Blue Spruce Brewery | Littleton

Rating: 4 out of 5.

10577 West Centennial Road

Littleton, CO 80127

Beer + Food = Winning

Ever since we moved into our little neck of the woods over here in Littleton, my wife & I have been SUPER jelly of all of the folks that lived in areas that were surrounded by fantastic breweries. You know the areas. From Downtown to LoHi to RiNO, there are great breweries that are a stones throw away from apartments, condos, townhouses, etc. Seriously, it’s super awesome.

But…because we chose to live that suburbia life here in Littleton (trust me, I fought it, but that’s for another time), it was always a bit of drive or Uber ride to hit those breweries & experience everything that a great brewery offers. The community atmosphere, the conversations with the bartenders, and of course, good beer mixed with awesome food trucks. It is everything that we live for in the summer.

So imagine our surprise, nay, ELATION when we found that Blue Spruce was going to be opening it’s doors a few years back. A craft brewery with food in our neck of the woods?! We would be there without a doubt. And we were!

We showed up, super excited about what we were going to experience. The location was not something that you would find immediately off the main road. It was pleasantly hidden, which to me, was even better because it made it feel like we were part of some super top secret club that knew where this place was. Don’t judge me. Nerdy is in the title.

All in all it was a good place to get great beer, but their food was a little hit & miss at the start. But as we continued to frequent the brewery & chat it up with the bartenders, there was constant conversation about how they were doing or trying new things to improve because of the feedback that they were getting. To me, this was a true testament as to how great this place was. Taking honest customer feedback & continuously trying to improve because they genuinely care.

Show that you listen to your customers & I will be there continuously supporting until you tell me you’re closing your doors.

Don’t talk about it, be about it!

That’s the best way I can describe the transformation of the food here. Prior, their food was good, but there were some items that just didn’t hit the mark for me.

Flash forward to now.

Now, their food is absolutely delish & their menu has a solid variety of staples without being overwhelming.

The team here has really figured out a way to take what some would consider typical “bar” or “brewery” food & elevate it in simple but effective ways.

Do yourself a favor & get the nachos…trust me on this one.

You have the option of protein topping & let me tell you that if you don’t go with the pulled pork, you’ll regret it! The queso has a nice smoky cheddar flavor with the perfect bite of heat. Not enough to torch your tongue but enough to make you know it’s there & keep you coming back for more. Mix that with the smoky, juicy pulled pork on top of those hefty chips, it has taken top spot for my favorite nachos. Hands down!

Wingin’ it…

Now moving on from all things nachos, let’s talk wings. I am a sucker for wings.

So much so, that there’s a solid chance that anywhere I go, if there’s a wing offering, I’m giving them a go. And much like the nachos, I have to say that these guys have wings dialed in!

They are done to that point where the skin has a nice crunch to it without being overly done & dry. They offer a solid array of sauces, but my personal go to is the Chile Lime sauce. It’s got the perfect touch of heat but the citrus from the lime makes it just a little sweet, so the combo of sweet with the heat makes it a winner. Now if you’re not a fan of heat on your wings, there is a variety of house made sauces that will hit the spot for.

Final Bite

Service: I can’t say enough about the great service that we get every time we swing by. The staff is knowledgeable on their beer selection & can answer a number of questions for the beer aficionados out there. Food service has always been prompt & overall attentive.

Price: Overall, the food & the beer is very reasonably priced. They run a variety of specials & happy hour throughout the week, so check the website or follow them on social to get the latest.

Food Variety: As I mentioned earlier, there is a fair variety here for food offerings. From apps, to shareable plates, to sandwiches, there is a little bit of everything for everyone. Kudos to the team in the kitchen!

All in all, Blue Spruce Littleton is a solid spot for not only great food but great beer! Now that we have become regulars there, I can soundly say that we have eaten damn near everything on the menu from apps to sandwiches to the flat breads. While it’s all been fantastic, it’s the evolution of this spot that has made me going back. I would absolutely recommend stopping by, grabbing a flight, and sampling the menu.

