An excuse to drink red and dress up? Count us in. 🍷❤️
Carne is heading back to @corestaurants ’s Drink Red Wear Red gala alongside 20+ local restaurants for a night of bold bites, flowing pours and seriously good style. All in support of Colorado’s hospitality community, wear the red, and we’ll bring the Carne flavor you know and love! Find @supermegaloca and team at @milehighstation on Thursday 5/28 for one of our favorite nights of the year.
Don’t miss this week’s episode of Stoned Appetite! The CRA/F’s own Denise Mickelsen and Chef Erasmo Casiano of Lucina Eatery & Bar chat with host Kip Wilson about Drink Red Wear Red, coming up on Thursday, May 28.💃
They dive into what to expect at Drink Red Wear Red, DELICIOUS new menu items at Lucina Eatery & Bar (shoutout Queso Frito and Jamon y Melon), fave patio digs, Waffle House vs. Denny’s country, and all-around dankness.
Taste bites from Lucina Eatery & Bar (and many more incredible restaurants!) at Drink Red Wear Red, and don’t forget to use promo code STONED for 10% off all tickets!
#CORestaurants #ColoradoRestaurants #DrinkRedWearRed #DRWR2026 #StonedAppetite
On the last day of Colorado’s Legislative Session, the CRA secured an amendment to HB 1223, which increases the utility sales tax deduction in perpetuity AND guarantees our industry 8 months of sales tax holidays over two years, for all restaurants & foodservice businesses in Colorado!
What do these wins mean? Short answer: Financial relief for restaurants, food trucks, caterers, bars, taverns, and more at a time when it’s needed most.
💡Utility Sales Tax Deduction Increase: Restaurants & foodservice businesses can deduct 100% (!!!) of utility costs (gas, electricity) used to prepare food on your first tax filing of the year. Did your kitchen use gas and electricity to prepare food? Deduct 100% of those 2026 costs on your 2027 taxes.... and all years going forward.
🎊Sales Tax Holidays in 2027 & 2028: Similar to the sales tax holiday the CRA secured during COVID, there will be 8 total months across 2027 and 2028 in which restaurants and foodservice businesses get to keep $2,000 per month of the state sales taxes they collect; the holidays will be in July, August, November, and December 2027 and 2028. For even the smallest restaurants, this is a $10,000 - $16,000 annual savings!
These wins apply to every single restaurant across the state, as well as other foodservice businesses. While the CRA advocates for and protects all restaurants, we are stronger together with the support of our members. Not a member? Consider joining today! If you are a current member, join us for our Annual CRA/F Member Meeting and 2026 Legislative Update on Tuesday, May 19 at 10 a.m.
We’re also still urging Governor Polis to sign SB26-134 (the Swipe Fee Relief Act) so that restaurants are relieved from paying swipe fees on sales taxes. Link in bio to send a note to our Gov!
#CORestaurants #ColoradoRestaurants #SupportLocal
Watch Episode 9 and the Season 1 Finale of Colorado’s Cooking Show @chefn_it ! Chef’n It spotlights the chefs, restaurants, and cuisine shaping Colorado’s vibrant culinary scene. Each monthly episode features a local executive chef recreating one of their restaurant’s signature dishes using approachable techniques and ingredients for the home cook.
In this episode, Executive Pastry Chef Emily Thompson (@wonderb00 ) of @thewolfstailor , a @michelinguide Two Star and Green Star restaurant in the Sunnyside neighborhood of Denver, joins host Tarah Runco (@thebainmarie ) to share how to make her signature Garden Pavlova. She walks through the techniques behind the dish, bringing a restaurant-quality dessert into your home kitchen.
- Watch & Subscribe: YouTube Link in @chefn_it ’s Bio
- Make the Recipe:
- Newsletter Signup: Link in @chefn_it ’s Bio
- Instagram: Bonus Features on @chefn_it
Created by @behindtheapronmedia .
GIVEAWAY CLOSED This is hands down one of my favorite events in Denver, and I’m SO excited to be partnering with @corestaurants + @drinkredwearred to give away TWO First Taste tickets to one of you ❤️🍷
Drink Red Wear Red is Denver’s signature food + wine event benefiting CORE (Colorado Restaurant Association & Foundation), a nonprofit that provides emergency financial relief to food & beverage workers and their families during times of crisis.
Think: unlimited bites from 20+ incredible restaurants, endless wine tastings, specialty cocktails, beer, NA beverages, live DJs, photo ops, and one very good excuse to wear red and be fabulous!!
This year’s participating restaurants include spots like @bearleekdenver , @tavernettadenver@johnnybechamels , @thegreenwichdenver , @carne_rino , @matsuhisadenver + more.
May 28th 6pm at Mile High Station + Ironworks.
Trust me, you WANT to win this one!🍷
GIVEAWAY RULES:
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Giveaway closes 5/16. Winner will be contacted via DM.
