1.What's your favorite thing on the menu?
Employee: My favorite menu item is our Thai Chili Tempeh Ribs. The tempeh is marinated overnight, cooked until it gets a light char around the edges, coated with a sweet and spicy glaze and served with a small scoop of our quinoa salad. It's not just the flavor I love though, tempeh is loaded with protein and fiber, so it's both filling and delicious.
Customer: The Chick’n Burger! Even for my meat-lovin’ friends, I’d order this for them. You have to request it buffalo style! Coming from someone who has been vegan for over 10 years, the cheese will impress you! All things delicious from your favorite burger, plus ranch and pickled zucchini? Paired with the most delicious fries? It’s a no brainer.
2. How is So Radish different from other Arvada hot spots?
Employee: Other than having an entirely vegan and gluten-free menu, the biggest thing that sets us apart is our staff. Having a number of guests that are vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free or have other dietary restrictions, we have a lot of regulars that we see in here at least a couple of times a month if not week. A larger percentage of our business comes from regulars, and I appreciate that our staff is able to make genuine connections with our guests.
Customer: Though I don’t live in Arvada, I drive there, and I make my friends and family meet me there. Of all the Denver restaurants I have to choose from, none beat So Radish for a fun evening with friendly wait staff, the most delicious food, and chill vibes. When I want one of my plant-based critic friends to have a change of heart, there is no other place I’d take them!
3. What does it feel like to be immersed in the ambience of the restaurant?
Employee: Artsy with 80s vibes. Our walls are almost completely covered in murals, including the largest one in our front room which features 80s icons like Madonna and Mr. T. The shelves behind our bar are giant sunglasses and under normal circumstances, we have VHS cases on all the tables containing our drink menus. The overall goal was a sense of nostalgia.
Customer: When you arrive, you immediately realize it’s a small, intimate experience. It works for every occasion, from date night to a solo dinner to a co-ed gathering. The waitstaff is always eager to serve you and offer their favorite suggestions. Most of the experience is eating a delicious meal while listening to 80s jams -- vibes that just make you feel the world is gonna be alright.
4. Consumers new to the restaurant might order what 3-5 must-haves?
Employee: Mushroom Cheesesteak sandwich with house-made vegan provolone, Spicy Peanut Tofu, Fried Avocado appetizer, and the Buffalo Chick'n Biscuit sandwich from our brunch menu. If I could recommend anything from our bar, it would be our Saved By The Bell cocktail with muddled red bell pepper, Breckenridge Chili Chile Vodka, elderflower liqueur, lemon and lime. It's unique, delicious, and a great option to try right now when we're all trying to do our best to support local businesses.
Customer: The Chick’n Burger, the Meatball Sub, the Fried Avocado, and the Sweet and Spicy Fried Brussel Sprouts. Bring your non-vegetarian friend, and prove to them that plant-based food can be truly delicious.
5. What is the story behind this restaurant's birth?
Employee: Our owner, Scott Spears, had been vegetarian on and off, and as an Arvada native, he was very aware that there weren't any options in our area. Having multiple local vegan friends, he felt that was something Arvada was very much missing. By the end of 2017, he finally found the right location, and we were able to get to work. He focused on the design and ambience of the restaurant, while I focused on developing our food menu and bar program, consulting with each other throughout the process, and finally opened in April 2019. We wanted to create an inviting, laid back atmosphere, a balanced menu with super healthy options as well as comfort food, and a drink selection with craft beer and cocktails, local spirits, and a huge kombucha selection.
