Best Overall Wine List 2013 | Root Down | Best of Denver® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Denver | Westword
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Best Overall Wine List

Root Down

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It could have been the stunning cocktail program at Root Down that made us overlook the wine list for years. But that changed last summer, when we spent a magical, wine-soaked evening on the patio falling head over heels in love with its delightfully eclectic vinous selections. What makes Root Down's list so bewitching? First, the variety. Root Down is killing us softly with old- and new-world choices that seem simultaneously familiar and flossy, interesting yet always approachable. Second, (eco)credibility. If you thought only the food here was organic, think again; Root Down's commitment to all things green extends to its wine list, which boasts one of the most respectable groupings of sustainable and biodynamic grape juice in town. Last but not least (to us) is price: The vast majority of wines on offer can be had for less than $50. Need yet another reason to swoon? The list features a handful of food-friendly sakes and half bottles, too.

Best Pancakes

Snooze

Lauren Monitz

When Snooze opened its first location in 2006 in the Ballpark neighborhood, restaurateurs in Denver — and soon, across the country — woke up and took notice. Today there are four Snoozes in the metro area, with more to come both inside and out of Colorado. With its retro dining room, hipper-than-thou clientele of club kids and big weekend crowds, Snooze can sometimes be a very annoying place to eat. But it can also be a very good place to eat, especially if you crave pancakes. The sweet-potato version is particularly satisfying, but if you're craving sugar, there are many sweet offerings on the table. Make them even sweeter by adding an innovative breakfast cocktail.

Best Pho

Pho Duy

Mark Antonation

Fans of pho will stick up for their favorite joints like a couple of old-timers hashing out the finer points of Ford versus Chevy. When it comes to being the best, though, the tiny details add up to unquestioned excellence. Pho Duy gets those details right: the multi-layered complexity of the long-simmered beef broth, the fresh and artfully sliced rare steak, and the delicate and mild strands of tripe. If the dense fragrance of the spices isn't enough to end the argument, one spoonful will be. Pho Duy's noodle soup doesn't need advocates; it hushes the doubters with the subtlety, balance and integrity that come from years of doing it just so. Stir in your basil, your saw leaf and bean sprouts; add a slice of jalapeño and maybe a squirt of lime. But let the pho speak for itself and you won't need the sriracha or hoisin. It's not about the horsepower; this pho is the finely tuned engine of a master builder.

Best Pizza

Marco's Coal-Fired Pizzeria

Molly Martin

If you're one of those types who search out the latest and greatest and then move on, you might have overlooked Marco's Coal-Fired Pizzeria, which opened on Larimer Street when this stretch of Larimer wasn't cool. Even those who do settle into one of the two-tone booths and gape into the fiery mouths of the wood-burning ovens might be swayed by pizzas loaded with artichokes, coppa or Limoncello chicken. But newer and bigger isn't always better, as the simple Campania shows. Dotted with bufala mozzarella and leaves of fresh basil, this classic Neapolitan pie outshines the competition with its fruity, not overly sweet or spiced sauce, made from San Marzano tomatoes; an impossibly thin crust; chewy, doughy edges; and just enough blackened blisters and charred speckles to add the depth most cheese pizzas lack. Marco's has a second location in the 'burbs, but its Larimer location is really the best.

Best Red Chile

Little Anita's New Mexican Foods

Little Anita's is an institution in New Mexico, where its locations spread across the state and its history stretches back forty years. In the Land of Enchantment, foodies in the know generally consider it a destination of last resort; they respect its longevity, yet think of it as a place to stop if you want to kill an afternoon making fun of tourists. But in Denver, where authentic New Mexican fare is hard to find, Little Anita's is a must-stop for sloppy breakfast burritos slathered in either green or red chile. This is the best red chile you'll find north of Raton Pass: a serious, honey-sweetened red that's fiery enough to convince Denver's green-chile addicts to change their allegiance.

Best Restaurant Neighborhood

LoHi

Other parts of Denver — Ballpark neighborhood into RiNo, Broadway and points south — are becoming hot dining destinations. But the LoHi restaurant scene continues to be red-hot — with no sign of cooling down. At the end of 2012, the LoHi Merchant Group did a count of the restaurants, eateries, bars and coffee shops in this quadrant at the edge of Highland — from I-25 to Federal Boulevard, West 38th Avenue to Speer Boulevard — and the tally topped fifty, more than double what it was six years ago. And the restaurants keep coming. Every time a space opens up, eager restaurateurs pounce. And they're not bringing in pre-fabbed, fast-casual joints; the businesses that opened in LoHi last year — including Jezebel's, Central Bistro & Bar and Uncle — are some of the most exciting in the city, with Old Major already upping the ante for 2013.

Best Restaurant Patio

Potager

Molly Martin

Given that this is a city saturated with sunshine, it's no wonder that al fresco dining is one of our most coveted leisurely pastimes, and the lovely back porch at Potager will transport you to the pastoral French countryside for a tranquil, delicious dinner. Strewn with weathered wooden tables and chairs, rimmed with pots and rustic whiskey barrels filled with fragrant fresh herbs, and surrounded by beds of berries and a variety of perfect vegetables, it's a magical patio that mirrors chef-owner Teri Rippeto's seasonally inspired cooking, much of it elevated by what she plants in her restaurant's bewitching back yard.

Best Rooftop Patio

Linger

Shawn Campbell

A glass of bubbly and a cheese plate on the tiny balcony of your lower-level apartment just isn't enough to take your life to the next level. For a panorama that spans every which way, try the classy rooftop deck at Linger, where lounging is a lovely way of life. Gaggles of trendy twenty-something girlfriends, their legs as long as licorice ropes, hang out after work; smitten couples come to soak up the blue skies by day and the stars at night, their love illuminated by the patio's own twinkling amber lights. No matter who you are — or where you sit — you'll feel cool as a cucumber as you sip on cocktails and traverse Linger chef-owner Justin Cucci's globe-trotting menu.

Best Salad Bar/Shop

Choppers Custom Salads

There are "chef's choice" salads at Choppers Custom Salads for those who might not be fully on board with the concept of customization — and they're delicious salads, made with fresh ingredients chopped up with rocking blades into bite-sized pieces that get tossed in dressing before landing in your bowl (and, eventually, your mouth). But for those who embrace the build-your-own notion, Choppers is one of the best options around. Pick your lettuce type and up to four ingredients from the extensive (but sensibly arranged) list. The dozen protein options include tofu, and all of the salad dressings are clearly labeled as gluten- and/or lactose-free. And, of course, the possibilities include all the vegetables you could possibly want to add to a salad, with a reasonable selection of fruit and nuts, too. Healthy, tasty and served up chop-chop!

Best Salsa Bar

El Trompito Taqueria

Cassandra Stiltner

The chicken mole, soft corn tacos filled with marinated meats, and a lamb shank the size of a small bulldozer are just a few of our favorite eats at El Trompito Taqueria. But before digging in, after we snatch our food off the counter, we make a beeline for the salsa bar, a freestanding contraption in the middle of the bright dining room. The contents are a romp through the mild and crazy-wild, although most of the salsas inspire a knee-jerking or tear-jerking reaction, thanks to the preponderance of chiles. But beneath the heat is also depths of flavor, and there are plenty of other items to counteract the flame: pickled carrots and onions, radishes, lime wedges and cilantro among them. The salsas are also available for purchase, and you'll want a vat of each one.

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