austin

Austin

chicago

Chicago

denver

Denver

lasvegas

Las Vegas

madison

Madison

nashville

Nashville

philly

Philly

pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

portland

Portland

saltlake

Salt Lake

seattle

Seattle

twincities

Twin Cities

We make podcasts and newsletters that connect people with the cities they love.

City Cast Denver

Keep It Local features spotlights on a local businesses we love and a timely set of personal, curated and neighborly recommendations that will help you live your best Mile High life. So, if you’re ready to ditch the national chains, e-commerce giants, and big box stores,

 sign up now for the new weekly newsletter from City Cast Denver

Michelle Polizzi

Tasty food. Great company. Kids always welcome.

These were the criteria Paul Sullivan and Emily Brown had in mind when they began dreaming up their perfect Denver restaurant. The couple had always loved going out to eat, but as they grew their family, that became a little more complicated.

“We wanted a place in our neighborhood that we could bring our kids to,” Sullivan says. “A family-friendly, all-encompassing, welcoming-to-everyone kind of place.”

Sullivan and Brown brought their idea to life in 2015 with Esters, a casual pizza and beer joint in Virginia Village named after the esterification process of alcohol. “When yeast and hops interact it releases an aromatic smell that’s referred to as esters,” Sullivan says (It also helps that his favorite band, Phish, has a song called “

Sullivan and Brown opened Esters’ second location in 2018 in the kid-friendly Oneida Park enclave of Park Hill. This space is especially suited for kids because it overlooks a safe, grassy turf where they can run and play while parents hang at shaded outdoor tables nearby — not to mention that Dang soft serve is right next door. In 2022, Esters’s third location opened in Wheat Ridge.

“All of our restaurants specifically are in neighborhoods with young families,” Sullivan says. “You can go there, bring the kids, have a good beer.”

Sullivan and Brown still live in the same Virginia Village home with their two daughters, but other things have evolved with time. For instance, the first generation of kids who dined at Esters are now old enough to work there, and many of them do. Now, they’re the ones serving Esters’ tiniest guests at its weekly kids night, where children eat free with the purchase of an adult meal (Mondays at Oneida Park, Tuesdays everywhere else).

Running a restaurant dedicated to families? That’s one thing that won’t change.

“We have really great food and great hospitality,” Sullivan says. “But if your kid pukes on the floor and ruins our bathroom, we're totally okay with that, you know? It is part of having kids.”

Esters Pub is one of Denver's best kid-friendly spots.

Why Denverites Love Esters Pub

Why Denverites Love Esters

Keep It Local

It can be hard to find the right social space for people with kids — and their adult friends without kids — to meet up and hang out. But not to worry! These local eateries are delicious, Denver-made, and guaranteed to get the whole gang back together.

 is an inclusive coffee shop, casual eatery, bar, and community space owned by The Table Urban Farm, a nonprofit that donates organic, locally grown produce to nearby communities. Table Public House has an indoor, bee-themed play area for kids, and the building is right next to Grant Frontier Park’s large playground.

🍕 Homegrown Tap and Dough (West Wash Park)

 is known for their hand-tossed pizzas, local beer selection, and outdoor space. Their kid’s menu is top-notch, but even better is the $59.50 family meal bundle that includes cheesy garlic bread, two full-sized caesar salads, and two pizzas. The OG location opened on South Gaylord in 2011, but they’ve since expanded to Parker, Westminster, Littleton, Arvada, and Castle Rock.

They don’t take reservations, so go early to avoid a wait.

Ping pong, Peking duck, and patio fun collide at 

, a restaurant designed for large groups and hours of good old-fashioned fun. Book a high-top table, which comes with a dedicated server and access to a private ping pong table, to keep older kids and teens entertained while adults enjoy lychee vodka cocktails.

There’s a dedicated gluten-free menu and a solid mocktail list.

 has the same outrageously delicious, mac-and-cheese-topped burgers and spicy bacon queso you know and love from the original joint, albeit with a more family-friendly vibe. This includes an expansive patio with Adirondack chairs around fire pits, plus their legendary fish tank that captures little imaginations.

 before heading over to ensure a space for your party.

Stem Ciders is the Colorado company behind 

. This cidery is like a brewery, but with an elevated menu, mountain views, and space for the whole gang. Kids love the sprawling campus here, which has ladder ball sets, corn hole, and an entire playground. Should anyone get the post-dinner zoomies, there’s plenty of space to run around.

