El Paraiso

Although El Paraiso offers more than 100 dishes, this restaurant’s regulars never seem to crack open a menu. They’ll spend five minutes agonizing over whether they should spring for a margarita, agua fresca or cerveza, but they never have any trouble deciding what to order for their meal. That’s because they know to go with […]

Elitch Lanes

If you’re looking for a classic bowling alley with an old-school flavor, you’ll score with Elitch Lanes, an old-time spot in northwest Denver. With good prices and a friendly staff, this is a great spot for birthday parties, banquets and reunions, or just hanging out with a bunch of friends.

Empanada Express Grill

This cozy corner of Venezuelan cuisine features the namesake empanadas, plus fat arepas made from white-corn flour and a few hard-to-find appetizers like tequeños (fried dough sticks), cachapas (corn-flour pancakes) and mashed yucca. Additional treats include South American soft drinks and fried plantain — both the sweet, ripe slices and the starchier chips made from […]

Ernie’s Bar & Pizza

The original Ernie’s, which opened in this spot in 1943, served pizza. So does the Ernie’s opened by Larimer Associates in 2009. But this East Coast pie palace also pimps an impressive antipasto board featuring sweet and sour figs, Gorgonzola-stuffed queen olives, cherry peppers stuffed with provolone and prosciutto, and balsamic cippolini onions. And that’s […]

Federal Bar & Grill

Micky Manor was a north Denver staple for decades before the dive bar succumbed to the ravages of time in 2011. But the Fed breathed new life into the space in 2013, giving the neighborhood a casual, inviting saloon with a nod to history. The Art Deco bar stretches toward a back room where you […]