Mango House

House-made hummus, falafel, and dolmas (stuffed grape leaves) at Jasmine Syrian. COURTESY OF JASMINE SYRIAN

asmine Syrian is just one of a half-dozen authentic Asian, Middle Eastern, and African eateries housed within Mango House. COURTESY OF JASMINE SYRIAN

Crisp vegetables and savory broths are a staple at these Burmese eatery. COURTESY OF URBAN BURMA

The golden chick, pea, tofu, salad makes a filling starter or vegan entree. COURTESY OF URBAN BURMA

Urban Burma’s Shan noodle with homemade fermented green mustard is a lunchtime classic. COURTESY OF URBAN BURMA

The Sii Cheh Kao Sweh—a flat noodle with fried garlic, sesame oil, green onions, and chicken—is a local favorite. COURTESY OF URBAN BURMA

Urban Burma—the first Burmese restaurant in Colorado—specializes in traditional curries, noodles, and sides. COURTESY OF URBAN BURMA

Part medical center, part refugee housing, part event space, Mango House is a sprawling community center designed to help refugees and new immigrants find the resources they need. It’s also home to some of the incredible Asian, Middle Eastern, and East African food in Colorado.

Mango House was founded in 2014 by a Denver physician. Dr. PJ Parmar realized that healthcare was just a small percentage of the services that new immigrants needed to feel at home. So, he purchased a building that was once a J.C. Penney in the Denver suburb of Aurora, and turned it into a community center.

Dubbed Mango House, the center would aim to provide safe housing, as well as culturally relevant shops and familiar food for different communities. Today, the center offers walk-up primary care, dental care, pharmacy access, and other services. It also provides local communities with a place to gather, work together, and launch innovative new businesses.

Over the years, a number of talented immigrant chefs have started their enterprises at Mango House. Today, it hosts seven different restaurants serving Somalian, Ethiopian, Nepali, and Burmese cuisines, among others. These dishes give longtime Denverites a chance to sample exotic and unexpected flavors. But to the residents of Mango House, they taste just like home.

First time visiting? Try the jhol momo—Nepali dumplings—at Nepali Mountain Kitchen, or the lamb shank at Langano Ethiopian. Be sure to cap off your meal with an Ethiopian espresso and a little something sweet, such as baklava at Jasmine Syrian. Made the old-fashioned way, each slice is a morsel of flaky, nutty, honey-drizzled ecstasy.

Know Before You Go

While the food court portion of the community center is open daily for lunch and dinner, some of the restaurants have their own schedules. If you’re hoping to patronize a specific establishment, check their hours before you go. (You can find each restaurant’s website linked here.)

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