Food & Drink

Picking a favorite joint for green chile can often come down to what camp you’re in: Are you a New Mexico Hatch-head, a Den-Mex devotee, or a newcomer caught in the crossfire who’s just looking for a spicy bowl? Since most of the New Mexico versions around town tend to be watered-down shades of verde, Colorado-style is the way to go here. And while better-known chile kitchens attract much of the attention, Señor Burritos (at 12 East First Avenue) quietly turns out top-caliber blue-collar sauce right around the corner from one of the city’s most buzzed-about culinary zones along Broadway. The green chile here has a warm, orange hue magnified by a slick of glistening fat on top – all the better to soak up with a steaming tortilla. The chile is thickened just enough to make it rib-sticking (or burrito-sticking, if you opt for a smothered breakfast bomb) without becoming gravy-like glop. Bits of green chiles and tomato bob in the broth, and chunks of pork too big to fit on the spoon lay mostly submerged like meaty icebergs. The pork is so tender that all you’ll need is that spoon to break the pieces apart into more manageable bites. It’s a spicy stew but not painfully so, which means that by the spoonful or atop a fat breakfast burrito, you’ll be able to taste the deep flavor from the first to the last bite. Readers’ choice: Santiago’s

Every neighborhood needs a welcoming, relaxed, romantic little wine bar like the Village Cork, which was renovated last year but kept its original wine-bar ambience, which has drawn fans for fourteen years. Wine snobbery isn’t on the menu here; instead, the staff is friendly, easygoing and knowledgeable, eager to walk you through a refreshingly off-the-beaten-path wine list. Wine flights focus on region or varietal, and the liquor list is heavy on small-batch, locally produced spirits. The seasonally inspired menu highlights French and American cuisine – mostly organic, and free of added hormones or antibiotics. But it’s the seductive interior, awash with warm, golden light and the clink of glasses touching, that makes the Village Cork a first-date no-brainer. That, and the unbeatable wine offerings, which make everything seem a little more romantic.

Readers’ choice: The Infinite Monkey Theorem

Tucked into an east Boulder shopping center in an old building that was once the cafeteria for Ball Aerospace, Blackbelly doesn’t look like much from the outside, but step inside and two features immediately stand out: the gleaming stainless-steel and white-tile butcher shop up front, and the wide-open chef’s counter where Blackbelly mastermind Hosea Rosenberg and his crew ply their trade. Chef’s counters were definitely a trend in 2014, but how many of them feature a celebrity chef who burst onto the scene after a come-from-behind win on Bravo’s Top Chef? Despite his early fame, Rosenberg chose to lie low for several years while building a catering business and Boulder County farmstead that supplies meat and produce for his solid menu packed full of quiet surprises. But now he’s back in the limelight, at least for those lucky enough to snag a seat at the counter, where steak tartare is diced by hand with meticulous and deliberate knife strokes and hangar steaks are seared to a perfect medium-rare. While guests may show up to get cozy with the affable Rosenberg, it quickly becomes clear that the food is the real star.

Readers’ choice: Mercantile Dining & Provision

Over the years, halfhearted attempts have been made to open bars and restaurants inside Union Station, but it took a massive overhaul of the building, including the addition of a high-end hotel, to turn the historic train station into a destination dining area with multiple options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks. Whether you’re just looking for a cup of joe – Pigtrain Coffee will fill that need – or going all in for a multi-course meal from one of Denver’s hottest chefs, you’ll find what you’re looking for: weekend brunch at the latest location of Snooze, a beer at the Terminal Lounge, a quick snack at Acme Burgers and Brats, and some of the freshest seafood in town at Stoic & Genuine. Go casual and healthy at the Kitchen Next Door or dress up for a special occasion at Alex Seidel’s Mercantile Dining & Provision (with a stop in the market for some housemade cheeses, salumi and pickles, of course). And if you absolutely insist on going outside, there are more eateries in the brand-new buildings that flank the station, including some of Denver’s best Chinese cuisine at Zoe Ma Ma. All aboard!

Readers’ choice: River North

Filipino cuisine isn’t easy to locate in Denver, and most of what you’ll find is of the mobile variety. But that’s not a problem, especially if your search for empanadas, lumpia, chicken adobo and other Filipino specialties leads you to the Orange Crunch food truck, which specializes in rice-flour empanadas colored vivid orange with achiote seasoning and stuffed full of scrambled eggs, mung beans, shredded green papaya and a choice of meat – usually something mouthwatering like hickory-smoked bacon, chicken sausage or ground bison. Other specials come and go, so check the truck’s Twitter feed (@DenverOC) for the latest, which could be chicken skewers, smoked pork belly or kalbi short ribs. The only trick at this truck is waiting patiently for the delicious savory pies to cool enough so the molten fillings don’t burn your tongue, since each one is stuffed and fried to order.

Readers’ choice: Quiero Arepas

What started out as an obscure ethnic eatery tucked into the back of a Westminster strip mall has morphed into a minor Denver phenomenon since owner Joseph Kim added a second location on Colorado Boulevard, close to the heart of the city. With a hip, modern interior and marketing geared toward a young audience, Dae Gee manages to present traditional Korean cuisine without the intimidation factor common to other long rosters of unfamiliar food. Starting with an array of cute banchan dishes that take care of the salty, sour and spicy range of small bites and condiments — including several variations on kimchi — and moving into marinated pork and beef dishes that blend the familiarity of barbecue with the exotic allure of soy, sesame oil, fish sauce and gochujang (a pungent fermented condiment), Dae Gee’s fare is at once completely accessible and excitingly novel. Warming noodle bowls, fun dumpling and pancake appetizers, and even a few challenging plates of ox tongue or beef tripe make for a menu broad enough to appeal to first-timers and experts alike. For added entertainment, head to the original in Westminster, where tables are equipped with grills for searing your own meats. With a few bottles of Hite or Cass Korean lagers, it’s like a complete cookout with newfound flavors.

Readers’ choice: Uncle

Suvipa Thai Food opened last year in a spot that’s seen a fair amount of turnover since the much-missed Vietnam Grill closed a couple of years ago. Although the French-bistro charm of that restaurant is gone, the owners of Suvipa have also stripped away any vestiges of the Vietnamese vegetarian restaurant and the pho house that came afterward. So today the bare-bones dining room offers no distractions from the intense and pure flavors coming from the kitchen: lively curries; handmade, flaky curry puffs bursting with seasoned potato or taro; tangy salads, such as the glass-noodle plate brimming with shrimp and ground pork. Even the pad Thai, often Americanized at other restaurants, gets special attention here and bursts with the flavors of pungent fish sauce, tamarind and chiles. The spice levels are adjustable, but even at the hotter end of the spectrum, the balance is apparent.

Readers’ choice: Thai Basil

Viet’s owner Hiep Thai comes from a restaurant family — and it shows in the quality of each dish on the extensive menu, ranging from simple rice or noodle combos with grilled beef or chicken to elaborate hot pots brimming with all manner of meat, fish and fowl. If you’re not sure where to start, go with Viet’s house appetizer platter mounded with softshell crab, pork, shrimp, egg rolls and shrimp paste, all served with rice paper to build your own rolls with. If you’re feeling more adventurous, order a bubbling pot of lao de (goat hot pot) with funky chao (fermented-soybean sauce) and a garden’s worth of taro root, turnip greens, garlic chives and other greens served with springy wheat noodles. Salads are also of note, whether loaded with plump shrimp, savory duck or shredded pork; the pungent dressings that balance fish sauce with sweet and tangy notes liven up an unusual variety of tropical vegetables, from banana blossom to bitter on choy.

Readers’ choice: New Saigon

The family that operates Pho Duy opened Wonderbowl on Federal Boulevard last year with a larger menu of Vietnamese fare than most pho joints offer (including the original Pho Duy, right next door). But the family stamp is apparent from the first spoonful of broth. Deep, rich beef flavor predominates, with subtle hints of ginger and star anise in the background. Rather than an intensely spiced or sweet broth, this one is delicate and sophisticated. What makes Wonderbowl so wonderful, though, is not just the broth, but the generous portions of meats mounded onto each order. The #1 bowl, for example, comes with so much rare steak, flank, brisket, tripe and beef tendon that the thin slices rise up from the broth like the tip of an iceberg. Somewhere beneath all of that is a tangle of tender rice noodles; the entire bowl is packed so full that you’ll have trouble stirring in the ultra-fresh basil, bean sprouts and jalapeño slices that come on the side. Other, less common noodle soups give added depth to the menu for those who want to stray from straight-up pho into pork- or seafood-based broths with a whole new range of flavors.

Readers’ choice: Pho 95

The multiple menus at this eatery adorned with live tanks assure you that there’s something here for almost every taste — all of it prepared with skill and an eye to tradition and served by some of the friendliest waitstaff in town. Even the standard American-Chinese dishes are far from standard, including sweet-and-sour shrimp that’s neither cloying nor gloppy. But the restaurant’s name is a giveaway that the best dishes are those featuring the ocean’s bounty, whether the delicate and ultra-fresh razor clams in XO sauce or whole flounder with steamy white flesh encased in a shatteringly crisp deep-fried crust. The kitchen has a way with duck, too: Fried duck tongues are as fun to eat as miniature chicken wings, while dark-glazed roasted duck with pillowy bao buns stands in for less-adventurous sliders. Hearty and warming congee, shockingly cheap hot pots and even cheaper noodle bowls round out a roster that draws off-duty cooks from around the city until midnight daily.

Readers’ choice: Star Kitchen

Is it something in the water? Colorado has birthed many smashing fast-casual concepts, and Motomaki might be the most ambitious, creative one yet. For this venture, the owners of the Hapa Sushi chain took their brand of high-minded cool and rolled it in the trappings of Japanese fast food. Entrees come in either a rice bowl or a nori-wrapped package — the fusion of fast-casual burrito and sushi. Even though it’s built on Asian and Hawaiian cuisines, the pork here rivals that at Chipotle. And while meals are delivered quickly and efficiently, fresh poke and sushi add a touch of class. There are few places that can serve you such dishes as Korean BBQ or neon-green seaweed salad for lunch and still get you back to the office in time, placing Motomaki in the center of the fast-casual Venn diagram: tasty, easy, and out of the ordinary.

Choosing a favorite restaurant on Havana Street is like picking a favorite child — we love all the diverse ethnic eateries here — but Katsu Ramen is a standout, because the metro area’s ramen scene is hotter than sriracha and cooler than mochi ice cream right now. Katsu Ramen threw open its doors in January to crowds eager to sample its five ramen types: shoyu with meat broth, miso with savory broth and vegetables, tonkotsu with pork, tan tan with spicy chicken, and hiyashi chuka, a summery ramen dish with chilled broth. The menu also features popular offerings like pork gyoza dumplings, a seared tuna tataki salad and a refreshing mango-sauced frozen panna cotta. The atmosphere has a certain kitschy charm, with plastic replicas of menu items and a stray Hello Kitty toy or three, but the most important thing here is that the diminutive space can handle volume — and that’s exactly what it does every day, with a lunchtime line most restaurants would envy.

Readers’ choice: Sam’s No. 3

Chef Wayne Conwell’s minimalist dining room is known, rightfully, as one of Denver’s top destinations for sushi. Whether guests arrive for preset sushi combos or lavish omakase dinners, they’ll get some of the freshest seafood and most skillfully sliced sashimi around. But despite its name, Sushi Sasa offers more than just fish. A selection of otsumami (described on the menu as Japanese tapas) shows off Conwell’s creativity, with decadent foie-gras-topped oysters, succulent miso black cod or fluffy steamed pork buns. You’ll even find deep, umami-rich ramen and udon bowls, deftly fried tempuras and skewers of grilled filet mignon with a crunchy katsu crust. With so much to choose from, it’s easy to rack up a hefty tab, but head over for a daytime meal when you don’t have three hours to march through the menu and you’ll find some of your favorites at lunchtime prices.

Readers’ choice: Sushi Den

Freshness, variety, creativity and execution: Those are the hallmarks that put Sushi Den at the apex of Denver’s sushi scene year after year. From meticulous sourcing that includes regular cold-packed shipments from Japanese waters to precise knife work that highlights the best of every cut, Toshi and Yasu Kizaki’s venerable temple of the raw and the cooked just gets better with each passing year. While standards like big-eye tuna and rich salmon are always impeccable, stray from the familiar with aburi (flash-seared) scallops or akamutsu, or zuke (marinated) tuna, which add complexity without detracting from the pure flavors of the fish. Sushi Den marries the modern and the traditional with bursts of flavor from delicately applied hints of blue cheese, truffle, caviar and jalapeño.

