Travel + Leisure bestows best to two Denver eateries

When Travel + Leisure magazine, a national consumer publication, recently posted its picks for the nine best train station restaurants, two Denver eateries were included in that prestigious short list, which included entries from New York, Hong Kong, Paris, London and Tokyo.

T+L lavished the love on Stoic & Genuine and Mercantile Dining & Provision in Denver’s revamped Union Station.

Here’s what the magazine said about the local dining establishments: “When Denver’s Union Station reopened last year after extensive renovations, it brought with it a clutch of new — and worthy — restaurants. Stoic & Genuine, a seafood temple from Denver chef Jennifer Jasinski commanded attention even before it opened. Between its raw bar, ‘seafood tower of power,’ and ‘surf in turf’ dish of big-eye tuna wrapped in New York strip steak, Stoic & Genuine won strong reviews and was even named one of 5280 magazine’s top 10 new Denver restaurants.

“In a stroke of fortune, Denver Union Station’s remodel project actually yielded two highly regarded restaurant projects. Mercantile Dining & Provision, run by chef Alex Seidel, is one part casual restaurant and one part food market selling charcuterie, cheese, jam and more. The menu here offers a variety of pasta dishes such as squid ink bucatini, Spanish octopus a la plancha, a crispy half chicken, and family dinners like a bone-in 36-ounce rib-eye or roasted lamb shoulder, each served with a variety of sides. Mercantile, too, was named one of 5280 magazine’s best new restaurants in 2015.”

While the recognition of this level of culinary prowess causes pride in Denver diners, it makes local restaurant pundit John Imbergamo downright delighted.

“It seems that every time a national list of restaurants hits the web, Denver’s culinary community searches in vain for a representative, whether it’s Best Ice Cream, Best New Restaurant or Hot New Chef,” Imbergamo said. “In 25 years of working with Denver restaurants, this might be the first time that Denver scored two slots on an international top restaurant list. Are we finally winning a few converts to the Mile High culinary scene?”

For the rest of the story, go to www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/all-aboard-for-the-coolest-train-station-restaurants.