Arvada’s Stone Cellar Bistro Is a Throwback—in the Best Possible Way

Where:

7605 Grandview Ave., Arvada

The Draw:

Fantastic food in Olde Town Arvada

The Drawback:

Some drinks are lackluster, and food can take a while.

Noise Level:

Medium

What To Order:

Fried chicken, confit duck leg

Stone Cellar Bistro reminds me of Denver’s top restaurants from 10 or 15 years ago. Let me be clear: That’s not a dig. I appreciate that instead of relying on high-concept tasting menus or funky fusions, Stone Cellar’s food is simply delicious and consistent. Really, almost everything about the Olde Town Arvada restaurant, from the service to the menu, feels like a throwback—in the best possible way.

It could be because chef-owners Jordan Alley and Brandon Kerr met while working at LoHi’s belovedly classic, now shuttered Z Cuisine in 2012. Or it could simply be that the chefs prioritize seasonal ingredients and solid techniques over trends and niche gastronomy. The two have been busy since their time at Z, working in lauded kitchens across the country (both), opening Stone Cellar’s predecessor food truck (Alley), and appearing on season 23 of Hell’s Kitchen this winter (Kerr, who came in fifth). They opened Stone Cellar Bistro in 2022 for their neighbors in Arvada, where they both live, but they quickly attracted diners from farther out who heard rumblings about elevated fare in the ’burbs.

The dinner menu is hyperseasonal, so the Arctic char you loved yesterday may still be there in two weeks, but in summer, things shift frequently, even daily. Except the fried chicken. That’s always on the menu, and on my first visit—when I noticed that most tables had ordered the hot-honey-topped dish—I understood why. The bird downright hisses when you crack into its crisp crust, which is uniquely seasoned with ground bay leaf and clove. Double dredged to create a shell that locks in moisture, the fried breast, thigh, and leg were the best and juiciest I’ve had in years. (Don’t be nervous about the heat; there was only a drizzle of hot honey, and it can be left off for fried chicken purists.)

Stone Cellar also scores points with me for using a slightly funkier cheese than the standard American or cheddar on its burger. The sticky slab of nutty raclette adds depth without overpowering the bacon dijonnaise and thick patty, whose steak scraps are ground with Grand County Fitch Ranch chuck. The double-fried, skin-on french fries, hit with salt and apple cider vinegar powder, provide the salty-sweet-tangy combo you crave in a fry.

It’s the swankier entrées, though—the high-dollar proteins that better be cooked just right—that most remind me of Denver restaurants in the pre-TikTok era. My favorite from cold-weather dining is the confit duck leg, served with a jammy egg that bleeds into satiny polenta, pickled corn preserved from summer, and delicata squash. This is a complete plate, well thought out and executed. Eating all the components together is like experiencing a velvety, slightly sweet, crackly skinned duck leg concert grooving on your taste buds. And yes: The duck, and everything else here, is cooked just right.

Read More: A Local’s Guide to Eating and Drinking in Olde Town Arvada

The steak offers its own harmonious flavor ensemble, this one full of tart green tomatoes, creamy gold potatoes, deeply savory Madeira wine, mushrooms, and veal stock. The chefs clearly know how to balance flavors and textures, blurring the tomatoes’ sting with umami aplenty and contrasting snappy Brussels sprouts with those puréed potatoes. You want to eat more and more—and you can, because there are two pieces of meltingly tender New York strip.

While I have no notes on the food, I do have some on the drinks and service. I could barely sip down a $14 mocktail that was a mix of fig balsamic shrub and clove simple syrup. It tasted like watered-down soda, lacking any sort of sweetness or much flavor. (An Earl Grey tea and hibiscus syrup drink with gin was much better.) And on one evening, it took 45 minutes for our entrées to arrive. Our server acknowledged the delay but didn’t offer a drink or any other compensation. When you’re waiting on $49 items (prices here are definitely not throwbacks), either the swiftness or the reparation needs to be better.

The setting is reminiscent of Denver’s pre–community table and Edison bulb days, which would be refreshing if the decor weren’t so generic, the only hint of style coming from an underlit bar with wood slats crafted by chef Kerr, who also made the restaurant’s tables. The upscale restaurant threaded with a sports bar aesthetic works for his crowd and location, but urbanites might find it too quaint.

If you’re one of those city dwellers who’s all about the vibes and innovative tasting menus, Stone Cellar isn’t going to be worth your drive. But if you’re craving excellent takes on classic dishes, prepare to celebrate like it’s 2010.

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More Colorado Chefs Who Appeared on TV

1. Byron Gomez, Brutø

Byron Gomez isn’t camera-shy; the Costa Rican chef appeared on season 18 of Bravo’s Top Chef and fall 2024’s Last Bite Hotel on the Food Network. Although he didn’t win either show, he did score the title of executive chef at LoDo’s Brutø last year.

2. Hosea Rosenberg, Santo, Blackbelly Boulder, & Blackbelly Market Denver

Colorado has been well-represented on Top Chef—Carrie Baird (Fox & The Hen), Manny Barella (Camp Pickle), Eliza Gavin (221 South Oak), and Brother Luck (Four by Brother Luck) all competed—but only Hosea Rosenberg hasn’t been asked to pack his knives and go. Find the top toque’s food at Santo in Boulder and both locations of Blackbelly, his deli and market.

3. Thoa Nguyen, Bánh & Butter

Thoa Nguyen might have fallen just short of the crown on Food Network’s 2023 Holiday Baking Championship, but her strawberry split croissants, fruit tarts, and crêpe cakes are the eternal champions of our hearts. Try them at her cheery Colfax bakery, Bánh & Butter.

Read More:

• A Local’s Guide to Eating and Drinking in Olde Town Arvada
• 5 Ways to Celebrate Arvada’s 120th Anniversary This Month