Wynkoop Brewing Company, in LoDo

Established in part by Denver's current mayor, the progressive and very gay-supportiver John Hickenlooper, the Wynkoop Brewing Company (1634 18th St., 303-297-2700) was one of the first businesses to help jump-start the rejuvenation of the city's historic Lower Downtown (LoDo) neighborhood. That was 1988, and Wynkoop remains ever popular today, a great spot for sampling fine-crafted microbrews (there's a particularly good "weiss" beer). From the food menu, consider the queso dip loaded with buffalo chili, or the Thai-style Cobb salad.