 Plan on saving room for dessert — the cider donuts are a must.

The Best Kid-Friendly Spots in Denver That Adults Love

Kid-Friendly Denver Spots for a Beer and a Bite

Bad dog breath, to be exact — and the pup-friendly mints that Denverites Deb Dempsey and Tonya Payne created to solve this all-too-common problem more than two decades ago.

The mints, called Mouthfuls, were such a hit with local dog owners that Dempsey and Payne soon expanded into a 

 focused on natural, healthy foods for dogs. That storefront opened on Tennyson Street in 2005, and they’ve been selling high-quality canine essentials ever since.

Today, the shop is owned by Kaiti Asmussen, who honors the original owners’ mission while also finding new products to include in the store’s lineup. The most noteworthy offering has to be the shop's body part bar, an assortment of dried animal oddities that includes hairy pig ears, bison knuckles, and other livestock byproducts, many of which come from Colorado and Wyoming farms that process meat for human consumption.

“Everything is very well-raised, hormone free, that kind of thing,” Asmussen says. “So we try to source things that are very high quality and healthy, and not loaded with chemicals or medicines.”

While the body part bar may seem gruesome at first glance, Asmussen says that featuring unusual animal parts is meant to make pet-care more sustainable for the planet. “We have the opportunity to get those [parts] and keep them out of the landfill, which reduces greenhouse gases,” Asmussen says. “It's kind of nice to use that stuff that would normally get thrown away and contribute to the environmental problems that we're very obviously suffering here in Colorado.”

These dehydrated, baked, and freeze-dried animal parts are beneficial for dogs’ health because they support digestion, clean their teeth, and stick to simple ingredients that dogs would naturally have in the wild.

“It's also activating different parts of their brain, so it also wears them out, it calms them down, it gives them a sense of security because there's something to do with their mouth, which releases feel-good hormones as they're chewing and licking,” Asmussen says.

The original mints are no longer in production, but the shop itself has become a Denver staple. Asmussen credits Mouthfuls’ success to its neighborhood involvement.

“We focus on making sure that pets in need have what they want, we do a ton of donations every year, and we try really hard to get ourselves involved in community activities,” Asmussen says.

That includes the annual pet fashion contest that takes place in early summer, which they plan to announce soon. They also make pet owners’ lives easier through a free delivery program, available for anyone within 5 miles if they call ahead, and a punch card program that makes it easy to earn rewards.

Asmussen is always finding new ways to cater to customers. For instance, Mouthfuls recently expanded to create a new room just for feline food, treats, and toys — a renovation approved by Asmussen's own two cats, Minnie and Ziggy. She also has three dogs – Tulsi, Cosmo, and Cash – and while they each have their own favorites from the body part bar, they all agree on ears.

“Any ear goes down like butter,” Asmussen says. “They just love it.”

Why Denverites Love Mouthfuls Pet Supply

While I don’t have a dog (cat mom over here 🐈‍⬛), most of my friends have a pup in the family, and each of them feels like another friend to me. For instance, Beatrix is my hiking buddy, Enzo and Frida are there for movie night snuggles, and Millie is my all-around bestie. If you’ve got a fur baby you know and love, check out these local pet stores in Denver — and try some of the unexpected products they offer.

 was started by a mother-daughter duo who ditched corporate life for something more fur-filling. Now run by mom Stacey and her husband Eddie Bennett, this store sells safe, nutritious dog food brands made in Colorado, such as 

 treats. A curated selection + friendly service = everything you’d want (and expect) from a chic dog boutique in Cherry Creek

The health-conscious dog who loves to eat local

 has a gourmet doggie treat buffet — an impressive spread of more than 25 kinds of bones and chews, all of them rawhide-free. They’re also home to a natural pets supplement section, which has everything from calming kits for cats to joint health chews for dogs. Plus, their full-service dog grooming salon offers haircuts, luxury baths, and more.

 sells pretty much everything you need for a dog or cat. Think specialty diet dog food, sustainable kitty litter, travel carriers, a vast food puzzle selection, and Colorado-made pet CBD products. Their knowledgeable staff can guide you toward the perfect gift or solution for your furry friend, often with niche recommendations you haven’t heard of.

 is easy: Specify your pet’s favorite flavors, choose a size, and add a custom message for the special day. This locally owned and operated franchise location is the only Three Dog Bakery in Colorado and specializes in using all-natural ingredients like apple sauce and peanut butter instead of sugar and preservatives.

