The gastropub trend is finally hitting Denver, and it’s hitting hard.
First there was Jonesy’s EatBar (400 E. 20th Ave.) in 2008. Next came Argyll (2700 E. Third Ave.) in 2009, and now there’s the Rack & Rye (1320 15th St.) in LoDo.
The gastropub is, essentially, a down-home bar with gourmet chow. They’re places where you drink like you would at your local watering hole but also fill your belly with interesting, finely prepared food — not frozen jalapeño poppers and chicken fingers.
It’s “Cheers” meets charcuterie.
Goodness knows why it took Denver so long to catch on to the idea. The gastropub trend took hold in London early in the 2000s or, depending on who you talk to, in the past century. New York jumped onboard soon after, and the fad spread westward.
Really, though, Denver’s always had bars with great food, and great restaurants with cool bars. It’s only recently that people have picked up on the term “gastropub” and slapped it on their establishments.
Which brings us back to the Rack & Rye Gastropub, one of three bars that make up Paul Piciocchi’s latest venture. The Rack & Rye is one-third of the former Alto, closed in spring 2009. Two other bars, The Drink and MIX Music Lounge, take up the rest of the jazz club’s space.
Piciocchi, who also owns nearby Tryst (1512 Larimer St.), had an idea after Alto left. The 6,000-square-foot room, he says, was a prime spot.
“I’ve always personally enjoyed smaller venues,” says Piciocchi. “They’re more intimate, friendlier and easier to create good atmosphere. I love the Alto location, so when it became available, it was a logical decision for me . . . to split it up.”
The trio of bars began opening in late 2009, The Drink and MIX in November, and Rack & Rye in early December.
For the Rack & Rye, Piciocchi teamed with co-owner Violet Chan to create a menu long on booze but also packed with new takes on comfort food.
Hot wings get their kick from a kung-pao glaze. Potato croquettes are breaded with panko. A braised short rib entree comes with curry. And all of it can be washed down with a Budweiser.
The decor has a modern twist, taking the deep brown and wood of an English pub and spiking it with steel accents and clean lines. The space is relatively small, keeping the feel comfortable, not sterile.
The Rack & Rye’s sisters, MIX and The Drink, are fairly standard LoDo fare by comparison. Piciocchi says each joint has its own slant on the formula, however.
“Most of the music venues throughout Denver are larger and charge a cover — and are either strictly live music or strictly DJs,” he says of MIX. “We have a weekly combination of live music, as well as DJ sets . . . so we are a bit of a mix between a classic music venue and a high-energy cocktail lounge.”
At The Drink, Piciocchi says it’s the staff that makes the bar: “We’ve been lucky enough to build a great team of some of Denver’s favorite bartenders and cocktailers.”
His hope is that The Rack & Rye will become a starting point for nights out along 15th Street.
“Dinner at Rack & Rye, drinks at The Drink and then late-night music at MIX,” he says. “You never have to wander far to keep the party changing up.”
Leaving the Rack & Rye might be hard, however. Who would wander from pork-belly sliders and a bottle of Kirin Ichiban? Best to just stay at the gastropub.
Coming up.
A few big days at Beta later this month, with Christopher Lawrence on Jan. 23 and Z-Trip on Jan. 28.
Advance tickets are $10 for Lawrence and $20 for Z-Trip, available at tickets. Doors open at 9 p.m. for both shows.
