Food & Drink

Kids are weird. They’re hungry when you’re not, and when you finally get them rounded up to head to their favorite restaurant, they clam up and claim they’re not hungry the moment the server arrives. When you ask what they want to eat, they shrug and say, “Whatever.” At Acova, that answer will get them a PB & J sandwich with a side. And “I’m not hungry” will land them a kid-sized cheeseburger with fries. You get the idea: Acova’s kids’ menu takes standard annoying answers and turns them into the names of dishes — which just might elicit a smile and get the young ones engaged in the family dinner. The only problem? Now you have to get them to choose a side dish. Unfortunately, “I hate you, Daddy,” won’t result in potato salad.

Oh, did you think we meant a flight of beers? No, we meant a flight, like in an airplane. Since opening in 2019, FlyteCo Brewing’s aviation theme has really taken off — and includes not just a salvaged plane wing at the entrance, runway striping on the floor and other aeronautical details, but a custom-built replica of the fuselage of a plane. Inside are jump seats, tables and plane windows where beer drinkers can gaze out at other customers. But you can order that flight of beers, too — in a carrier shaped like an airplane, of course.

Tennyson Street has changed a lot in the past five years — for better and for worse. One of the better changes has been the growth of a quality craft-beer scene that was bolstered in 2019 by two new breweries — FlyteCo Brewing and the Empourium Brewing — bringing the total to five between 38th and 46th avenues. Your best bet for a crawl? Start at FlyteCo, on 38th, and head north to the Empourium, the Grateful Gnome, De Steeg and Call to Arms. All have in-house or nearby food options, and among the five, you can find just about any style of lager or ale.

As winter approached during the pandemic, breweries rushed to install tents, domes, greenhouses or other enclosures that would allow them to seat people indoors — while outdoors — and still comply with social distancing rules. Westbound & Down Brewing took it to a whole other level, however, building a set of massive but elegant wooden barrels that came complete with heaters, Bluetooth speakers and room for six to sit and enjoy beer, fondue or other dishes from the brewpub. The Barrel Experience, as it was called, was a hit, and could live on at Westbound’s second location, now under construction in Lafayette.

TRVE Brewing has such a long, skinny space — it’s just eighteen feet across — that it didn’t make sense to seat people indoors for most of 2020. And the brewery has, or had, no patio seating whatsoever. But as 2021 rolled around, TRVE took over the back-alley parking lot of a neighboring business and installed the Dumpster Garden, a weekend-only pop-up outdoor beer garden featuring its cans and bottles. It was the most perfectly named, perfectly themed outdoor drinking spot for a dumpster fire of a year.

Ground-bound patios don’t really stand a chance when it comes to competing with their lofty rooftop counterparts — something the owners of Joyride Brewing knew when they first opened in 2014 and made plans to build a big deck on the roof. That dream became reality in 2019: The rooftop patio boasts not only its own bar with sixteen taps and room for 150 people, but stunning views that take in Denver’s skyline to the east, busy Sloan’s Lake Park just across the street, and Pikes Peak to the south (on a clear day). Get up there and have a beer!

We have yet to meet anyone who hasn’t had a good time at Raíces Brewing. That’s because there’s almost always something special happening here, either inside or on the patio, which provides views of the South Platte River, Mile High Stadium and an industrial neighborhood turning industrial-chic. Sometimes it’s Latin dancing or live music; at other times it’s a community or political forum, acting classes, an art show or a soccer party. And then there are the food trucks, featuring cuisine from all over Latin America. But Raíces — one of Colorado’s only Latino-owned breweries — is also beautiful, boasting high-arched ceilings, massive windows with sweeping views, murals, a stage and an elegant, tree-themed light fixture that can change colors depending on what flag or idea it is honoring. Oh, and the beer is lovely as well.

New Image Brewing releases beers at a frenetic pace — and with blasts of creativity. One week it’s an impossibly rich, dessert-like stout, and the next it’s an unfathomably complex take on a hazy IPA or a fruit-laden tart beer. Over the past two years, as the brewery added a production facility nearby, it took its beers to another level — not just in quality, consistency and palate-pleasing flavors, but with endless experimentation into process, ingredients and technique. And that means anything could be in store for the rest of 2021.

Ratio Beerworks suffered during the pandemic, but that suffering only seems to have made the hip RiNo staple even stronger. Built on a simple but well-crafted slate of solid beer choices (some with a twist), Ratio also has a unique style aesthetic, a killer patio, and an eye-opening arts and music-driven vibe. The brewery now regularly cans its beer, helping it find a larger audience, while a city street closure gave it a larger outdoor space. In 2021, Ratio has added a new and highly respected head brewer, and it will soon open a second location in south Denver — moves that will only elevate this already high-flying fun factory.

After a one-year hiatus, Factotum Brewhouse has resurrected its Grill and Swill program, wherein you bring your own steaks, burgers, dogs or veggies and fire ’em up on one of the brewery’s propane grills (which come complete with utensils). Don’t want to tote your own plates or condiments? Factotum will rent you some — and serve you all the beer you need for a proper backyard patio hang. “It’s just like going to the park,” the brewery says, “except the beer is fresher, the picnic tables are sturdier and the bathrooms are fancier.”

Spice Trade Brewery has unusual roots: It was born inside Arvada’s Yak & Yeti Restaurant, brewing beers made with herbs and spices to complement the Indian and Nepalese food. So it made sense that when the brewery opened its own distinct location in May 2020, it would push these flavors even further. The new Spice Trade, set in an airy corner spot and bursting with color and electricity, offers rotating street food and dishes from around the world, including everything from Thai wings and char siu barbecue to Moroccan tagine and butter chicken arancini. Pair them with beers like Tamarind Belgian Dubbel, Sichuan Saison and Chai Milk Stout, and you have a party in your mouth.

They don’t give Michelin stars for taprooms, but maybe they should. Because Wild Provisions Beer Project is certainly “worthy” of a detour, as the famous French restaurant guide suggests for its rated restaurants. An offshoot of 4 Noses Brewing, Wild Provisions, which opened in May 2020, specializes in two different styles of beer with centuries-old traditions: Belgian wild ales and Czech lagers. Both are brewed here using extremely specialized equipment, including a decoction mashing system, horizontal lagering tanks, open-topped fermenters and two coolships. The gorgeous taproom is just as well thought-out, with a wood-paneled half-circle bar and traditional side-pull, Czech-style faucet taps. Make the detour.

Most tasting rooms are little more than extensions of the distilleries themselves, but this space is a standout. The Family Jones Spirit House was the first distillery-restaurant in metro Denver, and its tasting room is actually a posh and inviting eatery. The distilling equipment towers over the bar on a mezzanine level, its shiny copper reminiscent of a church’s pipe organ. Below, neat pours of the distillery’s many products — some of which have never been bottled for sale outside the establishment — can be sampled alongside creative cocktails. If you fancy a bite to eat, so much the better, since the food menu is on par with the booze.

Whiskey doesn’t get much more Colorado than Laws. The distillery works with specific farmers in the San Luis Valley and on the eastern plains to source corn, rye, wheat and barley for its lineup of spirits. Those heirloom grains give the whiskeys (all Laws makes) a distinct terroir, bolstered by years in oak barrels. Laws was the first distillery in Colorado to produce a “bottled in bond” bourbon, meeting strict criteria for ingredients, age and provenance, and the attention to detail shows in each rich and complex sip.

Ashmead’s Kernel, Dabinett, Porter’s Perfection and Ruby Jon. Are these racehorses getting ready for the Kentucky Derby, or canine Best of Show winners? No, they’re just a few of the many apple varieties — some of which are grown and harvested in Colorado — that Talia and Daniel Haykin use to make sparkling ciders that rival wine in complexity, aroma and food-friendly balance. You can find Haykin ciders at some of Denver’s finest restaurants (a testament to their quality), on liquor store shelves and at the Aurora cidery, making it easy to pair them with your own culinary creations at home.

