Drinks and Delights

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]M[/dropcap]orning, noon and night, cravings can be satisfied on Platte Street, where the drinks have some major appeal and the munchies are stellar.

The building that houses Carbon Café & Bar and its sister, the Habit Doughnut Dispensary, has housed decades of community members coming together any time of the day. It formerly housed the coffee shop Paris on the Platte for over 30 years. The original graffiti is still visible from the building’s Paris on the Platte days, and Carbon has a cool lounge feel in contrast to the hip-hop theme of its sister donut shop.

Multi-faceted Carbon fills the hole left from the previous shop’s departure, offering full-day service that caters to every need. Carbon Manager Hayley Charles dished with CULTURE about the unique environment, which includes a beverage menu that incorporates cannabidiol (CBD).

“We’re open 7 a.m. to midnight,” said Charles, as the rustle of restaurant sounds came in and out of the background. “People can come here for coffee, they can come here for food, they can come here for cocktails at night.”

“It’s a beautiful place, cool people work here, and it’s great,” said Charles. “We offer pretty much everything that you would want.”

The food menu reflects the sister establishment’s theme, with menu items named after hip-hop artists featuring decadent comfort foods, including an iconic group that monikers the signature item of Carbon.

“The Wu Tang Tots are our signature item, something we’ve had on the menu since we opened,” said Charles. The tots come in a variety of flavors including a loaded baked potato style and a poutine-inspired mix with gravy and white cheddar.

Another hot item and one that a canine amateur detective would surely devour on Carbon’s menu is the Doobie Snaks, little smokie sausages wrapped in a butter brioche with sauce “Hits” for dipping.

The breakfast menu offers everything from apple pie French toast to huevos rancheros, but Carbon’s most popular item is the Chicken & Waffles served with maple syrup and butter.

“It’s gluten-free, and people love that,” she said.

Mini doughnuts from its sibling Habit Doughnut Dispensary top Carbon’s dessert offerings and even some of its drinks.

The café and bar is currently testing new menu items to be added in the next few weeks.

“It’s gonna look a little different, some of the things will stay,” said Charles, mentioning additions to the menu including breakfast sandwiches, more tater tot options and a salad.

Brunches or hangovers are both served with spicy, aptly titled Killah B’loody, a Bloody Mary, which is stacked high with olives, bacon and Doobie Snaks.

Carbon’s drink menu offers a wide range of beverages and supports local companies. On tap is kombucha and beer from local breweries, and the bar menu features a mix of syrups made at the café including lavender vanilla and caramel, complete with local liquors.

“We use local companies as much [as we can] for outsourcing stuff. We try to keep most of our tap beers as Colorado beers, so we use breweries from Colorado,” said Charles. “Same with a lot of our spirits, we try to give business to as much of our local businesses as we can.”

“We have CBD kombucha on tap, and we have CBD cold brew, and then we have CBD oil that we use.”

The highlight of the beverage menu is the CBD Bump for just $2, which gets 10mg of CBD added to any of the hot or cold beverages on the menu. “We’re looking into becoming a CBD café and restaurant,” said Charles. “We have CBD kombucha on tap, and we have CBD cold brew, and then we have CBD oil that we use.”

The CBD oil can easily be added to any of the bar’s hot or cold drinks, and the bar also offers CBD bitters for its mixed alcoholic drinks. Some of the menu offers perfect recommended pairings, such as the MJ Mimosa, served with liquid sunshine, or the bitters can be switched out in drinks like their Buttered Rum Old Fashioned.

Carbon Café & Bar and its sister establishment are expecting a new addition in Five Points early next year. That location will have replicas of the original graffiti art from the Platte Street location and a central area with a chef’s counter and kitchen viewing window.

www.carbondenver.com