to believe. |
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Vesper Lounge
233 E 7th Ave, Denver, CO 80203 1.6 miles from the NDS hotel (Capitol Hill) Bustling lounge serving cocktails, craft beers & Moroccan-influenced snacks in an atmospheric space. A 'dive bar concept' by chef Frank Bonanno, the Vesper retains an old-time charm while serving up great drinks and food. We heavily recommend the 'Juicy D,' which is a cheese-infused burger inspired by Minnesota's famous 'Juicy Lucy.' |
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Voodoo Doughnut
1520 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80218 1.3 miles from the NDS hotel (Uptown) In case you weren't aware, the famous Portland-based doughnut chain opened its first non-Oregon location in Denver, and is serving up many of its famous delicacies 24 hours a day. Bring cash or hit their ATM, however, as they don't accept credit cards. |
Drinks
Whether you want to go to a bar or see one of Denver's 70+ breweries, we've compiled a short list of some of our favorites just for you.
Map of Denver Breweries
Map of Denver Taphouses
Map of Denver Breweries
Map of Denver Taphouses
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Terminal Bar, Union Station
1701 Wynkoop St, Denver, CO 80211 0.9 miles from the NDS hotel Just a short distance from the conference hotel, you can either take the free mall shuttle on 16th street to Wynkoop, or get in a cheap cab or car service app. The bar is inside Denver's beautifull-restored Union Station, and features a large list of local brews. If you can't find a seat in the bar area, you're allowed to walk up to the outside service rail and drink with friends in the station's open corridor area in a comfortable lounge setting. To get to Union Station, take the 16th Street Mall Shuttle (it's free!) to Wynkoop. |
Terminal Bar at Union Station; photo courtesy of Trip Advisor
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Freshcraft
0.7 miles from the NDS hotel (LoDo) 1530 Blake Street, Denver, CO 80202 Comfort food & bar snacks share spotlight with bevy of beers at this low-key, late-night alehouse. Freshcraft has an excellent selection of brews and a good menu to boot. We recommend the pretzel bites and the steak frites. From the NDS hotel, you can easily get to Freshcraft by taking the 16th Street Mall Shuttle (it's free) to Blake Street. Freshcraft is also listed in our food recommendation list. |
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Charlie Brown's
980 Grant St, Denver, CO 80203 1.3 miles from the NDS hotel (Capitol Hill) Old-time lounge where locals sing tunes at the piano & tip back classic drinks on the covered patio. A favorite of Bill Murray's when he lived in Denver, Charlie Brown's is an 'authentic Denver dive' at the bottom of an old hotel. |
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Great Divide Brewing
2201 Arapahoe St, Denver, CO 80205 (Original brewhouse; LoDo) 1812 35th St, Denver, CO 80216 (Barrel Bar; RiNo) 0.5 miles (original) | 1.9 miles (Barrel Bar) As a pioneer of the Denver Brewery scene, Great Divide has become one of the most decorated breweries in America since it's founding in 1994. Ranked in RateBeer's top 50 multiple times, Great Divide is one of Denver's more prominent craft breweries. |
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Falling Rock Taphouse
1919 Blake St, Denver, CO 80202 0.6 miles from the NDS hotel (LoDo). Drafts from around the world in a setting decked out with couches, booths, pool tables & dartboards. Falling Rock has a huge tap selection and is right next to Coors Field. |
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Woods Boss Brewing
2210 California St, Denver, CO 80205 0.4 miles from the NDS hotel This brewpub is new to Denver and just four blocks from the hotel. Note that it usually closes by 11. |
Entertainment & Other Things to Do
Staying for an extra day? Arriving early? Check out these fun things to do around the area while you're in town.
Civic Center Park - just blocks from the NDS hotel, Civic Center park is home of both the Colorado State Capitol and the Denver City & County Building
City Park - the city's largest park, City Park also features the best views of downtown Denver from the back steps of the Museum of Nature & Science
Red Rocks Amphitheater - a world-class outdoor music venue located among major red rocks in Morrison, west of Denver
Day trip to Colorado Springs - see Garden of the Gods, Cave of the Winds, see the U.S. Air Force Academy, or visit the U.S. Olympic Training Center
Hit one of the ski towns - many of Colorado's famous ski resorts are just a short drive away (Breckenridge, Winter Park, Copper Mountain, Vail, etc.)
Day trip to Boulder - whether you want to hike at Chatauqua or see the Flatirons, Boulder has a very unique vibe that is rarely found elsewhere. If you go, we recommend a bite to eat at Rincon Argentino.
The Brown Palace - Denver's most extravagant hotel is just blocks from the NDS site
Civic Center Park - just blocks from the NDS hotel, Civic Center park is home of both the Colorado State Capitol and the Denver City & County Building
City Park - the city's largest park, City Park also features the best views of downtown Denver from the back steps of the Museum of Nature & Science
Red Rocks Amphitheater - a world-class outdoor music venue located among major red rocks in Morrison, west of Denver
Day trip to Colorado Springs - see Garden of the Gods, Cave of the Winds, see the U.S. Air Force Academy, or visit the U.S. Olympic Training Center
Hit one of the ski towns - many of Colorado's famous ski resorts are just a short drive away (Breckenridge, Winter Park, Copper Mountain, Vail, etc.)
Day trip to Boulder - whether you want to hike at Chatauqua or see the Flatirons, Boulder has a very unique vibe that is rarely found elsewhere. If you go, we recommend a bite to eat at Rincon Argentino.
The Brown Palace - Denver's most extravagant hotel is just blocks from the NDS site
