Food & Drink

For nearly forty years, Pete’s Kitchen has been the greasy spoon of choice on East Colfax, but in 2025, its future was uncertain as the still-ongoing BRT construction project had hampered business to the point that the diner’s owners, the Contos family, put out a plea for support. The community showed up big, proving that this classic still holds a special place in the hearts of diners who’d be lost without its dependable plates of classic eats, which are still served all night long on weekends. 

Hole-in-the-wall spots like this often serve some of the tastiest eats around, and La Abeja has been dishing out some of the best Mexican food on East Colfax for the past 25 years, particularly its big-as-your-head breakfast burritos, which start at just $9.99. The hefty tortilla-wrapped meal comes either filled with or smothered in the restaurant’s signature green chile and stuffed with eggs and potatoes, along with your choice of chorizo, ham or bacon. The eatery serves a damn good cup of coffee, too, making this an ideal place to start your day with a caffeine boost and a full stomach on a budget. 

For a breakfast that truly covers all cravings, Anna’s Donuts & Burritos in Greenwood Village, which added a South Broadway location in 2025, serves up some of the heftiest, most satisfying burritos in town alongside perfect classic donuts, including a cronut that’s inspired its own ritual stop. The burritos here are notable for their generous proportions: 20 ounces of egg and potatoes, with cheese and your choice of meat, that’ll have you skipping lunch (and maybe dinner). Donuts are made fresh in-house daily and often sell out before the morning is over. 

Donut lovers should be falling head over heels for mochi donuts, a Japanese twist on the “fresh hot” tradition, made with chewy mochi flour that’s much more interesting than plain cake donuts or greasy fried rings. In suburban Westminster, Kuluka is doing a great job of coming up with cool flavors daily, in addition to a roster of favorites, and serves the donuts with ice cream or a selection of coffee and teas. The women-owned shop is run by an Asian American crew, mostly of Hmong descent, and the name means “I love you” in Hmong.

Rosenberg’s is beloved for its bagels, but come Hanukkah, be sure to order the latkes. Available year-round, the deli’s potato pancakes have taken first place at the Jewish Community Center of Denver’s annual latke competition not once, but twice. Owner Joshua Pollack’s recipe calls for parbaking the potatoes before shredding them, which makes them tender on the inside and perfectly crispy on the outside. The expertly seasoned result is served with a side of apple butter and sour cream. You can also add one alongside any of the deli’s sandwiches for an additional charge. Your bubbe would definitely approve.

Corsica, which opened in RiNo in 2024, serves brunch tapas-style, with thirty deliciously crafted small plates to choose from, so you can graze as much or as little as you’d like. Standouts include the frittelli (warm doughnuts with fennel sugar and a bright lemon crème fraîche), whipped ricotta toast, grilled meaty mushrooms with tarragon and parsley, and a decadent croque madame. Pair your meal with coffee or a brunch cocktail, or ask the bartender to pour you a glass from the extensive wine list. 

This croissant shop recently took home first place at 5280 Pastry Co-Op’s annual Golden Croissant competition, and we couldn’t agree with the judges more. Tucked inside Park Hill’s all-day brunch spot Ruby’s Good Shoes, La Croissanterie’s kitchen is helmed by Brazilian-born pastry chef Rafael de Jesus Rufino, who sharpened his lamination skills in Miami as the lead on chef Antonio Bachour’s viennoiserie team. Flaky, buttery croissants are stuffed to the edges with decadent fillings like strawberry, chocolate, pistachio or pure dulce de leche, which is never thinned with cream.

We were ecstatic when Vietnamese favorite Sap Sua on East Colfax reopened its Saturday-morning bakery last November, and even more so when we discovered a new item on its menu: pecan monkey bread. Pastry chef Korinna Mahan’s personal recipe tastes like Christmas morning, with its cinnamon-sugar layers and caramelized edges. Don’t be shy: Dive in and tear it apart with your hands. Yes, you’re going to get sticky, but we promise it’s worth it. 

Helmed by Matt Quinlisk, Hearth, which now has locations in RiNo, Uptown and Highland, is known for creating some of the best sourdough loaves and laminated doughs in town, using local Rocky Mountain grains and seasonal produce to craft its artisanal pastries. If you stop in for coffee, it’s hard not to leave without one of its beautiful baked goods, whether that be a seasonal vegetable danish, an almond croissant or a chocolate tahini cookie. On the espresso side, things are just as tasty, with a full lineup of beverages that use beans exclusively from the bakery’s sister brand, Tablon Coffee.

Blocked intersections and construction cones didn’t stop Melody and Carson Allen from taking a chance on East Colfax when they opened Good Bones in November, and the addition has quickly proven to be very good for the neighborhood. The space not only offers a caffeine fix, but also functions as a vintage clothing and guitar store. There’s even a small stage for future music and comedy open mic nights. The place is doing good for the community, too — it’s popular Fuck ICE latte raised funds for Casa de Paz and rallied neighbors around a very worthy cause. 

In Ethiopia, casual moments together often take place around a coffee ceremony. The country is proudly the home of coffee, where the beans grow wild in the bushes and more than a thousand years of tradition shape how the beverage is honored and enjoyed. A coffee ceremony starts with burning natural incense made from tree sap before a woman pours the coffee from a jebena, or African ceramic flask. The mom-and-pop-owned Lalibela Cafe is one of just a handful of places in the metro area that perform this ceremony with coffee made from imported Ethiopian beans. Its “buna,” as it’s called on the menu, also comes with a side of popcorn, as Ethiopians usually enjoy a light, dry snack during the ceremony.

Why do so many coffee shops close early when you need caffeine to stay up late? Coffee Story understands what the people want, staying open until 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until midnight on Friday and Saturday. The menu includes a wide range of specialty coffee, matcha and boba drinks — plus croissants, milk cakes and honeycomb pastries. Complete with free Wi-Fi, cozy seating and board games, this neighborhood cafe is an ideal hangout spot for every occasion, whether you want to study, have a game night or are in need of a quick boost before hitting the bars.

