Avanti Food & Beverage “A Collective Eatery”

I have nothing but good things to say about Avanti! A group of us each got a dish from different restaurants (Bixo, Mijo, Quiero Arepas, & Poco Torteria) to share. It was a great little food tour with a bite of equally phenomenal and unique dishes. I especially loved the special at Mijo (I believe this changes often?).
The atmosphere of Avanti is great as well! It’s a food court style with plenty of options for seating, a lot of which is community style — a great place to meet new people. I will definitely be back to try the rest of the restaurants.

We almost didn’t try Avanti last night because of their Unilocal score. Thank goodness I took a recommendation from a friend into account. Hubby and I got there around 8pm and the place was perfectly busy. Plenty of people to create a fun and social atmosphere, but not so many we couldn’t easily move around the space. I was excited after such a promising sign, and I was not disappointed.
DH and I walked the loop of 5 restaurants on the main floor. I wanted at least one menu item at each of them, but my wallet couldn’t agree to that plan. I decided on tacos, placed my order and was given a «pager.» I think some of the restaurants call out orders too.
While waiting for our food to be ready, we started the hunt for seats. Most were taken, but it only took us about 10 minutes to find a spot at the bar. Bar tending service was excellent — I don’t think I saw any of the 4 bartenders take a single breather — it was impressive to watch. Cocktails were delicious, so much so that I didn’t mind their $ 10 price tag. I highly recommend the Smoked Mule and Maple Whiskey Sour.
The whole space was laid out in a super thoughtful way. Plenty of appropriate seating for large groups or singletons. The décor is well-​done industrial. I can’t wait to head back in the spring when the top floor /​deck are opened up to an INSANE view of downtown.
I HIGHLY recommend this place — a great date night or casual get-​together spot whose a la cart concept makes it accessible to literally everyone.

I love the idea behind Avanti, and I really love that it’s already a fun place to be. The bar takes up most of downstairs, so it’s not difficult to get a drink, and the cocktails are made well and change often. I haven’t tried any of the food there, but I everything in the food court looks great, and I love the possibility of grabbing an arepa and asian noodles to make a meal. They also boast a great upstairs patio, and I can’t wait to visit in the summer to make the most of it.

Really cool eat/​work/​hang out space. 7 Affordable diverse food options. Lots of different spaces to choose from. My favorite is the sunny deck with a great view of my city that plays great music! The one thing I would say is I wish there were more outlets for people looking for an alternative working space and better wifi. All around this is an easy to get to positive feeling way to soend an afternoon sipping something cool and delicious while snacking on something very satisfying.

Avanti was fun for a Friday night. The atmosphere was a look key, cool vibe. I liked their little food counter for a quick, drunk bite but don’t get me wrong, I’ve had better gyros at cheaper prices. It was crazy loud in there even though there didn’t seem to be much music playing. I was also shocked the place was empty early forcing us to take the party elsewhere.

AVANTI IS AMAZING
You walk into a modern, open style restaurant with a stocked bar boasting craft beers and fun cocktails. There’s about 5 restaurants on the bottom floor, all incredibly unique with menus that looked delicious! The upstairs area has a beautiful outdoor patio with an amazing view of the city (also conveniently located next to the upstairs bar).
Chad, the bartender was nice enough to make me a delicious Shirley temple since I wasn’t drinking.
We went to Quiero Arepas on the first floor after reading rave reviews about it. I asked about the most popular one; the reina pepiada and ordered it. It was basically a Venezuelan sandwich filled with shredded chicken, guacamole, and some sort of secret house sauce. My friend got the la original with the plantains and black beans.
To be honest, I didn’t like the arepas :(. The actual breading was delicious, but the chicken and sauces inside were not complementary nor very flavorful. It seemed like the chicken was unseasoned and just slathered with sauce which while very fresh; lacked flavor and authenticity.
Next time I hope to try to more exciting pabellon which has shredded beef, plantains, and black beans.
Even though my food experience wasn’t great; the atmosphere is worth the trip!

