<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4Tfmff_1H1mZWhI00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4Tfmff_1H1mZWhI00" width="1024" height="683" >From the stories making headlines to the restaurants, music and culture that make Denver one of a kind, Westword is there. Help us raise $50,000 by December 31 to keep independent local journalism going strong in 2027. As 2026 slowly fades into oblivion, nearly every media platform covering food and drink will release their annual lists of best this or newest that (Westword included… stay tuned). The latest is Eater, the national online food publication that in 2019 effectively stopped covering Denver outside of the occasional list update like An Eater’s Guide to Denver or maps listing The 38 Best Restaurants in Denver. But that hasn’t stopped it from including a few Denver-area establishments in its annual Eater Awards, listing its picks for the best restaurants, bars, bakeries, chefs and even dishes across the country. Getting a nod among the 15 eateries included in the Best New Restaurant of the Year list is Rougarou, which is having a banner year that also included a Michelin Bib Gourmand award when the Colorado list was announced in September. <ul><li>Three Denver Spots Nominated as Best New Bars in U.S.</li></ul>“It’s tricky to pin down what exactly Rougarou is,” the publication writes, calling out the Five Points newcomer’s “roguish charm” and “ripping bar program” among other highlights. “Much like its namesake monster, Rougarou can shape-shift to host a group dinner, a date night, a jam session, or a beguiling nightcap.”No arguments here. On the bar side, Eater sister publication Punch highlighted the Peach Crease Club among five Best New Bars winners. Peach Crease also had an eventful first year in business. This summer, it was a national finalist for the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s Spirited Awards for Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar (which, incidentally, also included Rougarou). Punch gives high marks for the bar’s savory-leaning menu — name-checking the guest-favorite fattoush martini and the kik alicha — as well as the overall vibe. “The dishes-turned-drinks are just one half of Peach Crease Club’s identity,” reads the profile. “The other is music, and the two complement each other like dinner and a show.”For those paying attention, yes — both Rougarou and Peach Crease opened last year. But according to the Eater list, any establishment that opened by August 2025 and before September 2026 was eligible. According to Eater, it researched restaurants and bars in 44 cities, but only 20 had winners included in the final list, representing 55 establishments. </div></body>

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From the stories making headlines to the restaurants, music and culture that make Denver one of a kind, Westword is there. Help us raise $50,000 by December 31 to keep independent local journalism going strong in 2027. As 2026 slowly fades into oblivion, nearly every media platform covering food and...

Two Denver establishments win Eater Awards

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From the stories making headlines to the restaurants, music and culture that make Denver one of a kind, Westword is there. Help us raise $50,000 by Decembe

Two Denver establishments win Eater Awards

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