The Spa Building in Manitou Springs has housed several restaurants through the years, and Creekside Cuisine & Craft Beer has resided there since midsummer.

Anyone who’s spent much time in Manitou knows the history of flooding the building has endured and may wonder about the possible specter of the eatery that held claim to the address for many years. No worries. Creekside appears to have established its own identity.

This is thanks to Creekside’s menu, composed of bar food standards along with a few surprises: Borriello Brothers Pizza, for one. The owner of the local pizza franchise has a stake in the Manitou restaurant.

Those familiar with Borriello Brothers will recognize some of the pies offered at Creekside, including the Greca, Blanca (one of my favorites) and Green Chile. A new addition includes the 3 a.m., which is served all day but is actually a breakfast pizza with bacon, eggs, potatoes, cheese and topped with creamy green chili. We went with the Clemente ($13), a meat-lover’s version with sliced meatballs, pepperoni, spicy Italian sausage and ham on marinara. The crust was chewy and the combination of meats was practically a deli.

The variety of appetizers is another surprise. They include Rocky Mountain oysters ($6), fried pickles ($6) and Poutine ($8). We didn’t try any of these, but our server did say the Poutine, a mixture of fries and melted mozzarella cheese smothered with brown gravy, is one of her favorites. Instead, we opted for crispy wings ($8 for six pieces) doused with a sweet and sour Asian chili sauce.

Sandwiches and burgers rule here. At least half a dozen variations are offered in each category, plus several entrees.

The Blue-Jack City ($13) is topped with blue cheese, bacon, onion and lettuce on a toasted brioche bun. This juicy, messy burger was cooked just the way I like: barely darker than pink in the center. The buttery bun held its shape keeping the contents in check. Buffalo aioli is part of the package, something I requested on the side. This mayo mixed with Buffalo hot sauce provides an eye-popping, tongue-tingling bite that battled with the cheese, since it also has a strong, distinct flavor. The two didn’t complement one another. I used the mayo for dipping my fries.

The fries here are called Sidewinders. They’re large, thickly sliced curly-cue-shaped spuds with crispy exteriors and buttery cores. They’re addictive. House-made kettle chips come with the sandwiches and sliders. While they’re described as “seasoned,” we found them bland. I suggest paying a little more for the Sidewinders.

The clash of flavors extended to another dish: the Chorizo Sliders ($8). Sliders are to pubs what PB&Js are to school lunchrooms, but not all ingredients, in either venue, are created equal. The menu describes the chorizo as being “locally made with lean cuts of pork shoulder.” This description falls into the realm of oxymoron since this cut tends be fatty. Nonetheless, I was intrigued by the idea of spicy sausage with guacamole and melted cheddar on toasted slider buns. Unfortunately, the chorizo dominated; the cheese and smashed avocado were impossible to discern on the palate.

I appreciate the attempt to wed different flavor profiles, but with the sliders and the blue cheese with Buffalo aioli, the matches were not made in heaven.

The entrees represent a smorgasbord of cuisines: fish and chips ($11); bangers and mash (made with Scottish sausage) ($10); pasta with lamb Bolognese ($12); and barbecue pork ribs ($12).

I find it disconcerting when a restaurant is practically empty, which is why I was a bit uneasy when first entering Creekside.

On both of my recent visits, most tables were unoccupied with only a few people at the bar nursing drinks. I needn’t have worried; the tables soon began to fill and an energetic buzz started to fill the room. It felt as if someone had opened the curtains to give us a better view.

The first time this happened, perhaps the only person who didn’t fully appreciate the rapid increase in diners was the lone server. Yet she impressively managed to answer questions, keep glasses filled and check in after our food was served. We weren’t receiving preferential treatment; she appeared to do the same with everyone. More staff was working my second visit; service remained attentive, but without the same wow factor that comes with one person, literally, juggling so many plates at once.

It’s nice to see Creekside making the space in the Spa Building its own.