Readers’ choice: Sushi Den

Lola has the deck of a great beach bar, the vibe of a great beach bar, the menu of a great beach bar — all that’s missing is the beach. After a decade, Lola added the words “Mexican Fish House” to its name last year, renewing its commitment to serving the sort of seafood you might find in Mexico — but with a definite Denver twist. Although you can find plenty of twisted dishes on the regular menu, the freshest takes are the ceviches, which range from Hawaiian marlin to shrimp to California halibut, with a couple of specials usually available. You can try them all in a ceviche flight — a very hot deal at the cold bar.

The Boulder and LoDo locations of Jax Fish House have been premier destinations for impeccably fresh seafood and well-shucked oysters since they opened in the mid-1990s, but the newest member of the metro-area Jax family, which opened in Glendale’s CitySet development in 2013, stepped up the game with more space, a second bar upstairs and a clean, modern vibe that pairs perfectly with raw-bar offerings. Happy-hour oysters for $1.25 a slurp will get you in the door, but peel-and-eat shrimp and delectable crab will keep you in your seat. Splurge items — three types of caviar or heaping seafood platters mounded with both the raw and the cooked — tempt for celebratory occasions, but creative takes on ceviche and tuna sushi make for reasonably priced light bites packed with so much fresh flavor, you’ll forget you’re in landlocked Denver.

Readers’ choice: Jax Fish House

The best seafood restaurants are often shacks on the beach, with sea breezes blowing in and tables oriented to catch the rosy hues of the setting sun. But we’re in Denver, remember? Owners Beth Gruitch and Jennifer Jasinski used this fact to their advantage, taking our distance from the coasts as a point of liberation and reimagining what a seafood restaurant can be. The result: Stoic & Genuine, which is part Euclid Hall, part Rioja. Inspired by flavors from coastal communities around the globe, the menu skews eclectic, offering scallops with coconut-lemongrass panna cotta, bacon-wrapped cod chowder, and oysters with lychee-sake granitas. Thanks to impeccable sourcing, the seafood couldn’t be any fresher even if the ocean, and not Union Station, were beyond the restaurant’s octopus-painted walls.

Readers’ choice: Jax Fish House

While Acorn is primarily known for its elevated small plates, don’t overlook the comfort foods here. Shrimp and grits is typically a Southern staple, but the dish is becoming more and more prevalent up north (or at least in the northern Southwest). Acorn has figured out how to give those Southerners a run for their money with a super-creamy bowl of Tabasco sofrito and white-wine grits with succulent laughing shrimp. This haute, homey dish is perfect for getting you through the long Colorado winter.

Folks are picky about their bagels, and Rosenberg’s owner Josh Pollack has gone beyond the call of duty in his attempt to re-create one of New York’s most iconic foods, going so far as to replicate New York City water in his Five Points kitchen. But don’t get so distracted by the bagels that you forget to order Pollack’s cured and preserved fish, either on a sandwich or from the deli case to go. Several different styles of salmon beckon from behind the glass, including smoked Norwegian and Scottish varieties, delicate and almost-translucent gravlax, and heartier kippered salmon. Other East Coast favorites like sable and smoked whitefish are sure to please recent transplants and Denver natives alike, while house-pickled herring features powerful old-world flavors of tangy vinegar, pickling spice and squares of herring that almost melt on the tongue. An array of seafood like this is a true rarity in this town, made even more special by the fact that everything is prepared on site.

In its simplest form, this dish at TAG translates to yellowtail sashimi with Pop Rocks. The combo may sound totally bizarre, but this is just one of those times when you have to trust that chef-owner Troy Guard, a master manipulator of tastebuds and senses, can do no wrong. The dish is a complex mix of flash-seared hamachi, jalapeños, baby tatsoi greens, Japanese ginger, yuzu white soy and, yes, a smattering of Pop Rocks, which create a tingly party on your tongue while somehow not overpowering the subtle flavors of the fish. Hungry for more? Head up Larimer to Guard’s Los Chingones, where you can get a drink with Pop Rocks, too.

Fish and chips isn’t the national dish, or even the city’s addiction. That might change, however, if every man, woman and child residing at 5,280 feet above sea level could get their hands on the fish and chips at Argyll Whisky Beer. The plate is everything you want from fish and chips: generous pieces of mild, flaky cod; coating that crackles when you take a bite, thanks to a hint of cornstarch in the batter; and thick steak fries. Before you douse those spuds with vinegar, the way the Brits do, take a moment to appreciate their spot-on texture, which comes from the labor-intensive process dreamed up by culinary director John Broening: Potatoes are boiled, dehydrated in the freezer, fried at a low temperature, refrozen, then finally fried to order.

Readers’ choice: GB Fish & Chips

We knew the beer at the Post Brewing Company would be good, since it’s crafted by nationally recognized brewmaster Bryan Selders. But who would’ve guessed the chicken would be as much of a draw? Jamey Fader, culinary director of Big Red F, admits to getting “geeky on chicken,” traveling around the country and coming home with a spreadsheet of variables — brines, flours, etc. — to test recipes by, until he and chef-partner Brett Smith and Big Red F founder Dave Query hit upon the winning combination for the place they opened last year in a former VFW post. The result: chicken that’s consistently moist, with a shell that gets its addictiveness from buttermilk, gluten-free seasoned flour, and a resting period that allows the coating to lose moisture so it fries up extra-crisp. This isn’t just picnic chicken — i.e., chicken to eat while playing cornhole on the patio and sipping beer.

Readers’ choice: Tom’s Home Cookin’

Chefs have been finding more and more creative ways to sell off-cuts of meat, either through the noble guise of nose-to-tail cooking or as an attempt to capture ethnic authenticity. Where chicken is concerned, once the breasts and thighs were gone, most people traditionally called it quits — or at least they did until that clever Buffalo bar owner figured out how to sell those mostly-skin-and-bone wings. But chicken skin, as it turns out, is one of the most flavorful bits of the bird, especially when fried or roasted to a crisp. Skipping past the meat and bones entirely, Pinche’s chicken chicharrones present nothing but skin, sliced into bite-sized curls and deep-fried to a mahogany crisp. A post-fryer dusting of seasoning adds chili-powder zip, and a dunk in tart salsa casera balances the fatty nuggets with zesty lime and a face-slap of heat from habanero peppers. The cute appetizer bowl is small and cheap enough for a pre-taco indulgence, and these chicharrones won’t fill you up like their heavier pork-rind cousins.

Boone’s Tavern, a favorite in the University of Denver neighborhood, underwent some changes last year when part of the space was walled off and turned into the more upscale Atticus and the rest of the bar was given an upgrade over its old working-class, sports-bar vibe. One thing that didn’t change, though, was the kitchen’s knack for delivering tasty smokehouse meats. While Boone’s offers its chicken wings either fried or smoked, go with the smoked to get a true taste of the house specialty. The additional layer of outdoorsy flavor beneath the sauce puts these wings in a class of their own. As for the sauce itself, eight options should make any wing lover happy, but the jalapeño gold stands out with just the right combination of heat, sweetness and tang.

Readers’ choice: Fire on the Mountain

Playfully named for the state of inebriation, as in “three sheets to the wind,” To the Wind Bistro sounds like a shoo-in for another category — maybe Best Place to Tie One On. But it’s the food at this tiny restaurant on East Colfax, not its beer-centric beverage list, that makes you want to overindulge. In a space no bigger than a home kitchen, chef-owner Royce Oliveira puts out fare that’s simultaneously seasonally attuned, comfortable and classy, such as empanadas plump with rabbit or duck, and pork (not chicken) and waffles. The menu reflects Oliveira’s training — he spent years at Mizuna before going off on his own — but the vibe is casual, not intimidating. In large part, that’s because of the warmth exuded by Oliveira and his wife/pastry chef Leanne Adamson, who run the show from the open kitchen and pour their heart and soul into the place.

Readers’ choice: Prohibition

Foie gras is among the most luxurious of luxury foods, and the fatty goose- or duck-liver delicacies are generally considered expensive — and controversial. At Williams & Graham, the sizzling-hot LoHi spot that channels a 1920s speakeasy, the cocktails are vintage-classy (you can feel perfectly at ease ordering a Brandy Alexander or a throwback absinthe specialty drink), and the menu is focused on upscale small plates with “rarebits” like roasted bone marrow with bacon jam, black-tea-smoked quail with pine-nut polenta, and seasonal deviled-egg specialties. So Williams & Graham is well-situated to feature an oft-provocative and pricey indulgence like foie gras in the most elegantly simple and completely inexpensive way: seared tidbits of duck liver over tiny toast tips with enough sweet-tart blackberry gastrique for dipping and a sprinkle of hazelnuts for bite. At just $10 a plate, the only controversy here is how many orders you can get at one time.

Back in 2011, chef-owner Ryan Leinonen transformed a hundred-year-old Ballpark-neighborhood pawn shop into a glossy but approachable modern Scandinavian restaurant that rapidly became known for its Swedish-, Norwegian- and Finnish-influenced-menu, which pays special attention to smoked and brined fish and smorgasbord appetizers. Trillium is not shy about serving assertive fish and seafood, nor about making sure that diners taste some strong flavors — which is why it makes sense that the house signature pâté is a far cry from bland or ordinary, even though it’s meatier than much of the rest of the menu. Leinonen’s Hudson Valley foie gras pâté features liver that’s rich, buttery and plated with pickled foraged mushrooms, “Grandma’s rieska” (traditional Finnish flatbread), cloudberry preserves and a sprinkle of birch-smoked Icelandic sea salt. Cloudberries are rare, delicate and difficult to source, but they add a flawless touch of tart fruitiness for a dish — and a restaurant — that puts flavors forward.

Chef/restaurateur Mary Nguyen came to prominence with her elegant interpretations of Vietnamese cuisine, but her love of European cafe culture prompted her to open Olive & Finch, an all-day market serving breakfast, lunch and dinner in a casual, bustling atmosphere that encourages lingering and neighborly exchanges. The overall menu board is delicious and comforting, but it’s the Greggers tongue sandwich that has us talking. The finicky cut, which can yield tough results in inexperienced hands, is cooked low and slow before being piled onto a crusty baguette with sweet caramelized onions and red peppers. A smear of tarragon aioli adds bright, herbal notes while a dab of roasted-garlic purée balances the mineral qualities of the tongue with rustic, earthy flavor. A cascade of arugula lends a fresh and bitter bite.

If you’re going to cure meats for two restaurants, you might as well build your own curing facility — which is exactly what Colt & Gray owner-executive chef Nelson Perkins did when he decided to expand Colt & Gray. His cured-meat program had started simply, with a duck prosciutto and a country pâté on Colt & Gray’s opening menu, but it soon grew to take over the massive space beneath the restaurant. He gave the facility its own name — Viande (French for “meat”) — and tasked sous-chef Kyle Foster with butchering a pig and a lamb every week, turning every bit into bacon, coppa, speck and more, including the rarely seen cicciola and porchetta di testa. Viande’s humidity-controlled chambers operate at a constant 42 degrees (slightly lower than at other facilities), which doubles the time it takes to cure — but also doubles the depth of flavor and puts a nice finish on dried sausages.

It’s no surprise that Vesta has a way with grilled meats, but even skeptical steak lovers will be impressed with the kitchen’s mastery of tenderloin. Rather than trying to reinvent steakhouse fare for the small-plates set, Vesta proudly presents a platter of meat and potatoes, sided with nothing more than seasonal flourishes and your choice of sauces. The steak itself is a dark beauty, sporting stripes from the grill and a light crust of simple seasonings. The kitchen gets the temperature just right, too, especially if your preference is medium-rare, letting the steak sauce itself with savory juices. But while purists might skip the sides of sauce, that’s where Vesta shows off its playful side (and lives up to its name), with aiolis, emulsions and gastriques guaranteed to bring out the best in the beef. And since you call the shots, you can go with a light touch or a heavy hand when it comes to dunking each bite.