I gotta say, I’m a big fan. I’ve been here 3 times already and I really don’t have much to complain about. It’s not cheap but I don’t think prices are unreasonable. There’s not even anything on any menu that’s over $ 15. And I mean, it certainly isn’t your typical fast food or food truck experience… you’re paying for the ambiance and the unique concept — a beautiful, airy, and communal space boasting a smörgåsbord of quality cuisine. Each of the 7 food vendors are boutique and rotating. They’ll stay for a year and a half or so, then a new biz will pop in. I’m eager to support this idea of local people and local businesses coming together and occupying one fantastic venue.
Last time I visited I ordered the queso arepa from Quiero Arepas, where everything is 100% gluten free and organic (so said their sign). My arepa was GIGANTIC for $ 10 and completely stuffed full with mozarella, fried plantains (so good), fresh avocado, and even more cheese. It was pretty hard to eat… no way could I take a straight bite without it falling apart everywhere, and the plastic cutlery didn’t help much when trying to dissect it. But I made it work and enjoyed it. Wonderful flavor.
The bars have an awesome selection of local goodies, and the view from upstairs just can’t be beat. And everyone who works here is like the nicest most informative person ever. Thoroughly enjoyable and I can’t wait to really utilize the amazing patio space.

At its core, Avanti is an indoor food truck stop with 6 different food trucks parked in it. It’s a great place to meet up in a casual setting with friends downtown, but I don’t see what all the hype is about. Maybe it’s because I’ve only been there on cold days, so I couldn’t enjoy the upstairs patio or the view of downtown Denver.
It’s a busy place, with a variety of seating both upstairs and downstairs. I have to say, they do have great service. Even though you get your own food, friendly waitstaff come by to clean your table and ask you for drink orders.
Because of the arepas at Quiero Arepas, I’d come back. Maybe next time it will be on a nice summer day.

Overall: We were finding a parking spot to go into our favorite brunch place, but saw this place and decided to give it a shot. The ambience, décor, etc. is amazing and a friendly host told us how it works; you order food at one of the food counters (some downstairs, some upstairs) and you bring your food to one of the open tables/​seating areas/​bar areas (open seating). Once you sit down with your food there are cocktail waitresses that will get you drinks (from one common bar menu). The view from the upstairs area is amazing. The concept is awesome!
The food: Meh. My falafel wrap was very big & fries were decent, but nothing better than typical fast food fare. My fiancé’s corn soup in a bread bowl was delicious, but borderline cold. I was a bit turned off that workers within the restaurants were actively eating food as we walked up… isn’t that against health policies?
The drinks: There’s a decent selection, but not much under $ 10. The cocktail waitress came to my table twice to ask if I needed help or was «having trouble» deciding on a drink. Nope. Once we were ready to leave it took us going up to the bar to get our check; she was nowhere to be found.

I love the concept, but I’m sorry to say that the food choices could be better.
I went with Brava! Pizzeria which had been recommended to me. It wasn’t bad, but it certainly wasn’t especially good either. The crust was pretty much tasteless, and the sauce, cheese and pepperoni were nothing special. I will save my pizza eating for Patxi’s!!!

Good god, where to start. I’ve been popping in here for lunch as it’s not far from my work and there’s so much to rave about…
The diversity of eateries for a start: Want some shwarma? Done. Udon? Done. Mexican? Done. Pizza? Done. And there’s more. Arepas? Done. I’ve tasted most of the places here now and haven’t gone wrong yet. Some highlights though — the Curry bowl at the noodle joint and the Porchetta sammie at the mexican place. They are total go-​to favs that I’ll get over and over.
The bar second: Man, fancy cocktails done well, great assortment of local beers and also crazy selection of Dogfish head beers on Tap? Get off me. What else could I say?
Seating last: There’s benches, outdoor lounges, outdoor stadium seating, indoor bar lounging, and just straight up tables. Something for everyone and every party size. Great!
Oh and I think they have wifi, so you could just work there all afternoon if you wanted. And I want to.

