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Colorado Springs is Now Open for Eating
Everything from hot dogs to haute cuisine will be dished at the U.S. Senior Open
BY JOHN LEHNDORFF
During the past century-plus, The Broadmoor has hosted numerous PGA and USGA tournaments, most recently the 2028 U.S. Senior Open. The most famous was the first event, the 1959 U.S. Amateur Open won by young Jack Nicklaus.
All that hosting experience will be put to good use June 25 to 29 when the U.S. Senior Open returns to The Broadmoor and thousands of hungry and thirsty golfers, officials, guests, volunteers and spectators converge on Colorado Springs.
They will discover food and drink options throughout the East Course. Guests staying at The Broadmoor will be able to access a remarkable roster of food and dining experiences. And the Colorado Springs area boasts unique culinary attractions for visitors from pizza, doughnuts and barbecue to fried chicken and candy.
FOOD ON THE COURSE
Dining areas throughout the U.S. Senior Open course are under the umbrella of Par Caterers, with years of experience at PGA and USGA Champion- ship events all over the country.
“We just got back from doing some special event private parties in Augusta for The Masters,” says Todd Hanson, owner of Par Caterers, calling from the company’s Minnesota warehouse.
At the U.S. Senior Open, Par Caters will serve everyone who isn’t eating inside the Broadmoor itself. “We’re focused on the public landscape for Joe and Jane Spectator who buy tickets and come out with their kids,” Hanson says.
“On any given day we’re going to have between 15,000 and 20,000 spectators walking around the property. It’s a little lighter earlier in the week with these championships. Friday, Saturday, Sunday are our big busy days,” he says.
FROM HOT DOGS TO VERDE PORK TACOS
No matter where you go on the U.S. Senior Open course, there will be food and drink available.“We’ve got eight concession stands throughout the property, from close to the clubhouse to the far edge of the course,” Hanson says.
The concession stands are staffed by volunteers from local nonprofit organizations, which receive a percentage of sales. “The menu tends to be pretty simple: handheld items: cheeseburger, hot dog, cold sandwiches and wraps,” he says. These include burgers and all-beef hot dogs. Other possibilities range from BBQ brisket or pulled chicken sandwiches, to turkey club croissants and plant-based Greek wraps.
Morning during the tournament starts with huevos ranchero burritos stuffed with chorizo, black beans, pico de gallo, and cotija cheese. When it comes to beer, the location called for one choice. “Coors is the golfers’ beer … in Colorado, anyway,” Hanson says.
For those hot afternoons at altitude, soft drink options range from Powerade and nonalcoholic beer to iced tea and the beverage of champions: Arnold Palmers. Free water will be available at USGA-sponsored refill stations.
Spectators walking the course will find other tastes at various stops on the course. Concessions near the 16th green add a cobb salad with chicken, ba- con and blue cheese, and bratwurst with sauerkraut is available at the 10th Fairway. The practice range stocks chips, snacks and beverages, including beer, cocktails and wine by the glass. The separately ticketed Trophy Club area breaks out upscale items like BBQ brisket nachos, verde pork tacos and a bison burger topped with arugula, mushrooms, pepper-jack cheese and truffle mayo.
“The bison burger- well, that’s something we definitely would not serve at a Florida tournament,” Hanson says with a chuckle. “We will also have local food trucks in a courtyard area behind the fourth green. People love them and it adds more kinds of foods to the event menu.”
THE BROADMOOR: A MENU OF DINING EXPERIENCES
Foodies love staying at The Broadmoor because it is like living for a few days above one of the coolest, classiest food halls in the country. The Resort is known internationally for its award-winning food, wine and exceptional service. Guests at The Broadmoor during the U.S. Senior Open will enjoy all ten of the Resort’s culinary attractions. Like Disneyland, The Broadmoor’s secret sauce is hidden behind its ornate façade in a huge kitchen and bakery and a gigantic wine cellar, according to Krista Heinicke, director of public relations at The Broadmoor.
“About 98 percent of what we serve to our guests is actually made on the property. We bake every piece of bread and pastries. We have a butcher area, a chocolatier, and a separate area for gelato,” Heinicke says. Those kitchens supply the restaurants, bars and shops along with room service and VIP catering for the U.S. Senior Open.
Ristorante del Lago: This modern Italian eatery focuses on fresh seafood, pizza and house-made pasta preparations such as casarecce with swordfish in a sauce of tomatoes, roasted eggplant, capers, olives, garlic and Calabrian chilies.
Summit: The menu at the airy contemporary American eatery includes house-smoked bacon wrapped around pork tenderloin with corn cake, charred shishitos and nopales with poblano salsa verde.
La Taverne: The French-inspired steak house specializes in towers of fresh seafood and entrees like Roquefort-crusted, 35-day dry-aged New York strip steak with pommes à la Lyonnaise and horseradish cream
The Grille: Overlooking the golf course, the casual eatery is famous for its Shrimp Salad a la Louis Stratta with avocado, tomatoes, boiled egg, baby lettuce and hearts of palm tossed with Louie dressing.
Restaurant 1858: Located next to a waterfall, the restaurant’s star dish is Colorado Red Trout prepared seven ways, including Barbecue, Mediterranean, Chile Verde and Al Pastor. The Western Slope-style trout is almond granola-crusted and plated with Palisade peach chutney.
Hotel Bar: The historic and totally clubby bar in The Broadmoor’s lobby offers master bartenders and small plates such as baked Colorado Mouco Camembert with pecans, blackberry bacon preserves and sesame lavosh crackers.
The Golden Bee: This 19th-century British pub was reassembled at The Broadmoor in 1961. Offerings include spot-on beer-battered cod fish and chips with cider coleslaw and dill tartar sauce.
Other food options at the resort include the Lake Terrace Dining Room for breakfast and elaborate Sunday brunches. Café Julie’s spotlights artisan pastries and chocolates (including U.S. Senior Open chocolate postcards).
THE REBIRTH OF THE ICONIC PENROSE ROOM
While it won’t be serving during the U.S. Senior Open, the most exciting culinary news this year at The Broadmoor is the relaunching of The Penrose Room. Generations of visitors knew its cushy confines as one of the state’s most acclaimed fine dining restaurants. “We are reopening Penrose room sometime in the late summer or early fall. The space was totally gutted, redesigned and upgraded,” Krista Heinicke says.
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