Sap Sua
Vietnamese restaurant · Congress Park
2550 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80206
Highlights
Modern Vietnamese with creative riffs on classics.
Modern Vietnamese with creative riffs on classics.
"The light, bright flavors of Vietnam shine at Ni and Anna Nguyen’s white-hot East Colfax spot, where dishes like crispy veal sweetbreads in fish-sauce caramel, grilled pork shoulder with lemongrass and tamarind, and charred cabbage with anchovy breadcrumbs and egg yolk have gained an instantly loyal following. Cheeky cocktails such as the gin-based Tiger’s Milk flavored with orange and dill complete the vibrant picture." - Ruth Tobias
"A Denver spot operated by Anna Nguyen and Ni Nguyen that was considered in the Emerging Chef category but did not advance to the James Beard finals." - Paolo Bicchieri
"Anna Nguyen and Ni Nguyen of a Denver restaurant were named among Colorado’s 13 James Beard 2025 semifinalists (announcement: Wednesday, January 22, 2025). Their inclusion contributed to a slate in which seven Colorado semifinalists received recognition in national categories. The broader Colorado contingent also includes semifinalists in two new 2025 categories — Best New Bar and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service — with finalists to be revealed April 2 and winners announced June 16, 2025." - Brenna Houck
"Besides Casa Bonita and its wonky, lottery-style reservations, Sắp Sửa might be the toughest table to get in town. That’s because everyone is jockeying for their unique brand of super-refined, modern Vietnamese food that just so happens to also put sake in a juice box. (It tastes better that way, a bartender swears. He’s right.) Dishes like the soft scrambled egg with brown butter and fish sauce, hamachi collar sticky with coconut caramel, and an avocado and pork larb tostada just can’t be found anywhere else. Ask for a seat at the bar for quick service and a view of the chefs’ impressive cookbook collection." - allyson reedy, patricia kaowthumrong
"After national exposure, the restaurant saw an influx of diners who already understood its story, and the scrambled-egg dish developed by sous-chef Ben Carolan became the most-ordered item. The kitchen has become collaborative—many new dishes now come from young cooks (some not even Vietnamese) who are guided by leadership—which has allowed the chef to focus on growing the business, creating opportunities for staff, and sharing cultural foodways that feel healing and affirming to both community members and visitors." - ByElazar Sontag