Third spaces are essential for community building. They offer a place between work and home where people can gather, foster connections and simply hang out. Convivio Café, which just opened its second location in downtown Denver, offers exactly that. This woman- and immigrant-owned shop doesn’t just serve some of the best Guatemalan coffee and Colombian empanadas in town, but it also creates a cozy, welcoming atmosphere where people from all walks of life can attend events like cultural celebrations and community conversations, work remotely, or just linger in an inviting space.

This shop marked its opening in the Far East Center a year ago with lion dances and a celebration of boba’s popularity by way of the power of community. Slurping tapioca pearls through wide straws is particularly popular right now, but Teahee owner Cat Doan eschews trends in favor of brewing real tea for customers who want to connect with the Asian heritage and history of this cultural staple. While there is a dizzying array of flavor options to choose from, this spot is a teahouse at heart, serving traditional teas and coffees worth trying as well.

Kokoro rose from the ashes of Japan’s Yoshinoya Beef Bowl chain that opened in the ’70s — and then left Colorado a decade later. Now, the undisputed king of inexpensive, hearty Japanese comfort food is celebrating its fortieth year in Denver. Starting with the basic savory beef bowl, which has hardly changed since its Yoshinoya debut, Kokoro’s two locations have added many other Japanese dishes, from sushi (though not the variety you might find in a sushi bar) to ramen (a small but tasty selection) and recently, even onigiri rice balls — the ultimate Japanese comfort food.

Why did that retro country club staple, the chicken Caesar wrap, suddenly go viral in Denver in late 2025? We’re not exactly sure, but we do know we prefer this trend served on tasty bread rather than stuffed inside an often-sad tortilla. To fulfill your Caesar-as-a-meal dreams, head to the sandwich pros at Mead St. Provisions, which loads a cutlet, zippy dressing, shaved Parm, romaine and an acidic pop from blistered tomatoes onto a fluffy yet sturdy City Bakery ciabatta roll.

Located inside Denver Central Market, Lunchboxx lives up to its name, with quickly prepared, thoughtfully crafted meals perfect for your lunch break (don’t worry, they’re open for breakfast and dinner, too). Our go-to order on their expansive menu is the chicken tzatziki wrap, which is overstuffed with marinated cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, feta and fries (which really send it over the top), all wrapped in pillowy pita and served with a side of tzatziki. This is the kind of sandwich you might need to eat with a fork. 

In January, Jordan Spence debuted this East Coast-inspired deli in the former Melita’s space, just blocks from the Capitol, providing the kind of affordable breakfast and lunch eats the neighborhood hungered for. From a proper BEC on a fluffy, buttered kaiser roll, to deli sandwiches made with Boar’s Head meats and hot sandwiches made from family recipes (like the meatball parm), the options at Jordan’s Deli are plentiful and fully customizable. Throw in a friendly staff that works hard and fast, and you’ve got the recipe for a new downtown go-to. 

In July 2025, former Brasserie Brixton and Mercantile chefs Harrison Porter and Rema Maaliki teamed up on their first solo venture, a subterranean RiNo escape that’s cool without being overly trendy, and playful with a side of serious culinary chops. Exhibit A: its bread and butter, which is a must to start any meal here. While most spots are serving sourdough or focaccia, BearLeek has perfected its buttery brioche rolls, which arrive piping hot and paired with rotating seasonal butter that’s shaped like a big gummy bear. 

It once seemed a bit gluttonous to make a meal entirely of bacon, but that was before Broadway 10 opened its second location in Cherry Creek late in 2025 (the original is in Oklahoma City), bringing with it B10’s signature Bacon, Elevated. Five perfectly cooked strips — jalapeño, peppered, smoked, candied espresso and bourbon — arrive hanging from a metal frame; you snip off bites with special scissors and eat your way up. Since this pork-erific starter could also finish you, you might be tempted to just order the Butcher Burger with the bourbon bacon added. Which works, too, but we recommend you go hog wild.

It’s been just over a year since this food-truck-turned-brick-and-mortar debuted on Colfax, and while its run has been challenged by the Colfax construction, husband-and-wife owners Ben and Jodi Polson have given us a whole lot of reasons to brave the maze of street closures to gorge at Mama Jo’s, including wing Wednesdays, bone-in fried chicken Fridays, and brisket Saturdays. But no matter what we order, we always pair it with a side of the pimento mac and cheese, which is uber-creamy, with noodles that are never mushy and a rich sauce that gives top-tier cheese-pull action. 

After AJ’s went up in metaphorical smoke in early 2025 thanks to fraudulent behavior by its owner, pitmaster Patrick Klaiber teamed up with Top Chef alum Manny Barella to create a smokin’ spot all their own in the space, which is now filled with only good energy and even better barbecue. Texas traditions meet Mexican flavors at Riot BBQ thanks to this duo’s combined skills, resulting in hits like al pastor ribs, smoked chicken pibil, brisket tacos and esquites cornbread.

Classic borscht shouldn’t just taste right; it should feel right. It should make your stomach warmer than the inside of an ushanka (those big furry hats), but the sour cream and rich texture of the beet soup should hit the tongue like silk, smooth and cool, while the sprinkle of dill should sharpen the taste of every slurp. The borscht at Red Square European Bistro, which has been open for over two decades, does all that. Here, the high quality of the soup’s key ingredients shines through, without any fancy flourishes. Your babushka would approve. 

The owners of daytime favorite Odie B’s opened this evening eatery next door to the sandwich shop’s Sunnyside location last November. The menu at Boombots wows guests with fantastical creations like samosa agnolotti, a curry pasta stuffed with peas and potatoes and served with cilantro-mint yogurt; dirty martini bucatini, served with all the elements of the classic cocktail, including castelvetrano olives, charred gibson onions and bleu cheese crumbles; and smoked duck and green chile lumache that transforms the shell-shaped pasta into a flavorful, grown-up, Colorado-style mac and cheese. 

