Dining On Every Level At The Halcyon In Cherry Creek

Photos courtesy of Kevin Austin

Welcome back my fellow foodies. It’s very rare in Colorado or really any place where you can go dine in one building from the basement to the rooftop and have stellar food and drinks in all of them. Welcome to the Halcyon. Situated in the center of the Cherry Creek neighborhood of Denver, this boutique hotel has three restaurants that couldn’t be more different and at the same time all of them spectacular. Come and take a climb up the culinary ladder with me for an adventure into The Halcyon.

Let’s start in the basement of the hotel, and yes, I said basement. B&GC is a speakeasy in the bowels of the hotel that has won many awards but might be hard to find. You go down an alley in the back of the hotel and ring the Golden doorbell on the door marked “private”. Once the door is opened, you are escorted downstairs to the secretive speakeasy bar. It reminded me of something out of the 1920’s. Dark, intimate, and the décor what you might expect from a speakeasy. The cocktails here are the star of the show. Order the “Dealer’s Choice” and allow the mixologist to create a custom cocktail tailored to your liking. The food here compliments all the drinks with options such as oysters, crab dip that was out of this world, and a 24-layer chocolate cake that was pure heaven. Reservations are highly recommended here as it is small and quite popular. Call in advance to make sure you get into this secret gem in Cherry Creek. 

Let’s climb the culinary ladder a little more to the main floor of the hotel where Local Jones is located. Local Jones is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, brunch, and happy hour. It is the place to go for dishes made with local fresh ingredients with award winning chefs on hand. The menu changes seasonally here, and the food is bursting with flavor. The Lemon Chicken and the Salmon are a few new dishes here that are not to be missed. The flavor on the chicken was full of lemony goodness. I would come back for that alone but be sure to save lots of room for dessert. The baked Alaska is a delicious boozy dessert set aflame tableside. It was my first time trying this dessert and I’m hooked. The cinnamon roll for breakfast or brunch is enough for 4 people and should be award winning on its own. All pastries are made in house as are sauces for all the dishes. Happy hours are fun here with drink specials and snacks galore. I recommend the pretzel with 2 dipping sauces, paired with a Colorado beer or bourbon.  It is a great first bite to have at Local Jones. DJ’s are spinning tunes on the weekends for extra fun. The vibe at Local Jones is chill and the food is truly next level.

The last stop as we climb the culinary ladder at The Halcyon is on the rooftop at Rare Bird. Rare bird is the place to hang out in the summer months at The Halcyon. A panoramic view of Denver and the Rocky Mountains is breathtaking at Rare Bird and so are the food and drinks. Come hungry as the portions are large and enjoy a different BBQ every Saturday. We dined on the ribs and chicken, with a side of homemade slaw, corn and beans. It made me feel like I was in a backyard BBQ with an incredible view. If you are craving a gourmet hot dog, they have that too. They are open daily and if you are sitting poolside, they can bring your meal right to your lounge chair. Rare Bird is open to the public, not just hotel guests, so come day or night and enjoy fabulous cocktails and food, and don’t forget your camera because you’ll want pictures from every angle of this restaurant.

Staying at The Halcyon is so fun, but you absolutely don’t have to stay here to enjoy all the culinary adventures it has to offer. Whether it is breakfast, lunch, dinner or maybe just a cocktail, they have got you covered day or night. Take a trip up the culinary ladder as I did and taste some of Denver’s best bites. As always, my fellow foodies, eat well, drink well, and be well.