Bus It: Take Route 38 for a Choose-Your-Own Mexican Food Adventure

During all of July and August, riders can take any bus and light rail lines for free thanks to RTD's Zero Fare for Better Air program. Many of the routes traverse some of the city's best areas for eating and drinking, so we're breaking down some highlights. This week, take a ride on the 38 bus.

Route details: The 38 runs every thirty minutes on weekdays and weekends, from Central Park through downtown to Wheat Ridge. See the full schedule.

Neighborhoods: Central Park, Park Hill, Cole, Five Points, Downtown, Highland, Wheat Ridge

Where to eat and drink: Dining options abound when you ride Route 38. Along 38th Avenue in Highland, there's a wealth of Italian restaurants, including classic red sauce joint Gaetano's at the 38th and Tejon stop. Hop off at the Depew Street stop in Wheat Ridge to check out Rossi's Italian Eatery, which recently replaced Mama Sannino's and is next door to Belfiore Italian, a market that sells housemade sausages and serves hefty sandwiches.

For other cuisines, there's a Pierogies Factory location at 38th and Wadsworth, or you can opt for noodles from Pho Fusion Asian at the Wolff Street stop in Wheat Ridge, or Corner Ramen & Poke at Bruce Randolph and Franklin, back in the Cole neighborhood.

The route stops at Tennyson Street, which has six blocks of restaurants and shops, including one of the older bars in town, the Berkeley Inn, to the north. It also rolls past another mainstay, the Mercury Cafe, which is just a short walk from the Stout and 21st stop, where you can pop into Woods Boss Brewing Company.
But the real culinary highlight of this route are the many Mexican restaurants along the way, from longtime staples like the Burro King at Magnolia on industrial Smith Road to Mestizo Brew Cantina at 38th Avenue and Pierce Street in Wheat Ridge, which opened in January. It's a small neighborhood spot that brews its own beer and serves tacos, tortas and llapingachos, an Ecuadorian fried potato patty stuffed with
cheese.

At 38th and Depew, you'll find La Fonda Mexican Restaurant, which has been in operation since the ’70s. The dining room looks like a brick-covered courtyard and is filled with comfy booths and tables. Its expansive menu is filled with staples like tacos, enchiladas and fajitas, and everyone is treated to free chips and salsa. If you're with a group, opt for the Parrillada, a grilled seafood or meat platter that serves four for $74.95.
Down the road at 38th and Tennyson, you'll find similar Mexican options plus diner staples at Javier's, where the bubbling fountain on the patio creates a nice ambience.

The route also passes by Manuel Tacos and Girasoles Mexican Grill (both at Bruce Randolph and Elizabeth), Los Molinos (Bruce Randolph and Franklin), El Valle (38th and Clay) and Tacos Jalisco (38th and Tennyson). A must-stop for dessert is Paleteria Chihuahua at Bruce Randolph and Downing Street, which sells housemade popsicles alongside a wide range of snacks, from nachos and churros to fresh fruit and ice cream.

Bonus stops: Need to go shopping? The 38 goes to Quebec Square shopping center, where you'll find a Home Depot, Ross, Goodwill and Walmart. It also passes through Curtis Park, just a block from Welton Street in Five Points, where a number of new bars and restaurants like The Marigold and Taco Uprising have opened recently.