The breakfast craze in Denver just won't stopWild Eggs Denver

When Wild Eggs opened up shop at 300 E. Alameda Ave. in a defunct Blockbuster last summer, the swollen crowds at Lucile's across the street saw an opening, a backup plan in case their own wait for eggs Pontchartrain became unbearable.

Soon enough, however, the lines at Wild Eggs started snaking ever longer, as brunch-hungry patrons saw its quirky menu as a first choice, not a backup.

Hatched in Louisville (Ky., not Colo.), the small Wild Eggs chain has Denver connections (the owners have deep family roots in Colorado), so a  Mile High​ expansion made sense.

What also makes sense: generous plates of huevos rancheros, Benedicts and other egg dishes, plus pancakes and waffles for the sweet-tooth crowd. Lunchtime sees a nice array of sandwiches, including a fried bologna sandwich with fontina cheese and, you guessed it, a fried egg. Cocktails, too.

Unless you enjoy hanging out and waiting for a table with like-minded eggheads (and there are those who do), come early on the weekends, or make time for breakfast during the week. Kids will love this place.

At the smart and upscale Wild Eggs, brunch is king and eggs are exalted. They’re also prepared beautifully, with a cheeky, globally influenced, egg-focused menu overseen by executive chef J. J. Kingery, who will be treating Beard House diners to a magnificent midday meal.

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Louisville, Ky-based restaurant known for its inventive twists on classic breakfast fare announced today it will open its first out-of-state restaurant in Denver's West Wash Park area.

Egg Headz LLC operates Wild Eggs and is scheduling its Denver opening for mid-summer, co-owners J.D. Rothberg and

Shane Hall said in a news release.

The breakfast/brunch/lunch restaurant, to be co-owned and run by Michael Rothberg — J.D.'s brother and a Denver resident — will be at 300 E. Alameda Ave. and accommodate 160 diners.

Egg Headz operates three restaurants in Louisville.

Among its signature items is Kalamity Katie's Border Benedict: green chili cheddar corn cakes topped with chorizo, two poached eggs, queso fundido, pico de gallo, sour cream, green onions and avocado.

Said J.D. Rothberg: "Denver is my hometown and I am excited to work alongside my brother as we launch our restaurant concept here. Wild Eggs has a lot to offer, and I know it will enrich the local culinary scene."

It's not all bourbon and KFC. Kentucky may know a thing or two about food after all, and it's bringing its know-how to Colorado. Wild Eggs, a Louisville-based breakfast super-mini-chain with Colorado roots is expanding into the state in the near future, according to the Denver Business Journal.

The paper reports:

With several locations in Louisville (Kentucky, not the Boulder neighbor), now Eggheadz has a management agreement effective this month with Rothberg's brother, Michael, under which Michael Rothberg would open as many as five Wild Eggs in Denver.

"At this point it's a matter of securing a property," J.D. Rothberg said. Michael Rothberg has signed a letter of intent on a building, J.D. Rothberg said. Details about the location have not been released.

Wild Eggs serves up homey, hearty basics like omelets, pancakes, eggs, soups, and sandwiches, mostly under $10.

According to the restaurant's website, the Rothbergs' great grandfather settled in Denver about a century ago and started up Zell's Potato Company. Breakfast is a tradition that has been passed down since.

December 5, 2010

Wild Eggs lives up to its name from the moment you step in the door. Customers are greeted by a glassed-in display of eggs of every description: large, small, white, speckled, brown — even robin’s egg blue! And that's fitting; after all, no place does eggs like Wild Eggs.

At its three locations, one near Dupont Circle, another in Westport Village and the newest in far eastern Jefferson County, Wild Eggs serves eggs every way you can imagine: scrambled, poached, basted, over-easy, sunny side up and “lacy” — that’s fried with the golden-brown, crispy filigreed edging.

Eggs are tucked into omelets of every sort, poached onto several whimsical interpretations of that old standby, eggs Benedict, and whipped into frittatas and stratas.

Take the egg-citing Breakfast Burrito ($8.95), a flour tortilla generously stuffed with scrambled eggs, chorizo, poblano peppers, onion and cheeses and topped with queso fundido, sour cream, pico de gallo, avocado cubes and green onion. Served with skillet-fried potatoes and cumin-laced black beans, the massive meal will have you begging for a take-home box!

Or try Wild Eggs’ nod to the traditional Hot Brown: the Kelsey “KY” Brown ($9.95). Roasted turkey and applewood-smoked bacon are layered on thick toasted sourdough bread and topped with a fried egg, diced tomatoes and a white-cheddar mornay sauce.

Or how about a Surfer Girl Omelet ($8.95), filled with wild mushrooms, fresh spinach, cream cheese, tomatoes and onion and then topped with avocado cubes, pico de gallo, sour cream and alfalfa sprouts? Or a cross between breakfast and dessert, such as the chocoholic’s dream come true known as CoCo’s Chocolate Concoction, a chocolate waffle topped with chocolate ice cream, chocolate chips, mini-marshmallows, house-made marshmallow cream, toasted almonds and powdered sugar?

You can chose from those and other menu items — or design your own omelet.  Three eggs and your choice of cheese (cheddar, Monterrey jack, havarti, fontina, goat or feta) runs just $4.95.

Need  a break from eggs? You’ll also find biscuits and gravy ($6.25), Crystal’s Wild Berry Crepes ($7.95), a wide assortment of pancakes, potato latkes ($1.95), various French toast and waffle offerings, and more.

For lunch, Wild Eggs carries French onion and wild mushroom soups, a soup of the day, several salads and assorted hamburgers and sandwiches. 

Weekends at Wild Eggs are especially crowded. Expect a 30- to 90-minute wait on Saturday or Sunday mornings.There's complimentary coffee for waiting patrons on weekends, and in good weather, morning customers can wait comfortably on the patio chairs at adjacent shops.

HelloLouisville Tip: Wild Eggs’ three locations are 3985 Dutchman’s Lane, near Village 8; 1311 Herr Lane in Westport Village, and 153 English Station Road in the Landis Lakes TowneCenter.

by Ivonne Rovira, Louisville Reporter for Hello Metro