We had the good fortune of connecting with Alana Kaufman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alana, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?I have always been a foodie, long before social media began claiming #PhoneEatsFirst. From a young age, I always had a sweet tooth and my first love was definitely ice cream. As a Colorado native, I always enjoyed scoping out new restaurants and really saw the city change as the restaurant scene has grown. In 2019, when I returned to Denver from college, I decided I wanted to turn my passion for food into something a bit more tangible. I wanted to share with everyone that was interested my favorite places in town, new places I tried and all the amazing things popping up within the Colorado food scene. This is how 5280foodiez (the name deriving from Denver’s elevation of 5,280 feet) was born.

Starting anything from scratch, specifically on an ever-changing and growing social platform, has challenges, but this has been a passion project of mine, and all the up and downs have been worth it. When I first started my blog, there was a large learning curve I had to work through as I navigated the world of social media. As my account gained more traction, I had to figure out algorithms and formulas to find the best way to gain exposure, engage with followers and make sure the content I was publishing was what my audience wanted. Furthermore, COVID brought to light so many other struggles restaurants deal with daily. Over the last year and a half, I have made it a big goal of mine to help promote as many local places as possible in whatever way seemed right to help them keep their doors open.

The past two years I have learned so much from running 5280foodiez and I’ve met so many people along the way that have helped me grow. Everyday brings something new and exciting and I continue to learn something new each day.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
At 5280Foodiez we promote restaurants and food establishments in the Mile High City. Having watched the tremendous growth of Colorado in the last few years we wanted to make it our mission to share our deep ties to the state and what makes it so special. Having a passion for food, we have worked to share what makes this city’s foodie scene unlike any other. We love partnering and collaborating with local businesses and sharing their stories with our loyal followers. We love meeting new people and making connections. Our favorite part of running our blog is hearing from people around town that tried a place we wrote about or have recommendations for us to try. We love sharing our adventures and just as much connecting with others through their local adventures.

We are always looking to partner and collaborate with local businesses. If you are interested in teaming up with us, please reach out to us at 5280foodiez@gmail.com or give us a follow at 5280foodiez on Instagram

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Since my passion is food, any amount of time spent in Colorado will be centered around eating. We would start our morning off with a trip to Denver Biscuit Company. After our stomachs are full our day really begins. We head to Golden, Boulder or Evergreen for a scenic hike, nothing too strenuous since our visitors are likely still adjusting to the altitude. From there we head into the town to explore and find a spot for a quick lunch before heading back to Denver. I love bringing people to RiNo and the Highlands to check out all the breweries and enjoy the unique graffiti art. The afternoon hours would be spent exploring these areas and scootering around downtown. For dinner, we head to Safta’s, Bamoboo Sushi or Guard & Grace followed by ice cream at Sweet Cow. Our next day starts with a stop at Rosenberg’s Bagels and coffee from 2914 Coffee. From here we head to Red Rocks to enjoy some views and stroll around. After enjoying the scenery we’ll head to Old South Gaylord (stop at Devil’s Food for a fresh baked cookie and some other pastries) and then hop around to Pearl Street, South Broadway and Tennyson to shop around. Dinner will be a picnic at Wash Park with sandwiches and snacks from Marczyk Fine Foods. The days ahead we’ll go explore in the mountains, make a stop in Idaho Springs for Beaujos Pizza and attend a Rockies, Broncos, Avs or Nuggets game if any of the teams are in town.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
To my family and friends who always allow me to take pictures before we dive into every meal, to my loyal followers that allow me to do what I love everyday and to every person I have met along the way that has helped me learn and grow! And to all the fantastic Colorado restaurants, bars and ice cream shops that make make our state so tasty.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/5280foodiez/

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@5280foodiez?

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.