Some eateries thrive purely off of ambiance, with food that’s easy to forget. Others may take your tastebuds to new heights, but the atmosphere just isn’t right. After walking into Sunnyside Supperclub, you realize that you really can have it all.
Sunnyside Supperclub has a rich history that stems back about 80 years. Originally, it launched in 1943 as Ernie’s Lounge & Supper Club. Ernie, the original owner, eventually sold it to three brothers in the early ‘80s. They’d go on to name it 3 Sons Italian Restaurant, which was family owned since 1951. And while they had a location down the street from Ernie’s, they didn’t own the building. So, they approached Ernie about buying the building and moving their restaurant, since the tenant for their second location refused to sell.
Through a chance encounter, one of those three owners would go on to turn 3 Sons Italian Restaurant into what it is today. After attempting to buy a building to launch his own restaurant, Johnny Sannino, one of those three sons, encountered Ernie by mere chance and offered to buy his building from him outright.
To carry out the deal, Johnnie and Ernie met at a bar during the morning hours. According to legend, Ernie had a puddle of whiskey on the bar with two empty glasses upon arrival.
After some chit-chat, Ernie asked for an offer, Johnnie drew one up with his lawyer, and the rest is history. Since that negotiation in the ‘80s, My Three Sons has found a new identity as Sunnyside Supperclub.
The current owners are of similarly notable business acumen. Along with Sunnyside Supperclub, Mighty Hospitality Group also owns farm-to-table restaurant El Jefe Denver and the renowned Lucky Pie Pizza which formerly had three locations. While the 16th Street Mall and Niwot locations have since closed, the first and original location in Louisville still stands.
However, the group made its true mark with Sunnyside Supperclub’s renowned menu of unforgettable eats combined with a remodel carried out by the previous owners. The two-year remodel features a beautiful interior lined with live trees, hanging light fixtures, and an industrial ambiance . Apart from the atmosphere, there’s one simple thing that customers love about the experience: their food.
Thanks to local purveyors, the restaurant only uses locally-sourced ingredients that make a shockingly noticeable difference. Farms in Firestone, Fort Collins, Boulder, and many others source their individual items. Take Wisdom Family Farms for example, which provides all of the restaurant’s chicken and eggs. Other proteins come from Buckner Family Farms in Longmont.
This means that Sunnyside’s ingredient purchases go directly to the people who farm the land, including Colorado farmers who provide the flour for their famous Detroit Pizza.
If you’re a pizza enthusiast, Sunnyside’s Detroit Pizza is the way to go. It took countless hours to form the recipe, which uses Colorado-milled organic flour and goes through a double proofing process. This lets the dough rise into a fluffy texture that’s far lighter than the deep dish style of Chicago, without giving up the crispy outer crust. Any of Sunnyside’s nine pizza options can be ordered Detroit style.
Brunch lovers also have a home at Sunnyside Supperclub, in the form of pizza. For a meal that’ll make you rethink breakfast-lunch stigmas, try out their Egg Pizza. Upon arrival, you’ll find three eggs, bacon, and a few different cheeses baked right into their signature dough. To finish it off, the crust is brushed with their locally-sourced garlic olive oil.
While the Detroit pizza is a bit thicker in texture, the Egg Pizza is Neapolitan style. In other words, the crust is thinner and crisp, but not so crunchy. It’s also not overly topped or weighed down with ingredients which gives you the perfect ratio of crust, cheese, and ingredients with each bite.
Sunnyside Supperclub also has 30 beer taps to choose from, and holds strong relationships with Denver Beer Co. and Diebolt Brewing right down the street. Their wine list has some Italian options that pair nicely with a Chicken Parmesan or pizza, plus wines from California and France. If you’re not too picky, opt for their house red or white on draft. Their staff suggests pairing white wine with their white pizza, which has no red sauce, or a red wine with their red sauce options.
For a meal that’ll haunt you for the next week, don’t hesitate to drop by Sunnyside Supperclub off of 44th Avenue. Visit their website at sunnysidesc.com to order online or book a reservation this upcoming weekend.