Chad and Marla Yetka named their urban winery after their first precious pooch, Bigsby the golden retriever. His image can be found — with pipe, top hat and tie — on the winery’s bottles, above the bar and on the sign gracing the venerable brick building facing the light rail line in RiNo. Bigsby is long gone, but you can hang out with other pups on the patios at Bigsby’s Folly or just bring your own, provided your pet follows in the footsteps of that perfect gentle-dog namesake. The wines, made from California-sourced grapes, are worthy of praise, too. And with a full food menu, Bigsby’s is a great destination whether you’re just in for a few sips or looking for dinner, drinks and celebrations. RiNo is going to the dogs, and that’s a good thing.

Colorado has its own vineyard and wineries, mostly on the Western Slope, but when Snooze co-founder Jon Schlegel decided to plunge into the world of wine, he looked abroad, and ended up living in Italy to learn the business. As a result, all the wines at his year-old winery in the Ballpark neighborhood start with grapes from the rolling hillsides of Italy. They’re crushed there, too, before the liquid is shipped to Denver for resting, blending and aging. So when you enjoy a glass or a bottle at the winery, you’re drinking Barolos, Nebbiolos, Barbarescos and other wines made according to Italian tradition and with 100 percent Italian ingredients.

You know you’re getting something good when Frasca Food & Wine co-owner Bobby Stuckey opens a wine bar. Not only has Stuckey earned the highest ranking from the Court of Master Sommeliers, but he’s also part owner of a winery in Italy. The restaurateur is also an audiophile, and at Sunday Vinyl, his wine bar by Union Station, you can find his love of both wine and vintage records on display. The sound system is as high-end as many of the bottles in the cellar, and there’s good food to accompany both, making this a destination on its own and not merely a parking spot for customers awaiting a table at Stuckey’s other project, Tavernetta, right next door.

If there were a love song to the Nob Hill Inn, it would be played on a steel guitar. The song would have some twang to it, and it would be sad and satisfying and honest. But last year, it was almost silenced. The Nob Hill Inn has been a drinker’s paradise for more than seventy years — serving everyone from Bob Dylan to politicos who used to make deals over the phone in corner booths — but this classic, down-and-dirty watering hole on Colfax almost dried up entirely during the pandemic. Without a kitchen or passable alternative, the place closed for months while it sold pizza and to-go drinks out of the back door and regulars hosted fundraisers. “We’ve had hard times before,” said John Plessinger, whose father bought the Nob in 1969 and put it in his name. “But nothing like this.” Still, Denver’s best dive bar survived, and today the Nob Hill Inn is again pouring drinks at its horseshoe-shaped bar.

The Tommy’s house margarita at Dos Santos gets people in the door, and it keeps those people coming back. One glance around the patio or through the glass doors at all the guests with margs in hand is enough to stop passersby in their tracks. True to an ideal house marg, this one is simple and addictive, made with nothing more than Arette blanco tequila, fresh lime juice and agave syrup. The price is right, and the balance of sweet and tangy is the perfect accompaniment for happy hour bites or tacos all night.

Señor Bear’s dinner menu spans several Latin American countries, and the happy-hour slate does, too — but with entirely different dishes created to inspire smiles and whimsy. Part of what makes the pre-dinner snack and drink specials here such a find is that nothing is just a tossed-off reject from dinner or a filler made from cheap ingredients. The Gordo Crunch is a little miracle inspired by Mexican-American fast food, a soft tortilla layered on a crunchy one and filled with mild chorizo, cheese, lettuce and special sauce. There are also plates of chicharrones, bowls of guacamole, mini servings of oozy queso with toasted chile oil, and even a seafood (for happy hour? Outrageous!) tostada. Drinks come priced for multiple rounds, too, so don’t come by car unless someone else is driving.

New bars were few and far between in 2020, given the strict COVID-based rules on serving food (always), closing early (frequently) and drinking at an actual bar (never). But in the Central Park neighborhood, a latecomer named Dirty Laundry made its debut just in time to go full-on takeout with booze, and then somehow managed to hang on through the winter until customers could sit inside. Dirty Laundry isn’t fancy, but it has all the things you need for a successful bar: lots of drinks, a little grub and some Wisconsin stuff — because everyone knows Wisconsin bars are the best kind. Connoisseurs will find enough artisan spirits and craft beers to suit their needs, and the cocktails include some eyebrow-raising ingredients. But this is really a simple neighborhood watering hole at heart, so you can nosh on Buffalo chicken dip, cheese curds and soft pretzels while downing $5 pours of Bell’s Two Hearted Ale, because, yeah, there’s some Michigan stuff here, too.

Denver has very few restaurants that have hit 35 years and are still on the upswing, but Sushi Den’s commitment to the freshest seafood and the most exacting standards have kept it at the top of its game for years. And the restaurant, owned by brothers Toshi and Yasu Kizaki, continues to innovate by looking to Japan’s culinary history as well as its current trends. That’s why it seems that there’s always something new on the menu — though even those items adhere to a simple and clean aesthetic that lets the ingredients speak for themselves. The best fish from the icy waters surrounding Japan as well as from well-maintained fisheries around the world turn up here daily, making Sushi Den quite a catch for landlocked Colorado.

Sushi Den’s younger sibling and next-door neighbor rises above Old South Pearl Street with two stories of elegant and modern Japanese dining. In fact, the two eateries share a kitchen; accordingly, the sushi at Izakaya Den is on par with Sushi Den’s, but you’ll want to take a deeper dive into the menu to experience the true purpose of an izakaya — to tantalize with small plates while you also enjoy sake, Japanese whiskey, cocktails, wine and beer. Scallop risotto, grilled hamachi collar and Korean short ribs are good bets, as is the light sunomono salad plumped up with shrimp and snow crab. There are larger entrees, too, in case you prefer to settle into one plate rather than grazing. But no matter your choice, be sure to ask about the perfect sake to accompany it; the stories behind the bottles are nearly as enjoyable as what’s inside.

A refugee from Syria, Mohamad Alnouri came to the U.S. via Egypt a few years back, not knowing a word of English. Today, Alnouri is fluent in English and owns and operates his own restaurant at Mango House that offers the best Syrian food in the metro area. Alnouri whips up delicious hummus, baba ghanouj, falafel and other Levantine cuisine staples, all at excellent prices. And if that doesn’t make you smile, Alnouri’s sincere grin will.

10180 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora
720-418-1776
jasminesyrian.com

When chef Alon Shaya opened Safta in 2018, he made us rethink hummus and falafel. No longer the stuff of cheap and satisfying college takeout meals, as executed at Safta, these dishes rise to the level they deserve in the canon of world cuisine. Shaya made us not only appreciate the standards, but introduced us to Israeli dishes rarely seen before in Denver. We murmured words like muhammara, lutenitsa and chermoula while appreciating generous drizzles of olive oil and hearth-baked pita so inflated they threatened to float away. Safta continues to impress with an ever-changing and seasonal lineup of small plates and family-sized dishes that somehow all stay grounded in a grandmother’s simple style.

When Brasserie Brixton opened in the Cole neighborhood last summer, it was one of the most exciting French restaurants to come along in quite some time. But as COVID-based restrictions made dining in the restaurant more difficult, founder Justin Morse realized the brasserie’s menu wasn’t suited for takeout or delivery. So he installed a wood-burning pizza oven and began turning out square pies under the name Le Brix Pizza, and the neighbors loved it. Once springtime arrived, Morse reopened the dining room and relaunched the eclectic French menu that comprises blood-sausage wontons as well as French onion soup, pork-belly gougères and mussels in broth. At Brasserie Brixton, it’s great to be French again.

Tucked into a quiet, brick-lined grotto off Larimer Square, Bistro Vendôme checks all the boxes for what French restaurants have come to represent: It feels like a secret you discovered while traveling, it comes complete with gilt window signs and cozy cafe seating, and it offers a menu of instantly recognizable French classics. The fact that all of those classics are well executed is important, too; no French eatery worth its sel de mer could earn its fleurs de lis without being able to turn out pitch-perfect duck confit, steak frites and buttery mussels and escargot every time. And that’s exactly what you’ll get at Bistro Vendôme.

Fire is at the heart and soul of chef/owner Elise Wiggins’s Italian restaurant in Central Park, so you’ll get hints of smoke and char in everything from grilled oysters on the appetizer list to the cast-iron skillet pasticcio to mouthwatering steaks. Pizzas and flatbreads are baked in the wood-burning oven, too. From the right seat (which is nearly every seat in the house), you can watch the chefs ply their craft as the flames dance. And in the summer, you’ll often see Wiggins and her team cooking up something good on the patio rotisserie.

