The whole crew got to meet up in a random city! Crazy!
It just worked out on our recent trip to Denver that one of Erin’s brothers and his daughter were coming in from Cincinnati, our niece and nephew from Portland were coming in to meet them, and we were all going to be in Denver for a few hours at the same time. We had to get together!
They arrived around 11 a.m., so lunch was the logical choice. We wanted somewhere that was unique, but where we could find somewhere we could please two vegetarians, two gluten free eaters, and another picky eater? Our friends at Yelp helped us out by suggesting Avanti F&B (food and beverage). They’ve taken the food cart concept and put it into one building, and then they added two bars and tons of cool seating, including a rooftop deck with a view of the city.
The developer created this space by outfitting shipping containers for different vendors to cook and serve from, so at any given time there are seven different restaurants to choose from. When we went there was a Middle Eastern restaurant, a sushi place, a spot serving wings and noodles, a wood-fired pizza oven, Mexican grilled tortas and tacos, a place with Mediterranean food including paella and grilled watermelon (I was dying to try it but didn’t), and a Venezuelan restaurant where I got the best sandwich I may have ever eaten. There was something for everyone!
Like with food carts, you order and pay at each individual vendor, and you pick up your own food. They had a handy little system with pagers, and when your food was ready, they buzzed you to go pick it up. There was a waiter who refilled our water glasses and brought adult beverages and soft drinks to the table from the bar.
Best sandwich EVER!
We went at lunchtime and had no trouble finding a table for seven. I did read online that it gets really busy in the evenings and on weekends, so you may want to plan ahead if you are going at a busier time with a large group. You may have to wait for a table or beverages.
After my amazing cornmeal bread sandwich stuffed with cheese, avocado, and plantains, I couldn’t do dessert, but the rest of the team rallied and we walked just a few blocks from Avanti to another Denver institution, Little Man Ice Cream. Their handmade ice cream was the perfect finish to our outing on a hot Denver day. I’d say that in addition to pleasing everyone’s palate, we accomplished all our goals today: family, food, and fun!
Yum!
What goals did you accomplish on a recent travel adventure? Leave us a note in the comments, and enjoy your next serendipitous travel moment, whether it’s for a week or a weekend.
A Week or a Weekend 
I need to go there!
You totally do – so much deliciousness!! Cheers!