Buffalo Rose

MTN Town Magazine Best Restaurants in Colorado, EAT + DRINK, Mountain Town Magazine 0

Where the West Eats and Imbibes

by Caren Austin

The beautiful mountain town of Golden Colorado is rich in history dating back to the mid 1800’s. Everywhere you turn in downtown Golden, there are remnants of the Old West, and the Buffalo Rose is in a building that comes from a long Golden history. I had the opportunity to have lunch and take a tour with Manager Derek Giulianelli. I have heard great things about the food here but did not know just how historic this restaurant/event venue is. So, saddle up, and take a trip back in time with me before we have lunch.

The Buffalo Rose is comprised of five historic structures including the event venue, the saloon, the main entrance to the restaurant, The Hoagland Building, and the Haas Block. When it was built in 1859, the event venue was Golden’s largest building, and was home to Colorado’s territorial legislature. It’s impressive to think that some of Colorado laws were ratified in that room, and thus, the upper level of the event venue is called the State Room for this reason.

The indoor pool that was established there from 1928-1941 called The Golden Plunge has a long history. After many years, the pool was eventually covered up to become a union hall, a roller-skating rink, and today, a popular concert venue. The empty pool remains underneath the floor in the event venue to this day. The Event venue hosts weddings, and many other events, including concerts. In 2018, the venue underwent a complete renovation, but left the original bar from 1908. The saloon section of The Buffalo Rose dates to 1859 and is home to the oldest bar in the state of Colorado. I could go on and on about the history of The Buffalo Rose because there is so much, but I am hungry, so let’s eat!

The menu at The Buffalo Rose is extensive, and so is the bar program. We were sat in the old Hoagland Building, which is now home to a huge bar and seating area. The star of this part of the restaurant is the retractable glass roof. On many beautiful Colorado mountain days, this roof goes “top down”, so guests can enjoy some of that fresh mountain air.

We started with the Green Chili artichoke dip and the Chorizo Stuffed Jalapenos. The cheesy artichoke was everything you could want in a Colorado appetizer. It was full of Pueblo green chilis, and the house-made tortilla chips were delicious. The jalapenos were stuffed with three cheeses and a spicy whiskey glaze. The whiskey glaze was a perfect complement to this dish, and a nod to everything Colorado. The Street Taco Trio serves as an appetizer or entree. We had these as one of our entrées and they are amazing. Filled with either chicken, shrimp, pork or veggies. The tacos really hit the spot, and if you are wanting an entrée, there are so many choices. Colorado trout, bison short ribs, a smothered burrito, and chicken enchiladas were some of the standout dishes. We tried the bison short ribs. They were aromatic and excellent. The potato ragout that comes with them is delicious! We enjoyed the Colorado Agave Peach crisp for dessert. This crisp is topped with a bourbon butterscotch ice cream that is out of this world. What could be more Colorado than bourbon and peaches?

If you are craving a cocktail, then the Buffalo Rose is your place. Looking at the bar, there are so many choices of libations, it’s hard to choose. The Autumn Old Fashioned uses bourbon from The Golden Moon Distillery which is around the corner from The Buffalo Rose. The spiced pear liqueur in this cocktail made it so special, and the fact that it was made with local bourbon gives it a five-star rating.

I left full and happy with a history lesson I will never forget about Golden. The sign welcoming you into Golden states that it is where “The West Lives”, and now I truly understand that. The Buffalo Rose is a mix of old and new and has made sure to preserve our Colorado history in the process. It is a fabulous place to eat, drink, and make new friends. That’s probably how they did things in the Old West and it just seems fitting.

www.buffalorosegolden.com

1119 Washington Avenue

Golden, CO 80401

Photo Credits: Buffalo Rose

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