West 32nd Avenue runs through the heart of Denver’s Highland neighborhood, and today holds a string of eateries well-suited to the residential zone it has become to the west. But in 2012, Tommy Lee dropped an umami bomb on the east end of the street in what’s become known as LoHi — a hip moniker coined by and for the young and fashionable set who now pack the shoebox noodle house nightly. On a menu stamped with traditional notes as well as modern, international riffs, you’ll find actual umami bombs — miso-bacon jam and spicy seven pepper — that can be lobbed into ramen bowls featuring duck in shoyu broth, a Korean-themed shredded-pork-and-kimchi number, and a potent veggie combo with miso broth and chashu tofu. Steamed bao buns packed with everything from pork belly to falafel make for savory finger food for those craving more than soup. Uncle may be small in stature, but it’s the big kid in the ‘hood when it comes to flavor.

Readers’ choice: Highland Tap & Burger

We wouldn’t steer you wrong: It takes balls — bull’s balls — to open a modern steakhouse in this cowtown. And when Troy Guard’s Guard and Grace debuted in a stunning first-floor space in a renovated downtown high-rise, it clearly had cojones to spare. Although Guard had to work hard at first to fix early problems, today Guard and Grace is as good as any cow palace Denver has seen, with a smart menu that gives plenty of attention to the main event (grass-fed filet mignon, oak-fired prime rib, spanking-fresh salmon, Colorado rack of lamb) while also turning out sides that are far from standard steakhouse glop. The setting is lovely, the service attentive, and Guard is definitely a man on the moo.

Readers’ choice: Capital Grille

Beast is in the name of this bright and lively eatery, and beast is what you’ll get — in almost every form but beef. Chef/co-owner Paul Reilly has earned a reputation for whole-animal butchery and top-caliber dishes based on pork, lamb, poultry and seafood, but you won’t see any steaks on the menu. That’s because while Reilly is dedicated to bringing in whole animals, a side of beef is simply too big to fit in the tiny kitchen. Instead, look for lamb and pork roasts and braises on the big-plates menu, with more difficult cuts of the same animals transformed into charcuterie — terrines, sausages and cured cuts — on the small-plates side. Seasonal fish and fowl are also lovingly handled, so you’ll find crudos, clams, guinea hens or sturgeon, depending on the time of year and what strikes the kitchen’s fancy. And for plant-based diners, there’s plenty to choose from, too, with all-veggie creations in both appetizer and entree sizes. With so much variety packed into such a small menu, even the most die-hard beef lovers will barely notice the missing moo.

The best meatball in town doesn’t come on top of spaghetti, all covered with cheese. Rather, it comes in a cast-iron skillet, which is delivered by the servers at Acorn with the warning to be careful, this is hot. What they should warn you about instead is how you’ll want to eat your weight in these suckers. Tender as butter, they’re served over rich, coarse-ground grits with melted burrata and just enough tomato sauce to hold each bite together. If you were at any other restaurant, we’d encourage you to throw caution to the wind and eat course after course of the stuff. But this is Acorn, owned by powerhouse duo Bryan Dayton and Steven Redzikowski, with Amos Watts manning the day-to-day kitchen operations — so there’s plenty more deliciousness to come.

Texas doesn’t get much love from Coloradans, but the barbecue at Wayne’s Smoke Shack in Superior could change that. Owner and pit master Wayne Shelnutt brings the flavors and techniques of Texas Hill Country — the post-oak-and-brisket holy land with Austin at its center — to Denver’s north suburbs, where Lone Star State expats and Front Range natives alike line up for a taste of juicy beef with the coffee-black bark and deep, smoky flavor that can only come from time, patience and love. Pork lovers have plenty to be thankful for, too; Wayne’s ribs and pork shoulder sing with the same slow-cooked and savory alchemy that arises when fat and dry rub combine with smoke to coax magic from meat. Lunch is your best bet; by dinner, the best might already be gone.

Readers’ choice: Moe’s Original Bar-B-Que

While Mary Nguyen is primarily known for her Asian and French fusions at P17 and Olive & Finch, one of her menu standouts is not a dish, but a sauce. At Olive & Finch, the chimichurri that comes on the D.F. (a beautiful mess of eggs, pulled pork, green chile and cheese) and the Nico sandwich, her version of a Spanish cheesesteak, features the perfect blend of graininess and heat, and is so good we could put it on just about anything. Made in-house from parsley, red-pepper flakes, garlic, lemon juice, red-wine vinegar and neutral-flavored oil, it sounds like a simple recipe — but the result is anything but. Quite possibly what Dr. Seuss was preaching about in Green Eggs and Ham, this magical sauce spruces up everything it comes into contact with, from proteins to potatoes.

City, O’ City isn’t just a restaurant, it’s a community. There are classes and programs upstairs, gatherings in the bar and out on the patio, entertaining reading in the bathrooms. You’ll see everyone from adventurous suburban teens to hipsters covered in tattoos to seniors just getting out of their yoga classes passing through. And they often stop to eat the delicious food — because all of the activity isn’t just in the front of the house at City, O’ City; since the restaurants expansion two years ago, the kitchen has worked hard on its all-vegetarian menu, and the choices can be overwhelming. You can’t go wrong with the Buffalo seitan wings, the udon-noodle bowl or the Breakfast All Day sandwich.

Readers’ choice: City, O’ City

When you walk into Zeal, you enter a fresh, clean space whose vibe is immediately rejuvenating. The motto here is “Food for Enthusiasts,” and we’re quite enthusiastic about the vegetable rainbow curry. This vegan dish is a flavorful blend of seasonal roasted vegetables, sesame seeds, lentil sprouts and coconut curry on a bed of perfectly cooked rice. It’s a substantial plate, packed with veggies and just the right level of spice for curry. Complement your meal with one of Zeal’s uber-healthy cold-pressed juices to round out the nutritious dining experience.

Readers’ choice: Vine Street Pub

Technically, the Plimoth’s cauliflower turnip gratinée is a side — so you’ll want to order several and make a night of it, because this vegetarian dish is as delicious as any of the meatier entrees on the menu at this charming neighborhood spot. Served in a cast-iron skillet and topped with mushrooms, the cauliflower/turnip mix is creamy with cheese and incredibly delicious — and definitely contributes to the wonderful smell always hanging in the air at Plimoth.

Readers’ choice: Rioja

WaterCourse Foods bills itself as “eating the path of least resistance since 1998,” but that doesn’t mean it takes the easy way out. In fact, last year, owner Dan Landes renewed his commitment to providing good food that’s good for you, taking WaterCourse all vegan. But you don’t have to sacrifice flavor when you stand up for principles: WaterCourse’s burger tastes damn close to meat — not repackaged sawdust, like so many other veggie burgers — and isn’t that why you’re eating a burger anyway? The kitchen makes its own “sirloin” out of seitan, then puts it on a smooshy bun (gluten-free bread is available, of course) and tops it with classic burger fixin’s, including tofu bacon, if you’re so inclined. Pleased to not meat you!

Readers’ choice: Park Burger

When a few carrot sticks just won’t cut it, head to Uncle for the vegetarian ramen. The savory, veggie-based broth is chock-full of a wide assortment of vegetables and comes topped with a soft-cooked egg (optional); it will fill you up while also fulfilling your daily vegetable intake. Uncle was one of the first local establishments to get on board the ramen train that everyone seems to be riding these days, and it remains one of the best. The space isn’t big, but a new patio has cut down on the long waits.

While the name of this Colfax Avenue shack is a clear indication of its specialty, a couple of dogs share menu space with Über’s selection of tasty sausage blends. The best is the Tijuana dog, a nitrate- and preservative-free bison hot dog topped with a messy mix of mango pico de gallo, crema and crumbles of queso fresco. The bison link is lightly smoky and served split down the middle and griddled until the edges crisp. And in homage to the Sonoran hot dog that serves as the inspiration for Über’s creation, crispy bacon adds another layer of smokiness and porky flavor. It’s a sloppy dog that’s thoughtfully served on a baguette-style roll; a standard hot dog bun would disintegrate under the mass of toppings. Still, the fat and meaty dog holds its own as the predominant flavor, with each bite bursting with salty juice.

Readers’ choice: Biker Jim’s

Jimmy’s has the kind of menu that makes you think either “hell, yes” or “hot mess.” A little too ambitious for straight-up bar-food fans and with an international streak that could spell disaster, Jimmy’s somehow manages to keep it all together and put out clever yet satisfying twists on drinking fare. Chicago is a big influence here, which is readily apparent in the name and ingredients of the Ditka burger. An eight-ounce slab of properly fat-laced and fresh ground chuck comes topped with Jimmy’s own Italian beef, adding meaty succulence to the already juicy burger. Pungent provolone and your choice of sweet peppers or hot giardiniera (we recommend the latter) add tang and spice. Despite the meat-on-meat combo, the Ditka burger is not a towering monstrosity but rather an exercise in (relative) restraint. The sandwich comes with a steak knife to make handling easier, and things can get a little drippy, but the bun maintains its integrity for bite after satisfying bite.

Readers’ choice: Cherry Cricket

The aroma of wood smoke greets you at the door at Gozo and tags along through the course of your meal, grounding the menu of Mediterranean-inspired dishes and blistered pizzas with rustic notes. Whether turning out quick-cooked and succulent clams with chorizo or slow-roasted short ribs, the wood oven that’s the showpiece of the chef’s counter is also central to the flavors that the kitchen builds. Polenta and risotto are also sure things at Gozo, both handled with care and patience for perfect results. The dining room gives equal opportunity to couples looking for an intimate dinner or boisterous groups out for small plates and drinks. Sit near the front by the open garage doors for an urban experience in full view of Broadway, or pick a table near the back for a quieter night out.

Readers’ choice: Beatrice & Woodsley

North County, named for the San Diego region famous for fish tacos and other Baja-style beach eats, opened at the end of 2014 in Lowry, where it offers fresh and satisfying seafood and deeply flavored slow-cooked meats, along with an impressive tequila list and bottled boozy sodas made in-house. But one Southern California specialty stands out on the menu: the comfort-food splurge known as carne asada fries. Typically a late-night indulgence, carne asada fries must be built on a foundation of fabulous fries. North County gets these just right, giving the spuds a crisp golden-brown exterior to hold up against a deluge of toppings: a creamy four-cheese queso; a mound of tender, flame-kissed steak grilled over Japanese charcoal; a simple guacamole that hasn’t been overly messed with; and a generous coating of crema and cotija. It’s a slurry of bold flavors beyond boring old nachos, and if you’re in the know, the kitchen will wrap the whole pile up in a flour tortilla for a secret, off-menu California burrito.

Readers’ choice: Park Burger

A decade ago, a mom whose two-year-old son suffered from a rare autoimmune disorder started dipping local potatoes in coconut oil and kettle-cooking them in her Crested Butte kitchen to create a healthy snack. The result was spectacular, and in 2012 Megan Reamer and her husband sold their first bags of Jackson’s Honest Chips in their local heath-food store. Today you’ll find the crunchy, salty and slightly sweet bites of heaven in all 71 Natural Grocers locations and Rocky Mountain-region Whole Foods stores; you can also buy them online. The Reamers’ juiciest trade secret lies in their ingredients: non-GMO-certified sweet potatoes, purple potatoes or organic white potatoes processed simply with sea salt and organic coconut oil. Many of the potatoes come from Colorado farms in Hotchkiss and Paonia, and all of the purple ones are still grown in the San Luis Valley.

Pastries and sandwiches get top billing at the Noshery, a homespun bakery-cafe where Regis University students talk shop before class and families gather on weekends. But it is the soup of the day that best captures the feel-good nature of the place — and try as we might, we never leave here without at least a cup of the stuff. Mike Alvarez, who overlapped at Whole Foods with owner-pastry chef Andrea Knight, believes in soup the way most cooks don’t, having worked for a chef who impressed upon him that “you can always tell a chef by his soup.” Just don’t get too attached to that bowl of spicy corn chowder, curry chickpea or baked potato. As the soup du jour, what’s here today is gone tomorrow — all the more reason to drop by for another bowl, and a lemon-meringue tart to go along with it.

