This summer, Great Divide Brewery & Roadhouse opened their first licensed location outside of Denver International Airport in Castle Rock’s Riverwalk development. The 8,000-square-foot facility includes an expansive covered outdoor patio overlooking the river and surrounding greenery.
Great Divide Brewery & Roadhouse is limiting capacity to 50 percent and places parties six feet apart. Guests come to enjoy elevated American comfort food curated by executive chef James Doxon for brunch, lunch or dinner.
The in-house brewery features 16 Great Divide taps. They are offering a full bar which also includes wine and cocktail menus, in addition to non-Great Divide beer options as well.
Ambiance
The overhead string lights adorning the patio section make this the perfect setting for a warm summer evening. And the starry lights inside mimic real constellations — we were shown the North Star and Orion’s Belt while touring the space!
The bar is central to the restaurant, and the brewery barrels is also visible to guests. Multiple TVs are scattered throughout, making this a great spot to catch a sports game. There are different styles of seating, from community tables for larger parties, to high top, low top and bar seating. The music is loud and upbeat, and the food is tasty despite being traditional bar/sport food. While there are varying interior design elements, it all flows and fits together nicely. We saw many families enjoying the restaurant at our visit, and there are plenty of kid-friendly menu options, too!
Our favorite decoration was the custom map of the Colorado mountains on the wall — a definite must-see if you dine here!
Menu Highlights
We tried the Outlaw Old Fashioned and All-American Mule (we were early visitors and the beer was still in its brewing phase at the time, but it’s available now). The old fashioned was a perfect ratio of flavors, plus the orange peel made it an aesthetic picture to capture. The mule was really delightful; the cinnamon aftertaste soothed the initial cucumber taste perfectly.
The pork shop was not available when we first tried to order it, but the steak made for a delicious alternative. We also tried a vegan burger and loved the yummy bun and chips it came with.
greatdividebreweryandroadhouse.com
215 Wilcox St., Castle Rock, CO 80104
RECIPE BONUS
Pumpkin French Toast
Battered pumpkin bread with bourbon cranberry maple syrup and sweet mascarpone cream topped with candied walnuts
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
12 slices pumpkin bread
1 cup walnut pieces, lightly toasted
Batter
8 large eggs, cracked and beaten
2 cups half and half
2 tablespoons amaretto
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cranberry Maple Syrup
½ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup your favorite bourbon
2 cups your favorite pancake syrup
¼ cup orange juice
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Whipped Mascarpone
8 ounces mascarpone
¼ cup whole milk
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions:
Batter
Combine amaretto and cinnamon. Stir into eggs and half and half.
Cranberry Maple Syrup
In a small pot or large sauté pan, combine bourbon and cranberries and reduce by half or until cranberries have soaked up most of the bourbon. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for five minutes on medium heat. Take off the heat.
Whipped Mascarpone
Whisk all ingredients together in a small mixing bowl.
Pumpkin French Toast
Pre-heat a griddle pan over two burners on medium heat. Gently dunk each slice of pumpkin bread into the batter and set aside. Once all the bread is done, place on griddle and cook on each side until golden brown, similar to a grilled cheese sandwich. Take off the heat. Place three slices on each plate and top with cranberry maple syrup, whipped mascarpone and toasted walnuts.