You haven’t really had lasagna until you’ve had a proper Bolognese-style lasagna verde. At Dear Emilia, the new RiNo addition from the Restaurant Olivia team, lasagna gets a Northern Italian makeover that’s as thoughtful as the rest of the Emilia‑Romagna-inspired menu. Don’t expect ricotta cheese or a red sauce-drenched pile of pasta here. Instead, tender spinach pasta sheets are rolled into tight ribbons filled with a long‑simmered Bolognese ragu and creamy Parmesan béchamel. With just the right amount of crisp edges, every bite captures the depth and subtlety of this oft-misunderstood dish. It’s a revelation that will have you planning a trip to Italy before the meal is over. 

Pizza comes in many shapes, sizes and styles, but among the more delicious and unique options in the Denver area is the “mortazza” at family-owned Na Favola, which opened in November 2024. Co-owner Daniele Pellico returned to his native Rome for months to learn and perfect the thin-crust, Roman-style “pinsa” the restaurant is known for. Of all the topping options available, the mortazza’s layers of thin mortadella, creamy stracciatella cheese and herbaceous pesto remind us all where real pizza comes from. 

Even before it set up shop inside Cerebral Brewing’s new Highland location last September, Outside Pizza’s pickle-topped pie was a fan favorite, although it wasn’t a menu staple when the business operated as a food truck. Now that it has a permanent home, so does this briny creation, which includes housemade crème fraîche, minced garlic, mozzarella, provolone, pickles and a sprinkle of fresh dill, all on the joint’s soft-and-chewy naturally fermented crust. There’s now also a spicy version, with pickles that bring the heat plus hot cherry peppers.

In December, the owners of Dio Mio and Redeemer opened their first full-service restaurant, combining the team’s pasta and pizza skills to much success. This modern take on a neighborhood Italian restaurant has a menu filled with bangers, but one item not to miss at Johnny Bechamel’s is the doughnuts, bite-sized pillows of pâte à choux stuffed with Parmesan cream and topped with aged balsamic and a blanket of thinly sliced prosciutto, creating a flavor bomb that sets the tone for the meal to come. 

Chef Miles Odell and co-owner/general manager Paul Lysek created an instant classic when they opened Florence Supper Club next door to Candlelight Tavern in December. Named for Lysek’s grandmother, this place has big heart and big flavors, from the red sauce that blankets meatballs and chicken Parm and the focaccia that Odell geeked out on perfecting, to the spicy rigatoni alla vodka that had us saying “Carbone, who?” and the simple beauty of Florence’s own cheesecake recipe, which comes to the table garnish-free, just as Lysek enjoyed it when his grandmother served it. 

At this new addition to Concourse A, your five-star getaway starts before takeoff. Watch planes taxiing beneath your window seat as you toast champagne over a crisp Caesar salad and chilled oysters from the airport’s only raw bar. Just like at the acclaimed Bindery location in LoHi, chef Linda Hampsten Fox has assembled a solid grab-and-go selection featuring creamy burrata, salmon niçoise salads and muffuletta sandwiches on crusty ciabatta. The case is also stocked with pastries and lavender chocolate chip cookies, which are sure to cure any pre-flight jitters. 

This Berkeley neighborhood restaurant recently launched a second location in Concourse A, making Tocabe the first Native American eatery to open in an airport. The debut was a longtime goal of co-founder Ben Jacobs, a member of the Osage Nation who dreamed of sharing his culture with a global audience. Step up to the counter to order customizable fry bread tacos and grain bowls, selecting from toppings like braised shredded bison, hominy salsa and tepary beans, many of which are made with ingredients sourced from Indigenous and local producers.

Aurora’s Havana Street plays host to no shortage of international cuisine. But few intersections along the famous stretch are as dense in diversity and variety as the corner of Havana and Yale. There are over a dozen restaurants representing at least seven different cuisines, including Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Middle Eastern, Mexican, Indian and Thai. And if that’s not enough, there’s also an H-Mart and other specialty shops, convenience stores and entertainment venues. Park once and see the whole world before getting back in your car. 

For a globe‑spanning meal under one roof, few places in metro Denver deliver the breadth and story quite like Aurora’s Mango House. What began as a community center for refugees has evolved into a bustling international food hall where Haitian plantains, Burmese noodle bowls, Nepali momos and Syrian shawarma sit side by side. Each stall offers deeply rooted flavors from across the globe. It’s a culinary passport that serves both food and heritage in equal portions. 

While the lineup at this food hall on the Hill across from the CU-Boulder campus once included Boulder Burger, it was recently swapped out, turning this place into a pan-Asian dream. Here, it’s easy to mix and match dishes from options such as Flower Pepper for some seriously authentic Chinese home cooking, Thai Avenue for a variety of Thai dishes, Seoul Kitchen (formerly Goody Monster from the same family) for tasty and generous Korean fare, and Bento-Ria Sushi for Japanese cuisine.

Husband-and-wife team Long Nguyen and Shauna Seaman have been slinging their take on Vietnamese fare in the Mile High since their food truck, Pho King Rapidos, hit the streets in 2020. The business has evolved over the years, and last summer, the couple introduced its new form when they opened Saigon Noodle Club inside Edgewater Public Market. Here, you can get rice noodles in various forms, from pho (both soup and dry-style) and spring rolls to build-your-own bowls, along with hits like salt-and-pepper tofu, dry-rub wings and our favorite N/A beverage, the salty lemon pop made with preserved lemons. 

Denver’s banh mi scene has grown a lot in recent years, and the addition of new spots has also come with new takes on the beloved Vietnamese sandwich. Golden Banh Mi, which comes from the same owners as Golden Saigon next door and debuted in 2023, offers some more traditional options such as braised or grilled pork belly and lemongrass tofu, but it isn’t afraid to get creative. Must-trys includes the pho and French dip-inspired spin, and the Korean bulgogi steak and kimcheese combination. Bonus: Every sandwich here is served on rolls made in-house. 

Of course we love eating out, and this Federal Boulevard spot also shines in person, but at a time when ordering eats for delivery is so easy, sometimes we just want to enjoy food from a local spot while wearing pajamas and relaxing on the couch. But not all delivery food is equal. Golden Pho & Grill has a wide variety of options that always arrive quickly and smartly packaged to maintain quality, even if your delivery driver takes an unexpected detour. It’s also affordably priced for huge portions, particularly the loaded rice noodle bowls — we always opt for the bun dac biet with grilled beef, pork, chicken, shrimp and excellent eggrolls, plus a boba smoothie to pair it with.

