BY MIGUEL OTÁROLA, @MOTAROLA_EATS

Earlier this month, I visited the City Park Farmers Market with Justin Freeman, executive chef of Somebody People in Denver. He went looking for cucumbers, I for a glimpse at his process. Where does an omnivorous chef find inspiration in a vegan menu? For Freeman, the challenge is in re-creating any "missing" elements -- cheese, butter, the taste of his mom's cooking -- and carving a path forward by experimenting in the kitchen.

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EAT THIS

Moe's Broadway Bagel

Moe's Broadway Bagel gets a lot of things right about the bagel experience. Its location on 550 Grant St. in Denver has chalkboards behind the counter that list hot and cold sandwiches in multiple colors, and sunlight filters in through the storefront glass windows, warming the space and uplifting the spirit. All that would mean little if the bagels themselves weren 't of quality. The 'funky' chicken salad on a cheddar tomato bagel was stellar, a hearty sandwich with soft, chewy bread. Paired with an apple, I felt like a second-grader on a school field trip, giddy and taken care of.