Mac and cheese is one of those contentious foods: Purists believe the focus should be solely on the noodles and the cheese, while gastronauts like it gussied up with lobster, bacon and all the fixings. The twain can meet at the West End Tap House, whose mac and cheese would satisfy both parties. Here the orecchiette are bathed in a rich and creamy Gruyère-and-white-cheddar blend, then topped with a truffle-herb mix that would make even the most ascetic purist swoon.

Readers’ choice: Steuben’s

Restaurateur Frank Bonanno has built his reputation on singular dishes — like the lobster macaroni and cheese at his flagship eatery, Mizuna — and fine-dining experiences that strike a balance of fun and elegance. But beneath the chef’s coat beats the heart of a New Jersey kid raised on Taylor pork roll and meatball subs. So it’s not surprising that when he decided to open his own sandwich shop, Bonanno hit the mark with East Coast classics piled high onto soft rolls from Grateful Bread. Housemade sausage and rare-cooked roast beef highlight a menu that also features pitch-perfect egg salad, Luca marinara and fresh burrata. While many of the ingredients aren’t fancy — grinders are adorned with thin tomato slices and iceberg lettuce — the combination of simplicity and a few key bursts of flavor and originality makes each sandwich an exercise in nostalgia and comfort.

Readers’ choice: Snarf’s

In a sector dominated by wraps, bowls and burritos, Chop Shop Casual Urban Eatery feels more fine-dining than fast-casual, with tables and booths crafted of wide-plank barn wood and reclaimed fences, batched cocktails and a globally inspired menu of entrees, salads and sandwiches. Drawing on years of high-end kitchen experience, chef-owner Clint Wangsnes is a master at menu design, putting out such tempting plates as pork tenderloin with yuzu-cherry chutney, sirloin with potato-pumpkin-mushroom hash, and 72-hour slow-cooked onion bliss, a French onion soup that deserves every drop of its name. If it weren’t for the menu hung on a brightly lit board and the line you stand in to place your order, you might even forget you’re in a fast-casual spot, since plates are delivered and cleared by staff.

Readers’ choice: Illegal Pete’s

You don’t have to have a pup in tow to enjoy Denver Beer Co.’s pooch-friendly patio. No matter when you visit this Platte Street brewery, you’ll find dogs lounging under picnic tables and bar stools, waiting for a stranger to give a good scratch. If you bring your own pup, you can supply him or her with treats from behind the bar: Brew Bones’ Pale Tails, made from grains left over after Denver Beer Co. and other local craft breweries make their pale ales. Five treats will cost you $3 — and they’re alcohol-free! If you don’t have a dog but are jonesing for company, you’re bound to find some puppy love at Denver Beer Co.

Readers’ choice: Denver Beer Co.

A great rooftop bar doesn’t require a great view of the mountains. At Ignite, you do glimpse the mountains (until taller buildings go up in the Platte Valley) and see some of the city skyline, but the real draw is the space itself: It’s half-enclosed, half open-air, ready for any season. In cold weather, the patio is open on weekends, and come Rockies opening day, it’s back in action whenever Ignite is open, with fans and misters to keep patrons cool, plus a cover to prevent the sun from pounding on mimosa-soaked heads. And no matter the air’s temperature, thoughts of Ignite’s fiery food selections, including wood-fired pizza and thick slices of Man Candy sweet and spicy bacon, will keep you warm.

Readers’ choice: Linger

Rarely does a restaurant come along with such grand ambitions as Mercantile Dining & Provision. Even rarer is the restaurant that pulls them off. But under the scrupulous eye of chef-owner Alex Seidel, Mercantile does: effortlessly, elegantly, charismatically. By day, it bustles with the purpose and energy of Union Station, drawing people through its doors for croissants, coffee, perhaps a croque madame to enjoy while sitting in the light that streams through the historic building’s windows. By night, the bar fills and guests take their seats with an anticipation that’s almost palpable, eager for a meal befitting this repeat James Beard Foundation honoree. Seidel and chef de cuisine/proprietor Matt Vawter clearly relish the opportunities afforded by Mercantile’s expansive kitchen, putting out a menu as sweeping as the space. Though it’s easy to make a meal of exquisite starters such as cured meats and Fruition Farms cheeses, bone marrow and foie gras with duck-confit blinis, you’ll regret it if you do, and this isn’t the place for regrets. So give in and order whatever pasta, vegetable and heartier protein strikes your fancy, knowing that the night isn’t over until you’ve tried one of Lonne Cunningham’s exuberant desserts.

Readers’ choice: Work & Class

When Delores Tronco and Tony Maciag took a chance on a shipping-container development in the Ballpark/RiNo neighborhood for the home of their new restaurant, the area was trending in the right direction — but its success wasn’t yet a fait accompli. Work & Class, with its feel-good combination of craveable eats and drinks, sealed the deal, making the neighborhood one of the hottest in town and a seat on the restaurant’s patio or at its concrete communal table even hotter. Putting out spectacular Latin and American food that has since nabbed chef-owner Dana Rodriguez a James Beard nomination for Best Chef Southwest, the packed, noisy place is on a perpetual wait, as people can’t get enough of the meats such as cochinita pibil, cabrito (roasted goat) and coriander-roasted lamb served by the quarter, half or full pound. Sides and desserts — think custardy chickpea croquettes, Brussels sprout-apple-bacon hash and deeply caramelized butterscotch pudding — reflect Rodriguez’s high-end training and unpretentious approach.

Readers’ choice: Chop Shop Casual Urban Eatery

In November 2004, chef Jen Jasinski and partner Beth Gruitch opened Rioja, an immediate hit in Larimer Square. But the two didn’t rest on their laurels. They took on the nearby Bistro Vendôme, then opened Euclid Hall, a beer-and-sausage emporium around the corner. And they didn’t stop there, either. Even while Jasinski was competing on Top Chef Masters and picking up a James Beard Best Chef Southwest award, they were planning their next move: Stoic & Genuine in Union Station. We can’t wait to see what the next decade brings.

Domo is more than just a restaurant. It’s a museum, an experience in Japanese culture, built to look like a country house with a traditional Nippon Kan aikido dojo on the side and a garden out back. And what a garden: This is an ideal urban oasis, with wood-stump tables alongside a winding path beside overhanging trees, ponds and a little bridge. Walking to the back of the garden, you find shrines to Buddha and a fertility god. It’s a perfect place to wait for your table and contemplate Domo owner Gaku Homma’s altruistic efforts around the world: His nonprofit Aikido Humanitarian Active Network supports orphanages, medical facilities, schools and other programs in thirty countries, including the Denver Rescue Mission here at home. Domo, indeed.

Readers’ choice: Linger

So you’ve settled into your seat at Acorn or Oak at Fourteenth, and you’re looking over the menu as your drinks arrive. Look carefully. What you’re holding isn’t just doing what most menus do — laying out the options and listing ingredients to help you decide what to order. After you’ve eaten as many meals at these restaurants as we have, you begin to see the menus for what they really are: culinary haiku. Okay, so dish descriptions don’t have exactly seventeen syllables, but the way the ingredients come together on your plate is nothing short of poetry — and chef-owner (and 2015 James Beard Foundation semi-finalist) Steven Redzikowski is the reason why. Like any good poet, Redzikowski is a master of juxtaposition, putting together cuisines, spices, flavors and textures in invigorating, unexpected ways. Take carrots, for example. Who else would pair these root vegetables with burrata, blood oranges and chile-almond jam? Or sprinkle togarashi over shaved apples and kale? With an eye to the seasons and a global curiosity, Redzikowski dreams up the food we long to eat, with numerous dishes so good, they’ve become the standards against which others in town are measured.

Readers’ choice: Jennifer Jasinski

If the nature of restaurant service is to take care of people, no one is doing a better job than Nathan Buss, a server at Session Kitchen. Buss took the concept of service to the next level by creating his Tips for Tuesdays program, in which he donates all the tips he makes during his Tuesday-night shifts to charity. He estimates that he’s given away over $8,000 so far to local nonprofits such as Urban Peak, Veterans to Farmers, Project Helping and Mile High Squash, to name just a few. What began as a way to help people has attracted guests — sometimes forty or fifty every Tuesday — who dine at his tables for the opportunity to donate to his chosen weekly nonprofit.

If she’s not behind the bar at Williams & Graham, Allison Widdecombe is probably winning a cocktail competition somewhere in America. Not content to simply be a part of the stellar team at Williams & Graham — which was recently honored as one of the fifty best bars in the world — Widdecombe has her sights set on even higher summits. In January, she took first place in a national Manhattan competition in New York City…but that’s only one of her many victories. Whether it’s whiskey, tequila or you name it, Widdecombe can craft a winning recipe with the spirit. The Hawaii native loves Denver, and while on the road, she does her best to rep our city. Not just a skilled and knowledgable bartender, she’s also one of the most genuine, gracious and charming people you’ll ever meet. Cheers!

Readers’ choice: Kari Cummings

Since alcohol put Golden on the map, it’s not surprising that metro Denver’s best dive bar is in this once-sleepy foothills town. Bar fans have been living it up at the Ace Hi Tavern since Leo Stillman purchased the old Opera House restaurant on historic Washington Avenue and opened the bar back in 1961. Today it’s run by Leo’s grandson, Sid Stillman, and it’s still a place where workers getting off their shifts at Coors plop themselves next to Colorado School of Mines students preparing for a tough day of class. The place is Western-themed and Colorado-proud, with maps of the state and “Native” signs adorning the walls, and old-fashioned steer horns fancied up with Mardi Gras beads stationed above the cash register. You can sink into a cushy booth if you don’t feel perky enough to perch on a bar stool, and the tavern has plenty of distractions for drinkers who need to rev up for another round, including a pool table. But at a true dive, you don’t need more than good company and good drinks for a winning hand — and Ace Hi deals plenty of both.

Readers’ choice: hi-dive

Whether you’re looking for a patio where you can relax by a fire or one where you can work up a sweat throwing around bocce balls, Local 46’s biergarten is the best place to play. The 2,900-square-foot patio, which this popular bar opened in 2013, is like going to visit that best friend who has the Cribs-style setup. It’s cozy despite its size, and the gravel underfoot invokes a school playground or a huge campground. There are woody nooks where you can lounge by fire pits, a ping-pong table, cornhole games and, yes, a bocce-ball court. And you can order both food and drinks at the outdoor bar. If you’re lucky enough to get a seat at the community picnic tables, order the Gutter Special: Your beers will be delivered to an ice-filled metal gutter splicing through the table.

Jake Norris loves whiskey. He was head distiller at Stranahan’s when it opened in 2004, running operations for one of Colorado’s most-loved spirits. In 2011, when the ownership of Stranahan’s changed hands, Norris stayed on for a few months to assist with the transition, then parted ways with the new corporate honchos. When he met Al Laws, he found that they shared a true passion for making small-batch whiskey with no compromises on quality. The two made some booze and put it into barrels, where it sat for more than two years. Norris waited for the day when he could finally release the bronze-colored liquid he’d carefully brought into being. That day arrived in October, when he delivered bottles of A.D. Laws Four Grain Straight Bourbon to bars, restaurants and liquor stores in the Denver area. Welcome back, Jake.

The way that Scott and Todd Leopold make their gin tells you a lot about how the dynamic duo does things: First, a spirit is distilled using Colorado-grown grain. Then, unlike many gin producers, Todd individually distills each botanical in separate runs — keeping each of them isolated — to blend later, according to his exacting standards; that way, no one flavor can overpower another. The result: a spirit with delicate layers of flavor. Since 2008, when they moved their operation here from Michigan, the Leopolds have been known as the guys who not only make great spirits, but do so with eco-friendly techniques: organic ingredients, intelligent management of water and waste products, even a reliance on gravity to drain vats instead of using electricity. No artificial ingredients are used in any of their many products, and all spirits are barreled and bottled by hand — an impressive feat handled in Leopold’s new, 1,900-square-foot distillery, located just outside Denver.

Readers’ choice: Stranahan’s

Les Baker V is one of those mad-scientist bartenders, intrigued by the alchemy of cocktails and the magic of mixology. Dry ice? He’ll use it. Scorpion venom? He’d probably find a way to work it into a drink. In 2014, he stuck a finger in the eyes of all the snooty, elite bartenders who take cocktails too seriously by creating a bright-blue sapphire of a cocktail: the Blue Negroni. Based on the classic Negroni recipe of gin, sweet vermouth and Campari, Baker’s version uses gin, dry vermouth and a deconstruction of the Campari portion. He cunningly crafts it with a base of vodka and blue curaçao, then adds ginseng root, orris root, eucalyptus, coriander and black peppercorn. The other ingredients are a secret, of course. Order it by name at Session Kitchen, because it’s not on the menu — yet.

