There’s a new restaurant in the Golden Triangle neighborhood, the latest Olive & Finch restaurant. See what to expect from the conveniently-located spot, including menu items making their debut there before being added to sister restaurants. 

Mary Nguyen has been an important part of the Denver dining scene for decades and at the helm of the Olive & Finch Collective, she leads a team dedicated to providing value and comfort to the community in their restaurants. And she credits the success of the collective to the hard work and dedication of the team she has assembled; there are no outside venture capitalists fueling the expansion – so inspiring in this day of silent, invisible money. These are our neighbors, making good things happen across Denver. To support all team members, a 7.5% surcharge is applied to all tabs and a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion celebrates the people behind and in front of the counter.

With new menu items and a bright, airy space, Mary has opened the 10th Olive & Finch location in the Golden Triangle just a short walk from the Denver Art Museum complex at 11th and Bannock. It is a stunner – deep blue and green hued accent walls, with lush velvety banquettes, ground the space. Walls of windows bring in the Colorado sun, and mirrors reflect and expand the space. Countertops provide perches for quick bites and remote work. Tables for two are perfect for intimate pre-museum meals or post-museum sips and treats.

At a recent soft opening, the star of the meal came at the start of our meal, from the Shareables section of the menu, Lyon Tartine ($18). Crispy potato cakes (pureed, seasoned and piped to create a perfect, even wedge) were topped with smoked salmon, citrus dill cream cheese, crispy capers, pickled onions and “caviar.” Every time caviar is mentioned on the menu, it is in quotes. That’s because they use a product that looks just like caviar but is actually made from sea kelp – pretty brilliant. The dish was delicious and could make a nice meal with a side salad.

I enjoyed one of the Golden Triangle-only (for now) menu items, a perfectly cooked filet of Barramundi Provencale ($22) with a rich butter and white wine sauce, dotted with crispy capers and lemon slivers on a bed of kale. I paired it with a light and crisp Alto Molino/Torrentes ($9) from Salta, Argentina that helped balance the butter bath.

My wife ordered the Emilia sandwich ($16.50); served hot, it’s a baguette stuffed with a generous chicken parm and slathered with tomato sugo (a thick, rich Italian style sauce). Kettle chips are usually served on the side, but she subbed their crispy seasoned fries ($3). My wife’s only complaint was that the sandwich is so plentiful, it was too much after having also shared the Lyon Tartine – she took 3/4 of the sandwich home. So, if you plan to order the Emilia, know that it’s a heavy dish – or plan to take some home so you can order other items.

Seated near the kitchen pass through counter, we enjoyed watching dish after beautiful dish come out to be delivered to diners. Butcher block platters heaped with colorful veggies, dips, and other nibbles, perfect for sharing. Mounds of salad. Slabs of steak. Piles of frites.

Stuffed to the gills, we sadly passed on the treats calling to us from the pastry case.  Next time, my dears, next time.  And there will be another time because Olive & Finch delivers value for the buck – a classy yet accessible casual interior, friendly staff, and creative and fairly priced menu items. I have my eye on the Mexican Latte (espresso, steamed milk, cinnamon, brown sugar, chili powder, cocoa, orange) with one of their unique cup-shaped croissants to the side. Or pecan sticky bun? Or Cream cheese frosted cinnamon roll? So many options…

Open early through late, Olive & Finch offers a varied menu. There are early bird specials from 7-9am that include a Denver staple, a $7.50 Breakfast Burrito with green chile (duh), and a Finch Muffin (English muffin with eggs and cheddar and sriracha aioli) for $6. The pastry case brims with breakfast goodies and decadent desserts; gluten-free options are available, kept in a separate case.

And there really is something for everyone – salads, burgers, steak, etc.- at an affordable price – $20 steak? Yup! Gluten-free/vegetarian options? Yup! Full bar with zero proof options? You bet! Unique flavors from around the globe as well as good ol’ Americana tastes? Roger that! And somehow, they do it all really well at a reasonable price.

Credit the leadership of Mary and her team, focused on providing a warm community space to gather and enjoy breaking bread.

Learn more about this local success story and check out their locations and menu options at the Olive & Finch Collective website.

-Story and photos by Jimmy McDonough

Please note, as is common practice in our industry, we were hosted for our visit. But as is always our policy, our opinions remain our own, honest and true, for the purpose of informing our readers.