Denver Restaurants
Things to do in Denver
Are restaurants what make a city great? Some might say its businesses and activities while others would tout its opportunities and quality of life, but nearly every equation includes great places to eat distinctive foods in comfortable surroundings. Here at HelloDenver.com, you'll find just that ... and much more, including those places that local residents tend to keep to themselves.
It's the best of Denver dining, in one convenient location!
You have to love a restaurant that doesn’t aim to be a high-priced, special-occasion place, but instead wants its diners to experience the best possible food at the most reasonable prices. With an exclamation mark that is part of its identity, Bang! delivers in the Highlands neighborhood—and has the longevity and the regular customers to prove it. Comfort food with Southern influences continues to pack ‘em in.
Eco-Burger's menu is simple: grass-fed beef, organic and local ingredients whenever possible and veggie options.
It’s hard to find a locally owned restaurant that truly caters to big groups and family gatherings of kids to senior citizens. White Fence Farm not only serves up arguably the best fried chicken in town, but also offers so many attractions and amusements, it’s possible to have a dinner-and-activity night all under one roof. Enjoy carriage rides, kids’ game room, a duck pond, gift shop and no-cover live music. It’s also a great chance to get city young'uns nose-to-nose with friendly farm animals.
If you picture NFL coach Mike Shanahan's Denver restaurant with gargantuan slabs of meat and blaring TVs tuned to sports, remember the man behind the name. At Shanahan's, you’ll find impeccable steaks, seafood and cocktails prepared with creative twists and turns in a striking dining area. But Mike Shanahan's roots aren't forgotten. Kids receive toy footballs, plasma screens broadcast the best games at the bar…and yes, there's an understated display of Super Bowl memorabilia inside the entrance.
Railroad fans especially enjoy Great Northern Tavern's concept, a tribute to the historic transcontinental route of the Great Northern Railway. Cuisine spans northern U.S. regional favorites, while the atmosphere and décor evoke the romance of train travel with overstuffed booths reminiscent of dining in a first-class club car. Overall, anyone who appreciates well-crafted food, fine wine and friendly service will make tracks to DTC's posh neighborhood eatery.
With a menu of creative dishes augmented by traditional breakfast and lunch favorites served up in funky digs by friendly servers, Snooze, Denver took the a.m. crowd by storm in 2006. Since then, the perfect storm of Snooze has never abated. Its mothership venue in Denver’s Ballpark neighborhood attracted so many devotees that a second location was inevitable…as was a third and a fourth. On a daily basis, Snooze proves that breakfast is indeed the most important—and most fun—meal of the day.
Kristy Socarras’ mom was a Cuban refugee and her family’s bilingual home in Miami was happily laden with Cuban culture: larger-than-life cuisine, music and dancing, and sense of family. When Kristy moved to Denver, it was quite a culture shock…especially the food. Burgers instead of a Cuban sandwich, French fries instead of a side of plantains. Her mom sent care packages with homemade treats, but she needed a tangible dose of authentic cuisine every day. What to do? Open Cuba Cuba Café & Bar.
Billed as a lifestyle café, So Perfect Eats could be successful just serving its freshly homemade fare. But So Perfect Eats also offers unique retail products for gifting a hostess or enhancing a party. Trays of prepared enticements turn get-togethers into delicious experiences, and party-planning advice is available, too, from themes to presentation. Cherry Creek North is the perfect place for a full-service venue confident enough to incorporate “perfect” in its name.
To the uninitiated, Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs might conjure up an image of snarling Dobermans. But in Denver, the name represents a fun, funky eatery on Colfax Avenue where hot dogs are the star attraction—there’s a nice supporting cast of grab-and-go favorites, too. The snappin’ part comes from the natural casing used on all the ’dogs. Each bite is accompanied by a snapping sensation…and a simultaneous burst of delicious flavor.
It took Doug Anderson six years to find the ideal spot for Hi-Rise bakery and deli, but he’s been happily ensconced at Larimer and 22nd streets in the Ballpark neighborhood since 2009. He sincerely and quite modestly says Hi-Rise has the best New York-style bagels in town. Freshly made dough for breads, bagels and cookies—prepared in-house daily—are the foundation for breakfast and lunch delights, snapped up early by savvy regulars.
Denver's best bakeries are on the cutting edge of cuisine, offering unique baked goods, cakes, cuisine and much more, so whether you're a local or a tourist, plan a visit to one of Denver's best bakeries.
On warm-weather days, the patio at Marlowe’s overflows with happy, animated customers who relish its 16th Street Mall location. The restaurant is arguably the best place to enjoy downtown people-watching. What happens when the snow flies? It’s still filled with vibrant patrons who settle into the casually upscale atmosphere with martini-focused bar. No matter what the weather, diners continually savor a myriad of crowd-pleasing selections.
Wy Livingston, founder of Wystone’s World Teas, has left no stone unturned in brewing up whatever her customers might desire.
Shells and Sauce may sound like a cookie-cutter Italian restaurant chain. But this locally owned, neighborhood venue knows its diners and caters to their whims: traditional Italian dishes augmented by some with a twist, a smattering of American influences and a selection of intriguing wines. Weekend brunch…check. Patio? On the roof. It’s also family-friendly, with a clean, comfy atmosphere. Congress Park residents have a go-to spot, and diners from around the city visit often.
To pilots, the perfect landing is all about an aircraft making smooth, balanced wheel contact with the runway as the engines throttle down—the ideal ending to a flight. At Centennial Airport in south Denver, The Perfect Landing revolves around a complete restaurant experience of delicious food and beverages served alongside windows offering superb views of nearby runways…ending with a departure that’s rarely final.
