Executive Chef Steven Redzikowski and Beverage Director Bryan Dayton, the duo behind critically acclaimed OAK at fourteenth in Boulder, Colorado, and Acorn in Denver, Colorado, announced the official opening of their third restaurant, Brider (pronounced bree-day). Brider is a fast-casual rotisserie concept that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and is located on the first level of the new Nichols Building on Platte Street in downtown Denver. The Nichols Building is a vibrant, four-story, mixed-use building home to many of Denver’s top tech entrepreneurs, including Galvanize and Pivotal Labs.
“We wanted to bring a level of authenticity to the fast casual space,” Redzikowski says. “With Brider, our goal was to open a social gathering destination where we could offer high-quality, ingredient-driven dishes in a more casual, comfortable setting.”
“Brider,” a French term that translates to “tying a piece of meat,” is a nod to Chef Redzikowski’s love for rotisserie-style cooking. While Brider’s more casual approach is a departure from the team’s other two concepts, it promises the same level of quality and craftsmanship Redzikowski and Dayton are known for.
During breakfast hours, guests may enjoy a menu of house-made pastries from Pasty Chef Michael Conti (who also leads the pastry programs at OAK and Acorn), while lunch and dinner menus will offer a selection of simple, rotisserie-cooked dishes straight from Brider’s state-of-the-art Rotisol oven, imported from Chelles, France. Signature dishes include the Rotisserie Roasted Chicken “Banh Mi" with pate aioli, picked carrots and cucumbers, and Thai herbs; Rotisserie Roasted Lamb Leg (prepared as a tikka masala; with feta, tzatziki and harissa; or with lemon and chili wilted kale); and the Hearth Fired OAK Meatballs with broccoli raab pesto, cream polenta, watercress, and radish. A selection of soups, sandwiches and salads round out the menu. Dayton leads the beverage program, which features 18 pull taps offering beer, cocktails, wine, house-made soda, Happy Leaf Kombucha, and Boxcar Roasters nitro-tap coffee. Pours are available by the half glass, glass, half-carafe, and full carafe.
With the goal of designing a restaurant that felt at home” within the Nichols Building, Denver-Boulder based design studio Arch11 mixed contemporary, high design with raw materials to deliver a familiar-yet-unexpected aesthetic. The 3,400-square-foot space incorporates repurposed oak in the ceiling and tabletops, while the service counter is comprised of marble quartz stone and classic butcher blocks. Pops of bright green speak to the neighborhood’s revitalization, adding excitement and color to the space’s timeless market feel. The 81-seat restaurant offers a range of seating options for groups large and small, with floor-to-ceiling sliding windows that open to an additional 32 seats on the outdoor patio. Guests can order at the service counter, or opt to grab-and-go from one of the restaurant’s display cases. Semi-permanent chalkboard menus, created by local artist Brendan Lenahan, feature wood-cut inspired graphics detailing the daily offerings. Lastly, as a nod to the restaurant’s name, Arch11 worked with the artists at Denver-based Swim Club to build a cotton rope installation that appears as if it is “stitching” together the ceiling.
