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As he steps from the shoebox kitchen of his new Spanish/French RiNo eatery, Heretík, chef Theo Adley adjusts his diner-style paper hat before chatting with customers. The mesh-topped cap (sometimes called an overseas cap) acts as a chimney to cool a cook’s head, he explains. It’s less emblematic than a traditional towering French toque but is instead equal parts crisply professional and jauntily playful.
This kind of interplay between European culinary convention and short-order snap informs Heretík’s menu and overarching style. Adley (who’s also behind Lyons’ acclaimed Marigold) says everything started with a foundational trio: raw oysters next to chubby little chipolata sausages (Iberian surf and turf, perhaps); rotisserie cou nu chicken (or “naked neck,” a heritage French breed); and a green salad whose melange of fresh herbs contradicts its menu description of “simple.”
Supporting roles are played by a bulging Spanish tortilla generously adorned with crab, a delightful snack called a matrimonio that marries cured mackerel and anchovy, and comforting huevos rotos—a nest of potato chips and an awe-inducing helping of earthy morels beneath runny fried eggs. If that’s heretical, you can call us converts. 1441 26th St., Denver (RiNo)
Read More: The 10 Best New Places to Eat and Drink in Denver, Summer 2026