My family and I stopped by here on a game Sunday. The free valet parking was awesome (the area is normally busy AND it is hard to find parking.
The concept —
Imagine taking good food trucks and assembling a bunch of these in one place. Saying «food truck» doesn’t do it service. Everything is unique — no generic pizza chains and dipping dots.
You order food at the food trucks but drinks are served (and paid for) by a waitress to the table under a separate bill.
Bad news — food truck prices.
What we tried–
Brava (Pizza place) for the kids. No pepperoni here.. .some sausage is on the pizza. Kids didn’t notice, but I hated it. It had that slightly gamy rancid taste I can’t stand.
Querio Arepas — I got the recommended Arepa. Seriously yummy no doubt but its like $ 9.00. Over priced (no sides, etc) in my op.
The bad news — we went on Happy Hour. The 1.00 off drink specials were decent on one specific draft. I went with a mixed drink (well drinks $ 5.00). They didn’t warn me but proceeded to come back with a bill of $ 8.00. Waitress admitted it was her fault THEN came back and offered to split the difference. Okay people — if you miss price someones drink you don’t barter with them on the price. you just fix it.
slightly overpriced — gamy pizza — bad service. Cool concept and lots of drafts.

I really, really like Avanti and I’ll tell you why. Every time I visit, I am greeted by a lovely person at the front patiently explaining the Avanti experience. Even though I know what to do and I am sure the hostess isn’t thrilled about repeating the same thing over and over — it’s still a testament to thorough and awesome customer service.
The living room area that invites you into the space is a great start to the magical culinary journey you embark on in the adjacent food court area, but the best part of Avanti? The top floor that parlays into an expansive open patio overlooking on Downtown Denver. On a typical Sunny day — this is prime social real estate.
The highlighted local food vendors are as varied as they are quality. Having enjoyed a few meals there now, I think I enjoy Brava! Pizzeria the most. However, each vendor brings a unique palette of deliciousness to this unique collective eatery. Only the mood for a cocktail? They boast a solid line up of Dogfish Head brews, as well as innovative and thoughtfully-​made cocktails.

I LOVE this place. Seriously, if you’re in Denver you have to go. It’s one of those can’t miss spots.
This is a local eatery so all of the vendors are in a large building almost like a food truck meet up, minus the trucks. You get your drinks/​water on the sides and order in the main hub. There are about 7 vendors (2 upstairs) so plenty of food to pick from and tons of seating. I would have sat upstairs on the roof deck but it was too cold for my taste.
I went to Quero Arepas, a Venezuelan style arepa made the traditional way, and ordered La Traditional (or maybe La Original???). WOW. This arepa came with fried plantains, black beans, cheese (optional) and tons of avocado. Absolutely MASSIVE. It was so delicious and a huge serving for $ 8. I was very satisfied (and full). I’ll definitely return whenever I come back and try the other places.
My boyfriend had the Monday special, The Queen, (margarita pizza $ 5 on Mondays!!) which was a great sized portion and was super yummy. I may have stolen some of his (half… lets be honest.) He also went to BiXO and had the pork belly taco, which he said was FANTASTIC! just like the pork belly (chicharrones) he used to get in Miami. Dogfish Head is also a sponsor and I had the Midus Touch; so delicious!
Check it all out, great use of space, food, beverage and fare.

Awesome view of the city and cool seating arrangements. The pricing for drinks could be better and more competitive considering all the brewery’s choices around here.

What an awesome concept! I had no idea what it was until a friend invited us to come. I love the idea of rotating restaurants that are basically food trucks. I love, love food trucks but they can be hard to locate depending on day, time and an annoying thing called work. This is a great way to try them out!
We went straight to the rooftop to get a drink and overlook the awesome views of downtown Denver. The drinks are pricey at $ 10 a drink but they were good; maybe not $ 10 good, but good.
When we decided to grab something to eat, we had seven options to choose from. I honed right in on the arepas — Quiero Arepas who I have been wanting to try for a while but can’t seem to align my schedule with theirs. The hubs also got dinner from here. I went with the cheese arepa and the addition of beans. He got a chicken option. The crispy plantains in mine were incredible and added a really nice dimension to the whole experience. I would absolutely get another one next time while my husband got tired of his flavors about halfway through.
The great thing about this set up is that our two friends went to two different options — pinche for one and a farm to table for the other. What a great way for people to get what they want. The seating is cafeteria style but they still had people coming by to pick up your empty trays.

I’m very mixed on this place. I like the informal setting and number of options. I love that upstairs tiered stadium seating with city views. I really like the energy.
I feel that the food vendors are mostly overpriced. I don’t know if the standard of the food meets those prices and certainly the casual seating doesn’t warrant the pricing.
There are a couple of bars for drinks. They aren’t exactly cheap. There were pretty thick crowds so I could be challenging to get drinks quickly.
There’s no question I’ll come back. It’s a fun place to be. I’d just like to see some tweaks with the food vendors when it’s pricing, quality, or replacement.