Denver’s neighborhood restaurants have been responsible for the invention of several dishes distinct to this town: the Mexican hamburger, the toro pot — and the Italian canoli. We’re not talking about the dessert cannoli spelled with two n’s, we’re talking about the single-n savory canoli, a bready roll stuffed with Italian sausage or meatballs. Lechuga’s, a Northside original, may not have invented the canoli, but it has perfected several variations as a prominent part of its menu. The most Denver of them all is the Little Devil, kicked up with a strip of roasted chile inside its golden-brown wrapper. You can get minis for just a couple of bucks apiece, super-sized versions or the Spanoli plate: two canoli smothered in sauce and sided with spaghetti or fat housemade noodles. The square-cut pizzas, baked pasta dishes and hot meatball sandwiches are also worth a visit. Holy canoli, it’s all so good!

Ryan Fletter and Darrel Truett, the owner and chef of Barolo Grill, respectively, take care of their customers. That consideration starts from the moment you step up to the host station; if you’ve been more than once, you’ll likely be greeted by name. Conversation begins almost immediately with your host, your server, your wine guide and often Fletter himself, who stops at every table to make sure diners are comfortable. The dedication continues into the kitchen, where Truett continues to innovate with the seasons rather than resting on Barolo’s considerable reputation. The chef proves that Italian cuisine is as fluid and evolving as the wines aging in Fletter’s cellar, and surprises await both in the bottle and on the plate.

The homey pierogi got a modern makeover when Jeremy and Katherine Yurek opened their Polish eatery on a revitalized strip of East Colfax Avenue last year. The pierogi and other eats at Baba & Pop’s are as comforting and satisfying as Grandma’s best, but the ambience of the restaurant is a little hipper. Along with time-honored potato or sauerkraut versions, you’ll find pierogi reimagined with chili relleno or pizza-style fillings, and there’s even a pierogi poutine with housemade brown gravy. Cabbage rolls, kielbasa and sauerkraut soup further reinforce the Polish offering. At weekend brunch, things are a little less by-the-book, especially if you throw down $48 for the Buddy Mary, a 50-ounce Bloody Mary bristling with skewered fried chicken, sausage, bacon, cheese curds, pickled veggies and charred jalapeños. Baba and Pop would be shocked!

The arepa is the quintessential Venezuelan street food, a fluffy, corn-flour pocket stuffed with all manner of meats, beans, veggies and sauces. Quiero Arepas makes its arepas big, then wraps them in paper for a filling meal on the go. Lighter appetites should start with La Original, with avocado, plantains and black beans. But our favorite is the Pabellon, a classic in Venezuela made with juicy shredded beef, black beans, plantains and cheese. Other combos come with salmon, ham and cheese, chicken salad and Cuban-style fillings, to name just a few. Quiero Arepas can also be found at Avanti Food & Beverage in Boulder and LoHi.

Folks with a long memory and an adventurous streak for seeking out great food in Denver’s hidden neighborhoods will remember when Cafe Brazil served South American cuisine from a ten-table eatery on Navajo Street in the 1990s before moving to its more spacious home in the early 2000s. The Zarlenga family’s bold, fresh and flavorful interpretation of Brazilian cooking, tinged with influences from Colombia, Spain and even a little Italy, has been a bright spot in northwest Denver for more than twenty years. A visit is never complete without a sip or two of rum or cachaça from the bar’s extensive collection.

Konjo is part of the food hall lineup at Edgewater Public Market, offering Ethiopian cuisine alongside more typical pizzas, chicken sandwiches, crepes and ice cream. Despite the setting, Konjo’s flavors are every bit as rich and complex as you find at the sit-down Ethiopian restaurants on East Colfax Avenue and along Havana Street, but dishes are served in a way that’s easier to enjoy without committing to an hours-long meal. Choose from a veggie combo or chicken, beef or lamb tibs; each meal comes with rolls of injera flatbread.

The thatched covers over the tables, the smell of coffee and spices in the air, the warm greetings whether you’re in for a meal at Megenagna or stopping for groceries at the attached market — those are what keep customers coming back to this Aurora Ethiopian eatery. The beef is always at its freshest (the raw kitfo is one of the best items on the menu), and the injera fresh, spongy and earthy from the flavor of dark (almost purple) teff flour. Going meatless is easy here, too, since the stewed lentils, chickpeas and greens and other vegetable dishes are every bit as spice-laden as the meat. Sharing is almost an obligation, so don’t go alone.

Outside of a thriving Ethiopian scene and a few good Moroccan restaurants, Denver doesn’t have much in the way of African cuisine. Fortunately, African Grill & Bar owners Sylvester and Theodora Osei-Fordwuo dish up tempting food from Ghana as well as other parts of central, south and east Africa — all made without flour, sugar or dairy. You’ll find jollof rice, fufu, chakalaka, goat curry and many other specialties, and if you’re new to all that, the Osei-Fordwuo family (kids included) are happy to guide your choices. After one or two visits, you’ll feel like family, too.

In Denver, Southern India’s cuisine doesn’t get as much attention as the typical vindaloo, tikka masala and array of colorful curries found in most Indian restaurants. But at the Madras Cafe, they’re the star. Big dosa, rolled into tubes like oversized crepes, soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, are a good starting point, drizzled in ghee or stuffed with potato masala. Vadai, or savory doughnuts, come plain with dipping sauces or smothered in rasam or sambar, two spicy sauces. The entrees themselves are arranged in North and South Indian sections, so you can stick to one region or go on a journey across the country. As you make your way through Kerala mushroom curry, fried okra with peanuts from Andhra Pradesh, or curry made with tiny pea eggplant from Tamil Nadu, you may notice that there’s not a bite of meat to be found anywhere at the Madras Cafe. But you won’t miss it.

The difference between good pho and great pho can be as simple as a hint of too much star anise in the broth, a slice of brisket that’s just a little too chewy or a slight lack of beefy flavor. Now Pho strikes a balance of flavors in its pho broth, which has a mild beef flavor and just a hint of sweetness, and also displays a restrained hand with the spices. The noodles are always fresh, as are the herbs and bean sprouts, and the well-prepared meats add texture to the pho. Beyond those basics, Now Pho offers oxtail, marrow bones and lobster as options. And for a richer, more complex experience, there are Pho Two Bowls, which puts the broth in an oven-hot stone bowl so that it simmers and concentrates without overcooking the noodles, which come in a separate bowl. That’s the pho we want right now.

Vietnam isn’t a big country, but its cuisine spans a wide range of styles and influences. Consequently, the menu at Savory Vietnam is big, offering dozens of soups, salads, noodle and rice dishes, stir-fries, hot pots and chef’s specials. Start with a mounded platter of finger food and fresh herbs that you wrap in rice paper to create your own rolls, then move on to traditional noodle soups like bun bo Hue, bun rieu or hu tieu nam vang. Order family style to sample vegetarian dishes and meats done using many cooking techniques. There are even separate sections just for quail and escargot. And each dish comes from the kitchen vibrant with color, aroma and flavor — like a tour of a busy street market.

Noy and Rick Farrell care about you, and the proof is their Flu Shot Soup, a comforting Thai chicken soup fragrant with fresh herbs and packed with nutritious veggies. While the soup is only available in Colorado’s chillier months, the rest of the menu at Taste of Thailand is built to warm your heart and soul, too. Seasonal ingredients, many from the Farrells’ home garden, brighten many items, and the dishes of Noy’s hometown in northern Thailand share space with favorites from the country’s other regions. Whether you pick the rich and spicy khao soi or the lighter yum mamuang, a lively shrimp and mango dish served with sticky rice, know that you’re choosing well.

In a year when the comforting and familiar felt like the best bet, Dae Gee was there with its Colorado-grown group of Korean eateries that have fed so many customers since the first one opened in Westminster in 2010. Bubbling soups and stews in hot stone bowls, sizzling meats coated in spicy marinades, and endless little bowls of banchan to add tangy, salty and funky punch to each meal gave us what we needed. Dae Gee’s kimchi felt like the unofficial food of 2020, its spice and crunch simultaneously health-giving and fun. It made us warm and happy in kimchi pancakes and kimchi jjigae (a pork, tofu and noodle stew), and as a side with nearly everything else. At Dae Gee, we pigged out when we needed to most.

