But don’t ask the bartenders about the meaning of B&GC’s name: Some secrets can never be revealed, no matter how well you think you know someone. Finally, you’ll emerge into an elegant, dimly lit bar, where you can settle in and order a cocktail like the Chartreuse-laced Diamondback or a house creation like the scotch-heavy B&GC Sazerac. Ring it and follow your host through a maze of service hallways. When the day comes, you’ll wander through alleyways to an unmarked door with a small brass doorbell, the only indicator you’ve arrived. B&GC will eventually respond with two or three suggested times, and when you choose one the enigmatic speakeasy will send ambiguous directions to its location. You’ll have to text to coordinate a meetup and wait a couple of days to hear back.
Like your most aloof, hard-to-pin-down friend, Cherry Creek’s B&GC takes a lot of work to get to know. Most Mysterious B&GC – Cherry Creek B & GC. The Past, Present, and Future of Abortion in Colorado.Why You Should Try Flouwer Co.’s Crackers Made With Edible Flowers.The Making of Beaver Creek’s Birds of Prey.A Former Lumineer Brings a Snake-Killing Colorado Legend to the DCPA Stage.The Pandemic Helped Yonder Mountain String Band Create Its Most Cohesive Album Yet.Where to Buy Local Lingerie for Your Valentine.The Museum for Black Girls Brings Joy to a World of Black Women.For example, the Commander Manhattan-a potent blend of toasted sesame rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, oloroso (a sherry), Bénédictine, and celery bitters-is described as such: “Curls a soft, quiet smile then drops the straight flush.” Whether or not the bar’s mysterious muse was a poker-faced gambler, the menu of delectable dough-wrapped parcels from Denver’s Samosa Shop suggests Parker’s fondness for Indian food, a trait we find irresistible. Fittingly, the gorgeous, expertly assembled cocktails have names and phrases that offer tantalizing glimpses into Parker’s life and personality. Once you pass through the velvet curtains at the entryway, the soft glow of salon lights illuminates kaleidoscopic pastel wallpaper and a gallery of subtly sensual paintings, giving the whole place the feel of a sleek, 1920s New York City supper club. It’s impossible not to fall for nearly two-year-old Room for Milly, where every romantic touch hints at the adventures of a (potentially fictional) heroine named Milly Parker, who traveled the globe 100 years ago. Here, we’ve awarded superlatives to this year’s most outstanding bars. Enduring seemingly endless pandemic-related hurdles has only made the Mile High City’s watering holes more inventive and enticing than ever.