What chains are located in Denver? (Aurora, Lakewood: salons, home, neighborhoods)

[CarmenSanDiego]

Do you have Jewel, Dominicks, and Whole Foods? If not, what are your major grocery stores?

Do you have Walgreens, Target, K-Mart, and WalMart?

Do you have Subway, Quiznos, Jimmy John's, and Potbelly sandwich joints?

Do you have Giodarno's, Papa Johns, Pizza Capri, Leonas, and Pompeii pizzarias?

Do you have Old Country Buffet, Olive Garden, Bennigans, Outback Steak House, Chilles, Friday's, or Ruby Tuesday restaurants?

I know some things are only located in my current city (like Garrett's Popcorn ) but are any of the chains I listed located in Denver?


ETA: Not really a chain but do you have eyebrow threaders? Thanks!

[2bindenver]

As far as I know we have:

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Do you have Whole Foods? If not, what are your major grocery stores? King Soopers, Safeway, Albertson's, Wild Oats, Sunflower Market

Do you have Walgreens, Target, K-Mart, and WalMart? yes.

Do you have Subway, Quiznos, sandwich joints?

Do you have Papa Johns? and Nick & Willy's

Do you have Country Buffet, Olive Garden, Bennigans, Outback Steak House, Chilles, Friday's, or Ruby Tuesday restaurants? yes

ETA: Not really a chain but do you have eyebrow threaders? Thanks! yes, some of the better salons and spas have someone.

[Rawlings]

Here in Lakewood we have 3 Wal Marts all within maybe 10 miles of each other. In fact, there's not a whole lot of original enterprise here--because it's so suburbanized it's really chain-central.

[vegaspilgrim]

As I recently posted for a related question on the "General US" forum, Denver has a number of unique high quality restaurant chains that blow away your standard Denny's, Taco Bell, McD's. (Who doesn't have those?) Here are some recommendations:

Black Eyed Pea-- great general American comfort food (sit down restaurant).
Goodtimes-- Colorado's answer to in-n-out burger (fast food).
Panera Bread-- bakery chain
Great Harvest Bread Company-- another great bakery

These are all fast-casual restaurant chains (order at the counter, they bring it to you, but no waiters, no tips):
Tokyo Joes-- healthy, fast Japanese-inspired food. My all-time favorite place.
The Spicy Pickle-- awesome sandwich shop w/ fresh baked bread
Qdoba-- a Chipotle clone, originally Denver-only, now expanding nationally
Noodles-- American, Italian, Asian noodle dishes
Tin Star-- very loosely "Mexican" inspired food
Rumbi Island Grill-- Hawaiian themed food
Illegal Petes-- try it, difficult to explain

The list goes on and on. Sure, your mom and pop owned independent restaurant is still the best, but these chains I just listed are truly a cut above what people typically think of when they think "chain."

[High Altitude]

Denver has it all except In-n-Out and good mexican compared to SoCal.

[pje192]

I'd love a list of great individual and ethnic restaurants. Chains by thier nature are devoid of any individuality and personality. Consistancy yes, but you give up any atmosphere of creativity and individuality. Chains and malls have made every place look and feel like every other place. Assembly lines are for cars, not dining.

[tfox]

Originally Posted by pje192

I'd love a list of great individual and ethnic restaurants. Chains by thier nature are devoid of any individuality and personality. Consistancy yes, but you give up any atmosphere of creativity and individuality. Chains and malls have made every place look and feel like every other place. Assembly lines are for cars, not dining.

There's WAY too many to give a list, but you can try looking at the Westword "Best of Denver" list at bestof.westword.com -- they tend to not give awards to non-local chains -- but they do sometimes give awards to a chain which exists only in the local area.

I agree with you about Mom and Pops -- chains are usually cheaper due to economies of scale, but chains really can't compete with locally owned restaurants on freshness, creativity, or taste.

I think some of the best restaurants in the metro area are found in the various Denver (city) neighborhoods. Occasionally there is a great find in the suburbs as well, but generally the suburbs don't have the demographics to support a large number of local restaurants. Sadly, downtown Denver's Central Business District also has fewer Mom and Pop restaurants than you would think -- many of those are chain and corporate, probably because it's just so expensive to operate in the CBD and only a deep-pocketed chain can afford it. However, check out the central Denver and North Denver neighborhoods and you'll find a gold mine of little places, and the selection is just getting better. These are the areas which have attracted the demographics of local residents that support these places on slow nights like Tuesdays through Thursdays. As an example, East Highland (in North Denver) has probably tripled the number of locally owned restaurants in about 12 months, with three great new entries on 16th St and Boulder St alone. Also, southwest Denver, centered around Alameda and Federal, is home to a heavy concentration of great Asian restaurants as well. The traditional "restaurant row" of fine dining is on E 16th Ave in the Uptown / North Capitol Hill neighborhood. Neighborhood centers like Old South Pearl, Old South Gaylord, Bonnie Brae, and Highland Square are brimming with new entries. In fact, the restaurant scene in Denver now is probably better than it's ever been.

[vegaspilgrim]

Actually, the suburbs have quite an impressive selection of family-owned ethnic restaurants as well-- often located in unassuming strip malls. There's an awesome Indian place called "Star of India" on Parker Rd in Aurora, one of the best Middle Eastern restaurants in town called "Sahara" on Arapahoe Rd in Centennial/Greenwood Village, "Las Brisas," a really nice, upscale Mexican restaurant off Arapahoe Rd, and a whole bunch of Korean restaurants and grocery stores in Aurora on Havana. These places are out there; you just have to know where to look and the right people to ask to find them.

[tfox]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

Actually, the suburbs have quite an impressive selection of family-owned ethnic restaurants as well-- often located in unassuming strip malls. There's an awesome Indian place called "Star of India" on Parker Rd in Aurora, one of the best Middle Eastern restaurants in town called "Sahara" on Arapahoe Rd in Centennial/Greenwood Village, "Las Brisas," a really nice, upscale Mexican restaurant off Arapahoe Rd, and a whole bunch of Korean restaurants and grocery stores in Aurora on Havana. These places are out there; you just have to know where to look and the right people to ask to find them.

Agree, vegaspilgrim, Aurora does have an impressive amount of restaurants too -- Parker & Peoria has some great Indian restaurants, including some south Indian ones like Woodlands and Masala, the area I know of which has south Indian food.