No. 20: A Trip to Guadalajara Authentic Mexican Buffet All-you-can-eat buffets are synonymous for quantity over quality; at least that the standard expectation. And while at Guadalajara on East Colfax Avenue you won’t find the absolute best in town of any one Mexican dish, the sheer variety of hard-to-find specialties…

The annual James Beard Awards wouldn’t be complete without a nomination for Frasca Food & Wine. The Boulder eatery regularly receives accolades for its wine program, its service and its chef, Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson (who is also co-owner). Since opening more than a decade ago, Frasca has earned seven nominations and…

No. 21: Fried Chicken Banh Mi at the Post Chicken & BeerDenver residents have been flocking to the Post’s new outpost in Rosedale (Broadway south of Evans Avenue, to the uninitiated) since the bird-and-beer barn opened on January 18. What’s all the flap about? Fried chicken, of course, but also…

For more than a decade, Tarasco’s New Latino Cuisine has drawn vegetarians and carnivores alike to 470 South Federal Boulevard. Now diners in search of lighter, healthier options have another choice: Noe Bermudez, the chef/owner of Tarasco’s, just opened Kahlo’s at 450 South Newton Street in the Westwood neighborhood. The…

The coffee at the Sudan Cafe, at 10375 East Iliff Avenue in Aurora, comes in tiny metal pots with even tinier coffee cups. A spice is brewed into it, most likely cardamom, that adds an herbal, medicinal note — not bad, just unexpected. But then, there’s plenty of the unexpected at…

When the Walnut Room at Broadway and Ellsworth Avenue closed last August, it was only a matter of time before someone snatched up the desirable corner location in the heart of one of Denver’s hottest bar and restaurant districts. What’s coming is far from the expected upscale taqueria, wood-fired pizzeria…

Paul Tamburello chose Little Man as the name of his Highland ice cream shop because it was his father’s nickname. The towering, milk-can-shaped kiosk stands as a reminder of an older, slower time in Denver’s history — plus, it’s just quirky and fun. Now Tamburello is ready to launch his…

Syria was hit particularly hard by President Trump’s January 27 executive order to ban residents of seven countries from traveling to the U.S. While the order restricts travel by citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Sudan and Somalia for 90 days, the ban is indefinite for Syrian refugees — of…

Bad news for fans of short skirts and big beers: The Tilted Kilt at 16th and Lawrence streets closed its doors on Sunday, February 5, so if you want brews and bar food served by scantily clad girls in plaid, you’ll have to head to the chain’s two remaining Colorado…

No. 22: Empanadas at Lazo Empanadas Lazo Empanadas is the more streamlined offshoot of Boulder’s Rincon Argentino. The bright but bare-bones shop in the Ballpark neighborhood (which was once the cafe side of Buenos Aires Pizzeria) sells nothing but the South American pastries and a few packaged foods, like jars…

While searching for the cuisine of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen (the seven countries whose citizens were banned from entering the U.S. by Donald’s Trump executive order) in metro Denver, I came across Rice & Kabob Persian Kitchen at 1699 South Colorado Boulevard. I assumed Persian would…

Rolling out of bed on a weekend morning is a little easier when there’s brunch on the horizon. Denver has no shortage of eggy options for everyone’s favorite mid-morning meal, but here are three new options for a change-up from the standard French toast and eggs Benedict. From a fully…

The Halcyon Hotel at 245 Columbine Street in Cherry Creek is already home to one restaurant, Departure, as well as a members-only bar called Boys & Girls Club in the basement. But later this month, those two will be joined by Quality Italian, a New York City concept headed by…

A new fast-casual restaurant called Broken Rice opens today at 1390 South Colorado Boulevard, offering a variety of Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese dishes in an upscale, fast-casual setting. While Broken Rice is run by a California-based company, this is the first Broken Rice in the country. Ric Gordon, President of…

Finding acceptance and successfully integrating are not easy tasks for immigrants to Colorado, who can face ignorance, fear and hostility. But food can be a bridge to understanding and sharing culture, and often leads the way to acceptance of people whose customs are different from those of the majority. Immigrants…

When chef Mary Nguyen opened Olive & Finch at 1552 East 17th Avenue in 2013, she never expected it to be anything more than a passion project. “The success of Olive & Finch has been a surprise because I really opened it to meet my own needs,” the chef explains…

Every strip mall and shopping center in every Denver suburb seems to house a pho joint, usually one with a name that pairs the word “pho” with a number — either the address itself, a lucky number or something personal to the owner. There are so many of these spots…

The Mango House at 1532 Galena Street in Aurora is dedicated to providing services for refugees trying to make a new home in Colorado. The privately  funded space includes a medical practice called Ardas Family Medicine, a dental office, a food share for refugees, the office of Project Worthmore, and…

No. 24: Fish and Chips at Public School 303 There was a time when finding good fish and chips in Denver was a difficult proposition, but fry-cooks got their act together and now its possible to get a decent slab of battered seafood at any number of destinations. Even so,…

Denver Restaurant Week, presented by Visit Denver, launches its thirteenth year with ten days of discounted dinners from restaurants across the metro area from February 24 to March 5. To help you plan your dinner outings, Visit Denver is rolling out more than 150 Restaurant Week menus today at noon…