Swing by, order the nachos & wings with the chile lime sauce, pair it with a Strawboobie & enjoy!

Cheers!

Quarantine sucks but…quarantine dining shouldn’t

Your one stop shop for all the local restaraunts that are open, offering curbside or delivery.

As we continue to navigate these uncertain times, continue to support these local restaurants. Click the links, pick your restaurant, order up!

So here we are.

We are in the midst of something that I never would have expected to see in my lifetime. A pandemic, an outbreak, a national health crisis. Whatever you want to call it, I never expected that I would be in it.

Regardless of whatever name you or I want to put on it, one thing is for certain. It has affected every single person in some way. It has changed everything from how we interact, to how we shop, how we eat, how we live our daily life. It’s changed the conversation and has redefined what we consider to be our new normal. It seems like we have had everything that is good and positive taken away.

The sickness, the death, the separation, the isolation. It’s a lot to take in all at once.

But one thing to know about me, I consider myself a delusional optimist. When things get hard or bad or sad, I will go through this ridiculous bout of feeling all the negative at once. Kind of like that punch to the gut feeling of negativity. The fear, the anger, and whatever negative feeling comes in between; I will acknowledge it, feel it like a ton of bricks, but then shift to find the good. Not because it’s some God given gift, but because for me, living in the negative won’t drive progress. Living in the negative won’t drive happiness, it will crush it. If there’s no happiness, there’s no progress.

In this situation, there’s no difference.

Prior to all of this hitting, I always tried to ensure that I am consistently focusing in on being grateful. Being grateful for everything I have in this life. From the breath of air in my lungs to the delicious meals I have had the joy of experiencing, always focusing on being grateful. I have never wanted to take anything for granted because of how quickly any and everything can change.

Que that delusional optimism.

Being forced to separate and be apart is also what brings us together. Regardless of what differences we all have, or views we don’t see eye to eye on, the one thing that we can agree on is the appreciation and love that we all share for people in our lives. We all have people in our lives that we have a love and appreciation for. We all have those people that we are genuinely sad about not being able to see in person or even give a simple handshake to. And that’s what this pandemic has brought to the surface.

It’s brought this elevated level of gratitude that we can all share in. There’s more that brings us together than tears us apart.

Think about it for a sec. What was the last gathering you were at? Did you value the time you shared? Were you grateful for the people that were in your presence? Were you bringing your best self to those people in turn making their time with you great?

Once this pandemic hit and the ability to interact with the people that matter to you was taken away, being grateful took on a new meaning. Sharing meals or drinks with friends has taken on a new meaning. It’s forced us to put in the effort that maybe we took for granted before. To find new ways to connect, new ways to come together to share in our humanity and that’s great!

I guess you can say that’s part of this delusional optimism that I suppose has been and always will be within me.

So what the hell does all this ranting have to do with food?!

If you’ve followed along within this blog, you know that the main reason I started writing about food, was because of all the happiness, joy and celebration that came from being able to go out to have a cocktail with good food and good people. I wanted to be able to have that good food with good people and share that good with you in hopes that it would also provide some good for you as well.

But as you also know, as this pandemic has spread and seemingly taken everything away, it has hit the service industry especially hard. Restaurants are being forced to lay off staff or close their doors to help cope with the loss of revenue, but that’s not the case for everyone which is why I want to help those that are remaining open by means of curb side pick up or delivery!

As we are finding new ways to cope with these unknown times and social separations, we can still find ways to share good food with good people. It just means that we may have to put in a little more effort by means of getting creative.

Instead of having to focus on what we don’t have or can’t do, let’s continue to plan those virtual meet ups, let’s continue to share great food, and let’s embrace the changes to the good instead of focusing on the bad.

Throughout these unsure time, I want to make sure that as both a food enthusiast and a strong supporter of small business that everyone has the resources to continue to find good food to be part of those good times that we are making out of bad times.

I did some of the leg work for you…

After looking at a number of sites to find a comprehensive resource to find out who’s open and what services they are offering, I have made a short list that should make picking up your next meal enjoyable and easy. The qualities that I looked for to help make it easy are simple.