Denver doesn’t lack for fine pho restaurants, but Pho Hong — which took over a spot in the Far East Center where a Chinese restaurant was for many years — has a massive menu that ranges from Chinese-embracing barbecue and dim sum to Viet dishes like banh mi, bun bo hue and bun dac biet. But the starring dish is the pho, which has toothy noodles served in a rich, clean broth, with generous portions of meat and vegetables. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and the food comes out quick and tastes great, whether you’re eating in or getting it to go.

Lucky Noodles previously operated on Colfax for several years before relocating to its sunny new spot off Broadway — and lucky for us, its khao soi didn’t change with the move. Owner Kamolrat “Ploy” Limpapath makes the Northern Thai soup’s yellow curry base with three types of coconut milk, authentic palm sugar and, her secret ingredient, roasted cilantro seeds, crushed into a fine powder for added depth. Topped with crispy chicken and a drizzle of chile oil, then served with traditional egg noodles, it’s a nuanced dish that’s delightfully layered with contrasting textures and aromatic flavors.

When Ounjit Hardacre, owner of Daughter Thai, debuted the fast casual Insee in November 2025, she told Westword, “This menu is for Thai food lovers. It’s the food that Thai locals eat, things you don’t normally see at Thai restaurants in the United States.” Which is exactly what we love about the Highland eatery. If you’re ready to move beyond pad thai, you can dig into options such as ka nom jeeb Thai dumplings, moo tod (fried pork jerky) and octopus salad, plus a variety of noodle dishes, hot pots and soups, all served in a space with a homey feel and nostalgic touches, including a replica of the grocery store sign from Hardacre’s family shop in Kanchanaburi.

MAKfam is not your parents’ Chinese restaurant. Helmed by married couple Kenneth Wan and Doris Yuen, the Baker eatery features the pair’s modern take on Chinese takeout staples, with dishes like the Fancy Wun Tun Tong (wonton soup) and corned beef fried rice earning them Michelin Bib Gourmand status two years running. Hip-hop and rap play over the speakers, and the duo doesn’t apologize for using MSG, openly challenging its stigma and embracing it as a key ingredient — which very well may be why everything tastes so delicious.

We’ve been dining in and taking out from this Arvada hot spot for decades, and the restaurant has maintained both its quality (and much of its staff) through the years. You can tell that Tea Garden is an ingrained part of the community by the photos of the various little league teams, schools and groups it sponsors on the wall. Yes, General Tso’s chicken and beef with broccoli are American inventions not served in China, but dishes like these are also downright tasty, and the staff here knows how to please the American palate.

Chef/owner Penelope Wong built a frenzied fanbase with her food truck, which followed Yuan Wonton to its brick-and-mortar shop in 2023. After establishing her culinary cred as the youngest and first female executive chef at the Cherry Creek Country Club, Wong struck out on her own to serve the food of her Chinese and Thai heritage, specializing in — you guessed it — wonton dumplings, but also a variety of contemporary Chinese and Thai selections that change frequently, giving diners a good excuse to visit often. 

In October, the longtime owners of Okinawa on East Colfax brought dim sum to the neighborhood with the opening of Ma’s Kitchen in the former home of the original Tacos Tequila Whiskey. At the start of 2026, they closed Okinawa and have now debuted a more upscale version of Ma’s Kitchen in the space, while maintaining the original as a fast casual option. The new Ma’s, which has a full bar and some items not found on the menu next door, is a high-energy addition, and both have quickly become hot spots for dumplings, buns, noodles and more, whether you want to linger over a multicourse meal or make a quick pickup for a dim sum feast at home. 

If you love a good cheese pull, skip the lukewarm Chili’s fried mozzarella and head to 88 Hotdog Juicy in Aurora, which has a variety of Korean-style corndogs that are half hot dog and half cheese — and you can get them dipped in Hot Cheetos dust, crispy ramen noodles, potatoes, spicy mayo and more. The small but friendly joint in Aurora usually has K-pop playing, plus a variety of street food on the menu for those not looking for a mouthful of cheesy goodness. The smoothies, which come in flavors like honeydew, blueberry and mango, are delicious, too.

Big Sky Burger is unusual in a couple of ways: For starters, it’s hidden in a south Lakewood strip mall behind a U-Haul rental center. And though it serves great standard burgers, the surprise is that the menu also includes burgers and other dishes infused with Asian flavors. Korean American owner Sam — who prefers just his first name — proudly brings his heritage to the table, cooking up ramen noodles, gyoza dumplings, and bestsellers like the bulgogi burger with Korean thin-sliced marinated beef, the kimchi burger and a spicy pork burger, as well as rice bowls topped with a choice of meat. Big Sky is definitely not your typical fast-food burger joint.

Let’s be honest, most of us have no idea how tofu is made. But at Tofu Story in Aurora, where tofu is the name of the game, a glass-walled Tofu Lab lets you watch the entire process live. Clearly, tofu is more than a filler or a meat alternative here — it’s the star of the show. And it may be one of the few places left in the country where the tofu is made in-house, fresh and fabulous. Whether you’re a longtime plant-based eater or just tofu-curious, the tofu here will make you a believer. 

Two restaurants. One common door. To the left of the Seoul Korean BBQ & Hot Pot entrance is the hot pot side of the establishment, where each table is fitted with a convection burner, allowing for the most choose-your-own-adventure kind of meals. Pick your broth, pick your protein, then stroll through the grocery aisle-like shelves of fresh vegetables, sauces, dumplings and more to round out your personalized meal. Not sure what to get? Relax. It’s all-you-can-eat for one flat price. Start small, sample often, and find your perfect bowl. 

The Denver area has its share of top-notch Korean barbecue, with many scattered along the Koreatown stretch of South Havana Street. Mr. Kim is off that beaten path a bit, but still in the Asian part of Aurora in the Great Wall Supermarket strip mall. The menu is large and traditional, with not just the familiar bulgogi thin-sliced beef, galbi ribs and bibimbap (all great choices, to be sure), but also harder-to-find treats like yangji seolleongtang (beef bone soup), yukgaejang (spicy shredded beef brisket soup with clear sweet potato noodles), imyeonsu gui (broiled Okhotsk atka mackerel) or ojingeo bokkeum (fried squid).

