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Best Chile Relleno

Playa de Oro

Get stuffed at Playo de Oro, a quiet, corner eatery that's half takeout, half eat-in -- and all about delicious, soft chiles rellenos. While many Denver diners are fans of the egg roll type of relleno, that's probably because they've eaten one too many disappointing soft versions, which too often go wrong in the cooking process. But Playa de Oro knows how to avoid all those grease pitfalls. It packs long, skinny poblanos with Monterey Jack, dunks them in a thick egg soufflé of a batter, and then fries them until just the thinnest, crispiest, golden-brown shell forms around the chile. That means no soggy goo that turns to lead in your stomach, and no fast-cooling cheese that turns to lead outside of your stomach. This relleno is the stuff of dreams, a crunchy beauty until the very last bite.

Best Chile Relleno

Playa de Oro

Get stuffed at Playo de Oro, a quiet, corner eatery that's half takeout, half eat-in -- and all about delicious, soft chiles rellenos. While many Denver diners are fans of the egg roll type of relleno, that's probably because they've eaten one too many disappointing soft versions, which too often go wrong in the cooking process. But Playa de Oro knows how to avoid all those grease pitfalls. It packs long, skinny poblanos with Monterey Jack, dunks them in a thick egg soufflé of a batter, and then fries them until just the thinnest, crispiest, golden-brown shell forms around the chile. That means no soggy goo that turns to lead in your stomach, and no fast-cooling cheese that turns to lead outside of your stomach. This relleno is the stuff of dreams, a crunchy beauty until the very last bite.

Best Power Lunch

CityGrille

Courtesy CityGrille Facebook
It's noon. Do you know where your legislator is? Chances are she's wolfing down one of Denver's best burgers at CityGrille, the gathering place/watering hole for anyone who's anyone at the State Capitol -- not to mention anyone who lobbies anyone there or across the street at city hall. But CityGrille isn't just for the power elite; if these walls could talk, they'd have the scoop on everyone from contributors and aides to secretaries and janitors, all of whom take advantage both of this casual, divey eatery's proximity to the Capitol and of its fabulous green chile. The three-martini lunch is alive and well here, as is strict, power-lunch protocol: If you're talking in low, hushed tones, everyone looks away. For a minute, anyway.

Best Power Lunch

CityGrille

It's noon. Do you know where your legislator is? Chances are she's wolfing down one of Denver's best burgers at CityGrille, the gathering place/watering hole for anyone who's anyone at the State Capitol -- not to mention anyone who lobbies anyone there or across the street at city hall. But CityGrille isn't just for the power elite; if these walls could talk, they'd have the scoop on everyone from contributors and aides to secretaries and janitors, all of whom take advantage both of this casual, divey eatery's proximity to the Capitol and of its fabulous green chile. The three-martini lunch is alive and well here, as is strict, power-lunch protocol: If you're talking in low, hushed tones, everyone looks away. For a minute, anyway.

Best Chicken Wings

Piper Inn

Piper Inn/Facebook
The Piper Inn isn't tough to spot: It's the small, low bar on Parker Road that's hiding behind that wall of gleaming Harleys. Inexplicably named after the venerable airplane line, the Piper Inn is smoky and noisy and can be a great place to watch two grown men fight over a gal wearing not much more than thigh-high boots and an American-flag bandanna. But the real draw here are the wings, available in mild, medium and hot, and done in the classic Buffalo style: crispy-skinned and saturated with Tabasco-spiked butter. Order them in multiples of five, and order twice as many as you think you'll need, because these wings fly off the plate. And if the crowd looks especially cranky, order them to go.

Best Chicken Wings

Piper Inn

The Piper Inn isn't tough to spot: It's the small, low bar on Parker Road that's hiding behind that wall of gleaming Harleys. Inexplicably named after the venerable airplane line, the Piper Inn is smoky and noisy and can be a great place to watch two grown men fight over a gal wearing not much more than thigh-high boots and an American-flag bandanna. But the real draw here are the wings, available in mild, medium and hot, and done in the classic Buffalo style: crispy-skinned and saturated with Tabasco-spiked butter. Order them in multiples of five, and order twice as many as you think you'll need, because these wings fly off the plate. And if the crowd looks especially cranky, order them to go.

Best Dinner Under $5

Kokoro

Courtesy Kokoro Facebook
You'll be bowled over by the bargain that is Kokoro. Since the Colorado Boulevard location opened in 1985, Kokoro has been serving healthy food for a very slim price, and the deal is the same at the newer site in Arvada. The regular-sized rice bowls and noodle bowls all come in at under $4 and are plenty for a meal, filled with such heart-happy ingredients as lean beef, skinless chicken breast, fresh snow peas, broccoli, bamboo shoots, Asian cabbage, bean sprouts and carrots. If you're really hungry, a "super" version still costs less than $6, tax included. Sit at the counter and get to know your neighbor, or grab your dinner to go -- either way, the food is fast, cheap and delicious.

Best Dinner Under $5

Kokoro

You'll be bowled over by the bargain that is Kokoro. Since the Colorado Boulevard location opened in 1985, Kokoro has been serving healthy food for a very slim price, and the deal is the same at the newer site in Arvada. The regular-sized rice bowls and noodle bowls all come in at under $4 and are plenty for a meal, filled with such heart-happy ingredients as lean beef, skinless chicken breast, fresh snow peas, broccoli, bamboo shoots, Asian cabbage, bean sprouts and carrots. If you're really hungry, a "super" version still costs less than $6, tax included. Sit at the counter and get to know your neighbor, or grab your dinner to go -- either way, the food is fast, cheap and delicious.

Best Thick Pizza

Parisi

Molly Martin
The crust on Parisi's pizza isn't the thick, thick Sicilian-style, but it's not crackly-thin, either. Let's split the difference and agree that this crust is simply delicious, thick enough to hold a ton of toppings, but not so thick that you're done for after a single slice. Simone Parisi, a native of Florence, Italy, and his wife, Christine, a native of Boulder, Colorado, always wanted to open an authentic pizzeria in Denver, and that's exactly what they did a few years ago. Since then, they've gained plenty of fans, and with good reason. Their pizzas are divided by theme, such as rustica and vegetariana, and come loaded with fresh and imported ingredients, including Simone's own house-smoked scamorze cheese. And even after all the toppings are gone, along with the pie's chewy center, the oven-charred, crispy edge of the crust makes for great post-pizza snacking.

Best Thick Pizza

Parisi

The crust on Parisi's pizza isn't the thick, thick Sicilian-style, but it's not crackly-thin, either. Let's split the difference and agree that this crust is simply delicious, thick enough to hold a ton of toppings, but not so thick that you're done for after a single slice. Simone Parisi, a native of Florence, Italy, and his wife, Christine, a native of Boulder, Colorado, always wanted to open an authentic pizzeria in Denver, and that's exactly what they did a few years ago. Since then, they've gained plenty of fans, and with good reason. Their pizzas are divided by theme, such as rustica and vegetariana, and come loaded with fresh and imported ingredients, including Simone's own house-smoked scamorze cheese. And even after all the toppings are gone, along with the pie's chewy center, the oven-charred, crispy edge of the crust makes for great post-pizza snacking.

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