Stand-up comedian Joshua Emerson shares his love for affordable eats in Denver, where rising dining costs have left locals yearning for budget-friendly options. He discusses a local ice cream shop owner's pivot to breakfast sandwiches, emphasizing community and accessibility in dining. The conversation breezes through delightful breakfast and lunch recommendations, including a noodle shop and a humorous IHOP pancake promotion. With personal anecdotes and enticing cuisines highlighted, listeners are invited to share their own favorite budget bites!
The podcast emphasizes the rising costs of dining out in Denver while highlighting affordable local options that support community engagement.
Stand-up comedian Joshua Emerson shares specific recommendations for affordable breakfast, lunch, and dinner spots throughout the city.
Deep dives
Affordable Dining Amid Rising Costs
The episode discusses the challenge of finding affordable dining options in Denver amid increasing living costs. The hosts emphasize that even during tough economic times, it is still possible to enjoy delicious meals without overspending. They highlight the importance of supporting local businesses offering reasonably priced food that encourages community engagement. For example, a new ice cream shop, Wright Cream, showcases creativity by selling breakfast sandwiches at a modest price to foster community connections and meet local dining needs.
Top Budget Breakfast Spots
Various breakfast locations are recommended for those looking to eat well on a budget. Options include the New York Bagel Cafe, which offers a bacon, egg, and cheese on an everything bagel for around $7 and a refreshing beverage for an additional cost. Another contender, Rise and Shine Biscuit Kitchen, features specialty biscuits for as little as $6 and a large coffee. Santiago's breakfast burrito is also highlighted as a fantastic value, providing hearty meals for about $3.50.
Value Lunch and Dinner Picks
For lunch, places like Zomama serve satisfying homemade noodle bowls for only $9, while IHOP is currently promoting a $5 unlimited pancake stack that allows diners to indulge without breaking the bank. The segment also mentions Little India, which offers a reliable lunch buffet for around $10—making it easy to sample various dishes. As for dinner, Odyssey Italian offers half-price pasta on Mondays for a quality meal at $11.95, and Crave Mediterranean pairs generous portions of flavorful chicken shawarma with sides for a great value at $18.
Denverites are fed up! And not well fed. Because the price of going out to eat feels like it keeps going up! After scouring the city for an affordable breakfast sandwich, the owner of a local ice cream shop recently started selling his own at a Saturday morning pop-up, proclaiming “the city desperately needs this!” So we felt inspired to help, too. One of our favorite regular guests — stand-up comedian Joshua Emerson — joins today to share recommendations for the best cheap eats in Denver.
We’ve got the full list of our recommendations on our website: denver.citycast.fm. But we want to hear from you, too! Where is your favorite affordable meal in Denver? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418
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