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Diverse Dining List

Golden Burro Cafe and Lounge in CO

4/12/2019

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Lunch in Leadville!
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Leadville is known for being the highest incorporated town in the United States. 10,152 feet is pretty high!

But I will always associate the once booming mining town, with the Golden Burro Cafe. The first time I laid eyes on the cafe/bar was when traveling with my sister in 1977.  I've spotted it on a few other trips, while passing through.
Two years ago, Don and I finally stopped for lunch!

Yellow and Blue

​The colorful building looked just the way I remembered it! 
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When it was built in 1888, there was no adorable burro sign, or yellow and blue paint. The structure housed a bakery, hardware store and music store, until the 1930's, when Roy Pray opened his business. By the late '30's, "Ray's Lunch" suddenly became "Golden Burrow Cocktail Lounge", open 24/7. At that time, the nearby mines kept 19 brothels in operation. There was a constant flow of hungry and thirsty customers day and night, at Golden Burro!

Diner

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In June 2017, Don and I expected to see plenty of tourists when we stepped inside. But the middle room, felt much more like the local diner.

Lots to Read 

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There was lots to look at and read, while we waited for a table to open up. The sign catering to bicycle friends, was a reminder that "tourists" come in big groups. We were glad to be sharing the cafe with the "Rocky Mountain Billy Goat" and locals... not mobs of travelers.

​A Real Burro
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This old photo was one of my favorites. I have always adored burros... which I used to call  donkeys, until I moved to Texas. I guess that's because I grew up east of the Mississippi River. Is that a real thing?
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Neon Burro
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This is the booth I really had hoped for. It was right beside the mirror and yellow glass. I was very amused by all the donkey treasures, especially the old neon sign. I think that was originally on the outside of the building.

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Dining Counter
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The room to the right of the entrance had a dining counter that looked pretty retro. I believe the back bar was part of the original business, when they were serving those cocktails round the clock.

More Burros
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The woman behind the counter looked a little busy as she cleaned. I decided not to ask her if she'd ever counted all the burros in the cafe and bar. I liked the larger one in the center, best.

Dave in the Brass Ass Saloon
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For 50 years the Golden Burro was nicknamed the Brass Ass by locals. Now the name is used for the saloon section of the business. I lucked out and got to meet owner, Dave Wright. He and his wife saved the run down Golden Burro, when they purchased about 15 years ago.

Dave

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The Back Room
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Dave showed me the back section of the saloon. There were vintage costumes for photo shoots and lots of tables for playing poker. He said I could learn to play Faro too... whatever that is?
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Dave told me he'd moved to Leadville over 30 years ago. He said The Burro became so run down, the locals wouldn't even eat there. He worried about selling it someday. "They'll probably just tear it down and build a condos." He was a good spirited guy, but concerned that so few care about history anymore.

Time to Dine

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When we were finally seated, I had a good time with the menu. There were a lot of photos and bits of history throughout the menu  Luckily the cover image, of a Leadville hanging in 1886, didn't ruin my appetite. 

I ordered the "Burro-ito" because I was embracing the burro theme! It was huge and tasty and way more than I could eat.

Feasting
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Don ordered the Meatloaf Dinner, "Just like Mom used to make." It came with dark gravy and a twice baked potato. The medley of broccoli and cauliflower had a decent cheese sauce and it all started with a cup of bean soup! Pretty good for a small town cafe where miners used to hang out!

No Doggy Bags For Us
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We could barely make a dent in our meals. We tried to convince our server Holly that we did indeed enjoy our meal... we were traveling and could not take leftovers. She apologized again for our wait and we assured her we'd enjoyed ourselves while we wandered around.

As we headed to the car I looked up that sweet burro one more time. Darn, I wish it had been closer to evening. I would love to see that sign lit at night.

​Another time!
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  • Homepage
  • Little Bear's Adventures
  • Diverse Dining List
  • 90 Notable Nights
  • Happy List
  • Quilt Adventure Blog
  • Not So Happy List
  • The Texas Twenty List
  • Mom's Picnic List
  • 18+ Dance Adventures
  • 55 Strangers
  • The Barbie Bucket List
  • 60 Celebrations
  • 57 Celebrations of the Fifties!