Golden Brown: Distinctive Dining at The Brown Palace Hotel & Spa

From a 14-karat gold milkshake, to sumptuous steaks, seafood and organic ingredients, The Brown Palace Hotel & Spa provides a culinary adventure unlike any other. The hotel houses four exceptional restaurants and features a traditional Afternoon Tea every day of the week. 

With consistent accolades from Zagat’s, Forbes and Gourmet, Palace Arms is known as much for its award-winning cuisine as its unique setting. The menu features signature items such as the Rack of Colorado Lamb, and Filet of King Canyon Bison “Rossini,” as well as creative, contemporary dishes using fresh local produce indigenous to Colorado . Palace Arms has won numerous awards, including the “Best of Award of Excellence” for its wine list quality and variety from Wine Spectator, “

Best Place in Denver for a Business Dinner” by USA Today, and one of “ Denver ’s Top 10 restaurants” by The Denver Post.

After weeks of historical research by then-owner C.K. Boettcher, who wanted the room to reflect the Napoleonic period, Palace Arms opened in 1950. Antiques dating from 1670 decorate the walls and include a dispatch case, bridle and a pair of dueling pistols believed to have belonged to Napoleon and his second wife, Louisa. Twenty-two flags, replicas of revolutionary battle flags, and flags prominent during the exploration of the American continent, hang inside Palace Arms. There are objects in the display cases at the entrance of the restaurant that date to the 1700s and include an ornate silver centerpiece commissioned by the British royal family. Inside Palace Arms, the Independence Room offers private dining for groups up to 24. Its curved walls are decorated with wallpaper made from Alsatian wood blocks depicting various stages of historical independence. This wallpaper also currently hangs in the Diplomatic Receiving Room at the White House in Washington, DC .

A perfect complement to Palace Arms, Churchill Bar opened in 1996 in space once occupied by founder Henry C. Brown’s office. Designed as a sophisticated retreat off the atrium lobby, Churchill Bar offers the finest in premium spirits and rare and popular cigars. Featuring a library-like atmosphere with bookshelves lining the walls, a sleek plasma screen TV, and rich, red leather wing back chairs and couches, Churchill Bar creates an ideal ambiance for cocktails either before or after a succulent meal in Palace Arms. A customized humidor with a wide selection of cigars, as well as an elaborate ventilation system, has been included to attract the cigar aficionado. Churchill Bar also serves lunch and appetizers.

Opened in 1934 after the repeal of prohibition, Ship Tavern is the oldest restaurant in the hotel. The décor includes a collection of sailing ship models Boettcher acquired on a visit to Cape Cod , as well as a complete mast and crow’s nest, an old ship’s clock and Jamaican rum barrels. A casual menu featuring an award-winning prime rib, Rocky Mountain trout, and Kobe beef and buffalo burgers, complements the Ship Tavern’s vast selection of beers, microbrews and wines. 

With live piano entertainment each Wednesday through Saturday evening, the room is widely known as a piano bar. The consistently superior service in the Ship Tavern is maintained in part by three of the restaurant’s servers who have enjoyed 25+ year careers in the Tavern, gladly sharing tales of the hotel’s earlier days. 

Ellyngton’s is the hotel’s main dining room, serving breakfast, lunch and Sunday Champagne Brunch. From the expanse of the room, windows overlook Denver ’s bustling financial district, making Ellyngton’s a popular local choice for “power meals.” 

Although it is the hotel’s newest restaurant, Ellyngton’s is the sixth name and décor change to take place in The Brown’s southernmost corner. Little is known about the first restaurant, the Renaissance Room, but the second, the Casanova Room, was created to match the exuberance of the Roaring Twenties. When the silk-draped room was destroyed by fire in 1935, the New Casanova Room was decorated in Art Deco style. In 1941, it became the Emerald Room and quickly became the hub for Denver society. In 1958, it was decorated in Italian style and known as the San Marco Room , where weekend entertainment included dancing to big band music and performances by the strolling San Marco Strings. Renamed Ellyngton’s in 1988, today the restaurant serves guests a wide variety of selections for each meal, catering both to those on the go and those wanting to enjoy a leisurely meal. The Dom Perignon Sunday Brunch at Ellyngton’s has become quite the affair in Denver . Featuring cooked- and carved-to-order items, an enormous salad and seafood presentation, chef-prepared desserts, a decadent chocolate fountain and three choices of champagne, it is an affair to remember.

The long-standing tradition of ‘taking tea' at The Brown Palace has been cherished by guests for more than a century. Today, Afternoon Tea is served daily in the warm light of the atrium lobby, always with the soothing sounds of a harpist or pianist. Specially commissioned Royal Daulton bone china graces each tea table, along with engraved silver tea pots. Scones, tea pastries and tea sandwiches are artfully prepared by the hotel's culinary staff each day and Devonshire cream is shipped directly from . Loose leaf twinings tea is properly steeped for five minutes before being carried to the table by experienced servers who have been schooled in the fine art of English tea service. A full complement of wines, champagnes, sherries and ports are also available.

Guests visiting the new $3 million Spa at The Brown Palace can order from a menu of healthy, organic specialties while being pampered in the tranquil new facility. Whole wheat chicken souvlaki, wild salmon with lemongrass sauce, and artisan penne pasta are just a few of the delicious options. Spa visitors are also treated to complimentary organic teas and dried fruits.


About Chef de Cuisine, Palace Arms Restaurant – Thanawat Bates

A native of , Thanawat Bates has served as Chef de Cuisine for the hotel’s fine dining restaurant, Palace Arms, since February 2005. In this position, he supervises its culinary staff and is responsible for the New American cuisine for this award-winning restaurant at the Four-Star, Four-Diamond Brown Place Hotel & Spa. In addition to these duties, Chef Bates finds the time to showcase his innovative and ingredient-driven approach through various tastings he does for guests and events. Tastings have ranged from the use of Pop Rocks and peanut butter and jelly to foie gras root beer floats and deconstructive lobster poppers. Prior to joining the Brown Palace , Chef Bates worked as banquet chef for the Ritz Carlton Washington , D.C. With Chef Michael Mina, he helped open the St. Regis Monarch Beach Hotel & Spa in Dana Point , California . He has also worked at the St. Regis Hotel & Spa in Century City , Stage at Café Atlantico with Chef José Andrés, and the Vail Cascade Resort in Colorado .