Sage Restaurant Group—the Denver-based independent restaurant group dedicated to providing innovative, playful, and locally focused food and beverage experiences—announced the opening of its fourth location of Urban Farmer (1659 Wazee St.) steakhouse in downtown Denver. Executive Chef Chris Starkus curates a thoughtful, locally tailored menu, showcasing fresh ingredients and responsibly-sourced meats at the modern, farm-to-table restaurant.
“We have built personal relationships with local farms, ranches, and fisheries, and more over the past few months to capture the true essence of Colorado,” says Peter Karpinski, Co-Founder of SRG. “We’re thrilled to bring this concept to our hometown and hope to redefine the traditional steakhouse dining experience for Denverites.”
Urban Farmer’s seasonally driven menu highlights nose-to-tail cuts of naturally-raised meats from 7X Beef, Corner Post Meats, and Sun Prairie, plus produce and baked goods from local partners such as Infinite Harvest and Grateful Bread Company. All products, from meats to pasta to produce, are all meticulously sourced by Chef Chris Starkus, who was previously the Chef de Cuisine of Urban Farmer in Portland, and Culinary Director of the Urban Farmer brand, Matt Christianson. The restaurant concentrates on in-house, whole-animal butchering and preparations to use the entire animal throughout the menu. A focal point of the dining room is a communal charcuterie station also offers guests an interactive and engaging space in which to ‘meet their meat.’
The steakhouse is not entirely focused on meat-centric dishes alone, as Chef Starkus offers a variety of vegetarian options in addition to satisfying sides, soups, and salads inspired by each season’s bounty. Diners will find a roaming cheese cart displaying a variety of high-pedigree local cheeses, carefully maintained and curated by the restaurant’s resident cheese monger. Additionally, an in-house bakery churns out a variety of baked goods, both savory and sweet, featuring a Blue Corn Cornbread to further showcase the Southwestern inspiration, pastries, and other sweets. The beverage program complements Chef Starkus’ whole-farm fare by highlighting early-American cocktails made with Colorado spirits, alongside local Denver craft beers and a curated wine list.
Celebrating the innovative spirit of the Denver community, Karpinski and Sage Restaurant Group engaged local firms to design the fourth Urban Farmer. The space, housed in a 125-year-old building, was designed by Xan Creative, a Denver-based interior design and environmental branding firm founded by Melissa Friday in 2001. Urban Farmer’s complementing brand work and staff uniforms was imagined by The Made Shop, a small design studio with offices in Denver and LA, founded by architect-turned-designer Marke Johnson and known for making uniquely beautiful brands, art, spaces, ideas, and more.