Sure, there are lots of great bars in Denver, but how many of them distill all the spirits that they stir and shake? Duck into a tiny passageway off Golden’s main drag and you’ll slip into a place that does: the cozy, Prohibition-era Golden Moon Speakeasy. All of the booze on the back bar is distilled across town at Golden Moon Distillery — thirteen spirits, with more coming very soon. “We hit the classics pretty hard,” says bar manager Noah Heaney: Twenty-five of the sixty cocktails on his drink menu range from classic Manhattans and Old-Fashioneds to lesser-known vintage libations such as the absinthe-based Brunelle or even punches. The bar team here is one of the best around — highly trained, dedicated, and steeped in the classics that their grandparents probably enjoyed.

Readers’ choice: Williams & Graham

After decades of operating bars and restaurants in Grand County, Mike Ayre and Charles Wessels had gotten out of the business — but then they found a spot in Denver that was just too good to refuse, in the heart of Five Points, a part of town that was once jumping with joints. A deal had just gone south on the 115-year-old house and fifty-year-old storefront next door that had been occupied by Dunbar’s barbershop; Ayre, who was working in real estate, persuaded Wessels to get back in the game and help put the “bar” in Dunbar. The result is a casual, comfortable spot with exposed-brick walls and a bar made from old wood reclaimed from the house; the original barbershop sign hangs on an interior wall, near old photos of the barbershop and other old Denver scenes. Nearly all of the beer and liquor offered here is local; the food menu is a nod to Wessels’s roots, with Southern specials that include a pimento-cheese appetizer. The big Sunday brunch is one of the best-kept secrets in town — almost as big a find as the new patio out back. All in all, Dunbar is a great neighborhood hangout — in a great neighborhood that’s making a strong comeback.

Readers’ choice: Asbury Provisions

Tucked behind the Mile High Winery in the RiNo district, Stem Ciders boasts of “being just hard enough to find” for cider fans. But the real find here is the rotating series of Tuesday specials — pairings of ciders and cheeses, ciders and pies, an open-mike night that encourages performers with a free glass of cider, and so on. In a town awash with happy hours and wine tastings, Stem Ciders has become a hotbed of real ferment.

When Joyride Brewing opened last summer, it came at the expense of Edgewater’s most recognizable piece of ambience: a mural depicting the tiny burg’s history on the edge of Sloan’s Lake Park. But the change was worth it. The brewery renovated and opened up a prime corner spot, providing a cheery gateway to the town. Cementing that position are the six — count ’em — glass garage doors that look out across Sheridan Boulevard to the park. Find a spot in the busy but well-staffed brewery at the thirty-foot bar — made from the floors of Coors boxcars from the early 1990s — or at one of the tables along the door rails and enjoy the views. Next year, Joyride plans to add a rooftop patio.

Readers’ choice: Denver Beer Co.

TRVE Brewing has a love for heavy-metal music, and the divey space may be one of the darkest you’ll enter in Denver. But the staff is one of the most welcoming, and it’s the beer that’s truly metal. Over the past year, owner Nick Nunns and head brewer Zach Coleman have turned out a series of beers that are packed with crisp flavor and tightly constructed. They include the lower-in-alcohol Scorn, a dry-hopped wheat, and Wanderlust, a Belgian-style pale ale, as well as the more powerful Atma, a Belgian golden strong, and the Tunnel of Trees IPA. TRVE is also on the leading edge of Denver’s sour- and wild-ale scene, releasing a variety of barrel-aged beers with puckering power. In 2015, TRVE will open a second — but not public — brewhouse dedicated to this side of the business. They must have made a deal with the devil.

Readers’ choice: Great Divide Brewing Company

An oasis amid busy streets, construction zones, industrial businesses and the grubby South Platte River, Mockery Brewing is no mirage. The brewery, which opened last fall, boasts an ample patio with festive lights, reclaimed-rock walls, community tables and a detached, fully stocked game room like the one at your best friend’s house. Oh, and when you’re chilling outside in warm weather — or under the heat lamps in winter — over the next two years, you’ll be able to watch the construction next door of a couple more River North oases across the street, including a new park and the massive new Great Divide Brewing complex.

There’s a fine line between kitsch and cool — a line that gets crossed often. But Grandma’s House has managed to redraw that line, one stitch at a time. The brewery was pieced together with thrift-store prowess by Matthew Fuerst, whose interest in brewing is matched only by his interest in collecting knickknacks, appliances and glassware, and by a sense of style that you could and would only find at, yes, your grandma’s house. From the ’60s-style furniture to the crocheted and cross-stitched decor to the old TVs, video games and eight-track player, everything feels strangely at home here. As will you — and the breweries around town that are planning to use Grandma’s House, which calls itself a collective brewery, as a place to jump-start their own recipes, sales and brewing techniques.

Comrade Brewing first launched its offensive in unsuspecting southeast Denver, rolling over the neighborhoods there before pushing outward to the rest of the city. Leading the attack was Superpower IPA, which many local drinkers believe is as good as or better than California’s famous hop bombs (a wet-hopped version of Superpower won silver at the Great American Beer Festival). It’s become so popular, in fact, that brewer Marks Lanham has trouble keeping up with production. That’s okay, though, because Comrade’s enormous tap room is chock-full of other spot-on beers, including Quit Stalin, a Russian imperial stout, and Hop Chops, a double IPA. Fear the power.

Former Future had a bumpy landing when it opened in February 2014, running out of beer immediately and limiting its hours. But the brewery, helmed by the adorable James and Sarah Howat, has soared ever since. Based on a steampunk-like historical-futuristic theme, Former Future pours an eclectic lineup of beers — everything from a pre-Prohibition-style cream ale and a sour red to a salted-caramel porter and a barrel-aged Russian imperial stout — that you can drink at the bar, which is made from the wing of a Cessna airplane. The experience is deepened by the Howats’ ever-present elegance behind that bar and other well-thought-out design touches, such as lights made from old whiskey barrels and runway lights, barbershop-style bar chairs and tabletop terrariums. In October, the brewery won a medal at the Great American Beer Festival for a beer that it spontaneously fermented on its roof. Look for more leaps forward into the past this year.

Readers’ choice: Joyride Brewing Company

Toasted Cheez-It and Goldfish mac and cheese, adult milkshakes, deep-fried Oreos with Nutella? Troy Guard might’ve had the munchies when he came up with TAG Burger Bar’s playfully innovative menu, a gluttonous ode to our childhood. Take a toke and then take your healthy appetite to TAG, because the signature Andrew Jackson burger can’t be devoured in one sitting…or can it? Tell us after you try the hot mess of shaved black truffles, house-cured pork belly, crispy chicken skin, sunnyside-up egg, Brie, avocado, confit tomato, chipotle aioli slaw and tomato-truffle oil.

Stuart Jensen brought years of cooking experience to his latest role as bar manager at Mercantile Dining & Provision, with all that time in kitchens shaping his approach to creating cocktails. The Brom Bones, for example, one in a series of Jensen’s steamed cocktails, is prepared in much the same way as the jams and preserves available for sale in Mercantile’s marketplace. In a tiny, four-ounce Mason jar, Jensen combines whiskey, maple syrup, roasted pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, cloves, allspice berries, peppercorns, orange peels and Angostura bitters. He steams fifty jars at a time at 212 degrees for exactly two minutes. Order one, and the (cooled) jar arrives with a screened lid; you pour it over ice, and the solids remain. The steaming infuses the flavors together, creating a stunning winter cocktail.

From emerging regions such as Lazio and the Languedoc to little-known indigenous grapes like Ruché and Romorantin to sparkling reds and the savoriest sherries, the Source’s island bar may be the coolest place at which to explore the world of wine right now — which shouldn’t come as any surprise to fans of the Proper Pour, a liquor store just steps away. The couple behind both projects, McLain Hedges and Mary Allison Wright, are admirably disinclined to dumb anything down for timid tastes: They source, stock and serve what they like to drink. This is not to say that RiNo Yacht Club’s MO is snobbery. On the contrary, the staff is all about pressure-free encouragement: Between the precise tasting notes they provide for each wine and the pleasure they take in offering sample pours and flights, even the most experiment-averse are sure to leave here with their vinous horizons at least slightly expanded.

Between Frasca and Flagstaff House, Black Cat and Basta, Boulder sets the bar for wine programs dauntingly high — but PMG is clearing it with ease. In the former Beehive space off the Pearl Street Mall, Emily Gold—a onetime employee of famed importer Kermit Lynch—has carved out a literal and figurative niche for enophiles with a taste for old-world tradition and terroir. Her tightly focused, ever-changing list puts the spotlight on Europe’s so-called boutique producers — those small family estates making wines of uncompromising quality in generally minuscule quantities, be it some idiosyncratic Northern Italian sparkler or a rarity from Corsica. But no less impressive than Gold’s discriminating taste is her sensitivity to price: She packs a wide range of options into that single-page frame, including steals and splurges alike. That’s especially important given how heavily the list is weighted toward bottles, as a means of ensuring that you really get to know the wine you order — along with the person you’re sharing it with. Complemented by Salvatore Proia’s lively Mediterranean plates, this list is the linchpin of what’s turning out to be a truly special place.

Moschofilero. Aghiorghitiko. Mavrodaphne. Greek wine is worth getting into just for the sheer pleasure of rolling the grape names around on your tongue. But these days, thanks to a revitalized industry, it also happens to be a joy to drink — and in Denver, the place to do that is Axios. You want to visit the Mediterranean seashore in a single sip? Try Assyrtiko. Does a wine called “acid-black” live up to its name? Find out in a swallow of Xinomavro. What’s it like to sip the same dessert wine that Cleopatra purportedly drank? End your meal with Commandaria and you’ll know. And as for retsina, Greece’s notorious pine-resinated wine? Order it with a dish of feta and olives and prepare to be astounded by just how bum its rap is.

Readers’ choice: Lala’s Wine Bar + Pizzeria

When searching for sustenance at 3 a.m., certain rules apply: The food should be cheap, fast and filling. After all, the party’s over and last call has come and gone, but you’re still out and about, looking to extend the night. The Tacos Rapidos on West Evans Avenue fulfills all requirements, serving cheap and decidedly downscale Mexican (by way of San Diego) fare with no fancy pretensions — or even a dining room. Sure, the guacamole comes from a gun and the corn tortillas are a little too thick and leathery to be double-layered, but the tacos are so fat with shredded-pork carnitas, spicy barbacoa or surprisingly tender lengua that you’ll barely notice. Deep-fried rolled tacos (don’t look for flautas on the menu), carne asada fries or similarly souped-up super nachos will satisfy the worst of late-night cravings. And if you’re up early or late enough to yearn for breakfast, the breakfast burritos come stuffed with more bacon or chorizo than scrambled eggs.

Readers’ choice: Pete’s Kitchen

Over the years, we’ve presented Frank Bonanno’s flagship restaurant awards for everything from Best Fried Calves’ Glands to Best Service to Best Dinner, Period. You’d think the Mizuna crew would be all about preserving the status quo by now. But you’d be wrong, as one look at the current wine list illustrates. Several months ago, after a revelation regarding Denver’s dearth of traditional French fine-dining options, wine director Kelly Wooldridge decided to be the change he wished to see in the city and set about revamping the restaurant’s entire program to showcase France almost exclusively — world-class Burgundy, Bordeaux and the Rhône in particular. That might sound expensive, and it is. But it’s also something that a dining scene of any standing should have. So kudos to Mizuna for stepping up to the plate (or the glass, as the case may be). Besides, it’s not all grand cru glitz. From grower Champagnes and crémants to the whites of the Loire Valley to an extensive after-dinner selection, there’s some seriously geeky stuff going on here.

