Audio By Carbonatix
We now have a copy of the Zagat 2011 America’s Top Restaurants Survey in our grubby little hands. The guide, better known as the “burgundy bible,” ranked 1,552 restaurants in 45 major markets across the country, including Colorado, based on votes from more than 153,000 diners.
The Survey also tracks national trends, and — no shocker here — the tanking economy means that diners are eating out less (3.1 times per week, down from 3.3 pre-recession), reading menus from right to left (i.e. price is front and center) and backing down on appetizers, desserts and alcohol, except for those of us here at Cafe Society headquarters, who never make sacrifices when it comes to liquor. On the upside, 55 percent of foodniks believe they’re getting better deals, thanks to prix fixe meals and other discounts, and 33 percent say that reservations are easier to come by.
But for at least one Denver restaurant, which is barely bigger than a nostril, reservations will likely skyrocket.
Grubniks who voted on more than 150 restaurants initially surveyed for inclusion in the Colorado section of the America’s Tops guide, edited by yours truly, anointed Fruition, Alex Seidel’s restaurant at 1313 East Sixth Avenue, as the top overall winner, earning Denver’s No. 1 food ranking, with a score of 28 out of 30. Frasca Food & Wine, 1738 Pearl Street in Boulder, took both the Most Popular and Top Service titles. Splendido at the Chateau in Beaver Creek was voted No. 1 for decor, while Colt & Gray, 1553 Platte Street, was the No. 1 rated Newcomer of the year, with a food score of 25
For Zagatland’s listage of all forty Colorado restaurants that landed in the guide, sink your teeth into the next page.
Top twenty Colorado restaurants
Denver – Fruition
Boulder – Frasca
Aspen – Matsuhisha
Beaver Creek – Splendido
Denver – Mizuna
Denver – Sushi Sasa
Denver – Sushi Den
Denver – Virgilio’s
Denver – Rioja
Boulder – L’Atelier
Carbondale – Six89
Denver – Del Frisco’s
Denver – Luca d’Italia
Denver – Z Cuisine
Denver – Izakaya Den
Beaver Creek – Grouse Mountain Grill
Aspen – Montagna
Boulder – The Kitchen
Keystone – Keystone Ranch
Denver – Tables
Other Noteworthy Places
Denver – Argyll
Denver – Barolo Grill
Boulder – Black Cat
Denver – Cafe Brazil
Denver – Colt & Gray
Denver – Duo
Denver – Elway’s
Boulder – Flagstaff House
Denver/Boulder – Jax Fish House
Vail – La Tour
Denver – Marco’s Coal-Fired Pizza
Denver – Olivéa
Denver – Opus
Denver – Palace Arms
Denver – Panzano
Denver – Squeaky Bean
Vail – Sweet Basil
Denver – TAG
Denver – Venue
Denver – Vesta Dipping Grill
