Summer Market-Inspired Fresh Flavors
Summer is officially here, and you can taste it in the menus at some of our current favorite restaurants and eateries. Savor the season with bites inspired by the vibrant colors, fresh ingredients and irresistible flavors found at our local farmers’ markets:
At Stanley Marketplace (2501 Dallas St. Aurora, CO), summer flavors fill the menus at their roster of restaurants:
- At Comida, look no further than the Antojitos menu when you try their refreshing Jicama, Cucumber and Watermelon served with spicy Tajin and zippy lime, a traditional Mexican style plate combining sweet, juicy watermelon with crunchy jicama and cucumber.
- Elita Specialty Market & Kitchen’s Fattoush Mediterranean Salad is a Sunday morning farmers’ market dream made with chopped romaine, cabbage, Israeli salad, shaved radish, pita croutons, queso fresco and fresh seasonal herbs with a savory lemon and Za’atar vinaigrette.
- Stanley Beer Hall is serving up the season in a Corn Chowder made with sweet corn, celery, onion, plenty of potato and carrot topped with a cornbread crumble. Try their Spring Strawberry Salad that tastes like summer with peppery arugula, strawberries and frosted walnuts topped with feta cheese, shaved red onion and cucumber drizzled with lemon poppy seed dressing.
- Sip to summer at Sweet Gold Juice Co. with their superstar quencher, Summer Glow Cold Pressed Juice, made with watermelon, tomato and lime and glow from the inside out. Pick up a Jungle Green Cold Pressed Juice chock-full of kale, cucumber, spinach and lemon as your accessory for any weekend farmers’ market perusing. Bonus: find them at the Highland Square Farmers’ Market serving up summer quenchers and refreshers.
Comida 
Stanley Beer Hall 
Sweet Gold Juice Co.
The chef-driven, scratch sandwiches, salads, snacks and plates at downtown’s Little Finch are inspired by Executive Chef/Owner Mary Nguyen’s time in Europe where local markets and produce drive seasonal offerings. Farmers’ Market-inspired dishes on the menu in June at Little Finch include the fresh chilled Asian Noodle Salad with bean thread noodles along with cucumbers, carrots, red and green cabbage and red onions, topped with roasted peanuts, toasted sesame plus cilantro and tossed with a sesame soy vinaigrette. Don’t miss the produce-packed fresh-pressed juices available all day like the Rise & Shine with apples, kale, grapes, celery, ginger, lemons, oranges and spinach or the All in One with oranges, apples, beets, carrots, cucumber and ginger.
Love the Farmer’s Market but tired of your own kitchen? Taste the freshness of the season at Barcelona Wine Bar where Executive Chef Libry Darusman and his talented team put together a Mediterranean-style experience of rotating specials featuring fresh ingredients and dishes inspired by local produce. Try the seared asparagus with truffle vinaigrette and Manchego; the burrata with strawberries, mint, basil and almonds, or the brunch menu’s grain salad with snap peas, sorrels, and a mustard vinaigrette.
Pull up a seat at Rooted Craft Kitchen, the brick and mortar spot from industry vets Chef Nicholas Kayser and Scott Ericson in West Highlands and choose from an array of seasonal market-inspired dishes, like the Summer Vegetable Salad with asparagus, squash, zucchini, herbs fines and cauliflower finished with Grana Padano and lemon agrumato or the Gnocchette Primavera with peas, carrots, leeks, red onion, zucchini, squash, crème fraiche, parmesan and garlic chips. You’ll also find produce-packed salads and sandwiches, and as a bonus, thanks to the proximity of the Highlands Square Farmers Market, the talented culinary team can visit regularly with their favorite producers, artisans and purveyors to create rotating farmers market specials like the recently featured chestnut mushroom handmade tagliatelle.
Bright, fresh and foraged ingredients are found in abundance on the new-for-summer menu at Three Saints Revival. Start with the light and bright Watermelon Salad topped with cucumber, cherry tomatoes, mint and feta before digging into a dish like the Corn Risotto made with tomato, brown butter, pine nuts and basil to enjoy as many flavors from fresh ingredients as possible. For a foraged feel, order the Warm Artichoke & Shiitake completed with a porcini aioli and parmesan. Finally, be sure to ask your server for a beverage recommendation because each dish pairs perfectly with one of the 28 wines on tap.
Here are a few of our favorite Farmers Markets near the Central Park neighborhood:
Stanley Summer Series – Second Sunday of every month from 1-6pm – local market and live music on The Field.
Central Park Farmers Market – Every Sunday, starting June 25th 8:30am – 12:30pm, South Green
We’d love to hear if you try any of the summer menu items mentioned or if you have a local farmers market that you love! Happy Summertime!
