Olive & Finch opened in December as Denver’s only super-convenient, yet healthy and wholesome deli and has quietly become one of the city’s best restaurants. Recently, this deli, modeled on European cafes, began offering an adult beverage menu and the drinks, like the dishes, do not disappoint. Owned and operated by the talented Mary Nguyen, what appears to be a simple sandwich and salad shop is really so much more. 

Currently Nguyen also operates Parallel 17 (on the next block from Olive & Finch) as well as Street Kitchen Asian Bistro in the Denver Tech Center, both of which are dine-in restaurants. Her goal with O&F was to make take out foods just as healthy and more affordable than dining in a restaurant. Just because it’s a busy day doesn’t mean people have to hit the fast food chains. The restaurant specializes in take away dining and offers a special curb-side pick-up service. Call the restaurant before you leave work to place an order and pick it up on the way home without leaving your car.

Olive & Finch began with breakfast and lunch service in this working neighborhood near St. Joseph’s Hospital, but recently added a dinner menu and along with that came beer, wine and cocktails. Nguyen and P17 Bar Manager Charles Kollmann created a cocktail menu that mirrors the food menu with organic and locally-sourced ingredients (when possible), which is not only tasty, but good for you. Here is just a sample of the goodies on the drink menu.

Heard it on the Grape Lime features organic grapes muddled with lime, Herradura Blanco Tequila and St. Germain. This summery concoction hits you with the tequila up front, but refreshes with the sweetness of the grapes and tart of the lime on the finish. Pair this cocktail with the roasted pear tartine with blue cheese, prosciutto, arugula and balsamic for a sweet and savory experience.

James’ Ginger uses Jameson Irish Whiskey with fresh squeezed ginger and lemon juice and house-infused thyme syrup. Nguyen says the ginger makes this cocktail a great digestif. Be careful with this one though. The perfectly blended juice and spice make it easy to forget there is a shot of Jameson in it.

Enjoy some fruity goodness with the H2OooooooMelon. Made with a fresh pressed melon, St. Germain and topped with sparkling wine, this cocktail looks as good as it tastes. The drink is red from melon on the bottom and white from the wine on top. Stir the drink to mix all these tastes together, and the drink changes from red and white to orange. While mostly sweet there is a hint of sour to keep things interesting.

While these new cocktails are only listed on the dinner menu, the drinks are available all afternoon; just ask when you order if it’s before 5 PM. Along with cocktails, O&F also serves bottle beers from Avery, Odell, Labatt’s, Great Divide, Lindemans, Rogue and Unita and one each of red, white and rose wines.

New for the summer concert season, order a basket of food and wine to go. Starting May 1 guests can order a basket of finger foods and a bottle of wine that the restaurant will cork so it is ready to go for Jazz in the Park or the Botanical Gardens’ concert series. Call 48 hours ahead to ensure the basket is ready for curbside pick-up on the day of the event. Prices TBA.

Along with breakfast, lunch and dinner, Olive & Finch offers a fresh juice bar, a full menu of café coffee drinks and house-brewed tea. Cocktails are $7-8, beers are $2-8 and a glass of wine is $6. No item on the food menu is over $15.