New and Improved is Part of the Plan at Colorado Craft

By Dionne Roberts

Colorado Craft Tejon Street Social in downtown Colorado Springs delivers an ardent commitment to local sourcing in a casual and modern setting.

Since opening in January 2018, co-owner and executive chef Mario Vasquez has been adapting and fine tuning his thoughtful cuisine to encourage a community that values sustainability.

“In my mind we’re trying to bring the best of what’s around us but it has had to evolve a lot,” says Vasquez. “We want to bring everyone into one building and serve some really nice ingredients that are locally driven but very approachable.”

The menu at Colorado Craft includes an array of social sharables with stacked nachos, some of the best wings in town and mac and cheese variations that include Vasquez’s prestigious pork green chili. Lunch centers around soups, colorful salads, sandwiches and cheeseburgers before transitioning into a greater focus on entrees during dinner service.

“I’ve been trying to create really fun sandwiches and salads that I can execute fast, but I still try to put a little twist on my dishes,” says Vasquez. “For our Nashville hot chicken sandwich, we try to grind our own peppers and make our own spice blend so it’s native to Colorado and born here.”

Mario Vasquez values sustainability at his Colorado Springs restaurant.
Photos courtesy of Colorado Craft

Vasquez says he hopes to “define what we do in our region,” and consciously uses nearby farms and ranches whenever possible, sourcing mixed greens from One Town Farms in Larkspur, and proteins from Corner Post Meats in Black Forest and Sangres Best Beef in Westcliffe.

“We’re trying to promote as much local stuff as we can but I want to give it to people in an interesting way,” says Vasquez. “Our approach to food is about being patient and establishing as many relationships as we can so that everyone starts using more local purveyors in their restaurants.”

Vasquez’s “farm to table” feelings are genuine, coming off a prior stint on Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch in St. Helena, California. While there, he was able to “learn a lot about organic, and raising cattle the proper way.” On a very practical level, he understands that without local farmers and ranchers he wouldn’t be able to find quality ingredients to present to his patrons.

“We don’t connect with our food anymore, we think it just shows up,” says Vasquez. “These are actual people that do this every day to give you their beef and their produce at the peak of the season. Without them we don’t have food, that’s why I’m so adamant. If there’s no food for me to cook, I don’t have a job so it’s really important for us to be knowledgeable about where it comes from.”

His signature items continue to integrate local ingredients, including an Asian short rib braised with a Stone Age Stout from Fossil Craft Beer Company; a pork bolognese with house-made gnocchi that Vasquez debuted at a recent A Grazing Life farm dinner; and a Corner Post lamb burger topped with rosemary-tomato jam, an olive tapenade, feta and arugula, served on a Kaiser roll.

“My goal was to create a couple dishes that will be staples, and these represent what we’re doing really well,” says Vasquez. “I’m trying not to add so many components, just showcase the ingredients at their best.”

Beyond the plates, Colorado Craft also prides itself on its solid selection of all-Colorado beer, with 30 cans and 20 taps derived primarily from Colorado Springs. The brews are also beginning to find their way into the craft cocktail program, with consulting courtesy of Dylan Currier, owner of The Archives, a watering hole directly below the restaurant that features classic libations.

“We’re trying to go a little bit more beer-driven as it is a big feature for us,” says Vasquez. “Cheeseburgers and craft beer are our thing now.”

Although it may seem as if the menu reflects typical, relaxed American offerings, rest assured there is nothing basic about Colorado Craft. Vasquez’s background in fine dining lends itself to an overall ambiance that’s comfortable but with “a little flair here and there” that feeds directly, and quite distinctly, into some exclusively Front Range kind of fare.

“I really hope that they are experiencing friendly faces, knowledgeable people telling stories in our restaurant,” says Vasquez of his patrons. “That’s where our passion is. When they eat and drink with us, they leave with a little bit of Colorado.”

Dionne Roberts is the editor of the Rocky Mountain Food Report, rockymountainfoodreport.com