Brinkerhoff Hospitality is a family-owned company that opened its first Denver area restaurant, La Loma, in 1980. La Loma has been a staple in Denver for many years, operating as a family-run kitchen known for traditional Mexican meals, margarita, and an upscale-rustic atmosphere, and famous for such specialties as their green chili. In December of 2017, Brinkerhoff Hospitality opened its second restaurant, Sierra, in Lone Tree. The idea was to establish Sierra as a “wood-fired grill offering the very best in food, beverage, hospitality, ambiance and architecture,” says Deanna Price, director of operations for the restaurant company.
In just over a year, Sierra has established itself as an upscale kitchen open daily for lunch and dinner. The restaurant features warm dining spaces, including a horseshoe bar. It has an in-house bakery, rotisserie and old-world clay oven.
The building is a dynamic A-frame structure sitting on a bluff in the RidgeGate community. “The floor-to- ceiling windows in our lower dining area offer stunning views of Lone Tree, especially at night, and create an unmatched dining experience,” Price says.
The look and feel of the restaurant is warm and inviting rustic vibe. The interior includes copper and red bricks, many of bricks reclaimed from the original La Loma location, according to Price.
Just like La Loma, “the restaurant is filled with character and charm,” according to Mark Brinkerhoff, the son of owner William Brinkerhoff, who joined his father in running La Loma back in 2005.
As for the menu, Sierra offers twists on traditional American and Mexican-American cuisine. “We offer elevated American fare with a heavy Southwestern influence,” Price says.
Sierra’s killer shrimp is one of their most popular dishes. It features a Louisiana Creole sauce and oversized shrimp on a bed of coconut rice that is “just to die for,” according to Price. “Our food is a compilation of Brinkerhoff family recipes, with some carry over from La Loma. We are a scratch kitchen where everything is made in house daily, including bread and tortillas, and we even cut all of our own greens. When you walk past our open kitchen, you will see our rotisserie where we cook chicken, Wagyu beef and lamb daily,” she adds.
Sierra also boasts a robust bar menu, offering a wide selection of wine and spirits. The restaurant recently rolled out a brand-new cocktail list, featuring nine original cocktails. “My personal favorite is the Prickly Pear, which is light and refreshing with bright citrus notes—perfect for spring!” Price says.
Sierra is also committed to supporting local food providers. Roughly 70 percent of the food that the restaurant serves is locally sourced, including dairy from Farmer’s All Natural of Longmont and greens from Larkspur. The bar menu lists several locally made spirits.
The Brinkerhoff family says they “strive to maintain simply great food and provide world-class hospitality to their guests.” Certainly, with La Loma and now Sierra, they seem to be achieving this goal, while also aiming to uphold their values of remaining consistent for everyone—from the families they have served for years to Denver’s and Lone Tree’s newest residents to tourists from across Colorado and beyond.
Sparkling Vida
1 oz reposado
1½ oz mezcal
½ oz agave syrup
1 oz brut rosé
2 dashes bitters
Pour tequila, mezcal and agave syrup into shaker. Shake and strain. Top with rosé and bitters.
Southern Berry
2 strawberry slices
2 oz Buffalo Trace bourbon
1 oz simple syrup
2 oz lemon juice
Ginger beer
Muddle strawberry slices in shaker, add Buffalo Trace bourbon, simple syrup and lemon juice into shaker. Add ice and shake. Strain over ice and top off with ginger beer.
Lindsay Mitchell is a freelance writer and content marketer based in Colorado Springs. In addition to writing for Colorado Expression, she is a regular contributor to Southwest Art magazine. Learn more at coloradocreativecontent.com.
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