120 W. Olive St., Fort Collins

The Ginger Pig has the soul of a Chinese restaurant, owing to founder Natascha Hess’s time spent living in China and her love of her host family’s home cooking. But her eatery also encompasses ideas from Thailand, Vietnam, Korea and Japan, so it’s best to mix and match. The Bangkok balls are little fried rice spheres with a touch of red curry; the happy hour Korean rice dog one-ups the standard corn dog with a crunchy-chewy rice-and-cornflake coating; and the hot and sour shredded potatoes offer a taste of Chinese tradition. More of that can be found in the Sichuan-style eggplant and Auntie Zhang’s Chinese noodles, but keep your eye on the menu for new dishes that are always worth a go.

Chef Jeff Osaka was doing fine dining long before he decided to return to his childhood roots with Osaka Ramen. Diners who visited Twelve from 2008 to 2014, or its spinoff, 12@Madison, from 2016 to 2020, know all about Osaka’s attention to detail and wise use of ingredients. Those attributes also hold true for the various ramen bowls served at this subterranean eatery, but don’t skip the roster of small plates, from the chilled green beans to the curried potato croquettes to the agedashi tofu. And if you’re looking for great, secret fried chicken, you’ll find it in little plates of karaage, crunchy on the outside and subtly flavored with citrus and soy.

Edwin Zoe founded Chimera in Boulder with the intention of showcasing his favorite dishes from all around Asia, but he and his culinary team became too good at one thing: ramen. So he converted the restaurant to a ramen-only shop (with a few tantalizing appetizers) to give customers exactly what they wanted. Zoe makes ramen noodles from scratch every day (his is one of only two metro ramen shops doing that), and the kitchen simmers broths all day to extract the most flavor from pork and chicken bones and kombu, the Japanese seaweed that adds depth to the soups. If you’re not sure which bowl to start with, Chimera Ramen’s lobster ramen is worth every penny.

Takashi Tamai is more than a ramen chef; he’s an artist who works with noodles and broth. Before opening his own spot two years ago, the chef/owner of Ramen Star invested in an elaborate machine that he uses to make fresh noodles daily. Those noodles go into tonkotsu, miso, shoyu, kimchi and veggie broths, all of which come with housemade toppings such as chashu pork, soy-marinated eggs and crisped dumplings labeled “potato pierogi” on the menu. Once you’ve spooned up every bite, you’ll want to tip the bowl to your lips to get every last drop.

A poke war broke out in Denver in the latter part of the last decade, with every nook of every strip mall in town seemingly hiding a raw-fish bar. Most of them didn’t seem particularly Hawaiian, though, especially when compared to Louie and Regan Colburn’s Ohana Island Kitchen, which opened in the fall of 2016 after starting life as a walk-up window just across the street. Louie hails from Hawaii, and his pristine, simply dressed ahi tuna demonstrates a true knowledge of how to do it right. Beyond the tuna, Ohana also offers other great island bites such as kalua pork and Spam musubi — which you should always tack on with any poke order.

Chef Michelle Xiao was one of the best dumpling makers in New York City before ChoLon chef/owner Lon Symensma coaxed her into moving to Denver to work her magic at his restaurants. While dumplings are only a small part of the menu at the pan-Asian restaurant, you’ll see a steaming basket of the signature French onion soup dumplings at nearly every table in the dining room. The delicate pleats and dough so thin you can almost see the dumplings’ contents through it are evidence of an artisan working behind the scenes to make your dinner experience special.

Penelope Wong’s wontons, soup dumplings and other creations could be the star of any dim sum restaurant or high-end Chinese menu, but instead she serves them out of a food truck at breweries, pop-ups and special events. The truck has been a huge hit since launching in 2019, so much so that long lines formed during the first few months of business, even on chilly winter nights, and pre-orders sold out regularly during the pickup-only days of the pandemic. The truck’s success isn’t just a social media phenomenon; Wong’s food is grounded in the dishes she grew up with, and her love and passion can be tasted in every bite.

instagram.com/yuanwonton

Tiny Seoul ManDoo opened last summer on Havana Street with only two menu items: familiar fried or steamed mandu dumplings (similar to Japanese gyoza or Chinese potstickers) and bigger wang mandu (called giant dumplings on the menu) that immediately impress with their immense size (bigger than the palm of your hand) and snow-white steamed wrapper. Of course, all the dumplings come with a choice of several meat- and veggie-based fillings. Order a combo pack so you can try a few.

Mason’s Dumplings and its older sibling, Luscious Dumplings, have won awards for the best dumplings and best Chinese food in their hometown of Los Angeles, so when Mason’s decided to open an Aurora outpost, dumpling fans were understandably excited. The shop was all set to open in mid-March 2020 when the pandemic hit, so the kitchen switched to takeout only and has been sending dumplings, noodles and other eats out the door ever since. Plans are in the works to finally open the dining room in the coming weeks, but for now you can still get pan-fried, steamed or boiled dumplings to go.

Dumplings aren’t the only thing that Uncle Zoe’s makes, but they’re what attracts the attention, especially when a server walks by with a steaming bamboo basket and drops it off at someone else’s table, revealing the plump, glistening contents within. Familiar wonton dumplings in bright red chili oil, sought-after soup dumplings with hand-pleated tops, crisp-bottomed pork buns and pan-fried pot stickers all beckon. But the rarest of the bunch is what’s listed on the menu as “meatloaf pies” (also known as rou bing), little finger-friendly snacks somewhere between a pan-fried dumpling and a fully-enclosed sandwich. As good as all the dumplings are, don’t fill up all at once; go back and try one or two at a time so you can explore the rest of the menu, too.

12203 E. Iliff Ave., Aurora
303-755-8518

Restaurateur Tommy Lee uses traditional Chinese dishes from several distinct regions as the foundation for food that soars above the ordinary. The gai lan may look like the Chinese broccoli you’d order from a dim sum cart, but it’s boosted with chickeny flavor thanks to the addition of schmaltz and Chook chicken salt. The cumin lamb buns come stuffed with a lamb burger patty instead of typical minced or shredded meat, and the chilled tofu with smashed cucumbers combines two appetizers most often served separately. Customer favorites like the marrow fried rice, Beijing duck rolls and the la zi ji (fried chicken bristling with whole toasted chiles) have found a permanent home on the menu, but there’s always something new with each season to add to the sense of wonder and discovery.

Denver’s plant-based culinary scene has exploded in recent years, offering everything from sophisticated dining to hands-on street food. Meta Burger’s two locations fulfill the fast-food urge — minus the meat, dairy and eggs. The classic Meta Burger is hard to beat, with its all-American combo of house sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickles and vegan cheese, but other burgers offer a creative assortment of toppings, including bacon-onion jam, grilled pineapple, shaved Brussels sprouts and giardiniera. And what would a great burger be without fries and a shake? We’ll gladly skip the beef for Meta’s waffle fries and frozen treats.

The green chile at chef Hosea Rosenberg’s Southwestern cantina stands out for the true taste of green chiles un-muddied by extraneous ingredients or even pork. Rosenberg, a New Mexico native, makes regular pilgrimages to his home state’s prime growing region to pick up Hatch chiles from his secret sources. The zippy sauce that results can be found in Santo’s breakfast burritos, which Boulder residents line up for every weekend, as well as atop quesadillas, enchiladas and a chile relleno burrito on the dinner menu.

Peruse the menu at Somebody People (named for a line in a Davie Bowie song) and you’ll notice that many of the dishes are simply named after vegetables: mushrooms, cabbage, potatoes or asparagus, for example. It’s what the kitchen does with those veggies that helps this restaurant stand out — not just as a plant-based destination, but as an excellent eatery in its own right. Pastas, too, are made with care and combined with real ingredients (many from Colorado farms) instead of processed meat substitutes. The result is food with finesse, flavor and roots — literally and metaphorically.

Virgin Islands transplants and restaurant veterans Mona and Flynn Dickerson opened their cafe in its current home and format in 1999, from the start offering Southern specialties and Caribbean pates — savory hand pies with several different fillings — in a cozy setting that feels like home. You can’t go wrong with the Welton Street Cafe’s fried chicken, with its crackly, peppery coating; the pork chops smothered in brown gravy; or the fried catfish sandwiches. Today the restaurant is run by the whole family, with children Fathima, Fathim and Cenya overseeing daily operations, which for the past year have been takeout only. While the food’s as good as ever, even to go, we’re looking forward to a warm welcome when the dining room reopens.

