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It has been tough for breweries in central Denver over the past year as at least half a dozen have closed, including Mockery, MobCraft, Wah Gwaan, Dos Luces, Counter Culture and Lowdown. Alpine Dog Brewing, at 1308 E. 17th Ave., will join that list when it shuts its doors on March 31. “After nearly 10 years of great beer, great friends and the most fun and epic of times, Alpine Dog will be selling or otherwise closing the brewery,” the business wrote on social media. “It’s a bittersweet moment to leave behind what we…

For 50 years, a Pepto Bismol-pink tower has loomed large over the Lakewood shopping center marking the spot of the legendary Casa Bonita. The tower is something of a beacon, calling to longtime fans and would-be diners with the promise of mariachi music, cliff divers, crispy sopapillas and the kind of fun that inspires childlike joy. Next week will mark the 50th anniversary the day that Oklahoma City entrepreneur Bill Waugh opened Denver’s Casa Bonita in a former Joslin’s department store. The restaurant was part of a…

Four years of waiting. Four years of questions. Denver’s Vine Street Pub & Brewery, which closed because of the pandemic on March 17, 2020, along with every other restaurant, bar and brewery in Colorado, said Thursday that it had made plans to finally reopen this spring. Vine Street Pub & Brewery is opening on May 15th,” the business wrote on its Facebook page. “We are currently hiring for all positions.” Three other pubs that are part of the Boulder-based Mountain Sun group were able to open in 2021, while a…

As ski passes for the 2024-25 season go on sale this month, one small Colorado resort has decided it will not open for at least the next year. Hesperus Ski Area near Durango said it “will not operate for the 2024/2025 season. … Both downhill and uphill skiing as well as winter tubing will not be available.” That means Hesperus will be closed for two consecutive seasons after a mechanical failure with its sole chairlift prevented the ski area from opening this winter. While Hesperus’ Bighorn Lift is still in disrepair,…

Sure, you can hit up a Dunkin Donuts, a Starbucks or a McDonald’s at Denver International Airport — and sometimes it’s traveling that gives us license to be bad like that — but a better option is to try some of Denver’s homegrown food and beverages from local businesses. While these restaurants, coffee shops and breweries don’t actually own or run their airport branches — that is done by large concessionaires — many of them do take an active role in maintaining the quality and consistency of their offerings. Here’s a…

When Justin Cucci would fly out of Denver International Airport more than 10 years ago, he’d usually pack his own food. “As a traveler, I was always let down by the food and the lack of Denver representation,” he said. So when an airport concessionaire approached him about opening a branch of Root Down — his eclectic, farm-to-table restaurant — as part of a major retail overhaul at DIA in 2013, he decided to take the risk. “I thought it would be cool to make a statement about accessibility to craft food that’s…

A Denver distillery is relocating operations to the suburbs, and when it does it will close its taproom and restaurant in the city. Ironton Distillery & Crafthouse, which opened in the River North Arts District in 2018, will soon break ground on a brand new production facility located at 1303 Empire Rd. in Louisville. According to an announcement Wednesday, the new spot will enable the company to bring its distillery and barrel-aging program under one roof and to provide a new drink-centric destination for locals.…

Editor’s note: This is part of The Know’s series, Staff Favorites. Each week, we offer our opinions on the best that Colorado has to offer for dining, shopping, entertainment, outdoor activities and more. (We’ll also let you in on some hidden gems). I was born on St. Patrick’s Day, which is both a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing because people tend to remember to wish me a good day. In fact, you’d be surprised how many birthday cards you can find for people born on specific holidays. It’s a curse because it also…

As another season of tubing down Clear Creek in Golden beckons, the city is considering a novel approach to controlling the crowds that descend on the popular waterway: a reservation system. The discussions are still in the early stages and the system, if it moves forward, wouldn’t be implemented until 2025. But the mere idea of requiring people to sign up for a float down Clear Creek is a testament to the increasing number of people Golden has had to manage on the water in recent years, especially in the wake of a…

Denver-based Alterra Mountain Company revealed early-bird price increases for next year’s Ikon passes on Thursday that were less than the increases rival Vail Resorts announced Tuesday for its Epic passes. But Ikon passes still cost more than comparable Epic passes. When Ikon passes go on sale next Thursday, the early-bird cost will be $1,249, which is $267 more than the comparable Epic Pass. The Ikon Base Pass will cost $869, which is $138 more than the Epic Local pass. Year-over-year, Ikon increased $90, a 7.7%…