Readers’ choice: Frasca Food and Wine

Happy hours in Denver are plentiful. To help Denverites get even happier, Tony P’s Highland location changed the rules of the game and extended its happy hour to a “happier hour,” offering discounted drinks and food every day, twice a day. As if $1 drafts of PBR and $5 meatball sliders — plus complimentary breadsticks with every purchase — weren’t enough of a deal, Tony P’s created a Happier Meal: For $8, you get a large slice of pizza with three toppings, a PBR and a premium well shot. The search for the best happy hour may never end, but the best happier hour runs from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the weekends, and 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. every night at Tony P’s on West 32nd.

It’s not every day that an afternoon happy hour can challenge your culinary boundaries — but Leña does just that every weekday from 4 to 6 p.m., by hopping the border past Mexico and well into Central and South America. The Colombian, Peruvian, Ecuadorean and other cuisines served at happy hour are old hat to those in the know, but they could be a revelation to South Broadway bar crawlers. Start with some llapingachos — cheese-packed potato cakes smeared with a spicy peanut sauce — which are at once familiar and excitingly different. And while you can find happy-hour tacos anywhere, succulent goat barbacoa and silky, tender bison short-rib tacos are singularly impressive. Cheap drafts, wells and wines round out the offerings. There are welcome little touches and twists even on this limited menu, making Leña’s happy hour one of the most interesting ones out there…at any time of the day.

Readers’ choice: Highland Tap & Burger

Like vampires and Lionel Richie, Vesper Lounge’s happy hour is in its element after the sun goes down. A hip cocktail bar with the spirit of a grimy dive, Vesper offers bracing drinks from 11 p.m. to close Sunday through Thursday, after most spots have locked their doors. The thirst-quenchers on offer pair off two tipples for one price, named for the flop films of pop divas. Get a cosmo with a Lady in Pink shot (the “Swept Away”) or a “Glitter,” with a lemon-drop martini and a kamikaze shot. Before the kitchen closes at 11, you can order from a board of up-tempo bar food, like tasty little gyro and falafel sliders or pork-belly lettuce wraps (Vesper’s harissa-dusted fries are a must for soaking up any excess booze). Rising from the grave of the Lancer Lounge, this happening spot will keep the party going all night long.

Readers’ choice: Highland Tap & Burger

Open since 1966 in a part of the north side barely hanging on to its working-class roots in the face of gentrification, the pink-painted Rosa Mia Inn sits across from Lakeside Amusement Park and is almost as much of an institution. Even though ownership recently changed, little else about the bar has: There’s nothing but Bud and Coors on draught, and during twin happy hours — from 10 a.m. to noon and 4 to 6 p.m. — the beer and wells are some of the city’s cheapest. Cheap booze is always nice, but it’s the loose, anything-can-happen vibe that puts the Rosa Mia in a different dive-bar category. The cheap liquor attracts regulars salty and sweet, and the jukebox is liable to start a hoedown. Add in some pinball and skill games, TVs for sports-watching and the collected atmosphere of decades of drinking, and the Rosa Mia Inn is home to one of the happiest happy hours around.

The best happy-hour dishes capture the feeling and intent of a restaurant on one small, cheap plate. That’s a tall order for most places, but Old Major rises to the challenge. The lauded Highland restaurant offers a happy-hour bill of fare that evolves and shifts based on the kitchen’s whims. The best of the rotating dishes is the sausage plate, a small yet significant taste of Old Major’s wonderful ways with meat. Five bucks gets you a sample of a housemade sausage of the day, enough to appreciate its details — the fine grind, the balance of spices. And the presentation alone elevates this dish to art: Thoughtful condiments are daubed with care, and the sausage is plated with a smattering of complementary veggies. This is a refreshingly contemplative snack even in the rush of a happy hour, a reminder of why Old Major still enthralls.

Happy hour is a beautiful thing. And nothing goes better with happy hour than sliders, which are filling but not too filling, with just enough protein and carbs to cushion the alcohol without ruining your dinner. The brains behind the Kitchen Next Door know this, which is why the community-hour menu — served daily from 3 to 6 p.m. — includes three versions for you to mix and match. In true Kitchen style, the cheeseburger slider is made of local beef, the slow-roasted pork is accented with salsa verde, and the vegetarian option is a cut above the rest — made not with brown rice and mushrooms, but ruby beets jazzed up with feta, balsamic onions and arugula. The only thing to say when your sliders arrive? “Cheers.” And when they’re gone? “Another round.”

When a second Sassafras opened in Capitol Hill last year, in a spot already gifted with a liquor license, the owners didn’t take their entrance into the brunch-cocktail game lightly. From neon-green zombie punches to more traditional Nola favorites like the Hurricane, the cocktails here are all to die for, but the real standouts are the four house-infused Bloody Marys. Each features a different tomato base with varying degrees of heat and a smattering of creative garnishes, whether you opt for the signature Sassafras, with a pickled quail egg; the BBQ, with pickled-pig’s-feet vodka and bacon salt; or the Garden, with goat-cheese-stuffed peppers. The spiciest of the bunch is made with ghost chiles and pickled-pepper vodka (aptly named after the Voodoo Queen herself, Marie Laveau) and features an edible green-pepper voodoo doll that’s almost too cute to eat. Fair warning, though: You’ll probably want to call a cab home.

At most Bloody Mary bars, you get to augment your drink with a few seasonings and some garnishes, then go on your not-so-very-merry way. But not at Punch Bowl Social. At this Bloody Mary bar to end all Bloody Mary bars, you can choose between five different tomato or tomatillo mixes from the Real Dill and Salty Iguana for a red or green base, then layer on the proteins, veggies and spices. Every garnish and accoutrement — from shrimp and jicama tossed in chile powder to a beautiful charcuterie platter with Tender Belly ham, salami and pepperoni — has been meticulously thought out. There are even three housemade spice mixes — Chinese five-spice, six-pepper and “mouth of the South” — that you can use to doctor your drink for a taste that’s often imitated, never duplicated. A Bloody here is a whole meal in a glass.

Readers’ choice: The Hornet

Best-known as a raucous spot for watching the Blackhawks or for legit Chicago-style deep-dish (cornmeal crust and all), Wyman’s No. 5 scores on football Sundays with its Bloody Mary garnished with a White Castle slider. Channeling a few bars in Joliet, Illinois, where the owners grew up, the garnish is offered as a hangover helper to add some sustenance to your morning beverage. With no White Castle in Colorado, the source of these delectable little patties is a mystery we’re not sure we want to solve. Just keep ’em coming.

Affectionately marketed as “adult daycare,” the Lobby doesn’t mess around when it comes to drinking. The base price for a bottomless mimosa is $10, but you can upgrade to more exotic flavors like pineapple or grapefruit for $1 extra per bottomless glass, or if you want to get really fancy, try a seasonal Happy Leaf Kombucha mimosa for $16. And if you want to see just how big bottomless can be, go with a party of more than five people, because you’ll get a giant tabletop full of mimosas. The best part, though, is that this isn’t just a brunch deal: Bottomless mimosas are available Tuesday through Sunday until 3 p.m. and again Tuesday through Saturday from 6:30 p.m. until close. You’ll want to go early, though, because this place gets slammed and doesn’t take reservations after 11 a.m. And you’ll want to stay as long as you can before you hit bottom.

Readers’ choice: Root Down

A Boulder institution since the mid-’90s, the Buff finally admitted it had outgrown its original location last year and moved up the block, adding 700 square feet of space and some much-needed parking. While the wait times are no shorter at the new spot, this remains a University of Colorado hangout worth hanging around for. Despite its shiny new facade and some modernization, the Buff maintains much of the look and feel of the original, with wood from the old restaurant repurposed for the walls and booths. And the breakfasts are as good as ever. Go, Buff!

It’s no fluke that Providence Tavern’s address and its phone number both end in 5280, because brunch here epitomizes everything that’s right about Mile High dining: cheap drinks, amazing Benedicts, a view of the game from every seat in the house…and no waits. Somehow this upscale neighborhood bar has flown under the radar, even though it serves up anything but average bar food. The smoked pork benefit (no, that’s not a typo, and, yes, you benefit if you order this) is one of the best Benedicts in town, smothered in a chile-rojo Hollandaise that will set your mouth on fire. Then there’s the truffled grilled cheese, made breakfasty with a bacon and egg on top, a foodgasm-inducing sandwich. Digest it all in the comfortable, all-seasons room; it’s the perfect place to drink away the day with $8 bottomless mimosas or manmosas and $5 Bloodys.

Readers’ choice: Snooze

You wouldn’t think that the secret to the perfect plate of eggs Benedict would be mustard, but head to Duo and you might be convinced otherwise. The cider-glazed pork Benedict is a runny, creamy mess of all things delicious, but it’s the delicate, whole-grain-mustard Hollandaise that ties it all together, lending a bit of tang to the thinly sliced, tender, slow-roasted pulled pork. Served with a grilled ciabatta to sop up any remaining mustard-cider mixture with, this dreamy dish is really good to the last drop — and just might be the first thing you think about when you wake up.

Readers’ choice: Lucile’s Creole Cafe

While Root Down updates its brunch menu seasonally, one of the tried-and-true mainstays is the oh-so-delectable banana-bread French toast. Topped with a chicory crème fraîche, cocoa nibs, citrus syrup and salted peanuts that give it an almost tempura-like texture, this is one sinful breakfast plate. If you’d rather not feel guilty starting your day off with dessert, the smaller portion makes a perfect appetizer for the table. But if you have a sweet tooth, go forth and sin some more. You can thank us later.

Since this is the only dish on the Beatrice & Woodsley menu with no description whatsoever, you wouldn’t blink if the kitchen actually did serve up monkey brains for brunch, given the restaurant’s inclination to surprise customers with interesting combinations and its penchant for storytelling. But the appetizer is actually a pedestrian yet delicious floral-shaped pecan roll — a sweet, syrupy starter that’s perfectly portioned to divide into four pieces. And if one of your brunch bunch goes ape over the ooey, gooey Brains, you’d be smart to order a second round.

Even though Denver is awash in coffee shops, a visit to this Huckleberry Roasters can be a stirring experience. The small cafe — the second Roasters location — opened last year in the front of a reclaimed shipping-container building on Larimer Street. The simple, modern interior and preponderance of open MacBooks might give the impression that it’s a place for worker bees, but watch both the baristas and the guests for a few minutes, and you’ll realize that this is a community spot where nearly everyone knows each other. Owners Koan Goedman and Mark Mann know how to focus on that community; after all, they met at a cafe. And the coffee is good without being pretentious — or at least not too much so, since it’s hard to order a pour-over without some pretension.

Readers’ choice: Huckleberry Roasters

This famous breakfast institution is packing four decades of history, and some of the women who proudly wear the spot’s white-and-orange uniforms have been here almost that long. These are no-nonsense ladies who keep things even when the place is packed (which it usually is), fighting with the kitchen to make sure your toast is exactly the shade of brown you want, pouring cup after endless cup of coffee. Act curt or weird, and your service will be a fly-by “Hon.” But if you become a regular, these wonder women will learn your name and make you feel right at home while they deliver hot java with a side of hot gossip — no sugar needed.

Microfoam meets the crema of a perfectly pulled espresso shot to form tight striations in the shape of a rosetta: Welcome to cortado heaven. Presented with a smile by the coffee gurus at Aviano, these little four-ounce servings of productivity keep you buzzing and the place packed at just about every hour. That’s because Aviano is a great place to work or study, with abundant seating at both small, personal tables and a large community table. The owners had to move a year or so ago, and given the quality of their coffee, it’s no surprise that they totally nailed the remodel, too, right down to the big garage door that opens up to the patio on nice days.

The atmosphere at Cafe Max is relaxing and calm — a stark contrast to the stretch of East Colfax just outside the coffee shop, which sits across from East High School. Co-owners Maxwell Hopewell-Arizmendi and Yukihiko Koyama envisioned Cafe Max as a European-style coffee shop where you could order a cappuccino and a friend could get a glass of wine, and you could sit over both for hours, talking, in low (but not dim) light. The evolving food menu reflects a European sensibility as well; the refinement is obvious but never overt. Since this is Denver, though, when you order a latte, you have your choice of not just cow’s milk, but also goat, almond or soy. Cafe Max can feel both exotic and welcoming at the same time; why not stop by and sip into something comfortable?