Denver-born Adrian Miller has been exploring the streets of the city to find great food for years, but as an author and food historian, his writings have covered African-American cooking all over the United States. And with each new project, he makes television appearances, accepts awards and engages in book tours to spread the word far beyond Denver. His first book, Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time, won a James Beard Award in 2014, and his newest book, Black Smoke, about the evolution of Black barbecue in this country, is rapidly gaining attention. Miller’s a busy man; catch him on Netflix when he appears on the upcoming series High on the Hog.

If you like your barbecue in a comfortable setting with a full bar and a menu of other eats and sides, Smok is the place for you. Chef Bill Espiricueta knows his meats (he grew up in Kansas City and Austin), so the brisket, ribs, housemade sausage and chicken come out of the outdoor smoker perfect every time. But he also makes a great fried chicken sandwich, some uncommonly good deviled eggs and a mean mac and cheese. You may have to fight guests of the Source Hotel, where Smok is located, for a seat, but a shady table on the patio is another great place to enjoy your haul.

Barbecue in Denver has risen to new heights in recent years, and determining the best often comes down to a single sprinkle of salt on a glistening rib that otherwise could be coming from numerous spots around town. But Roaming Buffalo stands out for doing something a little different: smoked lamb and bison. The lamb is pulled shoulder, seasoned and perfumed with just the right amount of smoke to let the taste of the meat shine through. The bison comes in the form of big ribs with meat that pulls easily from the bone and carries a rich, fatty flavor. Stop in for lunch at the original location on South Downing (where the meats sell out quickly), or go for dinner at the newer Golden outpost. Either way, you’ll get a true taste of Colorado.

While Karl Frederick Fallenius’s smoked meats are ostensibly Texas-style (simply seasoned, cooked over oak and with an emphasis on beef brisket), at Owlbear Barbecue he takes you on a meaty journey far beyond rigid guidelines and regional variations. You can go the purist route and get your meat — brisket or pork belly, ribs, shoulder and tenderloin — by the pound (sauce on the side, of course), or you can explore weekly specials such as hearty gumbo, housemade Colombian chorizo or smoked cheeseburgers. Fallenius adds equal parts creativity and nerdy expertise to everything on the menu.

Slow-risen dough, quality ingredients and a screaming-hot pizza oven are what make Cart-Driver a destination for pizza aficionados looking for balance and subtlety rather than gooey wads of cheese and wall-to-wall pepperoni. The Neapolitan pies produced at the tiny, industrial pizzeria in RiNo and at its posher sibling in LoHi offer the perfect amount of chew and char, whether you’re noshing on a simple Daisy (with nothing more than mozzarella, sauce and basil), a seasonal special with garden-fresh toppings, or the Cart-Driver, dotted with kale and house sausage. The pizzaiolos here are perfectionists, but they’re not snobs — since you can even get ham and pineapple. And rest assured it that will be the best Hawaiian pizza you’ve ever tasted.

When Jason McGovern opened Crush Pizza + Tap, his Highland pizzeria, he was considered a Chicago-style specialist — but over the years he’s expanded his repertoire. Still, the man knows his dough, so whether you’re going with his original round, deep-dish pie or the newer rectangular Sicilian, know that you’re in for a well-risen, airy crust that’s filling but not stodgy. And if a thinner crust is your thing, Crush also does an admirable hand-tossed pizza that’s just as good as its breadier brethren.

There’s something to be said for the specific qualities of Detroit-style pizza: the crackly crust that’s thick but riddled with air pockets so it’s not heavy, the caramelized cheese that cooks up against the hot steel pan, and the tangy sauce that forms thick rivers down the middle of each slice. And when someone dedicated to perfecting the style, like Blue Pan’s Jeff “Smoke” Smokevitch, almost single-handedly introduces Detroit pizza to Denver — with a major assist from his business partner, Giles Flanagin — it’s worth listening up, then eating up. If, for some odd reason, you’re not a fan of the rectangular pies, Blue Pan also does a stellar job with New York and Chicago cracker-thin crusts, and even the gluten-free pizzas are a cut above. Service is takeout- and delivery-only for now, but the pizzas are just as good at home as they are at the restaurant.

Does using Doritos for nachos automatically score the win, or is it just a cheap trick? We say the answer is both. Doritos really aren’t that tasty on their own, but they look appealing, especially when piled with spicy ground beef, pickled jalepeños, pico de gallo and a healthy ladle of queso dip. And, okay, all that fake cheese dust does boost the flavor of nachos and helps the other toppings cling to each perfect triangle. As a result, these nachos are trashy-good, which is probably just the way Cochino Taco wants it.

Last year was a bad one for the humble French fry. Hot and crispy don’t hold up well in takeout packaging, and as a result, many otherwise great fries were left limp and lifeless after being taken to go. So why not put those fries in a spot where potato power makes a big difference but crunch doesn’t? That’s what Tacos Tequila Whiskey owner Kevin Morrison did last spring when he launched his Burro Rito pop-up — first in the temporarily closed Fish N Beer (his RiNo seafood joint that has since reopened) and then at his taquerias. The full Burro Rito menu was retired this year, but a couple of favorite burritos remain — in particular, the SoCal Rito, a two-fister wrapped in foil and loaded down with carne asada, French fries, guacamole, pico de gallo, Monterey Jack and sour cream. Fry problem solved — with delicious results both in-house and for the road.

At four locations and growing (including a Fort Collins ghost kitchen and new restaurants in the works there and in Estes Park), Dave Query’s flock of chicken shacks (two with their own breweries) consistently fries up the best bird on the Front Range. Chef Brett Smith came up with a mouthwatering recipe for the dredge back in 2014, when the first Post opened in Lafayette — and it’s gluten-free, in large part to achieve the loudest crunch for the buck, but also to ensure that as many folks as possible can enjoy the delicious bird. Whether you prefer fried chicken on the bone or in a sandwich, every meal at the Post feels like a family picnic, with great chicken, stellar sides and plenty of cold beers, including Top Rope lager and several other great brews made by the Post Brewing Company.

2200 S. Broadway 1258 S. Hover Rd., Longmont

Josh and Jen Wolkon’s Asian eatery and ping-pong hall is tough to pin down from a culinary standpoint, since it serves great food from a number of Asian countries. Chef Thach Tran does everything with equal style and skill, so you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. But you shouldn’t leave Ace Eat Serve without an order of Tran’s wings, which come as sweet, salty and tangy Tiger wings, or as Korean fried wings in spicy gochujang sauce (though you can get them naked, too). Either choice leads to plump, juicy wings and sticky good fun.

Eddie Renshaw and Evan Pierce played it safe when they swapped out their King of Wings food truck for a brick-and-mortar eatery and bar: They built the kitchen on the outside of the restaurant when they opened last year. Not only did the shipping-container kitchen work to their strength — flame-grilled chicken wings — but it helped them build a business during the pandemic. The smell of cooking chicken and the reputation of the food spread in equal measure through the neighborhood, resulting in a growing fan base of loyal wing eaters drawn to not just the wings, but the ten saucy flavors offered, everything from Buffalo to spicy Thai. Add beer and sports on TV, and you’ve got everything you need to feather your nest.

There’s so much crunch to Lydie Lovett’s fried chicken sandwiches at Chicken Rebel that you’ll likely be wearing a little of your meal after you eat it. Under that shattering crust you’ll find the juicy, flavorful chicken requisite for any sandwich worth its sauce. Get yours with buttermilk ranch, bacon and avocado, or go with the Firebird for a brisk slap of heat. There’s even a breakfast version with bacon and an egg, so you’ll never have to wonder which came first — because the chicken and the egg hit your mouth at the same time.

First, a great bar burger must be cooked up in a great bar — and the Castle definitely qualifies. Inside the cheesy, Castle-like exterior is a massive sunken bar, surrounded by captain’s chairs where regulars can make themselves comfortable, enjoying cheap drinks while they wait for their juicy, half-pound, hand-pattied bar burgers, topped with everything from barbecue sauce to a respectable housemade green chile. Come in on Tuesday for the burger deal…but be prepared to wait.

