Speer - Denver Neighborhood Guide

Foodie-friendly · Historic · Easy-going · Casual · Vintage

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• Neighborhood Vibe
• Our Favorite Spots
• Things to Know

Although Speer is one of Denver’s lesser-known neighborhoods (compared to neighboring Cap Hill and Platt Park), this area has its own vibrant and unique character. A small hub with a residential feel, Speer offers downtown convenience without the hustle and bustle. This neighborhood is a small but growing location, with restaurants popping up everywhere and enticing boutiques lining the roads. You’ll find green space right in your backyard with the Hungarian Freedom Park, Alamo Placita Park, and Denver Country Club. The Cherry Creek Trail connects this neighborhood all the way to Commons Park in LoDo and provides a great place to run, bike, or walk the dog. During the weekdays, Cherry Creek Trail is a main commuter trail for people who bike to work.

South Broadway borders this neighborhood to the West and has inspired Speer, Baker, and Wash Park West to be lumped together and nicknamed SoBo. This area has emerged as a no-frills good time that never disappoints. Taking on Baker’s burgeoning arts district and just north of a myriad of vintage shops, Speer/SoBo is a great place for music lovers and foodies who prefer to steer clear of the mainstream. This neighborhood is home to many of Denver’s greatest dive bars and some of the city's best music venues. The residential streets remain relatively quiet and provide ample space for after-work strolls with the pooch. Speer housing options are mostly single-family homes, with the occasional mid-rise complex. Speer is the perfect place to live if you seek the quieter side of Denver while still having plenty of food and drink options to keep you entertained on the weekends.

Neighborhood Vibe

This small neighborhood is definitely growing quickly. Although it is one of the quieter districts of Denver, by no means is there nothing to do here. Cocktail lounges, breweries, vintage thrift stores, and restaurants are sprinkled throughout Speer and leave residents with many options for hip hangouts. The pace is slower than other downtown neighborhoods, but the options remain plentiful.

Favorite Spots

One of Denver’s most prized brunch spots, Lucile’s Creole Cafe, steals the show with inspired Southern dishes and the fluffiest beignets you’ll get outside of New Orleans. If shopping is your thing, check out Antique Row for over 100 vintage shops. Catch an independent or foreign-language film at the Art Deco-inspired Mayan Theater. Grab a beer and become a local at Grandma’s House, and have an empanada from La Chiva’s food truck.

Things to Know

Speer Boulevard is a main road that runs diagonally through Denver. Although many apartment complexes are located along Speer Boulevard, the actual neighborhood of Speer is farther South. This area has recently been called South Broadway (shortened to SoBo, in typical Denver fashion), and these two names are often used interchangeably.