Golden Hour opened this summer after the Mining Exchange Hotel underwent an extensive renovation. reimagined and renovated its stately lobby. Using the historic interior parlor and outdoor brick-lined alley patio, the upgrades reimagined the space, transforming it into a gilded gathering hot spot.
The restaurant and bar has recently updated its offerings with a fall food menu and new signature cocktails rooted in the hotel’s history and geography. We were able to attend a recent tasting to sample several selections.
The Food at Golden Hour
The fall bites offer approachable shared plates that strike a comfort food undertone with some unique seasoning touches. There’s a chicken sandwich, but it’s pounded thin into a Chicken Milanese, with a bit of parmesan and lemon in the breading and friend with an additional lemon caper aoli.
The Steak Sliders lean into the Mining Exchange’s Gold Rush history. “The building has that turn-of-the-century feel, and steakhouses at the turn the century were using Steak Diane mushroom-based sauces to help hide the lack of refrigeration,” says Executive Chef Eric Guiberson. “Even though we have that [refrigeration] now, I still love the mushroom flavor and the brightness of the arugula. There are also some fried shallots in there to help give a little textural note.”
Our favorite was the Braised Lamb Fry Bread. Guiberson says the lamb is marinated for eight hours until it shreds itself. “It gets tossed with a cucumber pico and fried chickpeas, a little bit of curry tzatziki and some fresh mint to brighten it up,” he says. Piled on top of the crispy fry bread, the dish eats like nachos or a mini-pizza. It’s a savory, flavorful bite.
The Dill Fries are a tasty nod to Guiberson’s mother, who he says would choose restaurants based on their pickles. And the Black Garlic Caesar salad eschews anchovies to keep it a fresh vegetarian option.
The Cocktails at Golden Hour
The Golden Hour cocktail menu has gotten a nice upgrade that helps to convey the history and story of the Mining Exchange and Colorado Springs. “The Golden Hour bar team wanted to bring the drinks back to Colorado and center them on local distilleries and infuse the essence of Colorado Springs into the cocktail menu,” says Kirsten Bou, marketing manager of the Mining Exchange Hotel.
The 1902 draws its name from the year the hotel was built. The Smoked Stratton is named for Winfield Scott Stratton, who had the building constructed as a gold and silver stock market. Of course it’s a nicely done house spin on an Old-Fashioned.
The Almagre draws its moniker from the early Spanish explorers name for Pikes Peak. (It is still the name of the second tallest peak on the Colorado Springs horizon.) That sweet and sour cocktail uses Axe and the Oak Dream Stream Barrel-Aged Gin as its base. With the exception of the Manitou Margarita’s Don Julio Blanco tequila, all of the spirits in these cocktails are local to Colorado.
Another of the standouts from our tasting was the Water of the Gods. Built on Marble Vodka out of Carbondale, it’s dangerous day sipper. Despite its mix of juices, it avoids over-sweetness, remaining fresh and light instead.
Golden Hour’s fall menu is live now, available from 3-10 p.m. daily and until 11 p.m. on weekends (Friday – Sunday). You can enjoy them with live jazz every Thursday.
Find it at 8 S. Nevada Ave. and goldenhourbarcos.com.