Tokio owner and chef Miki Hashimoto takes his ramen seriously. He special-orders ramen noodles to his exact specifications and serves them in a variety of styles, from authentic tonkotsu broth to creations like Cremoso Diablo, a pork and chicken broth with cream and cheeses added to familiar toppings like charshiu pork. And it works! So does the smooth-yet-zesty lemon ramen with chicken. He and his staff also make terrific sushi and sides such as handmade gyoza dumplings. Hashimoto is the real deal, as evidenced by the fact that he’s often asked to cater meals for the Japanese Consulate-General and his staff.   

The idea of a high-end sushi restaurant with thirteen out-of-state locations moving into a subterranean space in Larimer Square above a burger joint co-owned by a pro skater — well, it had us scratching our heads a bit. But since its debut a year ago, Sushi by Scratch has proven to be a winner in Denver. Its impressive omakase option is intimate but not stuffy, and we love that it begins with canapé service in the lounge, followed by seventeen courses that are perfectly paced for a dining experience that’s ideal for a date night or special occasion. 

Diners can quibble over the many excellent sushi restaurants that have set up in the Denver area, but it’s hard to ignore the simple fact that Sushi Den, which opened on Christmas Eve of 1984, is the undisputed top shop, and has trained many of the best chefs in the area. The Kizaki brothers, who now rule an empire of “Den”-related eateries, did it by being so focused on having the best and freshest fish for their sushi that they have always flown in the catch of the day from fish markets in Japan.

Gas station food usually conjures images of packaged snacks, lukewarm roller‑grill dogs and indigestion. But Shahristan Kabob and Gyro has quietly turned the Conoco station where it’s located into a long-held neighborhood secret worth seeking out. This unassuming spot serves up halal kebabs, juicy chicken shawarma and stacked gyros, all grilled to order amid the aisles of energy drinks and chips. Patrons squeeze into a handful of counter seats and watch the spit turn while they wait, and the steady stream of regulars suggests people come here more for the food than a gas tank fill-up. 

Long before Aurora became a national headline for its global food scene, Yemen Grill was quietly building a loyal following for deeply spiced, flame-grilled meats, and in 2025, it expanded with a location near the University of Denver. The kebabs, from lamb to chicken to beef, arrive juicy and fragrant from the grill, lightly charred at the edges and infused with cumin and smoke. But be sure to order them with the rice, which nearly steals the show. Fluffy and dyed golden with spices, each spoonful is layered with savory depth that complements the kebabs. You’ll want every last grain.

Not long ago, restaurants opened by the area’s growing Nepalese community would have called themselves “Indian” and maybe added Nepalese as an afterthought on the menu. Now, the Nepalese are finding their voice — and culinary chops — and proudly putting their cuisine first. Gundruk’s menu has a lot of the familiar Indian foods people crave (curries and naan bread, lassi drinks) but also features Nepalese momo dumplings and the Chinese-influenced chow mein adapted as a popular Nepali street food. This bright but intimate family-run strip-mall spot east of Boulder is easy to find and worth the drive.

Nile Ethiopian in Aurora is the kind of place that turns communal eating into a ritual. Under new ownership but with the same heart for richly spiced, soulful cooking, this longtime Aurora staple offers buttery doro wat, fragrant lentil misir, and a rainbow array of vegetarian options, all served atop warm, spongy injera that doubles as both fork and plate. Each platter feels like a shared feast, where the act of tearing and dipping becomes part of the joy, making the case that eating with your hands is how food was meant to be enjoyed.

Pupusas are the signature dish of El Salvador, and few places celebrate it as fully and deliciously as Pupusas La Salvadoreña in Aurora. This humble community anchor turns the simple griddled masa cake into a cultural celebration. Surrounded by murals and nods to El Salvador’s heritage, more than a dozen pupusa fillings are at your fingertips (literally). From the gooey revuelta with pork, beans and cheese, to the earthy loroco flower, to the wonderfully decadent chicharrón, each blistered-crisp pupusa is served with a tangy housemade curtido slaw and bright salsa rojo. It’s comforting, affordable and authentically soulful.

Almost every other empanada place features the delightful hand pies lined up in neat little rows under a glass case, ready for grab-and-go goodness. Not at Aurora’s Orejano. Here, each is filled and baked to order. The result is a light, flaky crust, steaming hot and hearty fillings, served straight from the oven. From rich criolla beef studded with red pepper and onions to inventive twists like blue cheese and caprese, each empanada is generously packed full and impossible to put down, just like those served in the owners’ native Uruguay. 

If you’re lucky enough to snag a reservation at chef Johnny Curiel’s one-Michelin-starred Highland hotspot Alma Fonda Fina, there are a few things you should definitely order: the camote asado (agave roasted sweet potato), tuna tostada (when it’s on the menu), and the avocado margarita. Unlike other avocado margaritas around town, Alma’s finds a silky balance that’s smooth without feeling heavy or watered down. Made simply with Herradura Reposado, fresh avocado puree, lime juice and agave nectar, and finished with black Tajin on the rim, it’s an ideal pairing for just about anything on the menu.

Reader beware: If you try the pan de elote at Alteño in Cherry Creek, you will think about it for the rest of your life, and no other cornbread will ever compare. Served at yet another hit from chef Johnny Curiel, this dish elevates the humble staple with jalapeños, flecks of cheddar and smoked honey, serving it alongside a huitlacoche butter sprinkled with black truffle that sends it into another stratosphere. The fragrant, earthy butter melting into the soft crumb and charred edges of the cornbread creates an umami-rich experience that will linger in your mind (and mouth) long after the last bite.

Suburban Centennial may seem like an unlikely spot to find some of the area’s best tacos, but Venalonzo’s Tacos arrived on the scene with a vengeance in 2022 and has attracted crowds ever since. The tip of this taco spear is the slow-braised birria that’s stuffed into a cheesy tortilla, dipped in chile-rich consommé (which also comes on the side), and grilled to bronzed perfection. You can also get a taste in the form of pizza-birria, birria ramen, or even a birria burger. The family recently added locations in Parker and Lone Tree, as well. 

