Namaste

Namaste offers everything a fan of Indian cuisine or even Tibetan food could possibly want – and then six or eight or a dozen more things, like shrimp saag or fried spinach and potato pakora, that they’ve never even thought of eating before seeing this triple-fold menu. The cooks here have a particular talent with […]

The Night Owls

Tucked between a Burlington Coat Factory and the Yard House inside Colorado Mills mall is an unexpected cocktail destination. The Night Owls is a bar connected to Prismajic’s Shiki Dreams, an immersive art installation, though you don’t need a ticket to step inside for a cocktail. The space is filled with forest-like touches and many […]

The Oven Pizza E Vino

Mark Tarbell, owner of the Oven, is one of those great chefs who understands that he’s cooking dinner for friends every night. And when you’re cooking for friends, you want to take care of them. At the Oven, this translates to handmade pizza dough, organic ingredients and locally sourced stock, artisan sauces, housemade mozzarella that […]

Pablito’s Burritos

If there is one food item besides green chile that Coloradans are passionate about, it’s breakfast burritos. Most people are fiercely loyal to their favorites, but Pablito’s is worth mixing up your routine for. This trailer, started by the team at Abrusci’s Fire & Vine, operates in the restaurant’s parking lot. Pablito’s offers four standard […]

Piggin’ Out Smokehouse

One look behind the country-style shack that houses Piggin’ Out Bar-B-Que in almost-rural Lakewood will let you know that the owners understand what smoking meat means. There you’ll find a big steel smoker on a trailer that’s stained in streaked shades of bronze from smoke and fat. A recent expansion gives loyal customers a place […]

Pizzeria Leopold

Husband and wife Chris and Lindsay Lyons purchased the three-decade-old Deli Italia in 2018 and saw the potential to transform it from an Italian market to a full-service restaurant with an expansive menu that includes subs, appetizers, salads and a retooled version of pizza. In August 2022, the couple rebranded the eatery as Pizzeria Leopold, […]

Pizzeria Lui

Since Zach Parini opened the low-key, no-frills Pizzeria Lui in 2017, it’s gained a lot of loyal fans. While trying to keep up with the increased demand for takeout during the pandemic, Parini made the tough choice to swap out his wood-fired oven – in which he could only make four pies at a time […]

Qdoba Mexican Grill

What is it with this town and burritos as big as your head? Qdoba is yet another homegrown fast-casual chain offering Chihuahua-sized burritos, both handheld (filled with ingredients like spicy queso or mango salsa) and smothered (in chipotle cream sauce or red chile). Setting Qdoba apart from its competition is its broader menu: In addition […]

Riley’s Inn

With its wood-paneled walls, pool tables, dartboard and shuffleboard, this Lakewood dive feels kind of like a ’70s basement game room, minus the shag carpet. There’s a good chance that anyone over, say, forty will feel an affinity for the place because of that decades-old vibe. The low-key spot, which serves decently priced drinks, attracts […]

The Rink at Belmar

Belmar, a modern development in Lakewood, boasts over eighty hip shops and restaurants, as well as one hip skating rink. Open from November to March, the outdoor rink serves skaters until after dark. Renting skates will run you $3; adults pay $6 ($4 for kids 12 and under) for one hour of skating.