Tavernetta

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

La Dolce Vita in Denver

Tavernetta brings the spirit of Italian dining to Denver's bustling Union Station neighborhood, backed by the Michelin Guide and James Beard Award-recognized Frasca Hospitality Group. Founded by Chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson and Master Sommelier Bobby Stuckey, along with partner Peter Hoglund, Frasca Hospitality Group has built a reputation for genuine, warm service and elevated cuisine across its family of restaurants. Tavernetta is their love letter to Italy on the Front Range.

The Team Behind the Table

Executive Chef Cody Cheetham leads the kitchen, supported by a full brigade of sous chefs and a beverage program overseen by Director of Wine & Beverage Carlin Karr and Senior Sommelier Sean Perez. That depth of expertise shows in the wine list — one that earned Tavernetta a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence, a recognition that speaks to both the breadth of the cellar and the care with which it is curated. The Italian-directed wine and spirits list is built to complement every course, from cicchetti at the bar to a full dinner at table.

What's on the Plate

The heart of the Italian menu is handmade pasta. Dinner brings a rotating cast of primi: Rigatoni with lamb ragù and Pecorino Romano, Francobolli filled with porcini and ricotta in brown butter, Paglia e Fieno with rabbit ragù and mint, and Tagliatelle with Maine lobster, Calabrian chili, and preserved tomato. Gnocchi arrives with spring garlic, oyster mushroom, pistachio, and mortadella — restrained but precise.

Secondi range from a whole roasted chicken dusted with fennel pollen to Branzino with Taggiasca olive and artichoke, and a seasonal Bistecca alla Fiorentina. Starters like Burrata with Trapanese pesto, Fritto Misto of prawns and calamari, and a Maine Diver Scallop crudo set the tone before pasta even arrives.

Weekday lunch offers a two-course prix-fixe — a rare thing in Denver at this level — and daily happy hour in the bar and lounge runs a tight Italian menu of cicchetti, Roman pasta flights, and Aperol spritzes at accessible prices.

The Room and the Neighborhood

Patio, lounge, and bar seating are available for walk-ins, making Tavernetta approachable even without a reservation. The full dining room rewards those who plan ahead. Situated steps from Union Station, it is the kind of Italian restaurant that works equally well for a weekday lunch, a long weekend dinner, or a glass of something cold at the bar before a Rockies game.