One of the most common sights in Mexican parks and plazas is a vendor pushing around a cart stocked with chips, candy, fruit, hot sauce and lime – the key ingredients for the sweet, savory and spicy confections known as botanas. Gringos might recoil at apples, watermelon and cucumbers doused in Chamoy and Tajin, or Doritos covered in mango, lime and Valentina salsa, or corn drowning in cheese and mayo. But for Mexicanos, it’s childhood happiness. Botanas Lokas in Aurora offers Dorilokos, elotes and the best variety of snacks that Mexicans might miss and others should try, like magoneada (spicy mango sorbet), Chilindrina (pork rinds or corn chips with salsa and cream) and agua fresca (juice made from fresh fruit). 

Uncle and Hop Alley owner Tommy Lee teamed up with chef Michael Diaz de Leon (who helmed Bruto when it was first awarded its Michelin star and is a competitor on the debut season of Padma Lakshmi’s new cooking competition, America’s Culinary Cup) on this recent addition to the Stanley Marketplace. A windowed room at the entrance of Molino Chido is where the star of the menu is made: carefully crafted corn tortillas that form the base of tacos such as bison lengua and carnitas, served in a space inspired by the energy of Mexico City taco stands, complete with green folding chairs sourced from a third-generation Guadalajara-based fabricator.

While the mezcal drinks, vintage records and moody atmosphere might be the draw at Malinche Audiobar, its Nicuatole dessert is the real sleeper hit. Chef Jose Avila transforms this traditional Oaxacan treat into a deceptively layered dish with creamy Nixtamal custard, piloncillo-yuzu glaze, fresh pear and shoyu-cured salmon roe that pops in your mouth, adding a surprise burst of brininess to each bite. It’s a bold expression of the bar’s thesis, seamlessly blending Mexican and Japanese flavors in one boundary-blurring experience.

Patrick and Mara Tcheunou, the husband-and-wife duo behind Bibamba, are not your regular chocolatiers. For one, their shop at Edgewater Public Market sells artisan goods like handmade truffles, ganache-filled bonbons and single-origin chocolate barks that are borderline addictive. But beyond the decadent selection, its sourcing is transparent and entirely ethical — something that is not the norm in an industry long linked with child labor. This company’s cacao farm in Cameroon, Patrick’s native country, allows you to enjoy a sweet treat with a clear conscience. 

Pete and Joey Castleberry — a modern Good Humor couple — started dishing out soft-serve cones from a food truck in 2023 and moved into a brick-and-mortar location near Olde Town Arvada in 2025. Power Cone sticks to basic flavors, but the soft service is delicious, dreamy-creamy and not overly sweet, and guests can customize their cones with various toppings and dips. What really makes this ice cream stand out is that it’s made with dairy from a Larimer County farm, and the shop uses organic and fair-trade ingredients. We love that this business puts care into its treats, while also giving back to the community by donating a minimum of 5 percent of its profits to charities.

Don’t cry — or do. Chef and recipe developer Michael Kimball understands big feelings, and the fact that ice cream is for sad days, celebrations and everything in between. In 2023, he started slinging pints of small-batch ice cream via online orders that are picked up in a small space above City, O’ City. And those cold pints have become a very hot commodity, selling out in minutes when flavors like PB&J Sandwich, RIP Pistachio Oreo and Dirty Earl drop every Monday. If you’ve had a hard time securing a Sadboy stash, chin up! Sadboy now has the key to making more fans happy on a regular basis (hint, hint at some big news to come).

Husband-and-wife team Kyle Clark and Joy Williams-Clark opened Darlene’s Ice Cream in Aurora this January, and it’s quickly becoming a cult favorite. The small-batch scoop shop features groundbreaking offerings like toasted sesame with red miso caramel swirl; mango-chile sorbet made with chamoy and Tajin; and a punchy caramelized pineapple. Even basic flavors like chocolate and strawberry are elevated to decadent vegan dark chocolate and roasted strawberry jam. Beyond the scoops, there are housemade chocolate chip cookies, brownies, ice cream cakes and pies, ice cream sandwiches and novelty bars. 

If you’re ever craving a truly great slice of pie, there’s a destination that’s always top of mind: Legacy Pie. The legacy began with Colorado Cherry Company, which was established in 1929 and still has four locations of its own outside of the metro area. Now, the fourth generation of the family runs these two Denver-based offshoots that still use their great-grandma’s recipes to make pies from scratch daily. It doesn’t matter which slice you order — tart cherry, apple caramel crisp, French silk, mixed berry, banana brulee — every bite proves why Legacy stands the test of taste and time.

Moon Raccoon opened its brick-and-mortar location in Sunnyside last September and has been slinging some of Denver’s best baked goods ever since. Of note is the chocolate chip cookie that’s soft at the center with chewy edges, made with rye flour that lends subtle, nutty depth to the swirls of melted chocolate. If cookies aren’t your thing, the pastry case is filled with satisfying sweets like cruffins, tea cakes, cinnamon rolls, danishes and pop tarts, alongside savory options like Lottie’s sausage rolls and ham-and-havarti croissants.

A great cookie, or even a regular bowl of cereal, deserves a proper pairing. Supremely creamy and still sold in glass bottles, the milk from Longmont Dairy, which has been around for more than sixty years, is a throwback to simpler times. It comes from one of the only dairies in the state that still has its own cows and sells directly to customers via home delivery, which is available in a long list of cities, including, yes, select parts of Denver. But you can also find it at some Whole Foods locations and a few other local shops, such as Capitol Heights Pharmacy & Liquor in Congress Park, which is where we got hooked on the decadent chocolate milk and the standard stuff before diving deeper into options like strawberry milk and half-and-half that any coffee drinker should stock up on. 

With its new 4,000-square-foot Whiskey Sanctuary, Laws Whiskey House was aiming for more than just a tasting room and bottle shop. Owner Al Laws wanted to offer a space where whiskey could be a revelation. From its hand-built wooden pews and two-story Gothic windows to the dark, dramatic room built for guided tastings and the spiral staircase designed to resemble the inside of a barrel, every aspect is meant to create a special environment that heightens the whiskey experience.

