Since the very beginning, Pao’s mission has been to get people off the couch and into the world. We truly believe the key to personal growth is getting outside, exploring new places, and meeting people with diverse beliefs, traditions, and cultures. When the BLM movement hit, we felt it was an essential time to evaluate how inclusive and diverse our company was evolving to be. What did we realize? We could do better. The team is now and forevermore working to make sure Pao is a platform that actually aligns with our mission and vision.
After multiple team meetings, we decided the first incremental step in diversifying Pao was to find, experience and then post more #paoworthy POC owned businesses onto the app. The three founders took the first step together by planning a day in Denver, supporting local, Black-owned businesses. Scroll down to see all the fun-n-tasty spots they hit up and to get some inspiration to plan your very own day supporting Black-owned businesses in a city near you! #blacklivesmatter
Le French
Lunch
This little French bistro was nestled away in the tech district of Southern Denver which is a very clean, friendly and upscale area! The restaurant had an outdoor patio featuring typical Parisian patio furniture which made the vibe very enjoyable. The best thing on the menu? THE BEEF POUTINE. The veggie quiche, croque madame and french onion soup were all close seconds. We highly recommend this spot for a leisurely and filling lunch. Make sure to walk around the area afterwards to find some great shopping.
Cabana X at Bar Helix
Lounge
The perfect late afternoon stop in RiNo for a drink, good conversation and a VIBE. They are offering a cabana experience on the patio, where they rotate across different beach destinations and offer food and drinks to match each one’s feel. The bar had Martha’s Vineyard, Tulum and Mykonos as options when we were there. Definitely try a shaved ice drink and anything with plantains!
Welton Street Cafe
Dinner
Our last stop of the day was at a homestyle cooking hot spot in RiNo! Wings, fried chicken, corn bread, mac n cheese, okra…the list goes on and on. Everything had authentic flavour that was made from the heart. Make sure to call ahead since they get busy and there can be a big wait time. Note: we heard the catfish is out of this world.
Sweet Sweetz
Dessert
A very local dessert joint that has limited options but hidden inside are a couple tasty treats to indulge in. The best sweet there was: the dole whip! A great perk was the staff because they were super welcoming and warm. We didn’t have the chance to try the pie since we were too full from lunch but we’ve heard good things!
Want to check out some more Black Owned Businesses around the world? Download Pao now and check out our “BLM” list.