Nothing jump-starts productivity quicker than the combination of coffee and condensed milk. For those in search of the perfect iced coffee, all roads lead to Vinh Xuong Bakery in the Alameda Square Shopping Center. Owner Duc Huynh makes sure that everyone on his staff knows his recipe for the perfect caffeine concoction; Vinh Xuong slow-brews Novo coffee before mixing it with sweet milk. Even though Federal Boulevard is lined with great Vietnamese restaurants offering similar treats, Vinh Xuong is king of the road when it comes to iced coffee.

For years, ice cream has been the domain of kids, with their birthday parties and messy sundae bars. Now High Point Creamery seems intent on taking back frozen desserts, one cone at a time. From the confines of this mod ice cream shop, which opened in Hilltop last summer, you can savor flavors that appeal to adults, with names that sound more like truffles than ice creams: basil with blackberry swirl, dark-chocolate orange with marshmallows, mint with chocolate bark. Even cookie-based flavors one-up the standard, blending shortbread with an aromatic, Earl Grey-flavored base. Prices run high, but with ice cream this good, just grin — er, lick — and bear it.

Readers’ choice: Little Man Ice Cream

Thanks to his work at Fruition and the love heaped on him by local and national press, Alex Seidel was already a household name — at least among food-lovers — when Mercantile Dining & Provision opened in Union Station last September. Lonne Cunningham, his pastry chef, was not. But that’s about to change, as more and more people are exposed to Cunningham’s work. With a pedigree that includes stages at Gramercy Tavern and Le Bernardin in New York and a pastry mindset influenced by years as a cook, he plays with flavors like a veteran, finishing crème caramel with pistachio cakes, candied kumquats and pistachio dust, for example, or adding a hint of cardamom to a chocolate pot de crème. Cunningham’s plated desserts are only available at dinner, but you don’t have to wait until then to indulge: Mercantile’s market is open all day, so there’s always a good time to stop in for a chocolate croissant or an Oreo-like LCO cookie.

There’s nothing worse than friends who talk nonstop about their awesome gluten-free diet. But take one bite of Quiero Arepas’s corn-based all-natural goodness, and you’re likely to start annoying your friends, too. An arepa, made from white cornmeal, water and salt, is the daily bread of Venezuela, and it’s naturally free of gluten. Once grilled, these particular arepas are stuffed with a protein — perfectly cooked carne asada, chicken salad, smoked salmon or beans — then filled to the brim with various combinations of plantains, avocado, cheese and sauce. The truck treks all over town year-round; visit the website for a current schedule.

If you’re gluten-free, the question at the ever-popular Work & Class isn’t “What can I eat?” but “What can’t I eat?” All but a handful of dishes are made without gluten, so you can snack your way around the menu footloose and fancy free, enjoying the best this talented kitchen has to offer. With every bowl of guajillo-laced lamb posole, every handmade tortilla piled with citrusy cochinita pibil, every skillet of hot bread pudding soaked with so much chocolate it could pass for a molten chocolate cake, you’ll see why chef-owner Dana Rodriguez earned a James Beard nomination for Best Chef Southwest.

Readers’ choice: WaterCourse Foods

With pie this good, you’d think it was Thanksgiving. Lucky for us, pastry chef John Hinman bakes holiday-worthy temptations all year long — and he does so not at a bakery, but at a brewpub. The selection changes daily, but with options ranging from Key lime to chocolate cream, you’re sure to find something tempting, even after all that fried chicken and beer. Pecan pie is studded with nuts so that the filling is more than the sweetened brown goop that’s often passed off as the real thing. And cherry is in a class by itself, with two kinds of cherries and a crust loaded with European-style butter. In addition to these pies, some of which are sold in six-inch minis and others by the slice, Hinman also bakes knockout whoopie pies in several flavors.

We started following doughnut-makers Josh Schwab and Ben Hafdahl long before they opened this hip storefront on Leetsdale last year, with green counters and music so loud that the place could be mistaken for a bar. While we were intrigued from the start by the novel combinations and high-quality ingredients of the doughnuts they sold around town, consistency remained an issue — but they’ve fixed that in their new place. Now we can’t imagine a better way to start the day than with a box of doughnuts from Glazed & Confuzed. Most are of the raised variety, and they’re good enough to convert even the most ardent cake-doughnut fans. Don’t miss the Grilly D, which is frosted, grilled, then frosted again for a toasted-marshmallow-like finish; the Samoa, a tribute to the Girl Scout cookie, with caramel, toasted coconut and a chocolate drizzle; and the deceptively simple plain glazed, with a decadent vanilla-infused brown-butter glaze. This much deliciousness can be pricey, but it’s worth the splurge.

Readers’ choice: Voodoo Doughnut

Azucar Bakery doesn’t just build beautiful decorative cakes for special events, it’s also possibly the only Peruvian cafe in town, featuring lovely, flaky orejitas (“little ears”), sweet alfajores (shortbread rounds glued together with dulce de leche) and sponge-cake rolls called pionono filled with mocha crème or dulce de leche. Grab a cafe table at the pink-fronted store for a quick coffee and sweet treat or take home a box of your favorites. But great baked goods aren’t the only reason Azucar is the best; owner Marjorie Silva’s exceptional customer service has also garnered attention. Silva made national news by sticking to her principles while attempting to satisfy a difficult (to say the least) customer. For maintaining her cool while offering a solution to an obvious troublemaker looking for an easy target, Silva has earned the respect of civil-rights advocates, Denver’s gay community and sugar lovers everywhere.

Readers’ choice: Church of Cupcakes

Man could live by bread alone, but how much better that life would be with a smear of softened butter. The crew at Table 6 knows this, which is why they start your meals with thick slices of crusty bread and plenty of salt-sprinkled butter. And not just any salt, but an artful trio of the red Hawaiian, sel gris and black Hawaiian lava varieties, all of which add slightly different textures and mineral components. Bread and butter are complimentary, an increasingly rare gesture these days, and yet another sign of the thoughtfulness that makes Table 6 a restaurant to return to, despite all the new kids on the block.

If you’ve found yourself swept off your feet recently by an extra-crisp baguette or focaccia with just the right amount of oil and rosemary, there’s a good chance it was made by Grateful Bread. This family-owned bakery in Golden supplies artisan loaves to a list of metro-area eateries that reads like a who’s-who of the restaurant industry, including a disproportionate number of Best of Denver winners. The bakery’s operation is primarily wholesale, but it opens its doors to the public several times a year, so you can buy sticky buns and jalapeño-cheddar pretzels to eat now, and levain and ciabatta to pop in the freezer for later. Don’t miss the chewy quinoa, which toasts to perfection for a protein-packed start to the day. Check the bakery’s website for specifics on upcoming retail days and a list of Denver markets selling a limited selection of baguettes and ciabatta.

Readers’ choice: Grateful Bread Company

There’s plenty of breakfast-burrito competition in what we’ve come to regard as the Burrito Triangle of Denver: In the 2500 block of Federal Boulevard, an expanded Santiago’s faces off against Jack-n-Grill; both open early and do a big business in breakfast burritos. But right around the corner, Araujo’s blows them both away with a $1.50 breakfast burrito, which you can order with mild, hot or half-and-half chile. Your delicious choices don’t end there: You can get bean and cheese, bean and potato, or a daily special: meat (bacon on Monday, chorizo on Tuesday, ham on Wednesday, sausage on Thursday and steak on Friday) with eggs, spuds and cheese. No matter which version you go for, Araujo’s breakfast burrito is a hefty handful, neatly wrapped in a tight aluminum-foil wrapper so you can eat it on the go with a minimum of spillage. Although Araujo’s lacks the convenience of the Santiago’s drive-through, it beats that homegrown chain in both price and portion. Rise and shine!

Readers’ choice: Santiago’s

Walk up to the window at Chickee’s, in the heart of Sunnyside, and ring the bell or holler hello if you don’t see owner Harriet Sanchez; she’s probably in the back, cooking up something good. Her takeout-only hut specializing in Mexican and Cajun fare and tacked to the side of a barbershop is the unlikely home of Denver’s best smothered breakfast burrito. While late-night indulging or morning hangovers might require something grilled and greasy, Chickee’s burritos stand out for their freshness and quality of ingredients. Eggs are scrambled to order instead of being made in big batches to sit inside foil-wrapped burritos built long before you walk in the door. And the chorizo is made from scratch by Sanchez’s husband, so it’s meaty, not oily, and filled with the essence of cumin and red chiles. Smothering it all is a generous ladleful of homemade green chile done Denver-style — thick and smooth, but with the pure and clean heat of chiles grown in Colorado. For a special treat, hit Chickee’s on a weekend morning for the only Cajun-Mexican mash-up on the menu: breakfast burritos stuffed with Louisiana-style boudin, also made from scratch.

Readers’ choice: Santiago’s

There’s a lot happening at Denver International Airport these days, but the most mouthwatering partnership is the one between Root Down and Vert Kitchen, which is now augmenting the premium sit-down menu with three daily grab-and-go salads — tuna power, sesame tofu and kale Caesar — for travelers in a hurry.

La Fuente is a little hard to spot during the day, but the neon cacti over the door lead the way at night. For many, breakfast burritos are the main attraction, but bags of corn-husk-wrapped tamales under a heat lamp are a giveaway that the kitchen can do more than just roll flour tortillas. Available with either pork and red chile or chicken and chile verde, La Fuente’s tamales strike a perfect balance between dense and fluffy, achieving toothsome results with just the right burn from the tender meat fillings. Enjoy them à la carte in the tiny dining room, smothered with some fiery house green chile, or by the dozen to go for a celebration at home (or a late-night snack by refrigerator light).

Readers’ choice: Tamale Kitchen

Yes, you know that Work & Class is incredibly hip, with very long lines. Take advantage of the $5 wait drink and you might care a little less about waiting — especially when you know that the town’s best vegetarian green chile awaits. All of the traditional ingredients — minus the pork — are featured in this mix, and the masterminds at Work & Class also offer the mouthwatering sauce poured on top of a pile of French fries, then topped with cheese. Say it with us now: green-chile cheese fries. Need we say more?

Readers’ choice: Illegal Pete’s

Adelitas Cocina y Cantina, a comfortable neighborhood spot that opened in May 2013 on South Broadway, blew us away last year with its house margarita, and the best got even better this year, when owner Brian Rossi switched out his house tequila. He’s now using Cimarron Tequila, a highland-agave tequila that lets the bartender control the sweetness of the drink. In fact, the sweetest thing about this superlative house marg, made with fresh lime juice and a lot of care by friendly bartenders, may well be its price: $5, or $4 during the two daily happy hours, from 3 to 6 p.m. and again from 10 p.m. to close. But the best deal of all is on Margarita Mondays, when these babies are two for one.

Readers’ choice: Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant

El Taco Veloz operates two taco joints on Federal Boulevard; both are worth a visit for their salsa bars, but for different reasons. The more southerly hut never has the streams of customers who visit its hermana just north of Interstate 70, which is a detriment when it comes to fresh tacos al pastor but a bonus for a tidy and well-stocked salsa bar. Whether you like a zesty and vegetal salsa verde made creamy with avocado or a tongue-melting, bright-orange salsa with chile de arbol, you won’t have to jockey for position or risk scraping the bottom of the pan for any of the salsas they offer in varying degrees of heat and hue. Additional pans of chopped cilantro, onion, pico de gallo, radishes and limes offer every combination of possibilities for the discerning taco addict. At the northern station, a busier dining room means a messier salsa station, but it also means the kitchen can set out a massive stone molcajete brimming with a smokey chipotle-and-tomato salsa studded with cubed avocado that will be gone long before it ever warms up to room temperature.

Readers’ choice: Tacos y Salsas

Finding a Mexican joint that specializes in a certain style of meat or regional specialty is often the best bet when hunting for hidden treasures; the perfect tacos al pastor and the most mouthwatering barbacoa are seldom found in the same place. But at La Calle Taqueria, every choice on the long list of grilled, roasted or stewed options is the right choice. Whether your preferred style is a simple order of carne asada or carnitas, a marinated marvel like succulent cochinita pibil or tender cabeza, or more adventurous offerings like chivo (goat), buche (stomach) or campechana — a rich mixture of shredded pork and thick curls of slow-cooked pork skin — you’ll find toothsome textures and deep, complex flavors atop tender tortillas. A burgeoning salsa bar provides all the zip and zing needed from a wide variety of salsas, pickled vegetables, lime wedges and chopped cilantro. La Calle’s variety offers enough street-food satisfaction for even the most discerning taco hunters.