A dressed-up night out with endless bites from top restaurants, free-flowing sips, and a gorgeous venue? Yes, please!✨ Join us at Drink Red Wear Red on May 28 (🎟️ in bio!)
#CORestaurants #DrinkRedWearRed #DRWR2026 #DenverEvents
The Colorado General Assembly passed and sent to the Governor the landmark Swipe Fee Relief Act (SB26-134), which eliminates swipe fees from being charged on sales taxes.
This bill is estimated to save Colorado restaurants $34 million each year and comes at a time when our industry truly needs relief. The bill narrowly passed through the Senate by an 18 - 17 vote, and passed through the House on a 44 - 20 vote.
Please join us in taking a moment to thank the legislators who stood with local restaurants and businesses despite enormous pressure from big banks and credit cards. When we stand together, our community is so much stronger!
Now, we urge Governor Polis to support local restaurants and retailers and sign this bill into law. Use the one-click email link in our bio to send him a note!
#CORestaurants #ColoradoRestaurants #SupportLocal #SwipeFeeReliefAct
From family-run kitchens to iconic Denver staples, Colorado’s Latin restaurant scene tells a story 150+ years in the making.🌶️
Think: legacies like Casa Mayan (1946) and La Fiesta (1963), beloved institutions like La Loma and Santiago’s, and newer spots like Work & Class and Xiquita Restaurante Y Bar, each restaurant reflects a piece of Colorado’s evolving culinary tapestry.
These restaurants aren’t just places to eat, they’re places where history lives, recipes are passed down, and communities gather.
*Correction: Xiquita Restaurante y Bar is owned solely by Erasmo Casiano
#Colorado150 #CO150 #FoodHistory #LatinoHeritage #ColoradoEats #SupportLocal
Today, the Colorado House of Representatives took a stand for small businesses and local restaurants by PASSING the Swipe Fee Relief Act. This bill delivers real bottom-line relief to local restaurants by ending swipe fees on the sales tax portion of every transaction. The bill now goes to Governor Polis for his signature.
Colorado proved something important today: Grassroots voices are stronger than corporate pressure.
This victory belongs to the restaurant owners staying late to close up shop, the small business owners fighting to keep their doors open, and the communities that believe local economies matter more than Wall Street profits.
HUGE thank you to the bill sponsors — Senators William Lindstedt and Iman Jodeh, Speaker of the House Julie McCluskie, and House Majority Leader Monica Duran — as well as the 44 Colorado Representatives who stood with local businesses and voted YES.
Please take a moment to reach out to Governor Polis and urge him to sign this bill! Link in bio to send our Governor an email
#CORestaurants #ColoradoRestaurants #SupportLocal
The Swipe Fee Relief Act (SB26-134) Passes House Finance!
One step closer, but we’re not there yet! The bill that would save you thousands annually on swipe fees on sales taxes passed through the House Finance Committee last night, but it still needs to make it through one last vote by the full House — and then the Governor needs to sign it into law.
PLEASE use the link in bio to email your House Reps and Governor Polis TODAY to ask them to support local restaurants, not global card networks and big banks.
Small businesses matter in Colorado, and right now is the time for our legislature and our Governor to stand with us!
#CORestaurants #ColoradoRestaurants #SwipeFeeReliefAct #SupportSmallBusinesses #SupportLocal
The 2026 Drink Red Wear Red restaurant lineup is in… and it’s 🔥🍴
✨ VIP guests will indulge in bites from Champagne Tiger, Coperta, Denver Union Station, Hey Kiddo, Lucina Eatery & Bar, Matsuhisa Denver, Somebody People, and Tavernetta — plus access to all GA offerings.
🍽️ GA/First Taste guests will enjoy an incredible spread from Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar, BearLeek, Benihana, Bistro Mariposa, BoomBots Pasta Shop, Carne, Chicken Riot, Ester’s Neighborhood Pub, The Greenwich, Johnny Bechamel’s, Lady Nomada, Leven Deli Co, Salt Water Social, SOL Mexican Cocina, STK Steakhouse, Table 6, Trompeau Bakery + Cafe, ViewHouse, and Welton Street Cafe.
In addition to delicious bites, all attendees will enjoy free-flowing sips, dancing, and dressing up in red!
❤️ Don’t miss the tastiest night of the year. Grab your tickets now through the link in bio!
Colorado Egg Producers, in collaboration with @corestaurants and @bistrovendomedenver , is proud to announce the winners of the 2026 @coloradoprostart Reinventing Dessert Competition!
1st Place: Elliot Newman with Pretty in Pink Meringue Roulade
2nd Place: Abagale Charuvilayil with Lavender Honey Creme Brulee
3rd Place: Azalynn Jones-Hill - Creme Brulee Milkshake in a Chocolate Ganache Lined Chocolate Chip Cookie "Glass"
Elliot's recipe will be featured on the menu at Bistro Vendome in Park Hill from May 10th to June 7th. Congratulations to all the students on their creativity and effort! 👏👏👏👏
