Cafe Gio

After the much needed stimulation to my imagination and creativity by immersing myself at the "All American" exhibit in the next door building for a little over an hour, I came here to have a late morning coffee and pastry. Very clean and spacious; pastries displayed in a clear glass case which you usually see at any coffee shop. I got me my usual, a doppio. And to go along with it was one of the banana cakes. The young lady at the ordering counter pleasantly said ringing up my doppio with steamed/foamed milk on the side would be closest to the price of macchiato ($5); this sounded fair. Since I recently had a disappointing experience at a different coffee shop where they made my cappuccino like a latte, ordering two different things (doppio and steamed/foamed milk) so that I'd be able to do my own concoction was the right thing to do so thanks to Cafe Gio for being so flexible for my needs! I guess I can be a bit needy in this regard!!It was a quick go in, have a coffee and leave type situation as I would still need to go home and finish my tasks for my day job (I saw the exhibit utilizing my lunch hour) so I really didn't have any expectations towards this morning's routine of mine but the Banana Cake truly surprised me. Loved the icing on top! It tasted like a whipped cream but with right amount of sweetness. The sponge part was perfectly moist. And the portion size was just right for the price of $5. There are more items on the menu if you want something more savory. Nice casual cafe before and/or after seeing an exhibit. Very convenient!

This is a cool cafe in the Denver Art Museum. You can access from the main road (14th st) or from the inside of the museum.We went in to get something light to eat before our State Capitol tour and they delivered. My husband got a bagel and I got an avocado toast. Both were made to order and the staff was super friendly and nice...very professional.My avocado toast was not like other ones I've had before, this was an avocado spread with chickpeas on top, it was good, but not as meaty as I had expected. The bagel was nicely toasted.Prices were not bad for a museum coffee shop. Recommended.

We were doing a self-guided walking tour of Denver and found this eatery inside the art museum. We just wanted a light bite so my wife got smoked salmon toast and I got an iced chai. Both were fine and hit the spot. While looking for the bathroom I was stopped by a staff member near the museum exit, and I told him we had just eaten at the cafe. He let me through after that. Nothing too spectacular but perfectly fine for an eatery at the museum.

I never thought I'd get a lecture from a security guard while getting ready for a quiet afternoon in a cafe with a friend. Cafe Gio had become my go-to place for coffee meetings, and I'd been recommending it to friends for years. But after my experience yesterday (Saturday afternoon 5/18 at 2pm) that's over.I was making a quick trip to the restroom (just down the hall past the reception desk, no ticket checker to go through or anything like that) before my friend arrived. A security guard called me back - shouted me back. I said I was going to the cafe and was I allowed to use the restroom? I've been a member for a few years. "How are we supposed to know that?" he shouted.From my point of view, I was doing nothing wrong. I was a museum member and frequent visitor taking a quick bathroom break before paying another visit to the cafe (you read that right - a returning paying customer). From his point of view, I was some kind of vagrant.On the way back to the cafe, he called me aside and told me the restrooms are not for members of the public, and next time I need to check in with the security guard.Like several other museum cafes I've been to, you don't need to be a member to go to this one. But I guess you need to check in with a security guard now before you're allowed to have bodily functions.I'm disappointed, because I thought I'd found MY cafe. But after finding a table, having to fetch a napkin to wipe off the drying mayonnaise-like smears on the table (not the first time I've had to do that), then noticing one of the baristas talking to the security guard and giving me a look, I'm going to have to find another cafe where I can simply enjoy a coffee with a friend in peace like I'd planned to without having to deai with negative false fantasies being projected onto me.

Got an Iced Tea, a brownie and a goat cheese and turkey sandwich.That goat cheese sandwich was blessed by god. Either that, or I was really hungry.Brownie was several steps up from a Betty Crocker box mix, tad dry, but I wanted chocolate and she delivered. Chocolate makes me extremely ill, and I look forward to the stomach ache it will give me.The iced tea was nice. I guess I assumed iced tea would be the way southerners make it, with equal parts sugar and water. This is definitely a healthier version, so I had to result to adding several packets of sugar to it myself. This was not a successful endeavor. Tea still tastes good with lumps if Un-dissolved sugar in it, it's just maybe not the way your grandma makes it.

The drinks were good but took a little while which was okay because it's a nice place to sit for a moment. Bagels were also pretty good. Did see someone behind the counter eating/drinking without washing her hands before serving food and drinks though :/

I'm not sure why this place has such bad reviews. It's a great place to stop for a coffee or a snack if you are at the museum. I ordered a pain au chocolat and an iced matcha latte. They both tasted good and kept me from being hangry :)

Clean and brightly lit dining space. The menu was posted near the door and inside in 2 spots. They offer pastries, toasts, sandwiches, salads, bowls, snacks & beverages. I started with almond milk hot matcha latte. No surcharge for the almond milk. I got a smoked salmon toast and a Spring bowl. The salmon toast was great with lots of smoked salmon on top. The Spring bowl was super foods choice with mixed greens, sliced apples, blueberries, candied walnuts, quinoa, beets, goat cheese & green goddess dressing. Every ingredient was fresh and not too much dressing. I was served by Bradt L which was friendly and easy to talk to. They have multiple tables and a counter looking out toward Civic Center Park. There is also an outdoor patio.

Can you say Avocado toast? Cafe Gio has it!! Kaila liked it so much she ordered a second piece. I had the Turkey and Brie sandwich. It was fantastic and a generous portion. We had a nice view of Denver from our pull up stools at a dining bar. This is an alternative to The Ponti across the hall. The food arrives more quickly and is slightly less expensive. No reservation is required. However, Cafe Gio is pricey. Bring your wallet. Parking is in the art museum parking building and the cost was about six dollars. What a view...

The service was poor and a sad reflection on the other fine establishments associated with the Denver Art Museum. It's a coffee shop: I wanted coffee. I ordered a coffee and was told "we don't have coffee". Surprised, I repeated what the server said through her mask (the music was loud so I wanted to be sure I understood her). They ran out. Then I said "if you're out of coffee how can you make a latte?" "With espresso..." Me: "So you could make an Americano?" "Yes."Couldn't she have politely said "You see, it's late enough in the day that we have run out of regular coffee, but I could make you an Americano, how does that sound? " She was also very snarky to my friend who did not understand the milk choices (again, it was hard to understand the server with her mask on with the music so loud). When my friend asked for 2%, the woman looked at her and said "NO", then repeated the list of milk choices. It was clear she did not want to be there anymore, and the ambience was very uninviting. Most of the chairs were up on the tables because they were closing in a half an hour. The coffee shop was so much friendlier when it was in the gift shop, and it would be nice if it were a warmer and more inviting atmosphere for such a fine community treasure as the art museum. Not sure I will ever go back.