  • Variety – it needs to cover local restaurants across the state because this goes beyond one city.
  • Customization – you never know what sounds good, so options to narrow down location and cuisine to make the search easier.
  • Ease of sorting – nothing is more frustrating then wasting time searching and getting nothing but sub par results or none at all.

Below are a few of the better options for finding options for ordering/dining online that will continue to help your favorites as well as mine. Again, the more that we can help support the small business owners and the staff during these tough times, the greater chance they will still be there when the dust settles!

Continue to be good to each other, continue to find ways to stay connected safely, and let’s continue to support local businesses so that everyone can survive these crazy times.

Cheers!

PS – This list will be ever growing, ever changing, and ever evolving, so stay tuned!

Eat Local, Find Your Favorite

Denver To Go

Denver.org offers a full list of over 700 local restaurants that that are offering either curb side pick up or delivery. This website is fantastic for the simple fact that you can break down everything from location to cuisine. Also if you know of restaurants that aren’t on here, business owners can add their business. Click the picture to start ordering!

Westword

The Westword is kind of a staple in the sense that they always do their annual Best Of. This is a great resource to be able to find the best of what Denver has to offer and supporting them by knowing how to get what you need/want during this crazy times. Side note, the website is little frustrating as it is covered in ads on ads on ads, so be patient.

Click the picture to start ordering!

5280 Magazine

5280 is great for the simple fact that you get a few variations that have some different perspectives compared to so of the other local sites. Click the picture to start ordering!

Take Out Covid Website/App

This was a recent find that made getting access a little easier and this stretches beyond Colorado. This website/app will allow you to search for the site for a number of cities and give you a breakdown of what each spot has to offer. Click the picture and start ordering!

If you have a site or an app that you use to find your local food, let’s get the word out!

Angelo’s Taverna | Littleton

Due to the current situation with Colorado restaurants, Angelo’s is offering curb side pick up!

6885 S. Santa Fe Drive
Suite A
Littleton, CO 80120

Oysters. Wine. Desserts.

I have to say, there is a great possibility that once you experience Angelo’s Taverna/Carboy Winery in Littleton, you will become a repeat customer. I know, because we did! Ever since we stopped in during the Grand Opening, we cannot get enough. Nor can we stop recommending this spot as a must visit!

Now, here’s what makes this spot unique. When you’re initially walking up, you’ll notice that Angelo’s Taverna is on the left and Carboy is on the right. They are in the same building, connected on both the inside and the outside. This is the perfect blend of combining local wine and local food in one location.

Whether it’s a happy hour get together with a group of friends (which we did) or a date night out, you can’t go wrong with either of these spots.

Angelo’s is a full service restaurant, complete with a lunch, dinner, and happy hour menu. They also have a full drink menu that serves all Carboy wine options, as well as other spirits in case wine just isn’t your thing.

Carboy on the other hand, serves their wines on tap and by bottle with meat and cheese board options for smaller bites to pair while you sip their delicious local wine options.

For this go ’round we decided to have happy hour over at Angelo’s for their options of, you guessed it, oysters, wine, and desserts!

From the moment that you walk in, the overall vibe of this place is both comfortable and inviting. With seating that allows for a panoramic view of the incredible outdoor layout, there is something truly relaxing but elegant about this place. You feel

“…an oyster bar that moves over 7000 oysters a week, ensuring the freshest from both coasts.”

Char-grilled or raw, you have options!

Now I get it, not everyone is a fan of oysters. Whether it be a texture issue, a flavor issue, or a combination of both, I know there are some who will absolutely not partake.

But…

Before you absolutely throw in the towel on these half shell wonders, I suggest you try the Char-grilled option at Angelo’s.

With their unique blend of garlic, butter, and seasoning, these char-grilled oysters are savory without being overly rich . Pictured to the right is the garlic butter char-grilled oyster.

This visit, we did what we have a tendency to do and ordered a round of every flavor (especially because we had some oyster lovers and some oyster newbies with us). There are three staples that are on the menu regularly and available every visit, but the real gem is their rotating menu of flavors that are both unique and unexpected.

