Hidden away as it is in a mixed-use complex of lofts in the emerging RiNo district, no one saw Fuel coming two years ago. But come it has. Bob Blair’s quirky café is an oasis of inventive contemporary cooking that displays a myriad of Mediterranean influences at lunch—when the sandwiches range from pan bagnats to banh mi—and dinner, where scallop gazpacho beckons alongide peach barbecued pork. It’s the housemade pasta, though, that really puts this place on the map, paired with a wine list that emphasizes boutique finds. Speaking of finds, kicking back on the patio on a sunny summer’s eve, you’ll feel as though you just made a major discovery.

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