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When people are happy and fulfilled in their work, you can see it. At Mimosas, the new early-day restaurant at 2752 Welton Street in the heart of Five Points, you can also taste it, thanks to the cooking of chef Daniel Young, who goes by Chef D.
“Welton Street has always been a project in the works,” says Chef D, “and it needed investment. We have a solid team now and I feel that I can just go in this kitchen, doing what I love.” The team Chef D refers to leads the new food and beverage vertical of longtime Five Points investment firm, the Flyfisher Group (TFG), which includes EVG Hospitality founder Greg Topel, TFG founder Matthew Burkett, and Coffee at the Point owner Ryan Cobbins.
Together, the group quietly opened Mimosas about a month ago, and the good word about Chef D’s home-style cooking and the restaurant’s cheery decor, complete with whimsical wall murals of oranges by local artist Genevieve Smith’s Magpie Painting, has been spreading. “We’ve had such great community support,” says Chef D. “It’s unbelievable. Customers come in from the neighborhood, but we’ve also had people come all the way from Boulder.”
It’s no wonder that Mimosas is popular, as the restaurant feels warm and welcoming the moment you arrive. Those colorful wall murals are charming; there are more pops of bright color from the upholstered banquettes and fun graphic pillows in hues of purple; the tented patio out back is hung with lights and orange chandeliers; and whomever greets you will no doubt wear a big smile underneath their mask.
Another way Chef D wants to welcome the community: Through his stocked deli case near the front, where he and his cooks spotlight a daily $12 “Savage chicken” deal, which includes several pieces of fried or baked chicken in Chef D’s Sriracha-based Savage hot sauce, plus two sides. He noticed that customers were asking for grab-and-go items, so he created the special for those who want to take lunch with them. The side dishes change every day, ranging from ultra-creamy aged cheddar mac and cheese or kale salad with sweet balsamic vinaigrette to curried-yogurt pasta salad. The brined chicken itself, whether you order it baked (and gluten-free!) or fried, is tender and juicy. It’s also perfectly seasoned and comes with Chef D’s tangy-spicy sauce—but don’t ask what’s in it, because that’s a closely guarded secret. Instead, he’s expanded the hours that the Savage chicken is available, so you can pick some up any time Mimosas is open, starting as early as 7 a.m.
The restaurant’s a la carte menu is tight and smart, featuring a 10-dish lineup of classic early-day meals. There, french toast is made with housemade cinnamon rolls, which are split and dunked into an orange marmalade-egg mixture before frying in butter to a rich, golden brown; three pieces arrive on your plate drizzled with raspberry sauce and paired with a bit of fresh fruit. The steak and eggs plate includes a six-ounce ribeye, and the shrimp and grits comes doused in a buttery sauce seasoned with Mimosas’ house Cajun spice blend.
If you lean more vegetarian, try Chef D’s fluffy, dairy-free vanilla pancakes (which can also be made gluten free) or the veg-friendly breakfast burrito, a customer favorite so far, stuffed with roasted vegetables, tomatoes, onions, black beans, cheddar, scrambled eggs, and custom taco spice.
After nine years cooking for the Nuggets and another six as the chef at Lincoln Hills fly-fishing club outside of Nederland, Chef D is thrilled to be cooking for the residents of Five Points—and beyond. Ryan Cobbins is equally excited about Mimosas and TFG’s forthcoming restaurant dubbed MBP, which will come to life in the former Dunbar Kitchen and Tap House space one block north of Mimosas. “MBP stands for ‘methodology and best practices,’” says Cobbins. “It’s going to showcase the best of food and beverage with different levels of experience.” That translates to several defined areas of the restaurant: an entry-adjacent cocktail area, which gives way to a separate dining area and then a DJ-hosted patio for a “movement experience.” MBP, with Chef D helming the kitchen, is scheduled to open later this fall.
“Some see COVID as a challenge, and others see it as an opportunity,” says Cobbins. “We see it as an opportunity. We want Denverites to come to Five Points and stay for the day, ensuring that all of the small businesses in the neighborhood succeed and thrive. To be here, especially right now, is remarkable.” Chef D chimes in: “It’s a blessing.”
Mimosas is open for dine-in, take out, and patio dining, Tuesday–Sunday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.; 2752 Welton St., 720-372-7572
