Boychik grabbed the fast-casual scene by storm with its 2020 opening inside Avanti Food & Beverage in Boulder. Next the co-owner and chef Chase Devitt launched a full-service restaurant in Aurora, and then moved up to Vail and into the new Avanti there. This might not have been the original plan for Devitt, but we’re so glad it worked out that way.
Serving clean Mediterranean fare in bowl, sandwich, and mezze form, Boychik is now a staple in each community it serves. Join us on Thursday, June 5 as Devitt takes over our Instagram account to post stories from his day to give us a sense of what life is like for the talented restaurant owner.
The Chef
Chef Chase Devitt has a long history in kitchens, starting with the 50-year-old Dark Horse in Boulder. No, making the burger-, sandwich-, and fry-heavy menu at the dive didn’t showcase his skill, but it was a job he loved while attending the University of Colorado Boulder. There, he said, he studied “snowboarding and drinking beer,” eventually graduating with an American studies degree. So, when he discovered he enjoyed cooking more than anything he was actually doing at CU, he changed course and with more courses.
Originally from Minnesota, Devitt first came to Colorado to go to college. After the kitchen revelation, he moved to Las Vegas to attend Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. During that chapter in his life he worked for the Grotto Italian inside the Golden Nugget casino, catering with Wolfgang Puck’s operations, and cooking for A-list celebrities at Stack Restaurant & Bar, which is now closed.
Around 2007 Devitt returned to Colorado with his girlfriend, now wife and mother to his 3-year-old son and soon-to-be second child. Almost immediately he started working at Dolan’s Restaurant in Boulder, which closed in 2010 and is now home to Backcountry Pizza and Tap House. From there he cheffed at 8100, the restaurant in the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa.
In 2014 Devitt’s childhood friend Charles Troup convinced the chef to take a job at Oak at Fourteenth in Boulder, which he did. A year later and the managing partners of the restaurant, Bryan Dayton and chef Steve Redzikowski, asked Devitt to go in with them to build a fast-casual chicken shop in Denver. He said yes and BriDer in LoHi was born.
While the chef loved BriDer, and still does, he started side projects too. Mr. Miner’s Meat & Cheese was one, though now it’s closed. And then came Boychik, which Devitt started with Troup at the Avanti Food & Beverage Boulder in 2020. Troup and Devitt have been growing ever since. After Boulder came the full-service Stanley Marketplace in Aurora location in 2024, and most recently another kiosk in Avanti’s newest space in Vail.
Enjoy Mediterranean Inspired Eats at Boychik
The idea behind the Boychik concept is Mediterranean-inspired food and, for the Stanley Marketplace location, great cocktails and wine too. The setting is airy and bright, with a true coastal vibe that fits the cuisine.
Perhaps you want to channel Martin Short in Only Murders in the Building by checking out the dip menu ($9 each or three for $25). Naturally the Hummus is great, but also try Muhammara, a peppers, tomato, sultana, and walnuts spread; Labneh, a tangy Greek yogurt with amba, pickled mango, and mint; and Golden Beet Toum, a beautiful, sweet and savory option with garlic, lemon, and scallion.
One thing Boychik is known for are the easy-to-eat bowls, served with choice of veggies or pita. Some options include Chicken Shawarma ($17) with hummus, sumac pickled onions, pickles, zhoug, parsley, and Boychik sauce; Lamb Gyro ($18) with hummus, muhammara, walnuts, feta, sumac pickled onions, and cilantro; and Falafel ($16) with hummus, fresh cucumber, tomato, sumac pickled onions, zhoug, arugula, and cilantro. Make sure to check out the Fried Cauliflower mezze ($14) with labneh, zhoug, sumac, mint, cilantro, radish, and arugula, as well as a side of Za’atar Fries ($8).
Cocktails also speak to the theme. For example, the Garden in the Desert ($14), a type of Margarita with urfa biber infused tequila, passion fruit liqueur, prickly pear, and a chile-citrus salt rim. The refreshing Bubbee Spritz ($13) comes with mandarin, Lillet Blanc, prosecco, lemon, and orange bitters. On the zero-proof side the Cardamom Iced Tea ($3) is a delight, as is the Karkade No-jito ($8), a mocktail made with hibiscus, pineapple, mint, lime, and soda. There’s also a hefty wine list with bottle options and by the glass as well.
The Takeover
Devitt has been thinking hard about what to showcase during his chef takeover, after all, he has three locations of Boychik. To make things easier, he decided to focus on the Stanley Marketplace spot, the only full-service restaurant of the trio. That, and of course shots of his personal life including his adorable 3-year-old and possibly his very pregnant wife who is about to have their second child.
As for the restaurant content, he promised shots of the hummus being made, the shawarma being stacked, and Boychik in full swing. Troup has some cocktail coverage planned too, and we can’t wait to see what it’s like at the restaurant.
Boychik in the Stanley Marketplace is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Of course you can also visit the other outposts during normal business hours at the Avanti Food & Beverage Vail and Boulder. 2501 Dallas St., Aurora, boychikkitchen.com
