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  DOWNTOWN GRAND JUNCTION A variety of cuisine and entertainment By Bob Kretschman
Downtown Grand Junction offers a variety of options for filling your hungry belly at dinnertime and then making an evening of it by taking in some high-quality entertainment. An event dedicated to the cuisine available in the Grand Junction area is the annually scheduled Taste of the Grand Valley takes place at Two Rivers Convention Center downtown. Local restaurants, caterers, hotels, and other food- and drink-related vendors will serve samples of their finest specialties between 4 and 8 p.m. The event has enough space for as many as 50 vendors, and if visitors to the Taste of the Grand Valley leave hungry, it's their own fault. Taste of the Grand Valley is a fund-raiser for United Way of Mesa County. Advance tickets cost $12 each, and tickets at the door cost $15 each. For more information and dates, visit www.unitedwaymesacounty.org. Can't make it to the Taste of the Grand Valley? Set aside a day to experience the culinary opportunities available in downtown Grand Junction, then plan on an evening event to help all that tasty food settle. Here are a few suggestions, although the list is far from complete. If you're in the mood for coffee and bagels for breakfast, consider Main Street Bagels, 559 Main St. The shop offers one of Grand Junction's largest varieties of bagels and serves an eye-opening cup of coffee as well. Early-birds looking for a stick-to-your-ribs traditional breakfast will find it at longtime local favorite Talley's Barbecue and Biscuit Factory, 623 Main St., or at Lois's Place, 241 Grand Ave., Unit 2. If you're just looking for a cup of joe to wake you up, stop by Colorado Java House, on the sunny corner at 502 Colorado Ave., or Coffee Muggers, in the breezeway at 620 Main St. Downtown Grand Junction is full of excellent restaurants for lunch. While you're enjoying a burger and shake,
Pablo's Pizza, 319 Main St., offers the most unique pizzas you'll find anywhere, and Junct'n Square Pizza, 119 N. 7th St., serves the best antipasto salad in the region. For dinner, take your favorite person to The Winery, 642 Main St., a long-time local favorite that specializes in making your meal a tasty and relaxing experience. Fans of fine Italian food won't want to miss the offerings of Dolce Vita II, 336 Main St., or il Bistro Italiano, 400 Main St. French cuisine is the specialty at Rendez Vous, 317 Main St. The downtown area's newest restaurant, whose name, 626 on Rood, is also its address, is assembling one of the finest wine bars in the area. To find even more options for downtown dining, visit www.downtowngj.org and click "Eat." You've spent all day eating; now go and have some fun. If there's a full moon in the sky, chances are that the Blue Moon Bar and Grille, 120 N. 7th St., is having one of its monthly "Full Moon" parties. Boomer's, a popular night club at 436 Main St., offers a dance floor and a variety of musical entertainment. The Cabaret Dinner Theater, 701 Main St., serves a full evening of satisfaction, beginning with dinner and ending with a live performance. Show and ticket information are available at www.thecabaret.net. Cinema at the Avalon presents fine independent and foreign films on several evenings each week. The films are shown at the historic Avalon Theatre, a performing-arts and motion-picture venue built in 1923. The theater, located at 7th and Main streets, is the site of many of western Colorado's top cultural events. For information about the Cinema at the Avalon schedule, visit www.downtowngj.org and click "Avalon Theatre." Live entertainment is also available at the Mesa Theater and Club, 538 Main St. Local and regional bands, as well as nationally known artists, regularly appear at the Mesa Theater. For more information, visit www.mesatheater.com. |
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