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Denver’s breakfast sandwich has grown up. The city’s best versions now come on house-made brioche and flaky croissants, layered with just-fried eggs, local produce, and chef-y touches that make them worthy of a detour.
Read More: The 52 Best Places to Brunch in Denver
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Bakewell
- Addresses: 4994 Lowell Blvd., Denver (Regis); 2401 Blake St., Denver (RiNo); 350 Main St., Longmont
Husband-and-wife team Marc Haney and Lola Makhmudova could be called Denver’s breakfast sandwich king and queen, what with nearly a dozen combos served at three Bakewell locations: They opened their Regis neighborhood flagship in 2024 and have since expanded their a.m. empire to RiNo and Longmont.
Bakewell’s offerings are made on house brioche, croissants, sourdough, or English muffins. The last of these, larger and sturdier than crumbly grocery store versions, serve as the base for the shop’s corned beef hash sammies, in which the meat is chopped fine and sizzled so it melds with the egg and cheese, channeling equal parts short-order diner and artisan cafe. For more of the latter vibe, check out the rotating selection of 15 to 20 classic French pastries.
Velvet Lasso
- Address: 3254 Navajo St., Denver (LoHi)
Devotees of New York bodega-style BECs (bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches)—simply dressed with salt, pepper, and ketchup and served on a kaiser roll—may look askance at this LoHi bakery’s loaded Hungry, Hungry Cowfolk version. Yes, a fried egg lets you know your sandwich was made just for you (no nuked egg pucks here), and the hearty chew from a fresh-baked roll with all-important poppy seeds signifies that the Western-themed (with a saucy hint of BDSM) cafe means business. What may throw East Coasters, however, is the crispy hashbrown wedged in with the American cheese, bacon (or ham, your choice), aïoli, and tomato jam that stands in for ketchup. We suggest trying it anyway, but those who want to play it safe can opt for the most minimalist of breakfast orders: a spot-on croissant with a cup of java.
Neon Cowboy
- Address: 300 S. Logan St., Denver (Washington Park West)
Chef Michael Sanguinetti took over the former home of the Molecule Effect in Washington Park West this past November and immediately started baking muffins, banana bread, and coffee cake in the tiny kitchen. His breakfast sandwiches, too, carry a chef’s touch—especially the Fried Egg Sando, made to order and sporting olive-oil-dressed arugula, American cheese, bacon or sausage, and a punchy green aïoli he developed years ago when a co-worker accidentally ordered herbs by the pound instead of the ounce.
Space limitations put the kibosh on early plans to make the sandwich’s brioche buns in-house, but nearby Rebel Bread came through with light, airy rolls that Sanguinetti picks up daily. “Customers in the neighborhood are looking for high quality,” he says, so he’s also been grabbing produce from Boulder’s Cure Organic Farm to add seasonal freshness. “People notice when you use a good tomato and season it properly.”
