After graduating from seminary school, Craig spent several years as a pastor in New Jersey before relocating with his wife, Jeanine, to Colorado thirteen years ago. In 2012, the couple launched Table Urban Farm, a nonprofit that combined their desire to develop community with Jeanine's master's degree in public health, along with her passion for gardening. They spent the next decade growing food in other people's yards.
"We've always had a passion for community, for faith, for local food systems, and felt like people live in proximity but not necessarily in community," says Craig. Farming in neighbor's yards allowed them to bring people together around the table. But the mission grew to the point that they needed a space that wasn't their backyard to do that.
Craig's background as a pastor influenced his desire to create a third space — separate from home and work, where people can make connections and, as he puts it, "come together without pretension, with a great deal of comfort and safety." The couple signed a lease on a building in Overland, in October 2019 and started planning for Table Public House.
They'd submitted all the permits when COVID hit, putting much of the work on hold. "What we hoped would be a couple of months' process turned into eighteen months," recalls Craig. Table Public House finally opened in April 2021.
After three years in business, the Broeks decided to purchase the building instead of renewing the lease, and planned to close the restaurant while they came up with the money. "Two days before we closed, our landlords called and were willing to negotiate the price," recalls Craig. Table Public House still closed at the end of June while they hammered out the details and finalized the sale; the Broeks used the time to remodel the space, as well.
Table Public House was remodeled before it reopened.
Alison Hedgepath
Some produce from the farming initiative can be found in the dishes, and some is for sale in a pay-what-you-can refrigerator near the entrance. But most of it is given away via the Veggie Bike, which delivers free produce to the neighborhoods near where it's grown in south Denver.
"A lot of produce that we grow we try to keep on the menu," Craig says. "We're growing into a more farm-to-fork kind of place. We won't ever be like Root Down or the high-end places that are truly farm-to-fork, but we do our best. I think our goal is to do sandwiches and wraps, but to do them really well and try to showcase the talents of our kitchen."
While light breakfast is available from 8:30 until 11 a.m., the focus is on lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. (6 p.m. on Sundays). In addition to sandwiches and wraps, Table Public House has several burgers on the menu and tries to rotate in what's seasonally available.
An eclectic tap list offers a rotating selection of draft beers from along the Front Range and beyond — everything from Hefeweizen to cream ale, lager and sour, plus several non-alcoholic cans. A full coffee menu is available from open to close, with beans from Servant Coffee.
"Our primary goal is community-centered, but with the option to have food and beverage while you're there," says Craig. "The thing that we sell isn’t actually for sale: We sell community, and we have really good products, too, but ultimately it's about the people and connections."
Table Public House is open from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 303-744-1113 or visit the website.
