The Art Lover’s Guide to LoDo

Home Base: The Maven Hotel

The Dairy Block, located on Wazee Street between 19th and 20th streets, was once home to the Windsor Dairy, which processed cream, milk, and other dairy products for Denver and the surrounding areas starting in the late 1800s. Today, the area has been transformed into a bustling micro-district filled with restaurants, bars, shops, and art installations, and, at the center of it all is the Maven Hotel, which is just as much an art gallery as it is a hotel, featuring more than 700 paintings, sculptures, photographs, and more. Plus, the Maven welcomes four-legged friends. Bring along your pup and maybe she’ll have the opportunity to become part of the Maven Pets Gallery!

10 a.m. 
Your day begins with a short elevator ride down to Milk Market, which is adjacent to the Maven, and is home to more than 10 dining concepts. Make sure to take a moment to admire the enormous, 500-lb, wooden hand hanging in the lobby, created by Colorado artist Andrew Ramiro Tirado. Grab a breakfast sandwich or the seasonal quiche at Morning Jones and a cup of coffee from Denver-based Huckleberry Roasters.

11 a.m.
Next, indulge in a little retail therapy at the Dairy Block’s shops. Whether you’re looking for engagement rings, wedding dresses, a new outfit, or a one-of-a-kind gift, you’ll find what you’re looking for just steps from your home base at the Maven. 

1 p.m. 
Stash your shopping haul back in your room before heading to Kachina Cantina, which offers upscale Mexican dishes and specialties such as fry bread from the Four Corners region. And if you’re thirsty for a craft brew, checking out Colorado’s Westbound & Down, which is located in the Free Market, is a must. After lunch, be sure to stroll down the alley at Dairy Block and take in the murals, making sure not to miss the pouring milk installation. 

3 p.m.
Wander down to MCA Denver at the corner of Delgany and 15th streets to get your contemporary art fix. The first thing you’ll see is the iconic permanent installation, “Toxic Schizophrenia / Hyper Version,” by Tim Noble and Sue Webster, which was commissioned for the opening of the David Adjaye–designed building that has housed the MCA since 2007. With no permanent collection, the museum keeps things lively with three to four exhibitions per year, each lasting a few months, which feature wide-ranging media from video and sculpture to immersive installations. Over the years, the museum has hosted works by prominent artists including Damien Hirst and Chris Ofili, cementing its reputation as a significant platform for both established and emerging contemporary artists.

7 p.m.
Make your reservations in advance and then settle in at the curved chef’s counter at Bruto, where you’ll enjoy one of the more memorable dining experiences in Denver as you watch chef Bryan Gomez and his team prepare your multi-course dinner. The centerpiece of this 15-seat, Michelin-starred restaurant is the Italian wood-fired oven, which the culinary team uses as the primary cooking instrument. The restaurant emphasizes zero-waste practices—it earned a Michelin green star for its commitment to sustainability—and boasts a robust fermentation program and the use of house-milled Colorado grains. 

9 p.m.
Finish the evening with a nightcap at Run for the Roses, an intimate subterranean spot just downstairs from Bruto.