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For the past 18 months, East Boulder’s Blackbelly Market has operated as both a fine-dining destination by night and a casual butcher-counter-turned-breakfast-and-lunch joint by day. But since April 19, when chef Hosea Rosenberg opened Blackbelly Butcher next door, that familiar setup has changed. The new spot has taken over—and expanded upon—Blackbelly’s daytime business.
The long, narrow space feels like a natural extension of Blackbelly: white subway tiles, a concrete floor, and, most important, a long meat case and glassed-in meat locker. The majority of the menu will be familiar to anyone who’s dropped by Blackbelly Market’s counter in the past. You’ll find the same green chile-bolstered burritos in the a.m., hearty sandwiches for lunch, and solid array of baked goods throughout the day. (If there are still scones, cinnamon rolls, or cookies left when you arrive, grab them—pastry chef Jason Blue’s sweet creations sell out daily.) The biggest difference is that now, Rosenberg and his right-hand man, head butcher Nate Singer, can do even more with their locally and sustainably minded butchery program. Expect the repertoire of terrines, sausages, dry-cured meats, and fresh cuts of beef, lamb, and pig to grow. Plus, beginning in May, Blackbelly Butcher will offer a late-afternoon snacks menu, replete with tapas and small plates.
If you ask Rosenberg and Singer what the most exciting thing about the new space is, they’ll probably say that it’s the addition of more, well, space. “You always felt like you were in someone’s way before,” Rosenberg says. Those stressful, cramped conditions were what prompted Rosenberg to jump on the opportunity to expand when the Dizzy’s Donuts’ location became available next door. The cooks and butchers now have more room to work—plus Rosenberg increased his capacity to host private parties, classes and demos, and chef dinners. “It broadens our opportunities,” he says.
So what happened to the market inside Blackbelly Market? It’ll soon be turned into a five-seat salumi counter where patrons can pull up a chair and enjoy a selection of freshly sliced house-butchered and cured meats—that is, after 4 p.m. If it’s earlier than that, you’ll have to head next door to the Butcher side to get your fix.
1606 Conestoga St., Boulder, 303-247-1000
