Nestled in an unassuming corner next to a Starbucks on Alameda and Downing is a charming little French restaurant called Café Marmotte. You likely haven’t noticed it while driving/biking around the Wash Park neighborhood, but the new owners at Café Marmotte hope to change that. Café Marmotte was named an OpenTable Diners' Choice Award Winner in the “Romantic Restaurant Category” and “Top French Restaurant” by Trip Advisor.
French onion soup & Lyonnaise salad
The new Executive Chef and Partner Ty Leon (of Denver’s Mizuna and Bistro Georgette) has modified the menu to be both a mix of familiar French favorites alongside his imaginative re-interpretation of classics. Staples such as Lyonnaise salad, French onion soup, steak frites au poivre and coq au vin will make any Francophile feel at home. More contemporary dishes include lobster spaghetti with black truffle and mascarpone and a seared foie gras appetizer served with huckleberry waffle, foie gras ice cream and hazelnuts. Desserts like chocolate pot de crème with Chantilly cream and hazelnut granola (one of the best chocolate desserts we’ve had), a brown butter cake with macerated blackberries, lemon curd and caramel ice cream and a homemade apple tarte Tatin with macerated apples and caramel round out the divine dessert menu.
Coq au Vin & Baja Pacifico Striped Bass
Chocolate pot de crème
These past few months have brought big changes to Café Marmotte with a team of new owners who will ultimately transition the French restaurant into an Italian eatery early next year. The new team are partners Heather Morrison, Beverage Director Austin Carson and Executive Chef Ty Leon. With their focus on both Café Marmotte and the forthcoming Italian restaurant, the wine and cocktail menus will have equal representation of both regions during the transition. In the wine book, guests will choose from a list of French wines on the left and Italian on the right, with the guidance with an in-house master sommelier each side has plentiful options for guests to pair with their dining experience. Likewise, the craft cocktail list features Carson’s take on classic French cocktails and Italian, all incorporating locally grown ingredients and local spirits.
Seared Foie Gras
“I hope people come to Café Marmotte for approachable French dishes knowing the experience will be relaxed and welcoming thanks to Heather’s service. Austin’s cocktails always impress me and as we taste each other’s creations we each go back to tweak our respective sides of the menus,” says Chef Leon. “I’m continually inspired by Austin and Heather; we all challenge each other to be our best, ultimately for our guests’ benefit.”
Café Marmotte offers dinner service starting at 5pm Tuesday-Sunday and weekend brunch from 10am-2pm.
By Tiffany Candelaria