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Best long john

Henderson's

Sometimes a plain doughnut just won't do -- and that's when Henderson's Long Johns go a long way toward filling any craving. Instead of forcing sugar fiends to dig through two inches of dough before they get to the creamy center, Henderson's makes all of its Johns plain. After you order one -- chocolate-coated, sugar-powdered or glazed -- they'll take it to the back counter, slice it lengthwise, and then slather in your choice of fluffy whipped cream or Bavarian custard. With that sinful two-inch-thick mortar in place and the lid back on, these confections look more like hoagies than doughnuts, and the first bite can send a load of creamy filling shooting out the back. But, oh, what a glorious mess.

Best lasagne

The Cherry Tomato

Scott Lentz
Some of the Cherry Tomato's neighbors put up a fight when the restaurant wanted to open in Park Hill; now no one can imagine the neighborhood without this adorable, welcoming spot. Pasta is the specialty here, and the lasagne is truly something special. This is one of the densest, heartiest versions you'll find, a meat-filled, cheese-packed wedge smothered in a smooth, tomatoey marinara that's a little bit sweet and walks the thin red line between runny and too thick; one order easily serves two. In a restaurant overflowing with abundant humor and good tastes, this dish is a real cherry.

Best lasagne

The Cherry Tomato

Some of the Cherry Tomato's neighbors put up a fight when the restaurant wanted to open in Park Hill; now no one can imagine the neighborhood without this adorable, welcoming spot. Pasta is the specialty here, and the lasagne is truly something special. This is one of the densest, heartiest versions you'll find, a meat-filled, cheese-packed wedge smothered in a smooth, tomatoey marinara that's a little bit sweet and walks the thin red line between runny and too thick; one order easily serves two. In a restaurant overflowing with abundant humor and good tastes, this dish is a real cherry.

Best pasta restaurant

Cucina Colóre

Any Italian restaurant that offers more than the standard spaghetti, linguine and fettuccine is using its noodle -- but Cucina Colóre, a casual Cherry Creek joint, really displays some smarts. Not only does it serve up fusilli, tagliatelle and conchiglie, but it does so in the best way possible: by coating the properly cooked, awesomely al dente pasta in skillfully crafted, classically themed sauces. The white bean and roasted red pepper raviolis, for example, come slicked with a sweet, heady combination of browned butter, sage and balsamic syrup; the penne comes "al arrabbiata," with chile peppers, kalamatas and ricotta salata all angrily fighting for attention; and the conchiglie, or "little ears," arrive napped by a light but rich cream sauce sparked with roasted garlic. Even the veal bolognese on the tagliatelle is noteworthy -- thick and chunky, but still possessing a tomato-rich flavor. One bite, and you'll be pasta point of no return.

Best pasta restaurant

Cucina Colóre

Any Italian restaurant that offers more than the standard spaghetti, linguine and fettuccine is using its noodle -- but Cucina Colóre, a casual Cherry Creek joint, really displays some smarts. Not only does it serve up fusilli, tagliatelle and conchiglie, but it does so in the best way possible: by coating the properly cooked, awesomely al dente pasta in skillfully crafted, classically themed sauces. The white bean and roasted red pepper raviolis, for example, come slicked with a sweet, heady combination of browned butter, sage and balsamic syrup; the penne comes "al arrabbiata," with chile peppers, kalamatas and ricotta salata all angrily fighting for attention; and the conchiglie, or "little ears," arrive napped by a light but rich cream sauce sparked with roasted garlic. Even the veal bolognese on the tagliatelle is noteworthy -- thick and chunky, but still possessing a tomato-rich flavor. One bite, and you'll be pasta point of no return.

Best pizza

Parisi

Molly Martin
Want the real thing? Go to the source. Or as close as we get in Denver, which is the restaurant run by Florence native Simone Parisi and his wife, Christine, who's originally from Boulder. Christine met Simone in Italy, they fell in love, and she convinced him that Denver needed a really good pizzeria. She was right. Their love Italian-style is evidenced in Parisi's offerings: More than just a pizzeria, this is an Italian market where Parisi makes his own mozzarella-like fior di latte. He smokes some of it into scarmorza, the cheese that he puts on his medium-thick, crackly-crunchy-edged crust, then tops with Parisi's sauce, which isn't really a sauce at all -- it's more like a bunch of tomatoes melted down with garlic. Not content to offer just traditional pizzeria pies such as rustica and vegetariana, Parisi also takes advantage of the current abundance of white truffles by piling them on a sinfully delicious, oil-drizzled pizza, which fills the shop with musky perfume for days. Now, that's amore.

Readers' choice: Beau Jo's

Best pizza

Parisi

Want the real thing? Go to the source. Or as close as we get in Denver, which is the restaurant run by Florence native Simone Parisi and his wife, Christine, who's originally from Boulder. Christine met Simone in Italy, they fell in love, and she convinced him that Denver needed a really good pizzeria. She was right. Their love Italian-style is evidenced in Parisi's offerings: More than just a pizzeria, this is an Italian market where Parisi makes his own mozzarella-like fior di latte. He smokes some of it into scarmorza, the cheese that he puts on his medium-thick, crackly-crunchy-edged crust, then tops with Parisi's sauce, which isn't really a sauce at all -- it's more like a bunch of tomatoes melted down with garlic. Not content to offer just traditional pizzeria pies such as rustica and vegetariana, Parisi also takes advantage of the current abundance of white truffles by piling them on a sinfully delicious, oil-drizzled pizza, which fills the shop with musky perfume for days. Now, that's amore.

Readers' choice: Beau Jo's

Best late-night pizza

Two-Fisted Mario's

It's 1 a.m. on Saturday, and after all that Friday night drinking, you're hankering for a slice. Time to head to Two-Fisted Mario's for a one-two punch of pizza. Run by two guys, John Skogstad and Kevin Delk, who feel your pain, Mario's is the kind of place that truly wants to be there for you until 2 a.m. Monday through Sunday and 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. The hours when you can grab a slice aren't this pizza's only assets, either: It's a well-crafted, thin-crust pie slicked with a sweet tomato sauce and topped with plenty of cheese. A slice will run you $1.45, and an entire plain sixteen-inch pie is still under ten bucks. Plan to go the whole way: Just think what a great hangover breakfast that leftover pizza will provide.

Best late-night pizza

Two-Fisted Mario's

It's 1 a.m. on Saturday, and after all that Friday night drinking, you're hankering for a slice. Time to head to Two-Fisted Mario's for a one-two punch of pizza. Run by two guys, John Skogstad and Kevin Delk, who feel your pain, Mario's is the kind of place that truly wants to be there for you until 2 a.m. Monday through Sunday and 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. The hours when you can grab a slice aren't this pizza's only assets, either: It's a well-crafted, thin-crust pie slicked with a sweet tomato sauce and topped with plenty of cheese. A slice will run you $1.45, and an entire plain sixteen-inch pie is still under ten bucks. Plan to go the whole way: Just think what a great hangover breakfast that leftover pizza will provide.

Best wine-tasting parties

Cook Street School of Fine Cooking

One Friday every month, Cook Street, a culinary college, opens its doors to downtrodden commuters for an after-work sampling of fine wines. Not only is the party reasonably priced at $25 per person, but it comes with various hors d'oeuvre prepared on the premises by a master chef. Best of all, this beat-the-traffic happy hour unfolds in LoDo, so you can stroll right from the haute tidbits and the audacious nose of that beaujolais to a swank, overpriced bistro to make a few comparisons. Glass dismissed.

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