On this particular afternoon, their rotating flavor was Rockafeller Butter which was absolutely fantastic.

If you find yourself an oyster lover or an oyster skeptic, I highly suggest giving Angelo’s a try.

If this is your first visit, I would recommend giving the chipotle bourbon butter char-grilled oyster a go to truly understand what you’re in for on both a flavor and texture level. The mixture of the richness of the butter and the heat of the chipotle, makes for an absolutely delicious bite. Plus with the grilled option, it does change the consistency of the oyster which can appeal to some who don’t like oysters due to the texture of the raw option.

If you’re an oyster lover, then you can’t go wrong with either the raw or the char-grilled option, as I’m sure you’ll be a fan of all.

Now, I’m not a wine expert nor a Somm, but we have been a fan of pairing Carboy’s SAUVIGNON BLANC with any of the oyster options, raw or grilled makes the meal complete. For us, it’s the perfect combo.

There’s always room for dessert!

As a kid, dessert was always something that I loved as I have always had the blessing and the curse of a wicked sweet tooth. Angelo’s knows how to tap into it.

To cap off the dinner, we have had a bit of everything for dessert with each visit. We have had everything from Creme Brulee to their chocolate brownie. And none of it disappoints.

If you’re a fan of the super sweet or looking for just a small semi-sweet option, you’re covered. My personal fave is the chocolate brownie a la mode with their home made caramel sauce.

The brownie is always warm, soft, and moist (I know, that word isn’t everyone’s favorite, but there’s really not a better way to describe it). You add a warm brownie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, you really cannot go wrong. Que the house made caramel sauce and you’ve got the perfect dessert to cap the meal.

All in all, make sure you save room. You’ll thank me!

Now there is something that makes Angelo’s even more unique that caters to a larger audience.

Angelo’s has an incredibly large Gluten Free menu for both the main menu option as well as the desserts that they offer.

Having friends and family that need to live a gluten free life due to medical reasons, I know how limited GF restaurant options can be. I can’t tell you how many times we have tried to find GF restaurants to accommodate all of us going out but find that they have either an incredibly limited menu of GF options, or to be quite honest, the GF options were just not good.

If you need a GF option, Angelo’s has an incredibly vast menu of both appetizers, main courses, and desserts that will be able to provide a full dining experience for you and your GF needs.

Final Bite

Service: The staff and servers not only know their menus, but they are incredibly helpful in terms of picking/pairing what to drink if you’re not incredibly familiar with wine. Every time we have been there, we have never received bad or sub par service.

Price: Angelo’s has a great happy hour menu that allows for a quick casual bite that doesn’t break the bank. In terms of lunch and dinner options, you’re going to be looking at a moderate price point.

Food Variety: While I did only highlight the wine and oysters, they have a full menu of everything from pasta to pizza’s and everything in between. With as many times as we have been there, I can say that we have had damn near everything on the menu and there’s a little bit of everything for everyone. Check out their full menu

All in all, Angelo’s Taverna in Littleton is a must visit if you’re looking for that perfect blend of Oysters and wine with a Rocky Mountain view. Seriously, if you can catch a seat on their patio or near the window to watch the sun set over the Rockies, you won’t see anything like it. It’s a great place for everything from a small happy hour gathering to hosting a large party in their private room.

Have some good food, with good people, and enjoy the local fare.

Cheers!

Allow Me To Introduce Myself

If you’ve made it this far, let me express my gratitude to you, as a reader, for taking the time to find out what I’m all about & why this blog even became a thing.

You made it! First, let me introduce myself, my name is Nicole (in the hat, it’s kinda my staple) and that incredible woman next to me is my better half Amanda.

Food has always been a part of our journey together, in fact it played a huge part in how we met! (That’s for another blog)

From when we initally met, going out to eat was always part of the time we spent together. From the hole in the wall pubs and diners, to the trendiest of trendy hot spots that we went to on date nights, we created so many memories sharing a meal.