Readers’ choice: Pinche Taqueria

Lorena Cantarovici originally opened her Argentine bakery in a tiny Lakewood shack that didn’t have room for much more than a pastry case bursting with savory empanadas and tartas. But a move to bigger digs on South Broadway last year meant that Maria Empanada was able to finally become the Buenos Aires-style cafe that she’d always envisioned, with modern decor, a state-of-the-art espresso machine, and enough space for families to come in and enjoy malbec, beer, and yerba matté served in the traditional way. And, of course, there are still those flavor-packed little pies filled with everything from classic seasoned beef with hard-boiled egg and olives to sweet corn in cheese sauce to a vegan veggie mix doused in chimichurri. Fat wedges of quiche-like tarta or potato-paved Spanish tortillas round out the savory options, while tender alfajores, roll cake oozing with dulce de leche and miniature sweet empanadas are there to satisfy dessert cravings. No matter what your choice, Maria Empanada is the perfect place to let life slow down and pass by the sunny windows while enjoying the warm hospitality of Cantarovici and her staff.

Readers’ choice: Cuba Cuba

Cart-Driver is a sliver of a restaurant, not much larger than the Italian carrettiera’s horse-drawn cart that inspired the name. But this converted shipping container is big enough to hold a wood-fired oven, and that’s all that Kelly Whitaker’s team needs to put out those blistered pies we can’t get enough of. These are Neapolitan pies with a twist. There’s a mushroom pizza with burnt onions, ash-laced vinegar and pungent oma cheese, and a Four Season that incorporates the best of each season — such as Brussels sprouts, pears, ham and potatoes — in four quadrants of the pie. Crusts come out of the oven white with a few black blisters, and are good enough to eat with even the simplest of toppings. Oysters, Prosecco on tap and housemade gelato seal the deal.

Readers’ choice: Hops & Pie

Patxi’s proves that you don’t have to be from Chicago — or even the Midwest — to know how to dish good deep-dish pizza. Somehow, this California-based chain has nailed the secret to can’t-get-enough Chicago-style pie. Patxi’s pizzas have a smooth, buttery crust loaded with quality ingredients and the perfect ratio of zesty sauce to cheese. In the Mile High, this is the closest you’ll come to Lou Malnati’s or Giordano’s without having those pies shipped directly…and that’s not an option yet on Amazon Prime.

Readers’ choice: Patxi’s

This is Denver, so not every dish of East Coast origin must conform to the exact specifications of the pizzas, bagels or deli sandwiches that rule in Manhattan or Brooklyn. Ernie’s serves up delicious New York-style pizza without the slavish devotion to the ideal that gets many other pizzerias bogged down in details — so the slices may not be as floppy as those back East, and the pools of cheese and pepperoni grease don’t need to be mopped off with a napkin. Instead, Ernie’s focuses on great ingredients and a crust that achieves a perfect balance between chewy and crunchy. Fresh mozzarella handmade daily blends with whole-milk mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano atop a simple but flavorful sauce; old-school toppings like meatballs and Denver-made Polidori sausage share space with white anchovies, clams and smoky bacon. But no matter which toppings you choose, slices from Ernie’s twenty-inch pies can still be folded down the middle, just like those back home. And if that’s not enough to induce a little nostalgia, step up to the Skee-Ball machine.

Readers’ choice: Fat Sully’s

Panzano may be located in the Hotel Monaco, but this is not your usual hotel restaurant. Unless, that is, your usual hotel restaurant happens to be in northern Italy. The motto of chef Elise Wiggins and her team at Panzano is Chi mangia bene, viva bene — “Those who eat well, live well” — and we can guarantee you’ll eat very well indeed at Wiggins’s place. While the menu is inspired by Italy, she sticks close to home for her ingredients — including incredible Colorado lamb — and the result is one of the freshest dining experiences in town. While the menu features plenty for gluten-free and vegetarian diners (don’t miss the Cavolini di Bruxelles), Wiggins’s dishes also include such sinful indulgences as chicken-liver mousse, duck mousse and wild boar, tucked inside pasta, tossed on salads or served on its own. Wiggins is as colorful as her food, so try to grab a spot at the chef’s counter — or cozy up in one of the booths overlooking 17th Street.

Readers’ choice: Osteria Marco

It’s easy for French food to feel as tired as the stuff served to tourists on the Champs-Élysées. But not at Bistro Barbès, an unassuming French restaurant that opened last year in the heart of Park Hill, a neighborhood hungry for good food — and they definitely got it with this place. Chef-owner Jon Robbins has no interest in serving straight-up steak frites and sole meunière. Instead, he marries French technique with the sights, smells and flavors of the real France, a country where he lived and cooked for three years, a country populated by North African immigrants who have an approach to food beyond the five mother sauces. So at Bistro Barbès preserved lemons are as much a staple as veal stock, sweetbreads come in the form of p’stilla, and salads range from kale-based Niçoise to tabbouleh. What remains classic here, though, is technique: Robbins, a Mizuna alum, has a solid foundation, and it shows in every tender strand of housemade pasta, every perfectly cooked steak, every luscious beurre blanc.

Readers’ choice: Le Central

This is how you know that Root Down is still the best restaurant at Denver International Airport: You’re willing to 1) ride the train from wherever you are at the airport to Concourse C; 2) stand in line for a seat once you get there; and 3) resist rushing through your Thai carrot-curry soup or mole-drenched breakfast burrito, even if it means a mad dash back to your gate for boarding. An offshoot of Justin Cucci’s acclaimed LoHi eatery of the same name, Root Down at DIA serves globally inspired soups, sandwiches and brunch items that go well beyond the norm. Burgers, for example, are made of “never, ever” beef (beef that’s never, ever been treated with yucky stuff) on a pretzel bun; wraps come with edamame hummus, chicken and minty yogurt; and drinks range from Prosecco to local beers. Whether you snag a seat under the hanging globes or next to the window with dramatic views of the runway, you’ll find yourself wishing for a text from your airline alerting you to a delay, just so you have time for dessert.

Readers’ choice: Root Down

Big, hearty dishes of simply prepared Germanic and Slavic dishes are the name of the game at Golden Europe, the Czech-run Arvada favorite that’s been serving up schnitzel, wurst and cabbage for more than twenty years. The cozy, kitschy dining room is generally packed for dinner, full of boisterous diners hoisting half-liters of German lagers and Czech pilsners. Choose from seven styles of schnitzel — everything from classic Wiener schnitzel adorned with nothing more than a slice of lemon to thin, breaded ovals of chicken or pork topped with mushroom gravy, Dijon sauce or sautéed onions. Cuts of roast beef, duck and pork come sided with filling bread dumplings, buttery spaetzle and stewed red cabbage. You’ll be treated like family here: Every plate is prepared with love and care and delivered in portions so big you’ll think your own grandmother is in the kitchen, making sure you don’t leave hungry.

Readers’ choice: Cafe Prague

Small details can mean the difference between good and great food, and fresh-baked breads are often one of those details. At Phoenician Kabob, the house-baked pita bread makes the rest of the menu come alive, from silky hummus awash in lemon and olive oil to creamy lebne to succulent and herbal kafta and lamb skewers. But the intoxicating bakery aroma isn’t just from the pita; fatayer (Mediterranean savory pastries) are also baked fresh, with a range of fillings like zaatar, jibneh cheese and seasoned ground beef. And Phoenician Kabob goes beyond great food: A full bar means you can enjoy your fatayer with a Fat Tire, and the service is warm and welcoming no matter how packed or empty the dining room is.

Readers’ choice: Jerusalem

There’s no printed menu at this cute Ethiopian eatery decorated with palm fronds, bamboo and rough-hewn furniture and attached to an Aurora market, but there are only two Ethiopian words you need to know: tibs and kitfo. The first is marinated beef or lamb sautéed in a variety of different spices and sauces, and the second is finely minced meat — although there’s a vegetarian option, too — packed with rich clarified butter and blazing hot mitmita spice mix, sided with housemade soft cheese. From there, the staff will help you choose the level of heat you prefer and how you want your meat cooked (anywhere from raw to well done). And, of course, injera — the spongy sourdough flatbread made with teff flour — is part of the deal. Yes, you can check ahead on the restaurant’s website for more details on individual dishes, but the main thing to remember is that everything at Megenagna is boldly seasoned and beautifully presented. The injera is earthy and almost smoky with the natural flavor of the teff, and the beef is so fresh and well prepared that even the raw preparations don’t seem intimidating.

Readers’ choice: Queen of Sheba

Biju Thomas’s fast-casual ode to the South Indian foods of his childhood just opened in December, but already it’s become one of the top Indian eateries in the city. The menu is small and simple, with only a few proteins to choose from, but the flavors are big and complex, constructed from layers of house spice blends and slow cooking to coax out the best of each ingredient. Thomas wants customers to experience his food the way he’s been eating it at home since he was a kid, with everything piled into a bowl so that each bite builds on the last. Start with a mound of jasmine rice or biryani; then curried beef, chicken, lentils or a little of everything, if you desire, is ladled on before the whole thing is topped with a nest of bright cabbage and citrus slaw and your choice of housemade sauces. Those include creamy yogurt moor packed with herbs, zesty mint and tomato chutney, or fiery samandhi and adacheri sauces that will surprise even the most ardent chile-heads. It may look a little messy, but the profound and varied colors, textures and flavors are sure to bowl you over.

Tiffin’s India Cafe is named for the portable mid-morning or midday meal in South India. What the tiny strip-mall eatery lacks in decor and amenities, it more than makes up for in brash flavors and addictive street-food offerings not found in many other Front Range Indian restaurants. The four-year-old counter-service joint started out serving only vegetarian dishes, and it still specializes in meatless dosas, biryanis and curries — but chicken, lamb and shrimp have since been added to bolster the South Indian selection. Those offerings include idlis (steamed lentil- and rice-flour cakes) that soak up sauce like savory sponges, and vadas (deep-fried rice-flour “doughnuts”) served with a selection of power-packed chutneys or drenched in vibrant, tamarind-infused sambar stew. Despite the fast-casual setup, the service at Tiffin’s is warm and welcoming, and the staff is thrilled to answer questions about the menu. The bold colors of the more familiar curries, like brick-red vindaloo and earthy eggplant bengan bartha, are a giveaway that even bolder flavors await. Skip the competition’s boring and heavy all-you-can-eat buffet and trade up for Tiffin’s fresh and vivid layers of spice.

Readers’ choice: Little India

Walking into Ace Eat Serve, you’ll notice two things: Everyone is having a great time, either sampling Asian-inspired finger food or scampering around the ping-pong tables in the back room, and every table is topped with a condiment caddie sporting jars of sludgy chile oil. Don’t write off the homely paste as some off-brand bottled sauce, though; if you did, you’d be depriving yourself of one of the most addictive and attenuated flavor bombs you’ll find anywhere in the city. Beneath the reddish-black surface lurks a mess of chile flakes, sesame seeds and something called textured vegetable protein. We don’t know what it is, either, but the resulting homemade condiment delivers a dose of mouthwatering umami above and beyond the base combo of hot, salty and sweet. Slathered on bao buns or stirred into a noodle bowl, the chile oil does something that other sauces never dare: It adds crunchy texture as well as a load of flavor — so much so that you’ll be tempted to eat it straight off the spoon.

Mexican fare isn’t difficult to find on Federal Boulevard, especially if you’re looking for street tacos, fat tortas or foil-wrapped breakfast burritos oozing with Denver-style green chile. But despite its name, you won’t find the gravy-thick pork stew on the menu at Chili Verde, which instead specializes in the lesser-known cuisine of Puebla, Mexico. Pork and chicken come robed in rich, dark mole poblano, complex and zingy mole verde or smoky salsa morita. Chiles en nogada — the picadillo-stuffed poblano peppers topped with creamy walnut sauce and bejeweled with pomegranate seeds — are available year-round rather than just during Mexican Independence Day, as is traditional for the tri-colored dish, which represents the Mexican flag. Apart from the menu, Chili Verde also stands out for stellar service from a gracious and knowledgeable staff who are genuinely enthusiastic when it comes to answering questions about the food and drinks coming from the well-stocked and creative bar.

Readers’ choice: New Saigon