Exploring SoBo in Denver

SoBo, or South Broadway, is the home of Antique Row just South of the capitol area in downtown Denver. (Psst--if you've got some semi-precious heirlooms to unload, as I did, Antique Exchange is the most efficient way to peddle your wares to multiple dealers at once, and they'll even show you funny You Tube videos on their phones while you're waiting for them to look up prices).  If you're not into Hummel figurines, you'll also find funky boutiques and coffee shops, nouveau cuisine, and FREE on-street PARKING (whaaa?!) for two hours in all locations.  It's the city, but kinder and gentler.

As you can imagine, I wasn't going to drive all the way down from Northern Colorado just to sell some glass and then hop back in the car and go home.  Here's what I tried:

Uno Mas Taqueria Y Cantina, 1585 S Pearl Street, Denver

Order tacos ala carte on a menu reminiscent of ordering sushi (see below),

and enjoy delicious cocktails that are a modern twist on classics like the margarita, paloma, and michelada. They boast local ingredients, and the meats for the tacos are perfectly marinated, seasoned, and grilled.  I had smoked chicken, pineapple-marinated pork, and the zestiest, most surprisingly delicious mushrooms I've ever eaten.

Strange Grounds, 1417 S Broadway, Denver

This coffee shop is famed for their homemade chai, and it really is fantastic.  Coming from a non-chai drinker, that's something.  Order it sweet, spicy, or dirty (my choice), and get ready to sift through the heavy bits of grit at the bottom, 'cuz it's loaded with fresh ginger chunks and a big old cinnamon stick.  This place also hosts lots of local live music at night, and with parking being so cheap and easy, it'd probably be worth the stop down in the evening sometime. 

Capital Tea, 1450 s Broadway, Denver

I was too stuffed after my tacos to try the lapsang souchong egg salad sandwich with smoked salmon, but it looked amazing (and popular).  The tea varieties will make your head spin, and you can order from afar through their website, too.