But my love and adoration for food and going out to grab a bite to eat started way, way before our paths crossed.

“If a house is a building, home is a feeling”

Anderson East

Food has always reminded me of home.

Growing up, I would always see my grandma (my grandparents raised me) making meals from scratch.

From nightly dinners to family gatherings to Holidays, she always had a recipe or meal plan. And she was damn good at it. Every single dish that she made always found a way to bring everyone together. See attached photo of my attempt of her Sopa De Abondigas.

No guide, no notes, just memory of what was passed down to her from her mom, from her mom’s mom, like most traditional Mexican American families. She would put everything together like it was second nature.

I always watched in wonder asking how she did it hoping that one day I’d be able to do the same. As hard as I try, I still don’t think I have achieved her ninja level of mastery.

It was her super power, one of many.

The older I got, the more and more I realized just how special those moments were and how much food and cooking can mean in terms of creating memorable moments.

I always told myself that I always wanted to carry that same sentiment with me. Carry on those memories into a household of my own I guess you could say. And I do that now with cooking at home for my household. Which, much to wife’s humor, leads me to trying my best to play Chopped in my kitchen then taking pictures of my attempts in hopes that it will make me feel like I kinda knew what I was doing. Chances are, I didn’t.

But the second part of this story carries on to outside of the household kitchen and into restaurants.

Again, growing up, my grandparents had a Friday night ritual. My grandpa would get off work, change, and we would all get ready to go out to eat. It didn’t matter if it was a good week, bad week, a good day or a bad day; this is what would happen, like clock work.

Most times it was one of our regular spots where the owners were family friends. In fact, we were such regulars that we have multiple family pictures on the wall of customers. When I younger, I totally thought we were a big deal for this, nevermind the hundreds of other pictures of other familes on the walls. To this day, if any one from our family walks into El Burrito in Fort Collins, we can search the wall to find all of our family photos of us dining there for any number of occasions.

But it was this type of “ritual” if you will, that made me look at going out to eat as something that was not simply grabbing a meal, but something so much more than that.

It was a celebration of hard work. Hard work from the week before, even if the day or week wasn’t what you wanted, you worked hard for this ability to dine out without restriction.

It was gratitude. Being grateful that we could go out as a family, enjoy a meal and just be together. Be together to talk about how the day was or how the week was. Talk about what was upcoming for the weekend or what big plans everyone wanted to accomplish. Even as I got older and I may not have had the means to go out for a “full meal”, I still would make it a point to treat myself with something small to remind myself to enjoy the reward of hard work. It could always be worse.

It represented celebration. Everytime something big in the family happened, we would always gather to go out to eat. It could be as simple as everyone hasn’t gotten together in a while or as big as having out of town realtives coming in. Either way, it was always a given that if there was something to celebrate, we were going out to eat.

I always have and I always will appreciate the little things like this that my grandparents taught me, whether they meant to or not. To this day I carry all of the above mentioned feelings and values with me which explains why now, I still hold going out to eat with a little bit more than some.

And now that leads me to the big “Why” behind what has now become this blog.

Every weekend my wife and I will make it a point to find somewhere new to eat. Sometimes it’s as simple as finding a brewery that has a food truck we’ve never had before. So we show up and order the menu. Other times, it’s planning out openings of places that have food that we want to try or haven’t experienced yet. All in hopes of giving ourselves a small reward for the work that we put in from the week prior, showing some gratitude for being able to do so, and celebrating nothing more than being with each other or in the company of good people.

With every culinary venture we take and every new person, place, or dish we meet, I want to be able to share that experience.

I want to be able to share in hopes that all of those that need a place to catch up, share a meal, and create some memories have some recommendations. I want to be able to share in that good with those who choose to partake so we can say that there was a community committed to sharing a little dose of good in each other’s week. I want to be able to share the experience in hopes that it will allow for others to partake and have the same goodness in their week that we did.

After all, can’t we all use an extra dose of good in our week? It’s all part of the Nerdy Foodie community.

Good food. Good people.

Cheers!