Arvada distillery Method & Muse is what happens when you combine a bunch of scientists from the Colorado School of Mines, a love of flavors from around the world, and distillation. Gin ingredients range from bergamot, nutmeg and ginger to Persian black limes, shiso leaves and cardamom. Amari options include a nod to Jamaican jerk spice; a ginger-forward iteration inflected with lemongrass, lime leaf and other spices; and a Thai version that incorporates a variety of green curry spices. While the business couldn’t dodge making a vodka, it’s still a Method & Muse original: flavored with celery seed and lemon peel.

A few years ago, Bierstadt put the final touches on its brew kettle, restoring the historical equipment to its glory days with beautiful white tile. More recently, Bierstadt made changes that were much more impactful for everyday patrons, including the addition of a permanent outdoor patio that spans the majority of the front facade and a new downstairs bar, allowing the OG bar upstairs to be used for events. All in all, Bierstadt invested around half a million dollars in its space, giving fans more options than ever to enjoy its beers.

In 2025, Cerebral opened its third location in a historic church building that formerly housed Oasis Brewing, teaming up with Outside Pizza to offer a strong one-two punch of excellent, popular beer styles and top-notch pies. For years, Cerebral has received praise for its hoppy and barrel-aged beers, but it has more recently developed a strong lager program as well. While its first two locations are on East Colfax and in the Aurora Arts District, this expansion gives the west side of town easy access to the brewery’s full offerings.

With a location that’s an easy walk from many hotspots, including RiNo, the Ballpark neighborhood and Union Station, this Idaho Springs-founded brewery’s downtown bar is a reliable stop for consistently delicious beer. The vibe of the outdoor alley is lively and interesting – we’ve seen everything from artists filming music videos to wedding parties celebrating, while the inside space offers a more lounge-like setting. With many nearby restaurants and bars, this Westbound & Down outpost is a great place to start or end a night on the town. 

Comprised of over a dozen Colorado breweries — and constantly adding new partners — Still Here is an organic, passionate coming together of friends and peers in the brewing world to create unique beers. The first release, a saison made with ingredients from local partners like Dry Storage, Troubadour Maltings and Propagate Labs, is a beer that few of these individual breweries could’ve pulled off alone. But together, with only the pressure of having to sell a keg or two each to loyal customers, these breweries were able to offer a fun and exciting niche beer that was brewed with a purpose.

Lady J’s move to bigger digs in Englewood in 2024 allowed it to better serve its community. The larger space and brewing system have led to more events and beer options while also enabling the brewery to continue fulfilling its goal of empowering women and girls in the community. The brewery raises funds for local non-profit organizations, and hosts women’s sports watch parties, themed trivia nights and its annual holiday pop-up, Ski Jorts City. Many of the groups that feel safest at a brewery like Lady Justice are under fire in the current political climate, and the community is lucky to have such a caring brewery.

While we love this spot’s wings (and tenders), it also boasts a tap list that makes it one of the best places for beer in the area. Regularly featuring the likes of Cerebral Brewing, Westbound & Down, Cohesion, Prost, Joyride, New Terrain and more, you can be sure that King of Wings has some of Colorado’s best beers to pair with its fantastic fare. Pop-ups, like tavern-style pies from Tillie’s Tavern Pizza at the Wheat Ridge location on Mondays and Thursdays or Tuesday’s Snipeburger service at the Golden outpost keep things interesting on the food front, too. 

Former Rock Bottom brewer Ryan Piec opened Mestizo in Wheat Ridge in early 2023, leaning on his father’s European heritage and his brewing education for the house-made beers, and his mother’s Mexican roots and his own experience cooking in Latin countries for the menu. The result is some of the best food you’ll find at a brewery in Colorado. The scratch menu is highlighted by dishes like pupusas, tacos and tortas. Proteins include carnitas soaked in a house-made tomato broth, carne asada with chimichurri and al pastor spit-grilled on a trompo. 

One of the bright spots in a very tough craft beer market is the ability for passionate people to take over fading breweries and inject new life into them. That’s exactly what happened when industry veteran Aaron Uhl and businessman Dan Colbourne teamed up to buy Renegade Brewing in 2024. The new brewhouse took about a year and a half to get running, but in the meantime, Renegade turned into a fantastic place to host events and try impeccably curated beer from not only Colorado, but around the world.

Downtown Denver was hit the hardest by the work-from-home surge following COVID, creating a major challenge for businesses in the area. Last year, Alyssa Hoberer and Jacob Kemple’s Full Frame took over one of those struggling businesses, Jagged Mountain, and quickly turned the space into a shining beacon of hope for the brewing industry. Fun events, a welcoming, modern space and excellent beers have rocketed Full Frame to nationwide recognition. This is a lesson in how good things can be when passionate industry veterans team up to realize their dreams.

An all-natural wine bar on … East Colfax? Sure, why not?! Just as Denver’s drinking culture is emerging from microbrewing’s long shadow, Society 303, which debuted last September, has quietly staked a claim for the city’s most welcoming natural wine bar. Light, airy, friendly and approachable, the thoughtful and regularly changing wine selection leaves pretension at the door of this cozy spot that feels much like a neighbor‑friendly café. Here, wine is more of a conversation than a badge, with small plates perfect for grazing alongside every sip.

There are plenty of wine club subscriptions to be found, but few offer quite the deal as ESP HiFi on Santa Fe Drive, where for $100 a month, you can get two bottles of wine along with a vinyl record. The bottles are exclusively natural wines, often pushing you into new flavors, styles and regions. The vinyl comes not as a single title for all, but a range of options, fanned out on the bar, with owner Will Minter verbally summarizing each using descriptions and genres far outside the mainstream to describe his personally curated imports. 

