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Lola Coastal Mexican

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Lola Coastal Mexican’s Renovation Brings a Fresh Seaside Retreat

by Susan Stapleton
Walk through the front door and you are greeted to shades of blue and nautical ropes at Lola Coastal Mexican.
| Jonathan Phillips

Lola Coastal Mexican, the 17-year-old coastal Mexican restaurant in the Lower Highland neighborhood in Denver, went through a renovation with a Hollywood heavyweight taking the lead. Owner Dave Query asked his longtime friend and interior designer Kari Whitman, who has worked on hotels in New York, Baltimore, and Los Angeles, to add her eco-friendly design elements to the space.

Now the space feels like stepping into an oceanside retreat with its white-and-blue decor, open space, and sunny feel. New elements include chunky ropes, graphic wallpaper, glass buoy light fixtures in shades of blue, a rope chandelier, murals of horses on the beach and a woman with a red flower in her hair, and tables that use the pine reclaimed from Lola’s former floor.

A three-person swing on the patio gives diners a view into the dining room. The bar features garage doors for easy access to patrons out on the patio as well as a 14-top table for large groups or communal seating. The patio has two different styles of table seating.

Lola Coastal Mexican also sports a downstairs bar and seating area for a more intimate dining experience.

Lola Coastal Mexican
A chandelier hangs in the main entryway for the dining room.
Jonathan Phillips
Four- and six-top tables have a view into the kitchen toward the right of the dining room at Lola Coastal Mexican.
Four- and six-top tables have a view into the kitchen toward the right of the dining room at Lola Coastal Mexican.
Jonathan Phillips
A closer view of the wall art at Lola Coastal Mexican.
A closer view of the wall art at Lola Coastal Mexican.
Jonathan Phillips
Blue chandeliers light the tables leading toward the back of the dining room at Lola Mexican Kitchen.
Blue chandeliers light the tables leading toward the back of the dining room at Lola Mexican Kitchen.
Jonathan Phillips
Lola Coastal Mexican
A rope chandelier highlights the tables in the back of the restaurant with a mural of horses running on a beach.
Jonathan Phillips
The section of tables leading toward the outdoor patio features a mural of a woman with a red flower in her hair.
The section of tables leading toward the outdoor patio features a mural of a woman with a red flower in her hair.
Jonathan Phillips
Once outside on the patio look left and this is what you’ll see. The patio has two different styles of table seating.
Once outside on the patio look left and this is what you’ll see. The patio has two different styles of table seating.
Jonathan Phillips
Look right on the patio for a swing bench table with blue and gold themed tables as well.
Look right on the patio for a swing bench table with blue and gold themed tables as well.
Jonathan Phillips
Back inside the space, the bar stretches down lined with garage doors for easy access to patrons out on the patio as well as a 14-top table for large groups or communal seating.
Back inside the space, the bar stretches down lined with garage doors for easy access to patrons out on the patio as well as a 14-top table for large groups or communal seating.
Jonathan Phillips
A view across the 14-top table toward the bar at Lola Coastal Mexican.
A view across the 14-top table toward the bar at Lola Coastal Mexican.
Jonathan Phillips
A look back from the front of Lola Coastal Mexican.
A look back from the front of Lola Coastal Mexican.
Jonathan Phillips
Lola also sports a downstairs bar and seating area for a more intimate dining experience.
Lola Coastal Mexican also sports a downstairs bar and seating area for a more intimate dining experience.
Jonathan Phillips
The downstairs bar at Lola Coastal Mexican
The downstairs bar at Lola Coastal Mexican
Jonathan Phillips
The stuffed chile gueros at Lola Coastal Mexican feature Ensenada beer-battered chilis stuffed with blue crab and shrimp with a cilantro soy dipping sauce.
The stuffed chile gueros at Lola Coastal Mexican feature Ensenada beer-battered chilis stuffed with blue crab and shrimp with a cilantro soy dipping sauce.
Jonathan Phillips
The Lola guacamole is prepared table side with fried lentils and spicy chickpeas.
The Lola guacamole is prepared table side with fried lentils and spicy chickpeas.
Jonathan Phillips
The charred octopus with pipian, salsa semilla, chipotle aioli, and potatoes at Lola Coastal Mexican
The charred octopus with pipian, salsa semilla, chipotle aioli, and potatoes at Lola Coastal Mexican
Jonathan Phillips
The Jonah crab claw cocktail is served with a creamy salsa verde at Lola Coastal Mexican.
The Jonah crab claw cocktail is served with a creamy salsa verde at Lola Coastal Mexican.
Jonathan Phillips
The surf and turf tostada comes with ahi tuna, dried pork machaca, charred jalapeno crema, pickled onion and avocado at Lola Coastal Mexican.
The surf and turf tostada comes with ahi tuna, dried pork machaca, charred jalapeno crema, pickled onion and avocado at Lola Coastal Mexican.
Jonathan Phillips
The She-She’s green gazpacho features tomatillos, avocado, cucumber and roasted poblano peppers at Lola Coastal Mexican.
The She-She’s green gazpacho features tomatillos, avocado, cucumber and roasted poblano peppers at Lola Coastal Mexican.
Jonathan Phillips
The shrimp ceviche negro comes tossed with black ash salsa, burnt cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and red onion at Lola Coastal Mexican.
The shrimp ceviche negro comes tossed with black ash salsa, burnt cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and red onion at Lola Coastal Mexican.
Jonathan Phillips
For dessert, the grilled sweet corn cake with fresh milk ice cream topped with macerated blueberries.
For dessert, the grilled sweet corn cake with fresh milk ice cream topped with macerated blueberries.
Jonathan Phillips
The white sangria with pinot grigio, Family Jones gin, and apricot brandy mixed with a house-made citrus macerate at Lola Coastal Mexican.
The white sangria with pinot grigio, Family Jones gin, and apricot brandy mixed with a house-made citrus macerate at Lola Coastal Mexican.
Jonathan Phillips

• Mexican Restaurant Plans a Major Overhaul with a Hollywood Designer Refreshing the Space [EDEN]

• Baja’s Javier Plascencia Takes Over the Kitchen at Lola [EDEN]

• All Coverage of Lola Coastal Mexican [EDEN]

Lola Coastal Mexican

1575 Boulder Street, , CO 80211 (720) 570-8686 Visit Website
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