Make the most of 72 hours in the Mile High City with some of the best alumni-owned and DU-connected places to eat, drink, shop and be entertained.
Returning to a place where you have fond memories—no matter how long it’s been—can evoke the sense of coming home. For alumni visiting Denver, what could make you feel more at home than spending your time at places around town with a connection to DU? Our alumni keep busy day in and day out making Denver a great place to work, live, play and visit, so we’ve created a 72-hour itinerary that showcases some of the best they and the city of Denver have to offer.
But this is just a sampling. Before you begin exploring, follow the alumni-owned Instagram account Mile High and Hungry, run by Haley Paez (BA ’21), for the best of Denver’s food scene.
Jeslin Shahrezaei (MA ’07)
Jeslin Shahrezaei (MA ’07)
Day 1
Jump start your day with a cup of coffee (or two)
What better way to prepare for a busy day than with a caffeinated beverage from Prodigy Coffeehouse in Globeville, which was recognized in 2023 by USA Today readers as one of the 10 best independent coffee shops in the country.
Prodigy Ventures, the nonprofit organization at the center of it all, not only serves up great coffee but also provides 12- to 18-month paid apprenticeships at its two coffee shop locations to young adults who live in northeast Denver. The first half of the program is geared toward understanding the ins and outs of running a business and interacting with the community through professional development and hands-on learning; the second half focuses on the “prodigies” becoming the teachers.
Executive Director Jeslin Shahrezaei (MA ’07) has been at the helm of the organization since June 2023. Prodigy—which was founded by Hillary Frances (MA ’09) and her wife, Stephanie Frances—will celebrate its 10th year in business next year. Prodigy has put nearly $2.5 million in wages back into northeast Denver.
Time travel through 150 years of art
After breakfast, head to the Golden Triangle neighborhood to spend the morning rewinding history at the Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art. The museum—which opened its doors in 2018—was named after innovative modern artist and educator Vance Kirkland, who came to Denver from Ohio in 1929 and founded what is now DU’s School of Art and Art History.
Here you can find more than 30,000 works shown in “salon style” from three distinctive collections: international decorative art, Colorado and regional art, and Vance Kirkland and the Original Studio. Ceramicist and Professor Emeritus Maynard Tischler also has his work featured in the museum.
Matt Chandra (BA ’05)
Matt Chandra (BA ’05)
Enjoy a meal that tells a story
Getting your steps in by wandering through a museum can make anyone hungry. How do Indian tacos, melting pot salad, stuffed fry bread, posu bowls or bison ribs sound?
Tocabe, located in Denver’s Berkeley neighborhood, is more than the only American Indian-owned and -operated restaurant in the metropolitan area specializing in Native American cuisine. Co-owners Ben Jacobs (BA ’05), a member of the Osage Nation of Oklahoma, and Matt Chandra (BA ’05) see it as “a community-driven, American Indian-focused food experience.” The duo also has an online Indigenous marketplace where customers can purchase Native and Indigenous-sourced ingredients—which supports the building of food systems, Chandra says, while also creating economic growth for economically disadvantaged communities.
The two met as students and neither followed a “traditional” business or hospitality path. Jacobs studied history with a focus on American Indian studies, and Chandra majored in digital media studies.
“DU really created the foundation for us to learn how to be challenged and adapt throughout our business careers,” says Jacobs, who was appointed in 2023 to serve a two-year term on the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition.
Ben Jacobs (BA ’05) and Matt Chandra (BA ’05).
Ben Jacobs (BA ’05) and Matt Chandra (BA ’05).
Options aplenty for a delicious dinner
Denver’s culinary scene is thriving, so why not seize the opportunity to try a little bit of everything at the Stanley Marketplace in neighboring Aurora? The former aviation manufacturing facility now houses 57 retailers, service providers and eateries, including Chi Lin Asian Eatery, Maria Empanada and Rolling Smoke BBQ.
Co-owner and founder Mark Shaker (MBA ’11) says Stanley Marketplace was heavily influenced by his community in the Daniels College of Business, including faculty members who were mentors and advocates, alumni who became tenants, and his co-owner and business partner, Megan VonWald (MBA ’11), who was there every step of the way.
Karen Ziegler (BA ’07)
Karen Ziegler (BA ’07)
Day 2
A patio breakfast on South Pearl Street
Grab a pastry (they go quickly) and your favorite hot or iced beverage to enjoy on the idyllic, spacious patio at Steam Espresso Bar, founded by twin brothers Hani (MS ’08, MRLS ’10) and Zahi (MS ’01, MRCM ’01, MBA ’03) Yaafouri in 2013. If you’re in the trendy Highlands neighborhood, you can also check out their other location inside an old firehouse.
Indulge your sweet tooth
Stargazer Fine Chocolates and Coffee is truly a family affair. From father John D’Onofrio and daughter and master chocolatier Karen Ziegler (BA ’07) to a son-in-law, grandchildren and siblings, everyone in the family has been involved in one way or another since Stargazer opened in 2017. The cozy shop, located just east of the Denver Botanic Gardens, offers coffee drinks, handcrafted truffles, candy bars, specialty hand-dipped items, hot chocolate and custom logo chocolate bars for special occasions or corporate events.
Ziegler has long had a love for chocolate; she just took a bit of a winding path to get to where she is now. After graduating from DU, she spent a year in Guam and two years in Congo, eventually earning a master’s degree in theology in 2015. While she wasn’t totally sure what her career had in store, she always knew chocolate would be a part of her future. First working out of their dining room, she and her dad then spent a short time in a commissary kitchen before churning out chocolate in their church’s basement for about a year before moving to their current location.