A restaurant’s name is an unlikely place to find the word “scrap,” given that it generally refers to the stuff chefs throw away. But Sullivan Scrap Kitchen chef/owner Terence Rogers is dedicated to using as much of everything in his kitchen as possible. The no-waste approach makes a kitchen crew think about each ingredient, utilizing everything to its full potential rather than relying on standard preparations that add up to less than the sum of their parts. As a result, the burgers, made with Colorado grass-fed beef or lamb, stand out for their pure, meaty flavor in combination with local products like River Bear bacon and housemade pickles. Even if you didn’t know the casual eatery’s mission, you’d still recognize a great burger from the first bite.

When it comes to bagels, Rosenberg’s owner Joshua Pollack has everyone else in town beat. So when he builds a sandwich on those stellar bagels, they’re bound to be good. Add cured meats and smoked fish all made in-house, as well as top-notch local products like ham, bacon and sausage on the breakfast sandwiches and other quality ingredients rounding out lunchtime offerings, and it’s no wonder there’s always a line. While Rosenberg’s has been operating as a takeout-only deli at its two locations since March 2020, the bagel sandwiches are just as good, and will disappear almost as soon as they’re in your hands.

Pirate Alley is one of Denver’s best-kept sandwich secrets. There’s no dining room, no order counter, no sign other than a sidewalk chalkboard. Chef Kyle Foster closed his Southern eatery, Julep, late last year, but he moved the sandwich side of the business into the kitchen of Stir Cooking School, owned by his wife, Katy. The stars are a fried shrimp po’boy and a roast beef debris po’boy, both dressed and messy in classic New Orleans fashion. You can also go Surf & Turf with shrimp and beef, or keep an eye out for seasonal specials like a killer soft-shell crab sandwich. Order online and then pick up the goods at the door in the actual alley behind the cooking school. But don’t keep it a secret — tell all your friends, and their friends, too!

3215 Zuni Street (at Stir Cooking School)

What’s Open? Once you realize that Open is the name of the sandwich shop inside American Bonded, and once you try the sandwiches, you’ll be checking all the time to see if Open is open. Jake Reiderer and chef Jonathan Chavez solicited sandwich recipes from some of Denver’s top chefs and put them all on the menu at once, chipping in a dollar of each sandwich sold to food-based nonprofit Project Angel Heart. So you can grab a chicken karaage sandwich by Jeff Osaka of Osaka Ramen and Sushi-Rama, a cochinita pibil torta from Dana Rodriguez of Super Mega Bien and Work & Class, a meatloaf-and-collard-green number from Tap & Burger’s Cliff Blauvelt, or a chile relleno cemita from Chavez himself, among others. Hang out at American Bonded over drinks and sandwiches, or order for takeout or delivery. You’ll feel good about it in more ways than one.

Did chef Tim Dotson invent a new sandwich when he rolled up fillings in springy focaccia and wrapped them tightly in butcher paper? Certainly focaccia sandwiches aren’t new, but the Dimeroll, as it’s called at Dimestore Delibar, certainly eats like something new, since the fillings form a central core of meaty, saucy goodness, while the outer layer of focaccia adds a texture distinct from standard hoagie buns. The result: craveable creations packed with meatloaf, Italian deli meats, smoked chicken salad or Cubano ingredients (slow-cooked pork, housemade ham, pickles, mustard and cheese) made just a little Hawaiian with the addition of pineapple sauce. More than just a sandwich shop, Dimestore also shakes up some wicked cocktails and even stocks a few groceries and sundries as a neighborhood bodega.

When Curt Peterson opened Smith + Canon, his ice cream shop at the corner of York and Colfax, in 2019, he had a near-instant hit on his hands, thanks to a small but dazzling array of flavors that hold something for everyone. Purists will enjoy the bold simplicity of the vanilla or chocolate, both made in an eggless base. Grounded blends such as the peanut butter cup, the Foxy Brown (the house specialty, made with cream cheese and cinnamon) and the butter brickle turn up the volume without getting too wild. And then there are unique flavors like Strawbanero (strawberry and habanero), Dew Sabi (honeydew and wasabi) and El Chupacabra (chocolate and chiles), which blow the mind even as they tantalize the tastebuds. Grab a scoop or two — or a tub to take with you — along with the shop’s house coffee beans (roasted by Whiskey Barrel Coffee) for a hot and cold combo at home.

You know you’re from Denver when…you don’t bat an eye at a Vietnamese-Mexican food truck sporting a big blue bear wearing a gold crown at a rakish angle like Biggie Smalls. The blue bear is an iconic symbol of Denver, the word “Rapidos” a familiar one to west-side residents in need of a late-night taco fix: The smell of pho in that part of town is as common as the whiff of Greeley on a brisk winter night before a snow. Combine them all and you have Pho King Rapidos, launched last year by Long Nguyen and Shauna Seaman as a “Vietnamese-ish” food truck turning out killer bun bo Hue and pho, but also mashing up street food in the form of a birria bo kho (Vietnamese beef stew) banh mi — a cheese-encrusted sandwich that comes with broth for dipping and al pastor fries. Nguyen grew up around Federal Boulevard but has worked in fine dining in New York and Denver; the combination of street cred and culinary chops makes Pho King Rapidos a B.I.G. deal.

pkr-denver.com

The Ramirez family, which opened the first Los Dos Potrillos in Centennial two decades ago, has always been accommodating. But over the past year, the Ramirezes may have pivoted faster than any other restaurateurs around. When eateries across the state were ordered to cut off in-door dining in March 2020, the family quickly geared up their to-go systems to maximum efficiency, making sure the beers brewed at their Parker brewery were available, as were their big, strong margaritas; pick-up was fast and flawless. And once restaurants could reopen to indoor seating, Los Dos Potrillos pivoted again, adjusting to doing business in three counties in the metro area with different rules, always with a smile…and complete competence.

35 Springer Drive, Littleton 10065 West San Juan Way, Littleton 19340 Cottonwood Drive, Parker

While you could be forgiven for assuming that the sense-clearing green chile at La Fiesta could kill almost any virus, who could have predicted that the orange vinyl booths in a vast Safeway-turned-Mexican-food joint could seem so comforting, so safe, during the pandemic? For almost sixty years, this spot on the edge of downtown has been a lunchtime haven for everyone from cops to judges to neighborhood kids seeking big, cheesy plates of Mexican food, Denver style. But this past year, the Herrera family, who’ve run the Den-Mex eatery from the start, made La Fiesta seem particularly welcoming…and delicious. And thanks for adding Saturday hours!

El Borrego Negro isn’t your typical hole-in-the-wall taqueria. In fact, it’s little more than a hole in the ground. Chef Jose Avila founded the sheep barbacoa operation in late 2020 to bring the taste of real Mexican barbacoa de borrego to Denver. He acquired a flock of sheep that roam a farm in northern Colorado, built a brick-lined oven in the earth behind the RISE Westwood building on Morrison Road, and began sourcing maguey leaves, herbs and heirloom corn for his barbacoa and handmade tortillas. He cooks the whole sheep in the underground oven every Saturday night, along with an out-of-this-world consomé glistening with fat drippings, and serves the shredded meat every Sunday morning out of his X’Tabai Yucateco food trailer, along with nixtamal tortillas, salsas, a quart of the consomé and sides of onion, cilantro and lime. The whole setup feels like one of Denver’s best-kept secrets, since there’s no phone number, no menu and no website. You just pre-order through Instagram DM, or show up and take your chances — a big risk, because the barbacoa always sells out.

You won’t find steamy bags of tamales by the dozen at Kahlo’s; instead, the Westwood restaurant serves a large, Oaxacan-style chicken tamal wrapped in banana leaf and napped in mole, or a pair of delicate tamales de elote bursting with the flavor of sweet corn and drizzled with salsa verde and crema fresca. Order them both for a taste of two distinct Mexican regions; the mole’s the best in town, too, so you won’t be sorry. Chef/owner Noe Bermudez also runs Tarasco’s, at 470 South Federal Boulevard, where you can get the same great tamales in a smaller, more casual setting.

