Entry No. 23 — the Denver file — filed under: food
The Cherry Tomato
An old-school, friends-run Italian room that's barely changed since 1997, hidden in a little retail pocket among the houses and parkways of Park Hill. The building was a church and then a drug store before it was filled with exposed brick, high vaulted ceilings, and the smell of homemade minestrone and lasagna. The signature Pasta Felese and the lasagna are the reasons regulars have been coming for 25-plus years. Dinner only, closed Mondays — it's the kind of place you only find because someone who lives nearby tells you.
The story
If you drive down 23rd Avenue past Dahlia Street, you'd never guess a former church-turned-drug-store sits tucked right between the residential porches of Park Hill—and honestly, you didn't hear it from us, but the regulars who keep it packed prefer it that way. Before four neighborhood couples got on their knees to scrub the space and open The Cherry Tomato in 1997, the corner building had already lived a full life as a place of worship, a local pharmacy, and a bakery. Look up past the wooden bar and crowded tables and you'll spot the high vaulted ceilings, rough brick walls, and aged plaster that betray its holy and pharmaceutical roots, now thoroughly steeped in the smell of simmering garlic and red sauce.
When chef Tom Felese and his partners launched the room, they built a cozy, open-kitchen setup where cooks work frantically in full view of the dining floor. The menu hasn't felt the slightest urge to change in over twenty-five years, anchored by the signature Pasta Felese—a generous tangle of farfalle bow-ties, chicken, artichoke hearts, peas, and sun-dried tomatoes coated in a pesto white-wine cream sauce. Between those bow-ties, thick slabs of baked lasagna, and bowls of homemade minestrone, it remains an unpretentious neighborhood secret that has outlasted decades of Denver food trends without ever putting up a flashy sign.
What it's like
You step off a dark, tree-lined residential sidewalk into a small, bustling dining room where the open kitchen sits right on the floor with the bar and tables. The rich scent of garlic, marinara, and warm bread hits you the moment you cross the threshold, and servers quickly land a generous basket of crusty bread with seasoned oil for dipping. Weekends get slammed with lines out the door, so aim for a calmer weeknight or call ahead to get on the waitlist. Parking is strictly along the surrounding neighborhood streets, so budget a few extra minutes to find a spot a block away and keep your voice down when walking past the neighbors' lawns.
The move: Book a quiet weeknight dinner, share the minestrone and a lasagna under the old vaulted church ceilings, and lean into the unchanged-since-1997 throwback charm.
📍 Before you go Find it on a residential corner in a small retail pocket tucked among the houses and tree-lined parkways of Park Hill, just off Dahlia Street — there's no flashy frontage, so watch for the sign rather than expecting a strip of restaurants. Parking is on the surrounding neighborhood streets, so arrive a few minutes early and be respectful of the residents. The room is small and runs on regulars: weeknights feel calmer than weekends, larger groups should call ahead to reserve, and smaller parties join a call-ahead waitlist. It's dinner-only and hours shift seasonally, so confirm before you go. Pair it with a stroll through nearby City Park.
- 📍 Park Hill / Mayfair
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 4645 E 23rd Ave, Denver, CO 80207 (in a former church/drug store on a residential corner)
Hours: Dinner only; closed Mondays. Confirm hours on cherrytomatodenver.com or OpenTable before going.
Pair it with
- The Art Garage — Pair an evening of red sauce with an afternoon visit to this nonprofit art studio crammed into a converted Park Hill mechanic's shop.
- Chicky the Prairie Dog — Sneak into the Denver Museum of Nature & Science to spot a taxidermy prairie dog inside a geode before heading down 23rd Avenue for pasta.
- Park Hill Treasures — Browse vintage booths inside a converted Colfax bank vault before slipping north into quiet Park Hill for dinner.
- Glowing Wild at Denver Zoo — Walk among giant illuminated animal lanterns across City Park on spring nights, then warm up over lasagna just down the road.
Good to know
Where is The Cherry Tomato located?
It is tucked on a residential corner at 4645 E 23rd Ave (at Dahlia Street) in Park Hill, operating out of a former church and drugstore building.
What are the operating hours and reservation policies?
The restaurant is open for dinner only and closed on Mondays. Smaller parties join a call-ahead waitlist, while larger groups should call to reserve; confirm seasonal hours before heading out.
What are the house signature dishes?
Order the Pasta Felese—farfalle with chicken, artichokes, peas, and sun-dried tomatoes in pesto white-wine cream sauce—or the homemade lasagna and minestrone.
Where do visitors park?
There is no private lot, so you will park along the curb on the surrounding residential streets of Park Hill.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · ingoodtastedenver.com · Westword
last checked: 2026-06-07