Monday, September 27, 2010

MICAH: Udi's Cafe & Bar - Arvada

This is another new gem in the heart of Olde Town Arvada. Being an Arvada native, it's nice to see this part of town turning around and watch new shops and restaurants take up residence near where I live. I'm a huge fan walking places as often as possible and Udi's is a place I make my way quite often!

Many of you might know Udi's as a bakery specializing in gluten-free goodies. This location is no exception. Walking in the front door, you are greeted with an array of breads, muffins, rolls, and other baked goods. The front of the store is a take-away sandwich and coffee shop, but what I'll be talking about here is the actual sit-down restaurant portion of the location.

The decor of the restaurant is quirky and eclectic, but also very inviting. A giant dining room with booths, tables, and large group seating is accented with a lovely (and quite large) patio which is wonderful in the summertime. Some nights, there will be a guitarist playing the patio which is a nice complement to the easy street traffic which can be heard, but isn't overbearing. Beware, however, the occasional freight train which can be painfully loud, but fortunately doesn't last more than a minute most times.

The dinner menu is rather extensive, including appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and the reason to visit this location, specialty pizzas! I love pizza and can be pretty choosy about how I like it made...Udi's does not disappoint! Their staff is very knowledgeable about the pizza selections, making it a little easier to choose. The menus boasts several selections with both white and red sauces and while each pizza (12" rounds, 6 slices each) could comfortably feed two people, I recommend getting one of each sauce and taking home some leftovers...it really is that good! So far, my favorites are Ham & Cheese (white) and Toscana (red).

Make sure to order an appetizer before pizza though...they are appropriately sized and can be shared between two people. The sweet potato fries are easily the best I've ever had, but that's probably because of the chipotle aioli dipping sauce...so tasty! Such a different flavor and saves my husband the trouble of having to make his own "fry sauce." Additionally, the Caprese Starter and Hummus Plate are perfectly portioned and quite tasty. Definitely don't forego the appetizers for dinner!

Brunch at Udi's is an entirely different experience, but equally as wonderful. The menu is substantially smaller, but each item is worth trying at least once. Not to mention the bottomless Bellinis and mimosas...no brunch is complete without those! Udi's changes the brunch menu from time to time so if you check out the online menu, don't get your heart too set on any one thing. It may or may not be on the menu the day you actually eat there. It doesn't change that often, but go with an open mind. I had a bit of a strange brunch when I went...French onion soup and the fruit platter. I've been craving French onion soup for weeks so I opted for that instead of one of the omelets or benedicts. Others in my party had more traditional offerings and not a single person was disappointed. I tried a bit of one of the benedicts and will definitely be ordering a full one for myself next time I'm there.

Udi's Arvada most definitely gets a "Friday" from me...perfect date-night locale as well as a fun place to just stop in for one of many specialty drinks to sip on the patio!


Monday 11am - 3pm
Tuesday to Friday 11am - 9pm or later
Saturday 10am - 10pm or later
Sunday 10am - 3pm



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