Where to Eat in Denver: 12 Restaurants Worth It
Denver's food scene arrived about ten years ago and it has kept building. The city punches above its weight, especially for a landlocked place at 5,280 feet. The best restaurants here are run by people who chose Denver over bigger cities. That decision shows up on the plate.
Here are 12 restaurants worth your time, organized from casual to formal.
1. Biju's Little Curry Shop
Neighborhood: Capitol Hill
What to order: Chicken tikka masala, garlic naan
Price: $10 to $15 per person
Reservations: Not needed
Fast-casual Indian food that has no business being this good at this price. Biju Kulathakal trained in fine dining and decided to do counter service. The tikka masala is rich and properly spiced. The naan comes from a tandoor oven in the back. You eat for $12 and wonder why you ever paid more for Indian food.
2. Los Chingones
Neighborhood: RiNo
What to order: Al pastor tacos, queso fundido
Price: $12 to $20 per person
Reservations: Not needed for the bar
A taqueria and tequila bar in a converted warehouse. The al pastor is carved from a vertical spit the way it should be. The queso fundido comes in a cast-iron skillet with chorizo and is meant to be shared. The tequila selection is one of the deepest in Colorado. Loud, casual, and exactly what it should be.
3. Cart-Driver
Neighborhood: RiNo
What to order: Margherita pizza, oysters
Price: $15 to $25 per person
Reservations: No. First come, first served.
Wood-fired pizza and oysters in a converted shipping container. That description sounds like a parody of modern dining. It is not. The margherita is simple and excellent. Thin crust, San Marzano tomatoes, good mozzarella. Six oysters for $18. The patio is the move in warm weather.
4. Stowaway Kitchen
Neighborhood: East Colfax
What to order: Huevos rancheros, chilaquiles
Price: $14 to $18 per person
Reservations: Not needed
The best breakfast in Denver is in a small spot on East Colfax that most tourists never find. The huevos rancheros come with two sauces, black beans, and tortillas that taste house-made because they are. The chilaquiles are crispy on the edges and soft in the center. Saturday mornings get busy by 9 AM but the wait moves fast.
5. Hop Alley
Neighborhood: RiNo
What to order: Dan dan noodles, mapo tofu, crispy duck
Price: $20 to $35 per person
Reservations: Recommended on weekends
Szechuan-leaning Chinese food that takes itself seriously. The dan dan noodles are rich with chili oil and Szechuan peppercorn. The mapo tofu has real heat. The crispy whole duck is the showpiece if you are with a group, but it requires a 24-hour preorder. The cocktail program is strong. Try the Jade Lion.
6. Safta
Neighborhood: RiNo (The Source Hotel)
What to order: Hummus with lamb ragu, shakshuka, fresh pita
Price: $25 to $40 per person
Reservations: Recommended
Israeli food from Alon Shaya inside The Source Hotel. The pita comes from a wood-fired oven and arrives puffy and warm. The hummus is the best in Denver and it is not close. Order it with the lamb ragu on top. The shakshuka, eggs poached in spiced tomato sauce, is the brunch order. The dining room is beautiful. The food matches it.
7. The Wolf's Tailor
Neighborhood: Sunnyside
What to order: Tasting menu ($95)
Price: $95 to $130 per person with drinks
Reservations: Required
A small restaurant from a former Frasca Food and Wine chef. The tasting menu changes constantly and pulls from Italian, Japanese, and Korean influences. The house-milled grains are a signature. The bread course alone is worth the trip. Seven courses for $95 is fair for this level of cooking. One of the most thoughtful restaurants in Denver.
8. Guard and Grace
Neighborhood: Downtown
What to order: Bone-in ribeye, roasted marrow
Price: $60 to $100 per person
Reservations: Recommended
Denver's best steakhouse. The bone-in ribeye at $72 is the order. Aged 28 days, cooked over an open flame. The roasted bone marrow appetizer with a parsley salad is the way to start. The dining room is big and loud in the way a good steakhouse should be. The bar is one of the best in downtown Denver on its own.
9. Tavernetta
Neighborhood: Union Station
What to order: Cacio e pepe, lamb ragu pappardelle
Price: $50 to $80 per person
Reservations: Required. Book 2 weeks out for weekends.
The best restaurant in Denver. Italian food with Colorado ingredients and a wine list that rewards exploration. The handmade pasta is the foundation. Cacio e pepe is the purist order. The lamb ragu pappardelle is the one if you want something heavier. The burrata with seasonal accompaniments is the right starter.
The space is elegant without being stiff. The bar serves the full menu. The view of Union Station from the patio is good. This is the place to bring someone you want to impress.
10. Beckon
Neighborhood: RiNo
What to order: The tasting menu (no menu, no choices)
Price: $125 per person, add $75 for wine pairing
Reservations: Required. Book well in advance.
Sixteen seats. Seven courses. No menu. You eat what chef Duncan Holmes is making. The format strips away the anxiety of choosing and lets you pay attention. The courses are precise and seasonal. A recent meal included smoked trout with horseradish cream, venison with huckleberry, and a brown butter financier.
This is the most interesting dining experience in Denver. It is also the most intimate. Sixteen seats means you hear the kitchen. You see the plating. You understand the intent.
11. Morin
Neighborhood: RiNo
What to order: Tasting menu ($150)
Price: $150 to $200 per person with drinks
Reservations: Required
French-leaning fine dining in a neighborhood of breweries and street art. The tasting menu is refined and serious. The wine pairings are thoughtful. The service is precise without being precious. Morin is Denver's best argument that it belongs in the conversation with larger food cities.
12. Fruition
Neighborhood: Capitol Hill
What to order: Fruition Farms cheese plate, duck breast
Price: $55 to $85 per person
Reservations: Recommended
Alex Seidel's neighborhood restaurant has been one of Denver's best for over a decade. It has a farm in Larkspur that supplies the kitchen. The cheese plate, made from the farm's own sheep milk cheese, is the signature. The duck breast is consistently excellent. The dining room is small and warm. It feels like eating at someone's home, if that person were an exceptional cook.
The Pattern
Denver's best food is not downtown. It is in RiNo, Capitol Hill, the Highlands, and Sunnyside. The neighborhoods reward exploration. Walk Larimer Street in RiNo. Walk 32nd Avenue in the Highlands. Walk East Colfax past the places that look like they might not be open. That is where the good food is.
Reservations matter at the top end. Tavernetta, Beckon, and Morin book up. Walk-in culture is strong at the casual spots. For mid-range restaurants, OpenTable or Resy will get you seated on most weeknights without much lead time.
Denver eats well. Give it the chance to prove it.