The Leadville Grill Bar & Cafe continues to serve foods from the old Northern New Mexican recipes created with the Matriarch’s hand from over 50 years ago. Things have not changed ~ much.
How About Some HISTORY
In 1936 The Grill was born ~ Leadville’s only black man opened up a Louisiana Diner serving grilled southern food. It was a jumping juke box party place down on the West Side.
It was sold and expanded into a dance hall with the addition of the bar area and a the 1878 Anheuser Busch Bar you see there today.
It was then renamed The Grill Bar.
But, so many miners had arrived in town with no where to live,
so the dance hall
was converted into apartments.
This is when Robert Martinez bought it & moved his family into the current kitchen, pool table areas…
The family of 7 lived along side the miners
while dad ran the bar in the evenings after his mining shift and mom cooked for the tenants.
Mom ~ Dora, was an excellent chef and her food attracted so many Leadvillites that they soon added ‘Cafe’ to the title of the establishment.
The growth of cafe clientele sadly put the miners out of
a place to live, but gave the community a terrific plate to eat
& enjoy those famous Margaritas.
Many fine fun years passed.
It was sudden and very sad when in 1994 Robert passed.
His son James began to run the business with his wife Linda.
Linda Duthie added her art to grace the walls and recently they added ‘Leadville’ to the title because Leadville is becoming so well known!
The kitchen remains a point of family pride.
The meals are about relaxing & enjoying the food as well as the camaraderie around the table and in our unique atmosphere.