 signing up for their newsletter to make sure you know about their special “holiday dinners.”

 has been carefully designed to make your pup clean and comfortable, with complimentary shampoo, conditioner, ear cleaner, fluffy towels, and a dryer. After they freshen up, bring your dog through the store to browse the selection of toys and party supplies — and don’t forget to pick up a bag of bison cubes from 

Pampered pups in need of an everything shower

A Guide to Locally-Owned Pet Shops in Denver

A Guide to Locally Owned Pet Shops in Denver

Outside of Empower Field, there might not be a better spot to watch the Summit home opener than 

When it opened in 2025, The 99ers became Denver’s first venue dedicated to celebrating women’s athletics. Founders Miranda Spencer and Annie Weaver wanted to create a space where all people can feel safe watching, celebrating, and talking about women’s sports.

“We’re here to push the dial forward and the conversation ahead – ensuring the

athletes who paved the way receive the visibility and recognition they’ve always deserved,” Weaver says.

The bar’s name is an ode to the 1999 Women’s World Cup Final where the U.S. beat China in 

 — a win that finally gave players the attention, funding, and leverage to establish the world’s first professional women's soccer league in 2000, where all athletes were paid as professionals.

As Denver welcomes the Summit FC this weekend more than two decades later, things feel full-circle. “Never in our wildest dreams — whether as kids or even as adults — did we think we’d be in a city and get to be part of the inaugural season of something this special. It truly feels like just the beginning,” Spencer says.

The duo is proud of the recognition the Summit FC has received so far, because it’s an ode to how much the city of Denver believes in women’s sports, and how deeply people want to be part of the movement.

“That’s the foundation of who we are — recognizing and showing 

 women’s sports. Having a team like Summit FC in our own city is just an added bonus,” Spencer says.

The 99ers Sports Bar is hosting a watch party for Denver Summit FC’s inaugural home opener, which is scheduled for Saturday, March 28 at noon. But that’s just the start. They’re planning a shuttle program to safely transport fans between their bar and home games, with more fun events and watch parties (in their recently expanded patio!) in the works.

“We already have plans in motion to continue expanding opportunities for our community to gather,” Weaver says. “At the end of the day, we’re here because of this community, and we wouldn’t be The 99ers Sports Bar without it.”

The 99ers became Denver’s first venue dedicated to celebrating women’s athletics. Founders Miranda Spencer and Annie Weaver wanted to create a space where all people can feel safe watching, celebrating, and talking about women’s sports

Why Denverites Love 99ers Sports Bar

Why Denverites Love The 99ers Sports Bar

Denver's new professional women's soccer team is playing its first home game on Saturday, March 28, at Empower Field, and they're hoping to set attendance records. But even if you aren't in the stands, there's plenty of ways to mark the occasion.

Below, find your guide to women-owned small businesses that are perfect for tuning into the Summit FC match and celebrating the historic moment on Saturday.

At their locations in Park Hill and Downtown Littleton, DIRT — which stands for divergent inclusive representation transforms — offers espresso drinks, burritos, pastries, and paninis in a welcoming space that empowers Colorado’s neurodivergent population.

The mission of Lady Justice is simple: Good beer 

 make the world better. This inclusive taproom has donated more than $50,000 to charity and offers fun events throughout the week, from pizza food trucks to run clubs (they’re hosting a Summit FC watch party on Saturday, too).

Friends with kids, N/A drinkers, and game-players alike

Eat, imbibe, and just vibe at this brewery and pizzeria that employs adults with disabilities. Founded by former special ed teacher Tiffany Fixter, everyone belongs at Brewability, where accessibility, live music, and cheesy eats come together to create a more connected, compassionate community.

A Colorado green chile and pork pie to share

At this delicious vegan cake bar, you can select a pre-made personal cake from the case or a custom treat with the flavor, toppings, and frosting of your choice — kind of like a local version of Cold Stone Creamery, but for cake.

A pint of Rocky Mountain road ice cream to pass around at home

A guide to watching and supporting the professional women's soccer team Denver Summit FC.

Keep It Local

Why Denverites Love Esters

Kid-Friendly Denver Spots for a Beer and a Bite

Why Denverites Love Mouthfuls Pet Supply

Latest articles

A Guide to Locally Owned Pet Shops in Denver

Why Denverites Love The 99ers Sports Bar

Our Guide to Celebrating Denver Summit FC's Historic Home Opener