Ever wish you could just hang at your favorite bartenders house, getting served craft cocktails in the backyard? That’s the vibe at Nomads, the new downtown bar that is the latest evolution of the space formerly known as The Garden and Colorful Colorado.
“When you’re sitting out there, it’s like going to a barbecue at a bartender’s house — just sitting.at a bartender’s backyard, having a great cocktail and enjoying yourself,” says Cody Banks, co-owner and bartender.
He and fellow co-owner Nikko Posada want Nomads to be your new neighborhood bar, a little bit elevated but fully approachable and welcoming for all. And they are going to entertain you like you were at their home when you walk in. Credit Banks’ background in theater and Posada’s experience speed bartending in the New Jersey club scene for a high standard for personalized hospitality.
The new downtown bar opened in mid June on the corner of South Nevada Avenue and East Costilla Street. You may remember the space as The Garden or last year as Colorful Colorado. That festive and flamboyant concept was always meant to be a summer fling, and it burned hot and fast until the warm season faded.
Its owners, Aaron Ewton and the Atlas Restaurant Group, used the offseason for some renovations to make the space usable year round. Then they reached out to House of Imbibe, aka Cody and Nikko, who were working in New Jersey, for ideas for the next concept to fill the space. The result is Nomads, a stylish and welcoming cocktail bar with a creative but approachable menu and a focus on entertaining service.
There’s a glamping type ambiance at Nomads — simple chic with warm lighting and finishes drawn from natural tones. You can sit inside at the bar or near the fireplace, but most of the space is outdoors with fire pits and cornhole.
“What’s the one thing everyone wants? It’s that comfort to just exist and hang out with your friends and be yourself,” Banks says. “We wanted to provide that space and have a little bit of an elevated cocktail program.”
Excellent Craft Cocktails at Nomads
The menu is interesting and unique, more playful than pretentious. The bar’s tagline declares Nomads as a place where every drink tells a story. The Seguidilla is a good example. Without a full spoiler, Banks explains that Nomads’ take on a mojito ties to the origins of Fernet Branca Menta (a bitter spirit known as the Bartender’s Handshake), the opera diva Maria Callas and the aria “Seguidilla” from Carmen, sung as the heroine tries to seduce her captor Don Jose.
One of Banks’ favorites on the menu is the Chimi Gimi, a gimlet built with an Argentinian gin (Principe de los Apostles), a chimichurri shrub, a vinegar based syrup, fresh oregano, parsley, coriander seed, a bit of sherry vinegar and extra fresh lime juice. It’s garnished with olive oil, a savory touch to coat the palette. It’s an exceptional and well balanced cocktail.
Looking for something fun and original? The Only Brands is an aperol spritz martini with a delightful scoop of vanilla passionfruit sorbet. And the Long Island Ice Tea Jello Shots look like flan and are created with housemade cola syrup gelatin, then layered with rum, vodka, gin, tequila, triple sec and lemon juice.
“There’s always another layer to each of our cocktails, even our frozen cocktails,” Banks says. “The Snoop Stewart is a frozen piña colada with cognac and Scotch, and we actually light sage with that. So it has that reminiscent Snoop Dogg essence, if you will.”
Of the half dozen or so cocktails I sample, all have a well balance blend of flavors and a unique blend of ingredients. Credit Banks’ culinary background.
“I actually developed my flavor profile and palette from working with a lot of chefs and designing my cocktails based off of chef plates,” he says.”Like, how can I take you through a journey in just one specific setting?”
Events, Happy Hour and Food at Nomads
Besides the flavors, special events and industry education gatherings will be part of the Nomads journey. National award-winning mixologists and bar owners are scheduled for special events this fall, so watch for announcements. Banks says he hopes learning and sharing knowledge from that level of cocktail luminaries will help strengthen and sharpen the Springs’ cocktail scene.
For those drinking sober, Banks and Posada have maintained the creative touch for its zero-proof drinks. For both the I’m a Cool Mom and the Sara Palmer, they cook the alcohol out of the original spirits and keep a complex flavor profile.
Of course, there are beer and wine selections too, plus a food menu that features sharable bites, such as charcuterie boards. Banks says a collection of unique egg rolls are planned for the future. “Almost like Americanized egg rolls using lumpia wrappers,” he explains. “A little bigger, so you can cut them in half and share them.”
Most of Nomads’ cocktails cost a reasonable $12-$14. Catch the Halfsy Hour for cocktail flights with half pours for half off. It’s an especially good way to sample new drinks.
For Banks and Posada, Nomads is all about creating a comfortable space, where you want to hang out again and again. “We want to create that experience of not being afraid to ask questions, not being afraid that you’re going to sound stupid,” Posada says. “We just want everyone to feel welcome.”
We’ll be back.
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