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I write this with considerable reluctance. We live in a time when many people don’t think twice about waiting 45, 60, even 90 minutes to get a table for brunch. But doing so just makes me feel like a chump, because rarely is the food good (or affordable) enough to warrant taking that big a chunk of my day.
Enter Dozens. For more than a quarter-century, this breakfast/brunch/lunch eatery has been a go-to diner for local politicos, as City Hall and the Capitol are mere steps away. The restaurant hasn’t quite caught on yet with the hipster set, in the sense that people aren’t flocking to the place every weekend day and creating those annoyingly long lines.
However, Dozens’ surrounding Golden Triangle neighborhood is booming, with multiple, multi-unit residential complexes popping up all over the once-sleepy pass-through area. (A large apartment complex is currently under construction right next door.)
The upshot: Go to Dozens now. You’ll be rewarded with fast, friendly service—most of the wait staff has been there for years—and consistently excellent food. As its name suggests, Dozens specializes in eggs, and they’re hands down the best I’ve had in Denver. The restaurant does Colorado-themed omelettes and scrambles that are always buttery and delicious. Whether you get the Steamboat (bacon and cheddar with sour cream and chives), the Here’s Your Aspen omelette (avocado, tomato, and feta), or one of their many other options, you’ll walk away satisfied.
Dozens also makes crispy, fluffy waffles, French Toast with just the right amount of sweetness, and numerous other breakfast and lunch options, and it does all of them well. So make a point of getting there ASAP, before the cool kids find out about it. But even if they do, Dozens’ food will make it one of the few breakfast spots in town that’s worth the wait.