A grab bag of multiple cooking styles and regional influences seldom works — but that’s not the case at La Calle. The little orange casa turns out delicious examples of cochinita pibil from Yucatán, tacos al pastor from Mexico City, and many other grilled, stewed and roasted meats. Our favorites are the Campechano (carnitas with soft pork skin), chivo (shredded goat) and cabeza (rich and fatty beef from the cow’s head) tacos, but you can mix and match; just be sure to choose the best salsa from the salsa bar for each taco.

One of the most interesting things about restaurant green chile is that the best versions — the handmade ones — never taste quite the same way twice. Sometimes the chile’s a little more concentrated, sometimes a little darker or lighter. And the green chiles that add heat and flavor vary from batch to batch, too. At El Tejado, the green chile is always good, even if it comes a pinkish-orange over your burrito one day and slightly more greenish-brown on another visit. Like the customers in the house on any given day (you may see a group of cops at one table and a party of high school kids at the next), the mix is always a little different. But over time, the differences blur together and the chile’s commendable qualities stand out in a rich and spicy blend, with a gravy-like backbone that sticks well to your relleno, your chimichanga and your ribs.

So many breakfast burritos in town are nothing more than mushy tubes of eggs, potatoes and a little meat, with a splash of green chile that adds a hint of flavor but does nothing for the texture. Tacos Rapidos takes a different approach, overstuffing each burrito with nearly equal parts eggs and meat, whether you choose chorizo, bacon, steak, sausage or our favorite, machaca. Potatoes and cheese are also options, depending on your choice of combo, but don’t even bother asking for green chile. These aren’t Den-Mex breakfast burritos, they’re Rapidos style: fast, cheap, filling, delicious…and chile-free.

2260 South Federal Boulevard

This Armenian bakery offers a full range of pastries, cakes, breads and deli products, so you’ll find traditional barbari and matnakash breads along with pans of savory manti dumplings. But you don’t want to leave House of Bread without ordering a few lahmajun, small flatbreads topped with finely ground beef, or the ajarski, a canoe-shaped bread filled with cheese and eggs in its hollow center. These have their origin as khachapuri in Georgia, but there are several styles of khachapuri, including a flaky, cheese-filled turnover that House of Bread also makes. For a full meal (as if you won’t stuff yourself on ajaruli!), there are several kinds of kabobs; just be sure to order them at least two hours in advance.

Shawn Bergin’s tiny sourdough bakery is only open from 8 a.m. to whenever the goods sell out on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, so a line often forms before 7:30 on those mornings. Neighbors appear quickly to abscond with rustic country loaves, delicate croissants, decadent morning buns and whatever else Bergin is baking that day. So showing up early is key, and you can also grab a cup of coffee once you’re in the door. Bakery Four expects to add Thursdays soon, and later this year, Bergin is making the move to a bigger space on Tennyson Street to share the love with more of Denver.

Baker Andy Clark’s expertise with naturally leavened breads, airy croissants, buttery kouign amann and other wonderful pastries has become legendary in Boulder County, but Moxie Bread Co. doesn’t just sell baked goods. You can purchase the house-milled flour that the bakery uses, or you can just stop in for coffee, sandwiches and snacks — all made with the same artisan skill and attention to detail. Moxie’s popularity quickly spread beyond Louisville, so the bakery added a second location at 4593 Broadway in Boulder and is working on a Lyons outpost, as well.

The finest restaurants make you feel as if you’re the only one who matters, and that’s how Ty Leon, Heather Morrison and Austin Carson treat diners at Olivia, which opened in January 2020. While Leon is in the kitchen folding pasta into intricate shapes for your wonder and amusement, Carson is mixing a cocktail just right for your tastes, and Morrison is gliding between tables to check on your every need. The food must be perfect, too, so that your dinner is a smooth trip in a luxury sedan, not a wild ride of highs and lows. And from bread to entree to dessert, Olivia executes on all cylinders. Each menu item is as tempting as the last, so choosing isn’t easy. But a tasting menu solves that problem, and even if you go à la carte, there are no bad choices. Fine dining is a rare treat for most of us, and we want our dining dollars to be well spent. Olivia makes sure that happens every time.

When Justin Brunson closed Old Major, his acclaimed LoHi restaurant, in order to focus on River Bear American Meats last spring, it seemed unlikely that anyone would be able to fill his shoes. But the space didn’t remain vacant for long, because former Old Major executive chef Amos Watts (who’d filled the same role at Acorn and Corrida) stepped in and turned it into the Fifth String, changing little of the interior decor but launching his own menu of thoughtful and surprisingly veg-forward (given the previous occupant’s meaty reputation) dishes. Along with excellent food, the chef/owner brought his love of wine, and his wine roster is already among the deepest and most interesting in town. Watts isn’t playing second fiddle to anyone at the Fifth String.

During the pandemic, Monica Villalobos had to shift gears on her plans to open a standalone coffeehouse, and instead launched Cabrona Coffee inside Cultura Craft Chocolate, joining the RISE Westwood collective and providing distinctive Mexican drinks alongside the chocolate being made by Damaris Ronkanen. In addition to the standard lineup of cappuccinos, lattes and other espresso drinks, Cabrona offers café de olla, Mexican coffee steeped with cinnamon, piloncillo sugar and other spices to create a warming, comforting drink perfect for sun-drenched Colorado mornings. Villalobos also makes her own horchata from scratch as well as Mexican cocoa, cajeta lattes and a sweet and nutty mazapan latte created with De La Rosa mazapan, a childhood favorite of many Westwood residents.

Craig Jones and Eric Hyatt, owners of Angelo’s Taverna and Carboy Winery, snatched up some prime restaurant real estate when Govnr’s Park Tavern and Lala’s closed at the corner of East Seventh Avenue and Logan Street in 2018. They converted the vacated space (including a former dry cleaner) into Ivy on 7th, a breakfast and lunch spot; a wine bar and retail shop for the growing Carboy Winery brand; and a new Mediterranean eatery called Logan Street. Ivy on 7th opened first, but the entire stretch was up and running by August 2019. A year and a half — and a pandemic — later, the trio has become a destination for lovers of wine, food and fresh air, all best enjoyed on the patios overlooking the Governor’s Park neighborhood.

Bryan Dayton and Steve Redzikowski closed Acorn last summer after seven critically acclaimed years at the Source on Brighton Boulevard, citing the difficulty of doing fine dining during the pandemic. But even then, Dayton said there were new things planned for the space. And just a couple of months later, Dayton, Redzikowski and chef Bill Espiricueta (who also owns Smok in the same complex) reopened the restaurant as Bellota, a Mexican eatery with chef Manny Barella as executive chef. The menu combines Barella’s childhood memories of food in his hometown of Monterrey, Mexico, with his career in fine-dining restaurants in California and Colorado. The result is a step up from standard margarita-soaked cantinas, but without a drop of stuffiness.

Chef/restaurateur Frank Bonanno’s Milk Market in the Dairy Block honors the notion of a true market while offering enough variety to keep visitors happy. At one of the food hall’s counters, you can get yourself a lobster roll while your family or friends explore fried chicken, burgers, pizza, salads, pasta, bao buns and much, much more. And when you’ve all eaten your fill, you can grab prepared foods and raw ingredients — such as meats, cheeses, pasta and seafood — to cook at home. But don’t miss the chance to enjoy cocktails, a pour of Colorado craft beer or a nitro cold brew coffee on the patio, where you can watch downtown Denver coming back to life.

Denver’s reputation as a cowtown — in the form of steak, not cattle wandering the streets — is bolstered by chef/restaurateur Troy Guard’s upscale and always busy Guard and Grace. Only the best cuts make it onto the menu, whether grain-fed Prime, grass-fed or wagyu. But there’s more than just beef here; a raw bar supplies seafood towers with oysters, lobster, crab legs and shrimp, and an international roster of appetizers and small plates covers everything from artichokes to octopus. Mark your calendars with upcoming special occasions — and spend them all at Guard and Grace.

Oysters arrive alive from America’s coastal waters, but if they’ve been clammed up too long, they start to suffer. So getting the best oysters to Denver as quickly as possible is the trick to making sure they’re at their freshest. Stoic & Genuine’s connections with oyster growers on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts ensures that every oyster is sweet and briny, and that the individual flavors of each variety shine through. While that dedication to freshness doesn’t come cheap, S & G offers an oyster hour with discount mollusks alongside reduced-price cocktails, wine and beer. So go ahead and order more; your oyster shucker will set you up with another round.

