The idea of Australian cuisine might not immediately conjure up distinct images to most diners, but Two Hands founder and CEO Henry Roberts is working to change that, most recently with a new location of the eight-unit concept in Denver.
“Since we opened our first location 10 years ago in New York City, Denver has always stood out as a city that could be a good fit for the brand because of its focus on active lifestyle, healthy eating, and strong communities,” Roberts said. “The first time I walked down Tennyson Street [on Denver’s west side], I knew it was going to be a perfect place for Two Hands. There was such a warm, inviting vibe that really resonated with me.”
Roberts opened Two Hands Café in the Nolita area of New York City in 2014. Since then the company expanded beyond NYC and into Austin and the Nashville suburb of Franklin, Tenn., as well as Montauk, N.Y., on Long Island. Now, Two Hands also resides in the Berkeley neighborhood in Denver, inside a 3,000-square-foot space in what used to be a furniture store. The corner space, now referred to as The Lantern, also houses The Salty Donut from Miami, and Sweetgreen out of Los Angeles. But just because two hands is a chain, just like its neighbors, that doesn’t mean Roberts wants diners to feel that way.
While serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, the idea of the restaurant is to source local foods and speak to the seasonality of each spot. At least, as far as that will go and still keep menus consistent with Australian food favorites such as Goan-Style Coconut Curry ($19); Burrata with roti, kasundi, dukkah, and paprika oil ($15); and a roast half chicken with West African spices, coconut wild rice, Ivorian sesame gravy, and lemon ($26).
Brunch includes more world-wide favorites such as lemon-poppyseed waffles ($17), a salmon quinoa bowl ($25), and the seasonal scrambled eggs ($17), which recently featured macadamia nut pesto, peas, mint, snap pea salad, white balsamic vinegar, feta cheese, and lemon on toasted sourdough. Each menu comes with a dietary guide to help diners navigate food allergies and sensitivities.
Roberts said Australian food is a meshing of all the cultures that have made up the 123-year-old country, speaking to the history, geography and diverse population. The melting pot of ingredients and spices found include za’atar, harissa and miso. Desserts at Two Hands such as the Coconut and Key Lime Pavlova ($12) also speaks to the country as many believe the meringue-based dessert was developed there (others insist it’s from New Zealand).
Another aspect to Australian dining comes through the freshness of produce and meat. The country is known for farms and ranches, which is one reason Roberts sticks to local, seasonal, and high-quality foods.
While Roberts works on securing more local partnerships in Colorado, he still uses purveyors outside the state to get most ingredients. One place Roberts sources food is from his own Stockwood Farms, in New York’s Hudson Valley. Currently the farm supplies beef and pork to Two Hands, but Roberts has plans for more. In fact, he said, his family lives on the farm, giving them not just access to the food, but hands-on involvement as well.
The two hands on the food, pun intended, are orchestrated by Barney Hannagan, culinary director for all the restaurants. The chef recently moved to Denver to help run the space and create those local relationships.
“Tennyson [Street] feels like a local and welcoming neighborhood that has already embraced us,” Hannagan said. “The area reminds me of many Australian neighborhoods, where a new concept opens and caters to both locals and visitors alike, which makes our team at Two Hands feel right at home.”
This sentiment goes hand-in-hand with Australian café culture. Roberts said with Two Hands, he wants to tap into the laidback feeling with excellent food by creating a place casual enough to eat at multiple times a week, but nice enough to bring visitors and have celebrations.
Already Two Hands has melded into the neighborhood scene, offering craft cocktails, classic drinks, local beer, and wine (including a Pét-Nat from Australia). In keeping with the casual atmosphere, visitors can also choose from a vast coffee and tea menu, including lavender matcha ($7.50), iced latte ($6), Kimbala turmeric chai ($6.50), and more. Fresh smoothies and juices ($5.50 to $11) also cater to the breakfast and healthy-lunch crowd.