I’m all in.
The hype had been building about Avanti for a few months before they opened, and I think they have met or exceeded all expectations.
The building is a hybrid between an old warehouse and shipping containers. It’s situated in a perfect (and trendy!) location in the Highlands with a beautiful view of the Denver skyline. When the sun is setting, that view is perfection. The indoor and outdoor space is legit. There are two really large bars, but I will say the service is slow (not sure why they don’t just have a few more bartenders, especially because they have been so incredibly popular thus far). There are benches, tables and chairs, communal picnic tables and seats at the bar inside, and an eclectic mix of large and small tables, patio furniture, and stadium seating outside. If you come with a large group, it’s going to be difficult to find a space together unless you go just after they open.
The food: you have six (I think) options. The concept is like a trendy food court with the restaurants each based in a shipping container. My personal favorite is always Quiero Arepas, but when I went with a group on my birthday, most of the places were sampled with amazing results. Get the perfectly cooked chicken from Farmer Girl, a torta from the same owner as Pinche, noodle bowls, smores, short ribs, etc etc. Pizzas were also legit. Can’t rave enough about the food.
The drinks are a bit overpriced for what you get. They’re decent, but not amazing. That’s not what will keep me coming back. But the food, ah, heavenly.

Avanti is basically a high-​end food court. The great thing about it is that you can try a couple different types of local (not chain) cuisines that aren’t going to break the bank. You can also grab a drink at one of the two bars. You can open a tab at one of the bars (for example the main floor bar) and go to the other bar (the top level bar) and use your tab there.
The outdoor and open-​air environment is perfect for a summer night out with friends. It gets busy and might be hard to get a table for a large group, but we did see «reserved» on some tables, so it looks like you might be able to call ahead to reserve a table for a large group. You do see service people cleaning up tables a little, but I don’t think you can get a server. It’s more of a casual grab and sit experience.
The parking here is an issue and right now they are doing free valet, so you can use that. But, the neighborhood around it is getting very crowded and unless a parking lot is built, parking is going to be an issue in the future.
Overall, I really like the concept of Avanti (besides the parking issue) and I think it’s been well-​executed.

You guys. Avanti is so what’s up. They’ve got the basics more than covered with drinks, eats and plenty of seating. But, then they go above an beyond with some seriously cool stuff like…
+ Stadium seating on the upper level so you can grab a drink or a bite and take in a view of the city.
+ So many delicious options for beer, cocktails, and wine. (They have 10 Dogfish beers on draft, but they’ve also partnered with Prost and use the remaining 10 taps as a rotation for Colorado breweries to show some local love.)
+ 7, seven!, restaurant options. From pizza to shawarma there is bound to be something that anyone you are eating with will delight in. And since it’s a collective space these places will also rotate over the years to allow chefs to experiment and have some culinary fun.
+ They are open for lunch and dinner.
+ It’s the kind of place I’d be comfortable taking my kids to.
I sampled bites from each of the restaurants and am happy to report that each one was delightful. Some of the spots I’ve been a fan of for a while (Quiero Arepas and Brava! Pizzeria); some have chefs I’ve enjoyed (Poco a torteria from the chef-​owner of Pinche Taqueria, Souk Shawarma from the owner of Bistro Barbes, Mijo from John DePierro and Michael Nevarez of Bonanno Concepts), and some are new to me (Bixo — modernized mediterranean and western european recipes with a mexican flair and Farmer Girl — all about local and sustainable eats.)
I am a huge, huge fan of this idea of a place inspired by European markets and food truck fests and can’t wait to go back. I’m sure I’ll have a hard time settling on what to order to eat — shawarma that is sized in-​line with a Chipotle burrito… a messy, delicious torta… a bowl of curry noodles… arepas… I’m sure whatever I go with will leave me happy and yet wanting to go back for the next item on my must-​eat list.
It’s a really big place with lots of varying ambiance depending on where you sit and what you are looking for. I am sure it’s bound to become a Denver favorite in no time flat, but unlike many other spots in the neighborhood they have the space to accommodate quite a few fans. And that is one of the most refreshing things about it.