I’ve continued my search for the best French fries and my travels took me to the Williams and Graham speakeasy in Denver as well as their sister location in the Denver International Airport. I tried a couple zero-proof cocktails downtown and made the best out of a quick visit in the airport. I made a video to compare the experiences, but keep reading if you want a bit more detail.
Williams and Graham – LoHi location
Williams and Graham has been open since 2011 in the historical LoHi neighborhood. This space hasn’t always been a bar, but they do have a framed prescription for whiskey from back in the Prohibition days. There are lots of nods to the temperance movement throughout the bar, including the faux bookstore entrance where you pass through a secret doorway to the main room. The theming is immersive, and it’s hard to not feel like you’ve been transported to the 1930’s with the dim lights, polished hardwoods, and elaborate bartender stations.
Is it ironic for a non-alcoholic content creator to visit and review a speakeasy? Yeah, but Williams and Graham put a lot of care into their temperance (zero-alcohol) drink menu. Everything looked interesting, so I had my server surprise me with two different cocktails during the meal.
The first was the “Windowshopper” that leans into the bright and fruity cocktail family. The lime juice, berry tea, Okinawa brown sugar, and mint kept the drink approachable and light. Including Amass Riverine (an alcohol-free spirit) gave it a floral gin-like body. It was complex enough that I was comfortable sipping it slowly while I waited for my food, but it went down easy. My second drink came later in the meal and was a strong contrast. “Imposter Syndrome” contained three different non-alcoholic spirits (Giffard Aperitif, The Pathfinder, and Giesen Zero Proof Sauvignon Blanc) which were lightened with Strawberry Rosé Living Vinegar. The dominant notes were bitter, dry, and a little earthy, but the drink finished with a strong floral tang from the vinegar. I’d never seen rosé vinegar before, but it was a great compliment to the cocktail. My first few sips were honestly shocking, and I needed the large ice cube to melt down a bit and mellow the drink to my preference. I nursed it for at least 15 minutes, so if you want something to last a while then this would be a great option. Less approachable than the Windowshopper, but still very enjoyable.
Their food menu is what really prompted me to visit. I saw that they have “Malt Gastrique” fries, and that’s something I’ve never seen before. I love malt vinegar on my fries, especially with fish and chips. However, malt vinegar tends to saturate French fries and you can easily lose the crispy texture. By turning malt vinegar into a syrupy gastrique you’re solving that problem and also intensifying the malty flavors. I’m really impressed with this approach, even at the sacrifice of sticky fingers. The fries appeared to hand-cut (never got confirmation), partially skin-on, and about 9mm thick. They were crispy, well seasoned, and deliciously complimented by the garlicky aioli. Highly recommended. The burger was also exceptional. The dry-aged beef, fancy cheese, and caramelized onions were all very rich and satisfying, but I would have loved some pickles or something else to offset that richness. $21 for the burger and fries.
I finished the meal with a dessert and settled on the Lime Pie. It’s a lime mousse layered with a biscoff cookie crumble. As expected, it was very tart, but they kept the sweetness in check and it tasted very balanced and refreshing. If you don’t want chocolate, then this one is for you.
Williams and Graham – Denver International Airport
Williams and Graham opened their second location in the Denver airport in early 2025. It’s tucked into the A Gates with a clever recreation of their faux bookstore. It’s not obvious that this is a bar, but that’s not hindering its popularity. I needed to wait about 30 minutes for a single seat at the bar and then had to hustle a bit to finish my meal before my flight back to Seattle.
I could tell that they’re trying hard to keep a comparable experience to the downtown bar, but there are some limitations. The ambiance is nice, but “airport nice”. The lights are much brighter, the bar is much smaller, and the menu is streamlined for both food and drinks. There’s no dedicated zero-proof drink menu, and the bartenders have a very small area for their prep and ingredients. Even so, my server was more than happy to modify one of their regular cocktails for me, but it lacked the body and layers that I appreciated so much at the downtown spot. I think I had the Blackberry Sage Smash without the whiskey, and it was fine.
The fries were a bit slow to arrive, but I was excited to see the same malt gastrique syrup coating the potatoes. It was obvious that they’re not using the same fries for the dish, and I’m pretty confident that these were generic food service fries that you can expect from a lot of the other restaurants in the airport. The malt gastrique certainly improved them, but they were about 70% as good as the original. Similar thickness and also served crispy, but no skins and less flavor.
The Verdict
Ultimately, the vibe in the airport is lacking, but you can do a lot worse while waiting for a flight. Make sure you have enough time to wait for a table, and a bit more time to wait for your food and drinks. If you’re able, try to stop by the LoHi location. They’re open after 5pm, but I highly recommend you make a reservation.
Any other interesting places like this you think I should visit? Also, make sure you check out my social media channels. Photos and video at Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook. I’m trying to grow each of those platforms, so please follow/subscribe.
Sodafry 