Modest but far from mundane

Many Denver restaurants can boast a good meal, and many do, but there are few that have the brilliant humility of The Squeaky Bean. 

A quaint café nestled in the Highlands, this spot strums a nostalgic chord with its tile floors and large wooden bar. The menu is short and succinct, and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable. The Squeaky Bean’s lack of pretentiousness is as refreshing as its fresh fare.

The Squeaky Bean’s quality ingredients are derived from their own urban garden, as well as from local farms. They craft their menus based upon the fruits of the season. The result of this care is that everything stays delicious year round. Instead of eating canned or frozen foods, the Bean diner enjoys tasty food at its natural prime.

Alluding to its namesake, the bean salad sets the stage with a mountain of crunchy—and lengthy—green beans dressed in crème fraiche. Each bite is crispy, creamy, and replete with cubes of pancetta. The salad would benefit from more almonds and salt, but it still leaves a delectable impression.

In addition to their salads, Squeaky Bean serves a couple notable small plates for a more carnivorous appetite. The pig platter serves up four varieties of cured meats drizzled with oil presented on the backside of a wooden pig. More remarkably, their chicken liver mousse is house-made and plenty is packaged in the jar. Paired with house-made cranberry preserves and mustard, the fluffy spread is fantastically rich.

Sandwiches at Squeaky are built upon the strong foundation of excellent bread baked locally at City Bakery. The grilled lamb reuben has ample flavor and the perfect texture. Sinking your teeth into its crunchy exterior releases the warm juices of sauerkraut, hot cheese, and Thousand Island dressing. 

But the real reason to visit The Squeaky Bean is to partake in their fabled tuna conserva. A ribbon of celery dances atop a generous pile of tuna salad served open-face on toasted bread. Robust chunks of tuna are mixed with velvety avocado, crisp celery, crunchy pine nuts, and just the right amount of capers. A delicate side salad is lightly dressed with a sweet apple citrus vinaigrette. And yes, it does taste as good as it sounds.

While the Squeaky Bean may offer one of the best lunches in Denver, they remain approachable through their straightforward style.  

The Squeaky Bean 3301 Tejon St 303.284.0053 www.thesqueakybean.net
 

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