Denver
This cozy bistro-style eatery with exposed brick walls and well-worn stylings is poised, elegant, confident and, at times, simply remarkable. The seasonal…
Must-see restaurants in Colorado
Vail
Half hip eatery, half space-age bowling alley, bōl is the most unusual hangout in Vail. You can go bowling in the back ($105 to $300 per hour!), but it's…
Northern Colorado
Consider yourself lucky if you find yourself rolling into Grand Lake half-starving on a Sunday morning. The Fat Cat does its breakfast buffet ($12) and…
Northern Colorado
This friendly bakery, cafe and breakfast-slash-lunch spot offers water views from its sidewalk tables. The large breakfasts include savory salsa and crisp…
Aspen
The Steakhouse is one of Aspen's 'it' destinations, drawing a crowd even in the shoulder season. There's nothing complicated on the menu here, just a…
Southwest Colorado
In a small shopping plaza, this unassuming and authentic Mexican restaurant does enchilada plates oozing with cheese and overstuffed tacos in warm corn…
Colorado
Doubling as the town gossip hub, this busy cafe caters to Boulder tastes. Get your latte made with rice milk and your chocolate cookie free of gluten…
Breckenridge
The kitchen whips up some delectable dinner entrees (grilled trout with lemon-thyme aioli, teriyaki-glazed ahi with udon), but it's the après-ski scene…
Southwest Colorado
With blues on the box and a high tin ceiling, this is sushi for the Southwest. Specialties like potstickers with prickly-pear chili and Colorado rancher…
Steamboat Springs
This is the best of the ho-hum food on the mountain – the view is commanding. Inside Thunderhead Lodge a casual lunch gives way to a modestly upscale…
Vail
Located beneath the Transportation Center and next to the Ski Museum, it should come as no surprise that Vail's cheapest meal has a rather quirky location…
Vail
Almost under the bridge, this low-key underground cafe serves bagels and breakfast burritos, espressos and soy lattes, and sandwiches and smoothies for…
Rio Grande Southern Restaurant
Southwest Colorado
Downstairs from the historic hotel, this welcoming dining room functions as a German restaurant with generous portions of bratwurst and Wiener schnitzel…
Southwest Colorado
The town meeting spot is this shoebox cafe serving strong coffee alongside fresh and organic baked goods and sweet-potato breakfast burritos. If it's hot,…
Telluride
Two veterans of upscale local catering started this heartbreakingly cute cafe, and nowhere else in town beats it for breakfast. Generous sandwiches with…
Southwest Colorado
Consider yourself lucky if the morning starts with a chorizo-stuffed breakfast burrito and white cheddar grits from Kate’s: it’s the best breakfast joint…
Aspen
Vegetarian-friendly juice bar and cafe, with a good choice of tofu scrambles, tempeh burgers, seitan fajitas and plenty of greens. Service can be…
Northern Colorado
Most of the menu is standard diner fare in lumberjack portions, but the French toast – fluffy, expertly golden slices smothered in homemade blueberry…
Southwest Colorado
If you’re after healthy breakfast and lunchtime eating in Gunnison, it’s hard to go past the Firebrand Deli. The freshly made sandwiches are always…
Northern Colorado
Organic, vegetarian dishes at this bright lunch spot are delicious, with a menu focused on hearty sandwiches, baked tofu dishes and soups. Tacos, with…
Durango
A charming patisserie serving mouthwatering delicacies made from scratch. Breakfasts are all-out while dinner is a much more formal affair. Prices are…
Boulder
Serving excellent East Coast–style subs with a side of attitude, this busy kiosk and shop offers classic goodies such as slow-roasted prime rib subs,…
Southwest Colorado
Hit this bright, sleek cafe for Grand Junction’s best breakfast. Our favorite of the five eggs Benedict dishes is the California Dreamin’ Bene, topped…
Aspen
Open since 1892, this saloon has a distinct mountain-bistro flair. The food is pretty darned good, with elk Bolognese and bacon-and-jalapeño mac and…
Aspen & the Maroon Bells
For the best breakfast in town – pancakes that droop over the edge of your plate, skillets and scrambles with a Southwestern flavor, and the adventurous…
Woody’s Wood Fired Pizza & Watering Hole
Colorado
After you make it past the 'watering hole' part of Woody's, with its selection of some of the area’s best brews, order up a crusty, wood-fired pie…
Steamboat Springs
This Colorado sandwich chain is magic: the bread and ingredients are fresh, it opens early to sell hikers and outdoorsy types box lunches, and it’s…
Northern Colorado
This brilliant little deli opens early so that outdoors-bound patrons can get out and on the trail with box lunches in their pack. The Pilgrim – a pile of…
Central Colorado
Fun and funky, this canary-yellow train car of a diner on Hwy 24 north of Main St is where you’ll find some seriously tasty offerings, such as brownie…
Central Colorado
Half brick-walled pool hall, half checkerboard-tiled Cambodian restaurant, this Salida stalwart delivers the goods: pho (noodle soup), bun (cold noodle…
Aspen
This is a townie favorite for breakfast. The diner-style eatery offers all the Benedicts, crepes and waffles your heart could desire. They know how to get…
Central Colorado
Texas-style brisket, Carolina pulled pork, all-you-can-eat ribs on Monday and $2 cans of PBR ensures the parking lot here is perpetually full. Stop by for…
Denver
This fun LoHi food hall has great panoramic views of the downtown skyline, a good mix of restaurants, and super-hipster bartenders that sling out…
Estes Park
Lamp-heated lunch buffets are usually a no-no, but this place might make you reconsider. The curries are spiced just right and the momo (dumplings) are a…
Colorado Springs
One of the coolest spots in Old Colorado City, this richly atmospheric divey bar and grill has old dark-wood furnishings, exposed brick walls and a local…
Southwest Colorado
In an adobe-style building on the edge of town, this bar and grill serves up traditional breakfasts as well as grilled specialties and usually tasty…
Aspen & the Maroon Bells
The most atmospheric place to eat and grab a beer in Basalt is this old timber warehouse that opens directly onto the Fryingpan River. Flat-screens strobe…
Central Colorado
This casual Italian is one of several good choices in Avon, with housemade pasta, pizza, subs and traditional secondi like osso buco. There's a sun…
Southwest Colorado
This friendly internet cafe and eatery bustles with locals and travelers. Dine on Texas toast or huevos rancheros in the morning or an assortment of well…
Steamboat Springs
Perhaps this Wild West pub isn’t as rowdy as in days of yore (check out the bullet holes in the phone booth by the bar) but locals flock here for dinner…