Chef Sheila Lucero joined the Jax Fish House team as a line cook in 1998, became executive chef in 2009, and is now among the nation’s culinary leaders when it comes to advocating for sustainable seafood and protected fisheries. Her dedication to the cause gives guests at Jax the peace of mind that each bite of seafood is responsibly harvested — not to mention delicious. Restaurateur Dave Query founded Jax in Boulder in 1994, and together he and Lucero are making sure that their restaurants thrive and grow while looking out for the future of wild-caught and farmed seafood.

The RiNo neighborhood is overflowing with dogs; sit on any restaurant patio or take a stroll along the sidewalks of Larimer, Lawrence, Walnut or Blake streets and you’ll see every manner of furry friend, from pampered purebreds to Muppet-like mutts. And if you want to hang with your four-pawed pal (or someone else’s), hit the patio at Ratio for beers and a bite of something from the resident food truck. The tables are spread out far enough that skirmishes are unlikely, and the temporary street patio provides even more room for all to enjoy.

A rooftop patio must offer more than just a pretty view — because views fall short if the food falls flat. At Linger, not only is your table at the top of one of Denver’s hottest neighborhoods, but it’s got built-in ambience from the Olinger Mortuary sign towering overhead, added whimsy from an RV converted into an outdoor bar, and a menu that will keep adventurous eaters on their toes visit after visit. There are taller buildings in town with more elevated patios; there are sprawling beer gardens where you’ll trip over toddlers as you navigate your way to a beer. But Linger rises above the rest with its combo of food and attitude. Oh, and the views aren’t bad, either.

Typically, hunkering down over burgers and drinks inside the dark and atmospheric bar at this venerable Denver institution is the way to go, but My Brother’s Bar earns the distinction of best patio because right now it’s all patio. The Newman family, who in 2017 took over from the Karagas brothers (who’d bought Denver’s oldest bar almost fifty years earlier), hasn’t seated guests inside since March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, but they added heated domes and tents to an extended patio that took over part of the parking lot to give guests a cozy way to enjoy jalapeño cream cheese burgers and pitchers of beer in safety and comfort throughout the winter. Of course, the bar has always had a great patio — sheltered, shaded and surrounded by hop vines — so even when customers can finally go back inside, they may decide to stay outside for one more round.

Mochi is a traditional Japanese paste made from pounded rice or rice flour. You can eat it plain or as a wrapper around a sweet center — or you can visit Third Culture and try the toothsome mochi muffins and doughnuts sold by co-owners Sam Butarbutar and Wenter Shyu. All of the shop’s flavors are made from scratch using fresh ingredients such as black sesame seeds, lychee, mango, matcha green tea and purple ube yams. Don’t leave without an iced matcha latte to complete the collision of Japanese and Southeast Asian tastes and cultures.

Maybe naming your doughnut business after a worldwide airborne disease is a little irreverent, but Pandemic Donuts was born of the difficult times created by COVID-19 and the ensuing restaurant restrictions. Gabrielle Henning and Michael Milton were laid off from their restaurant-industry jobs when the pandemic hit in March 2020, so they turned to doughnuts cooked up in their cottage-industry kitchen to make ends meet. And the doughnuts, so light and airy that you can eat several, were so good that the two couldn’t keep up with demand. Now they have their own brick-and-mortar bakery inside Queen City Collective Coffee in Five Points, and the doughnuts are flying out the door. This business is ready to keep rolling after the pandemic finally ends.

What better way to repurpose a former Winchell’s building than by turning it into…another doughnut shop? Veteran doughnut baker Juan Lopez bought the Winchell’s franchise in 2019 with the understanding that he’d be converting it into an independent bakery the next year. In July 2020, he officially launched Wake & Bake with his own recipes, turning out a variety of classic, workingman’s doughnuts morning, noon and night. You’ll find a few nods to modern trends (some Oreo crumbles here, some bacon there), but old favorites like the buttermilk bars, raised maple doughnuts and cinnamon crumb cake doughnuts are so good, they taste like a revelation.

Chef Bo Porytko took over the kitchen at Middleman in late 2019 to bolster the cocktail menu with a few “snacks.” But leave it to this chef — who was previously half of Rebel Restaurant — to turn bar snacks into a wide and wild array of unique and tempting creations fit for a multi-course tasting dinner. And when Porytko’s not cooking up things like andouille Scotch eggs with crawfish étouffée or burnt leek chawanmushi with crab salad, he’s bringing in his chef friends for pop-ups at his pop-up. The inspiration for the dishes comes from typical bar-room popcorn, chips and dip, burgers and chicken sandwiches (all reimagained, of course), but there are also Korean, Japanese, Italian, French and even Ukrainian touches in both small and large plates. Snacks will never be the same again.

For more than fifty years, Chef Zorba’s has served satisfying Greek and American diner food in Congress Park, offering good value to customers who sometimes come in daily. In 2020, owner Karen LuKanic closed up shop for a few days and remodeled, reopening in the fall with a new walk-up window off the front patio for customers who wanted to enjoy their favorites in the comfort of their own homes. So now you can pre-order the gyro wraps and melts, the avgolemono (chicken, lemon and rice soup), and the breakfast-all-day selections, then pick them up while enjoying the fresh air of the tree-lined neighborhood.

Chef Robert Holloway purchased McCoy’s in 2007, at which point the restaurant had already been open for nineteen years. And another thirteen years passed before Holloway decided that the all-night diner needed a major overhaul. So he closed the place down to renovate the kitchen and dining room and reopened in spring 2020, just weeks before COVID restrictions shut things down again. But the eatery was looking spiffy, and Holloway was able to show off the renovations to new customers — although at limited capacity and reduced hours — as restrictions eased. McCoy’s still isn’t back to 24/7 service, but even the current hours are a blessing for the diner’s many regulars.

The pancake-flipping neon chef above Pete’s Kitchen has been a beacon on East Colfax for decades, welcoming customers into the bustling diner owned by the Contos family since 1988 — and bearing the name of patriarch Pete Contos. Whether you’re stopping for a gyros omelet, a burrito smothered in green chile or just a burger and fries, you’ll get the same consistent and satisfying grub day in and day out. The namesake of the diner passed away in 2019, but his spirit lives on, watching over Pete’s Kitchen, the family members who run the spot, and the people of Contos’s Colfax kingdom.

There’s no need to wait for the weekends to enjoy a bottomless brunch deal, and no reason to enjoy it in a less-than-ideal setting. The Lobby, which occupies the circa 1891 Paris Hotel on the edge of downtown, offers “endlessly refreshing” bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys from open until 3 p.m. on weekdays, and on Saturdays and Sundays until two hours after your reservation (wise people at the Lobby). Bottomless OJ mimosas are $16 and bottomless kombucha mimosas are $18, as are bottomless Bloodies…and after a couple hours drinking at the Lobby, your possibilities seem endless. Particularly if you shell out an extra $4 and snag one last 22-ounce refill to go.

Brunch rises far above a simple weekend breakfast. The relaxed and (ideally) decadent meal is a chance to sample both sweet and savory delights while alternating between coffee and cocktails. And there’s no better place to enjoy a definitive brunch than the open, airy dining room or breezy patio at the Bindery, chef Linda Hampsten Fox’s LoHi eatery, where each dish is conceived almost as a poem and the menu reads like an autobiography of the chef’s journey through childhood memories and international destinations. Taste your way through Polish family meals, the hillsides of Italy and coastal Mexico while remaining grounded in Colorado ingredients and hospitality.

This Broomfield breakfast joint’s name doubles as a command — and you’ll want to oblige once you make the difficult decision of what to order. Upside-down pineapple pancakes, fresh-baked apple fritters and monster cinnamon rolls beckon from the sweet side, while country-fried steak (with traditional gravy or Colorado green chile), loaded scrambles and biscuits that Eat! Food & Drink calls “shockingly good” (we wholeheartedly agree) call out on the savory side. A whole roster of Bloody Mary variations as well as other classic and creative breakfast drinks make a weekend visit a must, though it works for a fast weekday breakfast, too. Go!