Out on the Town

 If you're like us (i.e. tired of Starbucks and not in the mood to pull yourself together for a sit-down breakfast/brunch thing), try The Crushery, a new bagel and panini shop that just opened off South Pearl. It's casual, fun and completely affordable.  Here's how it works, you get to choose your carb of choice (panini or bagel)and then top it with any one of 75 homemade ingredients including everything from basics like ham, egg and cheese to more gourmet combos such as

 shredded pork, bacon, green chiles, queso fresco and chipotle aioli, or lox, shallot-caper cream cheese, and red onion. After you've built the sandwich you can eat it as is or opt to have it "crushed" in a panini machine for a hot and toasty mess of good eating. And when you go, make sure to give one of their "stuffed" desserts a try. They are all beyond words delicious, easily feed two, and are cheap at $3.50 a pop. While the whole "stuffed" shtick is a little gimmicky, we're not one to complain when it comes to brownies  being packed full of chocolate cream cheese, peanut butter, almonds, cheesecake, or chocolate and caramel. 

The Crushery may not be Zone-friendly but it sure makes for a good way to kick off the day.

Visit The Crushery at 1579 S. Pearl Street, 303.733.4117 www.crushery.com 

Editor's Note: We apologize for promoting Elway's Restaurant in the January 16th article. Many readers wrote in and let us know that its founder, John Elway, was a proponent of Amendment # 2 and was a vocal activist against the legalization of gay marriage.