A former standout of Denver's LoDo neighborhood, Hearth & Dram paired a massive library of over 350 whiskeys with rustic, wood-fired comfort food centered around a seven-foot open grill.
Hearth & Dram opened its doors on January 28, 2017, at the foot of the Hotel Indigo in Denver’s Union Station North neighborhood, introducing a bold, wood-fired culinary concept that honored Colorado’s rugged frontier history. Helmed by concept creator Garron Gore, the restaurant was designed to evoke a modern-day saloon, merging old-timey cabin aesthetics with industrial design. Inside, the space featured polished concrete floors, leather-clad chairs, country-kitchen wainscoting, and plaid upholstery, creating a warm, tactile contrast to the glass-clad exterior. A striking, seven-foot wood-fired grill served as the physical and conceptual centerpiece of the open kitchen, surrounded by shelves adorned with antique knick-knacks, mining artifacts, and historic photographs of Denver's gold rush era. In the shared lobby with the Hotel Indigo, guests were greeted by an original timber and stone art installation by Denver-based sculptor Norman Epp, setting an artistic, grounded tone before they even reached the dining room.
The "dram" of the name referred to the restaurant's massive, highly curated whiskey library, which boasted over 350 varieties of whiskey, bourbon, and rye. The backlit bar, complete with a rolling library ladder, showcased spirits ranging from local Colorado favorites like Leopold Bros. American small-batch whiskey to rare imports from Japan. Bartenders navigated the massive list using iPads, helping both novices and aficionados find their ideal pour. For those seeking an elevated experience, Hearth & Dram featured a mobile whiskey cart that rolled directly to tables, offering rare and expensive reserve selections such as Distillery 291’s Bad Guy bourbon, a 13-year Willett Family Estate single-barrel bourbon, and Pappy Van Winkle’s 20-year Family Reserve. The cart allowed bartenders to craft tableside Old Fashioneds with premium spirits, adding a touch of interactive theater to the dining experience.
The culinary program, led by executive chef Jeffrey Wall (formerly of Atlanta’s Kimball House), was centered on the primal power of open-flame cooking. Wall championed slow, meticulous preparation, famously stating that real cuisine required time that could not be faked. This philosophy was best exemplified by the restaurant's legendary "whole beast feasts," which were extravagant, multi-course dinners that required five days' advance notice to feed groups of six to ten. These feasts featured whole suckling pigs slow-cooked for 20 hours, dry-aged glazed duck, salt-crusted whole sturgeon, or standing rib roasts. The standard menu offered equally robust wood-fired comfort food, including bison tartare, roasted hen of the woods mushrooms, and a highly praised grilled bologna and cheese sandwich on pillowed buns. Despite its popularity and critical acclaim, Hearth & Dram closed permanently in the spring of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving a legacy as one of LoDo's most ambitious whiskey and wood-fired dining destinations.
Though Hearth & Dram closed permanently in 2020, its former space at 1801 Wewatta Street now houses Ambler, a Jack Kerouac-inspired American eatery and cocktail bar.
Coffee & Craft — Roadside fuel stops curated by Basecamp West. The best coffee shops, craft breweries, diners, and eateries worth the detour on your next Western road trip.