When you call your restaurant an “inspired American grille,” be ready to back it up…and The Lobby delivers. The menu is based on Iowa chow enhanced with global culinary influences, prepared by an executive chef dedicated to fresh fare—often, with produce from his own garden. Located in the original lobby of Denver's historic Paris Hotel, the restaurant exudes Midwestern savoir faire with enhanced favorites that include scrumptious stuffed burgers and ahi tuna nachos.
Root Down is on a mission to provide diners with delicious “field-to-fork” flavors and an overall quality, multisensory experience. Chefs use organic products, local whenever possible. Vegans and vegetarians have a spectrum of choices, and gluten-free diets are covered. There’s a week-by-week raw-foods menu. Carnivores, you’re good. Drink menu, happy hour, brunch and patio with a killer downtown view are all here, too. Sustainability practices are in place. Wondering if it looks good only in the
Ryan Grob has been in the barbeque business for about 20 years and he currently holds the title of owner and chef/pitmaster of Backdraft BBQ. A couple of employees help him with vending operations, but Grob does all the cooking himself.
Sam Taylor’s Bar-B-Q has used the slogan “one bone is all it takes” for years. It fits. When Beyonce is in town, she calls for chow. Elected officials are frequent visitors. Pro athletes too. This isn’t a place with a chi-chi atmosphere…far from it. You can’t call it a dive, but the décor is spare—bare bones, so to speak. What’s the draw? It’s the food, y’all. Fall-off-the-bone tender meats, freshly prepared sides and a signature barbecue sauce so good it’s the only one on the menu.
You have to be supremely confident to run a restaurant open less than four hours a day—on weekdays only. Tom’s Home Cookin’ is not in a chi-chi neighborhood, provides only plastic dinnerware, and payment is cash only. Even without advertising, there’s generally a line. What’s the draw? Freshly made Southern comfort food that conjures up memories of warm, humid breezes, Sunday dinners and fish-fry picnics. If you didn’t grow up south of the Mason-Dixon line, the food will transport you there.
Whether it be dining on a stick, distinctive Vietnamese or down-home Southern cookin’, the eclectic nature of mobile food trucks in Denver is enhancing the city’s international reputation.
It can be hard to find a true neighborhood spot with great food and wine…a place where you can feel comfortable whether you’re dressed for work, a night out or in run-round attire. Even better, a venue that also can offer personalized service and an atmosphere completely suited for get-togethers from a casual conversation to a celebration. Want a classy, comfortable, indulgent experience? Head to The Village Cork.
Like a perfect wave, Wyland’s Ocean Blue rolls into Denver with a unique seafood restaurant-with-art gallery concept. Add an azure-colored bar area and sleek patio in popular Northfield Stapleton, and diners are bound to be hooked. Marine artist/restaurant namesake Wyland says he chose Denver as his second location because: “From the snow to the ocean, we’re all connected.” He lived here briefly and knows Denverites support the arts plus his "green" ideals...with blue-water overtones.
If cupcakes just scream “party” to you, then without a doubt the happiest place in Cherry Creek North is Big Fat Cupcake. Whether you need a boost or you're celebrating, it's the ideal treat. With a store full of freshly made, superlative-inducing indulgences, the most difficult task is choosing a flavor. Most customers don’t stop at just one.
Vegetarians who go out to eat with carnivore friends generally must scan a typical restaurant menu and choose a salad, a cheese-focused meatless entrée (or appetizer), and dessert. But roles are reversed for veggie-lovers at WaterCourse Foods. The entire menu is dedicated to vegetarian, vegan and even some gluten-free options, and wine and beer add to the bliss. Meat-loving companions are happy too…some even become converts.
Expectations for a restaurant at the Denver Art Museum might center around creative cuisine and intriguing flavors that complement artful presentations. With the influence of iconic restaurateur Kevin Taylor, Palettes succeeds on all counts and diners are treated to a multisensory experience for lunch and dinner. Here, carefully crafted food is as flavorful as it is visually appealing.
The Corner Office Restaurant + Martini Bar has the ultimate location in Denver—just a crosswalk away from the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and two blocks from the 16th Street Mall. Invesco Field, the Pepsi Center and Coors Field are all easily accessible. But you don’t get to the top of the corporate ladder relying on location alone. TCO offers a fun "no work, all play" mindset with global comfort food, handcrafted martinis and a retro-cool vibe.
People rhapsodize about desserts—memorable creations seem to conjure up feelings of pure indulgence. Since 2008, Food Network host Keegan Gerhard and wife Lisa Bailey have run a wish-fulfillment haven for sugar-focused foodies in Denver. At D Bar Desserts, treats reign supreme and savory dishes are tasty accompaniments. By day, it’s a chic bakery with nosh-worthy bites. But in the evening, it becomes an all-out dessert-and-wine fest.
Executive chef Elise Wiggins has cooked in kitchens from the American South to South America, and likes her food to be bold, multi-layered and unexpected. So it’s only natural that her Northern Italian menu at Panzano features fresh takes on classic entrées. She uses seasonal, locally grown ingredients—including buying cattle and lambs from area farms. Despite a firm “waste not, want not” mindset, don’t expect her to add Rocky Mountain oysters to the menu. It’s a personal palate thing.
No doubt about it, the Buckhorn Exchange gets its share of tourist traffic. Founded in 1893, it has authentic Old West roots and is home of Colorado’s very first liquor license. Menus feature assorted game not readily found in most restaurants--you don't nosh on ostrich, rattlesnake and 'gator every day. Locals may be past the curiosity factor, but can still appreciate weekday happy hours, live music and a friendly, Western atmosphere that is a refreshing break from urban bustle.
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