Even before it opened its doors today, Sunday, September 25, the Denver Central Market has captured the attention of every food-obsessed citizen in the Mile High City, and with good reason. Restaurateur Jeff Osaka and developer Ken Wolf’s long-awaited RiNo marketplace offers an energy and excitement that you won’t find anywhere else in Denver right now.

The smartly designed space features 11 vendors, none of which are separated by walls. The openness allows one to catch glimpses, sounds, and smells of many things at once: the pizzaiolos tossing rounds of dough high into the air; the satisfying crack of oysters being shucked; the beguiling aroma of fresh waffle cones crisping.

While the market itself is new, many of its tenants are familiar names in the Denver dining scene: Noah Price of Crema Coffee House brings Crema Bodega; Justin Brunson is behind Culture Meat & Cheese; Andrea Frizzi of Il Posto has opened Vero Italian; Sean Kelly brings SK Provisions; Jon Robbins of Bistro Barbès is behind Temper Chocolates; Erika Thomas chose Central for the second location of High Point Creamery; and Osaka and his Sushi-Rama chef Jesus Silva are behind Silva’s Fish Market.

Still, there are a couple projects from lesser known folks. The Local Butcher, which offers a case full of mostly Colorado-sourced meats (and a darn tasty meatball sub) comes from newcomer Justin Herd. Curio (the anchor bar) and Green Seed (a fresh produce marketplace and juice bar) are both the brainchild of married couple Katsumi Yuso Ruiz and Stephen Julia (of Cure All Bitters).

But perhaps the biggest surprise of all is Izzio Artisan Bakery. Yes, this is a bakery from the family behind the massively successful wholesale Udi’s breads. And you will find freshly baked loaves of bread and a selection of pastries (such as the flaky kouign-amann which serves as the base for High Point’s ice cream sandwiches). But it’s the Israel-inspired menu (what Udi Baron calls “bread-inspired cuisine”) that’s the hidden gem. Gorgeous dishes like toast topped with labneh, dukkah, and parsley; hearty shakshuka served with bread, a scramble of pork belly, egg, and challah, a hot and cold hummus (a traditional Israeli specialty) and carrot-tahini dip served with rounds of pillowy pita. These items not only showcase the family’s culinary roots, they introduce a different side of a bakery Denver has long loved. “This is what we wanted to do from the very beginning,” Baron says. “We’ve been around so long but people haven’t really gotten to know us.”

So, go, browse, eat, and get to know the both the old and new players in Denver’s ever-evolving dining scene.

The market is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

2669 Larimer St., denvercentralmarket.com

—All photography by Rachel Adams

Crema Bodega sells coffee beans and various sundries such as milk and eggs
Stock up on crusty loaves of bread, pastries, and Israeli-style fare at Izzio Artisan Bakery
Jeff Osaka (right) and Jesus Silva offer an array of ultra-fresh fish at Silva’s Fish Market. Take something home for dinner, or enjoy a few freshly shucked oysters at the market
The Local Butcher sells everything from chicken to ground beef to rib-eye steaks—most all of which is sourced from Colorado
Jon Robbins of Bistro Barbès is branching out with Temper Chocolates. Don’t miss the gorgeous banana-peanut butter variety
Fine a wide selection of charcuterie, cheese, sandwiches, and other tasty goods at Justin Brunson and Amos Watts’ Culture Meat & Cheese. Don’t miss the indulgent grilled cheese sandwich
Andrea Frizzi brings crisp-crusted pizzas and fresh pastas to Denver Central Market with Vero Italian.
Stock up on fresh produce, flowers, juices, and veggie bowls at Green Seed
Sean Kelly’s SK Provisions will focus on rotisserie-roasted meats—including a killer porchetta
Central’s anchor bar, Curio, offers beer, wine, and craft cocktails. The best part? You can bring your drink with you anywhere in the market to sip as you browse
Erika Thomas of High Point Creamery (right) poses by the walk-up window. The Central Market closes at 8 p.m. each night, but patrons will be able to grab scoops from the window until 10 p.m

Callie Sumlin
Callie Sumlin
Callie Sumlin is a writer living in Westminster, and has been covering food and sustainability in the Centennial State for more than five years.