Chef Miles Odell has created something Denver didn't know it needed: a restaurant that serves hand-rolled, kettle-boiled bagels by day and transforms into an intimate kaiseki experience by night. Welcome to Odell's Bagel in Highland, where East meets West in the most delicious way possible.
By morning, Odell's operates as an exceptional bagel shop. The beauties emerging from the kitchen are topped with not only fresh-whipped cream cheese but complex combinations that hint at the chef's Japanese training—think vegan carrot lox with dill, capers, and red onion, or hamachi with soy, fresh wasabi, and shiso. These aren't your average bagels.
But the real magic happens at night. The Counter at Odell's offers a kaiseki experience that reflects Odell's time studying under masters like Hiroshi Sasaki in Japan. The hyperseasonal multicourse tasting takes guests on a kaleidoscopic journey of flavors, temperatures, and textures.
One visit might feature live hotate scallop in leche de tigre and Wagyu beef gyoza with aged black vinegar and chili crisp. The next could bring grilled duck breast in huckleberry soy with fairytale eggplant and donabe rice with corn, tomato, and salmon roe. Thoughtful wine and sake pairings complement every course.
Odell's background spans continents and cuisines, and his Highland restaurant brilliantly showcases that range. Few chefs could pull off such a dramatic daily transformation, but Odell makes it look effortless.
For Denver diners, Odell's represents the kind of creative ambition that elevates the entire food scene. It's a reminder that great restaurants don't have to fit into neat categories—sometimes the most exciting experiences are the ones that defy expectations entirely.