Sugarmill

Sugarmill

Happy Anniversary, Sugarmill

Getting There

We admit the Sugarmill was a happy accident. We were planning to visit a different restaurant but in the spirit of "seeking adventure" we failed to make sure the place was actually open. Sadly our intended target was closed for lunch but luckily, Sugarmill was open and was right next door.  Sugarmill is located at Larimer and Broadway on the outskirts of downtown Denver.  There is no large sign so you either have to know about this place or else you have to rely on your GPS to find it.  Because it is located downtown, all parking is either metered or pay lots.  They do not have their own parking lot.

The Atmosphere

Sugarmill has a bright and friendly feeling to it. The kitchen is open and the "bar" means a front row seat to the magic being stirred up by Noah and Kelly. The space is small but well laid out. Our one distraction was the music. Don't get a us wrong, they had some truly righteous tunes playing.  However, it was really loud which is great when you want to sit back with your espresso and enjoy the beats but a little tough when chatting with friends.  They offer an outside seating area but it was a little chilly to try that option out during our visit.

The Eats

Once again we had a friend accompany us to this meal so we were able to sample a range of dishes from the menu...thank goodness.  Although Sugarmill doesn't have a large menu, they have a varied one.  They change their menus seasonally so each visit can be fresh and different.

As we mentioned, it was a chilly day so we started with a spiced hot chocolate seasoned with cinnamon, a vanilla latte, and a plain old cup of coffee.  All were excellent and hit the spot on a cold December day in Denver.

The first dish we tried was biscuits and gravy.  A great mix of tradition and innovation. The biscuits had more of a northern take so rather than the soft, cakey texture of a classic southern style biscuit.  These biscuits had crunchy edges and a dense almost scone like interior. The gravy was not your typical sawmill gravy either.

It was a rich pork gravy consisting of shredded pork shoulder and chorizo.  It had a hearty, rich flavor and paired perfectly with the homemade biscuits.

We also tried the whole grain waffle with lemon curd and maple syrup.  The waffle itself was crispy, light, and absolutely heavenly.  We loved the flavor of the lemon curd.  It had a mild, creamy texture with the perfect balance of sweet and tart.  Very, very tasty.

Our friend ordered the Denver omelet.  The presentation of the omelet was beautiful and the mixture of ham, and green peppers was delicious.

And now, for our favorite part - Desserts!

Holy smokes, people.  There is no shortage of sugary deliciousness at the Sugarmill. 

We started off with a sampling of one of their signature desserts, macaron's.  Not to be confused with macaroons which contain coconut, a macaron is a French meringue based dessert similar to a cookie with some sort of cream filling.  We tried the chocolate sea salt caramel, honey bourbon, sea salt caramel, pinot noir, neapolitan, and almond.  The table favorite was the almond.  The two containing the alcohol were very strong and the rest were very good as well.

The house made Tiramisu was light and flavorful.  It was accompanied by a shot of espresso served over marshmallow and vanilla ice cream.  The drink was an unexpected treat and very fun to drink.

We also had the Berry and Almond dessert.  Small, buttery shortbread cakes served with candied almonds, whipped cream, boba seeds, and homemade blueberry and raspberry sorbet.  This dish was bright, colorful, and positively delicious. By the way, the boba seeds were  little delightful surprises on the plate. For those of you that haven't tried them before they pop in your mouth like pomegranate arils.

Now, let's talk about the Noahsphere. Luckily, the owner agreed to make us his house specialty.  A special treat since it is usually reserved for the dinner crowd.  First he melts chocolate into two hollow halves which he then seals together to form an empty spherical chocolate shell leaving a hole at the top large enough to stuff with marshmallows, chocolate cake pieces, pecans, and some caramel sauce.  He then puts the sphere on a plate of homemade whipped cream and drizzles warm caramel over the top.  It is pure heaven.  So delicious.

The People 

The staff was superb.  The restaurant does not have a large staff but they work together like a well oiled machine.  Our waiter, Eric was just amazing.  He catered to our every need and answered our many questions without complaint.  We also found out he is a rising star who is just starting his musical career.  We wish him all the luck in the world and urge everybody to request him when visiting the Sugarmill.  We were also lucky enough to meet Noah - one half of the team that owns the Sugarmill.  He was very gracious and quickly won us over by making us his Noahsphere dessert.  Thank you Noah and Eric for making our first visit to The Sugarmill a memorable one!

Summing Up

The Sugarmill opened it's doors on 12/4/14 and their first year has been very successful.  In addition to the restaurant and bar, they offer catering and make some very decorative and impressive cakes as well.  They offer a seasonal menu which allows each visit to be different and are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Also, everything on the menu is made in house from scratch.  It is a cozy little restaurant that is as tasty as it is quaint.  We were so happy Noah was there to accept the coveted Golden Spoon.  The Sugarmill is a must for anybody that enjoys good food and sweet treats.


Our January lunch pick will be Le Central.

The Officially Unofficial Voting Legend
Take it with a grain of salt, we're not professionals.
	Awesome place, we’ll shovel more food in our face!
	It was okay. Not our favorite, but we’ll take another stab at it.
	Didn’t make the cut.