5280: Arvada’s Stone Cellar Bistro Is a Throwback—in the Best Possible Way

5280 | Allyson Reedy | March 2025

Stone Cellar Bistro reminds me of Denver’s top restaurants from 10 or 15 years ago. Let me be clear: That’s not a dig. I appreciate that instead of relying on high-concept tasting menus or funky fusions, Stone Cellar’s food is simply delicious and consistent. Really, almost everything about the Olde Town Arvada restaurant, from the service to the menu, feels like a throwback—in the best possible way.

It could be because chef-owners Jordan Alley and Brandon Kerr met while working at LoHi’s belovedly classic, now shuttered Z Cuisine in 2012. Or it could simply be that the chefs prioritize seasonal ingredients and solid techniques over trends and niche gastronomy. The two have been busy since their time at Z, working in lauded kitchens across the country (both), opening Stone Cellar’s predecessor food truck (Alley), and appearing on season 23 of Hell’s Kitchen this winter (Kerr, who came in fifth). They opened Stone Cellar Bistro in 2022 for their neighbors in Arvada, where they both live, but they quickly attracted diners from farther out who heard rumblings about elevated fare in the ’burbs.

The dinner menu is hyperseasonal, so the Arctic char you loved yesterday may still be there in two weeks, but in summer, things shift frequently, even daily. Except the fried chicken. That’s always on the menu, and on my first visit—when I noticed that most tables had ordered the hot-honey-topped dish—I understood why. The bird downright hisses when you crack into its crisp crust, which is uniquely seasoned with ground bay leaf and clove. Double dredged to create a shell that locks in moisture, the fried breast, thigh, and leg were the best and juiciest I’ve had in years. (Don’t be nervous about the heat; there was only a drizzle of hot honey, and it can be left off for fried chicken purists.)

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