“I really love coming up with new flavors and putting things together and seeing how they come out,” Ziegler says—which explains the watermelon lime and gin fizz truffles.
Stretch your legs two different ways
If playing a round is your kind of entertainment, the University of Denver Golf Club in Highlands Ranch is a beautiful course to spend a few hours improving your handicap. And for a kit fit for the links, look no further than alumni-owned women's apparel company Prio Golf—named after eccentric British golfer Gloria Minoprio, who dared to wear trousers during a competition in the 1930s.
If you’re looking for a more leisurely outing, take the Downtown Denver Public Art Walking Tour. You’ll see the famous towering sculpture called “I See What You Mean,” fondly nicknamed the Blue Bear—created by the late Lawrence Argent, who taught in the School of Art and Art History.
Lunch at the neighborhood burger bar
Self-described as “hi-qual food and low-key vibes,” Park Burger offers chef-inspired burgers—the Birria Burger, Getting Figgy Wit It and the Cracked Pepper Pile-Up are just a few on the list—and don’t forget a milkshake. We recommend their location in the River North Art District (RiNo) so you can also explore the city’s creative hub. Pete Newlin (MBA ’11), co-founder of Gastamo Group, and his partner Jean-Philippe Failyau are the founders of several other Denver-based restaurants including Birdcall, Homegrown Tap & Dough, Perdida, Lady Nomada and Park & Co.
Uncover the charm of the RiNo Arts District
With galleries, restaurants and bars, markets, performances and more, there’s always something going on in RiNo. One spot you won’t want to miss is a “day-to-evening lounge” called The Blind Tiger.
Denver’s first hard kombucha taproom, The Blind Tiger features Hooch Booch—a brand launched in 2021 by Anna Zesbaugh (BSBA ’18), who came up with the idea during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hooch Booch’s three flavors, the Bee’s Knees, the Lounge Lizard and the Clover Club, can also be found in hundreds of liquor stores, restaurants and venues across the state, including Magness Arena. Zesbaugh has since launched a nonalcoholic, tea-based drink brand called Corpse Reviver.
Dinner and a show
Come to Luca hungry so you can dig into their house burrata, house-cured salumi and a handmade, hearty bowl of pasta, among other mouthwatering menu items. Named after his son, this Frank Bonanno (BSBA ’90) concept, located near Governor’s Park, is described as a love letter to his family. Bonanno has opened several food and drink establishments in Denver over the years, including Mizuna, Osteria Marco, Vesper Lounge, Salt & Grinder French 75 and Salita—a coffee and cocktail bar that sits right next door to Luca.
Once sufficiently full, take in a bit of entertainment at the Robert and Judi Newman Center for the Performing Arts. During the 2023-24 season, the Newman Center hosted 270 ticketed performances and welcomed more than 100,000 patrons.
Day 3
Get to know DU’s HOFers
We’re starting the day a little differently and getting a bit of a later start—you’ve earned a little rest. Colorado’s Sports Hall of Fame is conveniently located at Empower Field at Mile High, where you can also buy tickets to tour the stadium. The museum honors several DU sports standouts, including hockey coaching icons George Gwozdecky and Murray Armstrong, hockey stars Keith Magnuson and William “Bill” Masterton, ski coaching legends Gordon “Gordy” Wren and Willy Schaeffler, and renowned skier Marvin I. Crawford.
It's teatime
Quench your thirst at Tea Street, offering anything from classic teas, milk teas and tea-free items like bubble tea or Vietnamese coffee. Victoria Lam (BSBA ’14, MBA ’19) and her brother Patrick developed an affinity for milk teas while traveling abroad and, wanting to fill a gap in the Denver market, Tea Street was born. With its convenient location in Denver’s Glendale neighborhood, you can sip while shopping at the nearby Cherry Creek Shopping Center.
Exploring SoBo
Fast casual shouldn’t be confused with fast food when it comes to lunch at Chop Shop Casual Urban Eatery in Denver’s eclectic South Broadway, or “SoBo,” neighborhood. Menu items include 48-hour slow-cooked short ribs, crispy fried all-natural chicken, grilled achiote salmon filet and a roasted sirloin French dip.
Founded by Christian Anderson (BSBA ’05), Derek Nelson (BA ’04) and Clint Wangsnes, Chop Shop prides itself on offering its customers great food without having to go to a full-service restaurant.
Betsy Lay (BA ’04)
Betsy Lay (BA ’04)
A pint for a good cause
Home to one of the few fully woman- and queer-owned breweries in the country, Lady Justice Brewing offers great beer—and a whole lot more. The Englewood business has a social enterprise mission and donates percentages of their earnings to Colorado nonprofits that empower women, girls and nonbinary people.
“At Lady J, we're entirely focused on our community and in the connections that we make with our communities,” says co-founder and co-owner Betsy Lay (BA ’04). “We want people who don't necessarily feel like they have a sense of belonging in other similar institutions to walk into Lady J and feel like, ‘Oh, this is a place for me.’” Lady Justice also regularly hosts watch parties for women’s sporting events—including this past season’s women’s NCAA tournament.
A nightcap to the perfect trip
Put an exclamation point on the evening with the Colorado Symphony or Dazzle Jazz—both conveniently located in the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Dazzle Jazz has been a longtime mainstay for Lamont faculty and student musicians, who grace the stage often—like award-winning composer Annie Booth. Night owls can enjoy a night cap or snack at the El Chapultepec Piano Lounge inside Dazzle, named after the famed jazz club once located in LoDo.
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