Known for decades as the go-to spot for the best burger in Boulder, The Sink had a hunger to craft something equally memorable—a dish that would leave a mark on taste buds and stand out amidst its legendary offerings.
In 1992, when the Heinritz brothers acquired The Sink from the Kauvar family, a new culinary journey began. They introduced the now-famous "Ugly Crust Pizza" and the revered Buddha Basil Pie, marking a turning point in The Sink's culinary repertoire…
The Museum of Boulder is about to become a portal into The Sink's vibrant past! From August 24th to January 14th, you can engross yourself in the unique art and history that makes The Sink so iconic. This immersive experience delves into the restaurant's history and the vibrant counter-culture surrounding it, including relics from the past, art, music, and an interactive component for visitors near and far.
As we entered The Sink's 100th anniversary, we knew we had a remarkable story to tell—the tale of a Boulder institution that has stood the test of time and been the backdrop of countless memories and shared moments.
As the current caretakers of The Sink, we felt a deep sense of responsibility to share some of the many stories that have unfolded within these walls and pay tribute to everyone who played a role in making it what it is today.
We are in beautiful Colorado and summer is coming to a close. CU is back in session. The Boulder Valley School District has started the school year off with remote learning. A lot of people are wearing masks, too many don’t.
As we close in on the Fall and Winter seasons of COVID, we are trying to prepare our options. At both The Sink and West Flanders, we have installed iWave air cleaning ionizers in our air handling systems. They kill bacteria and viruses without creating ozone emissions. Ionizers seem to be the most practical way to make our indoor air safer once we begin using the heat and close the front doors. UV lights work too but they are very hard to find.
We hope you are all healthy and well in this crazy time.
First off, THANK YOU for your moral support, purchasing meals, gift cards, hats and t-shirts, and being awesome. Because of you, we are hopeful we will be able to find our way through the months ahead.
Many people are curious so we want to share an update with you. We get a lot of questions about how things are going and what it is like to be in the restaurant business right now. We are going on 28 years of owning The Sink and 8 years of our partnership in West Flanders Brewing Co. Just like you, we never thought that everything would just stop all at once. 2019 was our best year ever. 2020 that all changed.
We have had challenges before with two recessions and the flood. Things like shutting down for one or two days due to weather or having access to the restaurant blocked by construction used to seem like a big deal. Now we have this time to compare to and it reminds us not to sweat the small stuff.
We do not know what lies ahead. We are likely to reopen to just 50% occupancy and that restriction could be in place for the near future. The restaurant/hospitality/entertainment industry is a different scenario than most others. We rely on crowds for our energy. Our finances are built on people coming together, not staying apart. We will be one of the last industries to go “back to normal”. Whatever that is.
If you’ve ever been into The Sink, you’ve walked underneath Llloyd Kavich’s “Sinkstine Chapel” on the ceiling of the entryway. This brilliant re-creation of Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Man” shows God handing a Sinkburger to Adam and perhaps some Sink Rats. The Sinkburger is a classic hamburger made with shredded American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, and The Sink’s famous hickory sauce.
Boulder, at that time, was a “dry town” – i.e. no alcohol could be sold – even though you could buy it outside the city limits. Thus, the only “non-alcohol” you could buy was 3.2 beer (3.2% by weight or 4.0% by volume). Since it was “non-alcoholic” you could drink it when you were 18. The other beer tavern that I remember on the hill was Tulagi’s just up the street (now closed). Named for the island in the Pacific where a major WWII battle was fought depicted by a giant painting on the wall – and I think the owner’s son participated in the landing (and was killed), and the other was “TTs” or Timber Tavern on Arapahoe St. in downtown Boulder.
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