This new Sunnyside haunt brings European aperitivo flair with a high-tech twist to the Sunnyside neighborhood. From the same team behind the tech-focused Thunderbolt bar in L.A., Semiprecious may read as a mid-century modern hangout, but behind the scenes it’s outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment like a custom refrigeration setup to deliver precisely chilled martinis, an in-house carbonation system that ensures its spritzes are perfectly bubbly, and dilution techniques that allow guests to enjoy full-bodied, ice-cold cocktails without a single cube. Customers won’t see the tech, but they’ll taste it.

Vintage records provide the soundtrack inside this new vinyl bar next to Mission Ballroom from husband-and-wife owners Stuart Jensen and Alex Jump, who bring years of experience to their first venture together as owners. Not only is the Peach Crease Club a ’70s-style dream, its menu is full of tempting libations inspired by the flavor profiles of culinary dishes such as borscht, which becomes an earthy and creamy vodka cocktail; papaya salad, which takes the form of a fish sauce-spiked concoction made with sake and the Thai spirit Mekhong; and a fattoush-inspired spin on a gin martini. 

Denver’s only sapphic bar, this sprawling LGBTQ+ space, housed in the former Mercury Cafe, has kept much of the old haunt’s programming and even added more. Something is happening every night of the week at the Pearl, whether it’s Tuesday trivia and Lindy Hop lessons, Wednesday West Coast swing dance parties, Friday night poetry and jazz jams, or Sunday drag brunch. A constant stream of special events rounds out the calendar, ranging from bondage classes to astrology meetups. There’s literally something for everyone.

You don’t have to actually get sloppy drunk to have a good time at this South Broadway bar that turned four years old in October, but you can, even on a budget. TrashHawk just keeps getting better with time, from its killer BOGO happy hour and ever-changing Jello shot flavors to rotating food trucks (or free hot dogs when a truck isn’t booked) and the picnic table-packed patio where groups often gather to gossip, play games and pet dogs (and sometimes other animals — we once met llamas here). Its newest addition: a digital retro photo booth, so you can preserve your partying memories, even when they’re a bit blurry. 

When McLain Hedges and Mary Allison Wright, owners of the award-winning (and straight-up cool) bar Yacht Club, opened a new venture in Five Points named for a swamp-dwelling, shapeshifting Louisiana cryptid, we were intrigued. When we tried Rougarou, we were all-in on the legend that’s being built at this bar that could also be considered a restaurant. Alongside cocktail hits like a muffaletta-inspired martini and the buttermilk-washed, rum-spiked Champagne Killer, Wright’s brother, John David, serves a menu that brings the South to the Mile High in the form of dishes like boiled peanuts with fermented collards, a blue cheese tart with green tomato jam and fried catfish with a hot and sour spin.  

In 2020, Sushi Den co-founder Toshi Kizaki teamed up with chef Kenta Kamo to bring a new handroll concept to the Source. Six years later, the restaurant, helmed by Kamo, occupies almost half of the main area of the former food hall, which doesn’t currently house any other food concepts. Still, Temaki Den draws a steady crowd and fills up fast, so reservations are recommended. But once you’re at the table, the pace and length of the meal is up to you, making it a safe bet for a first date. If you’re not feeling it after a cocktail and a couple of pieces of nigiri, you can ask for the bill and get out fast. But if your tummy is fluttering, either from the tasty eats or the company, keep the courses coming and get to know each other over some truly top-notch sushi. 

Locals love to get high, as evidenced by the crowds that gather at the city’s rooftop spots on sunny days to enjoy views and fresh air alongside food and drinks. But often, the views are the star while the other elements can be lacking. In late 2025, the rooftop restaurant at the Source Hotel got a much-needed revival when Cimera debuted, bringing vibrant energy, excellent cocktails and a pan-Latin menu from consulting Peruvian chef Diego Muñoz and executive chef Geoff Cox, who formerly helmed the kitchen at Hop Alley. The stunning views from this vantage point in RiNo are as impressive as ever, but now the rest of the experience is reason enough to visit on its own.  

In the mornings, this space houses Odell’s Bagel, serving top-notch hand-rolled and naturally fermented bagels; by night, the space turns into an upscale haven where chef Miles Odell and his team serve sushi-heavy multi-course kaiseki meals for a small assembled group. The focus here is on the well-planned menu that lets seasonal ingredients shine. While the terms “kaiseki” and “omakase” are often confused, O’Dell was trained at kaiseki restaurants in Kyoto and Tokyo and clearly understands the distinctions. Eating here is like getting a two-hour education in Japanese fine dining.

Kizaki is the crowning achievement and self-professed retirement project of its owner, chef Toshi Kizaki, the O.G. sushi master of the Denver food scene. It’s part of the empire he and his brother, Yasu, have built, starting with Sushi Den in the Platt Park neighborhood. Here, Kizaki lords over the menu by serving what he decides, to a rapt audience that pays a big ticket for a two-hour meal served a plate at a time. That’s how omakase works — it means the diners will leave the meal up to the chef. Here, the fish and other dishes are top-notch, old-school and well deserving of the Michelin star this spot was awarded in 2025.

From working at a Summit County Subway as a teenager to earning a Michelin star, Colorado-born-and-raised chef Justin Fulton has had a hell of a culinary journey. He first introduced diners to Margot as a pop-up in 2022. At the time, he had dreams of moving the tasting menu concept into a brick-and-mortar, which became a reality last year when it found a home in a space it shares with Kizaki. At the eight-seat chef’s counter, Fulton serves a twelve-course menu that relies heavily on seasonal ingredients. While some elements change often, the experience is always a party. And if you don’t want to go all-in on the tasting menu, the front dining area at this address welcomes walk-ins and serves an à la carte Margot menu. 

Pig and Tiger’s story is one of friendship, heart and passion, and it’s exactly the kind of restaurant we hope to see more of in the Mile High. Taiwanese American chef Darren Chang was born in California, learned his craft in Denver, and was living in L.A. when he met native Coloradan and Top Chef alum Travis Masar. Together, they debuted their Taiwanese eatery as a stall in Avanti Boulder before moving into a Five Points brick-and-mortar last summer. While the double-fried chicken with chicken fat rice and chili honey has quickly become a staple, it’s worth exploring the whole menu, which shifts seasonally in a space that’s casual enough for everyday meals and welcoming in every sense of the word.