Must-see restaurants in The Rocky Mountains

  • Root Down

    Denver

    In a converted gas station, this is one of the city’s most ambitious culinary concepts, marrying sustainable ‘field-to-fork’ practices, high-concept…

  • Laundry

    Steamboat Springs

    This new-generation Steamboat eatery has some of the best food in town. You'll love creative takes on comfort food, charcuterie boards, big steaks,…

  • Acorn

    Denver

    The oak-fired oven and grill are the shining stars of this superb restaurant, where small plates of innovative and shareable eats make up meals. The menu…

  • 626 on Rood

    Southwest Colorado

    Elegant and inventive, this is contemporary American at its best, like whole plates of stunning heirloom tomatoes in season, house-made mozzarella and…

  • Denver Central Market

    Denver

    Set in a repurposed warehouse, this gourmet marketplace wows with its style and breadth of options. Eat a bowl of handmade pasta or an artisanal sandwich;…

  • Rioja

    Denver

    This is one of Denver’s most innovative restaurants. Smart, busy and upscale, yet relaxed and casual – just like Colorado – Rioja features modern cuisine…

  • Frasca

    Boulder

    Deemed Boulder’s finest by many (the wine service earned a James Beard award), Frasca has an impeccable kitchen and only the freshest farm-to-table…

  • Crosscut Pizzeria & Taphouse

    Colorado

    Crosscut serves up some of the best Italian-style pizza in the Rockies – wood-fired, thin crust, topped with gourmet treats like pancetta and crimini…

  • Lucile’s Restaurant

    Northern Colorado

    Snuggled in an old house, this restaurant is a cozy dream – replete with creaking floors, winsome waiters and fluffy, made-from-scratch buttermilk…

  • Civic Center Eats

    Denver

    When the weather gets warm, head to Civic Center Park for lunch. There, a huge number of food trucks – everything from BBQ and pizza to sushi and Indian –…

  • O-A Bistro

    Northern Colorado

    Located on the lower level of the Gateway Inn, this is a favorite of Grand Lake’s dining scene. Highlights are made-from-scratch soups and a long,…

  • Lake Yellowstone Hotel.

    Lake Yellowstone Hotel Dining Room

    Yellowstone National Park

    Save your one unwrinkled outfit to feast in style in Lake Yellowstone Hotel's dining room. Lunch options include trout, poached-pear salad and sandwiches…

  • Mammoth Hot Springs Dining Room

    Yellowstone National Park

    There are a few surprises in this elegant place, including a delicious dinner starter of Thai-curry mussels. Dinner is a serious affair, with Montana…

  • SAME Café

    Denver

    This nonprofit cafe was founded by two former food-bank workers who wanted to provide organic and locally sourced meals for people struggling to make ends…

  • Belton Chalet Grill & Taproom

    Glacier National Park

    West Glacier's finest dining option, housed in one of its most historic buildings, has evolved with the times, the faux Swiss milkmaid waitress uniforms…

  • Absolute Baking & Cafe

    Southwest Colorado

    The screen door is always swinging open at this town hot spot with giant breakfasts. Try the green chili on eggs – it’s made from scratch, as are the…

  • James Ranch

    Durango

    A must for those road-tripping the San Juan Skyway, the family-run James Ranch, 10 miles out of Durango, features a market and an outstanding farmstand…

  • Meat & Cheese

    Aspen

    By all means stop by to browse the artisan offerings in the gourmet deli, but don't leave without nibbling on a plate of cheese and charcuterie, beet-and…

  • Follow Yer' Nose BBQ

    Montana

    OMGoodness, this place is good. What started as a portable smoker in a gravel parking lot is now Montana's liveliest barbecue joint. Locals flock to this…

  • Pepperhead

    Southwest Colorado

    A haven of smoky Southwestern spice, this favorite sits in a colorful room adorned by a beautiful mural. Start with a grapefruit margarita – it's tart…

  • Nova Cafe

    Bozeman & Gallatin Valley

    A helpful map at the entrance shows you where the food you'll be eating comes from at this retro-contemporary locals' favorite. The hollandaise is a bit…

  • Oak at Fourteenth

    Boulder

    Zesty and innovative, locally owned Oak manufactures top-notch cocktails and tasty small plates for stylish diners. Standouts include the grilled bacon…

  • Goldy's Breakfast Bistro

    Boise

    Assuming an egg is just an egg, Goldy's offers 866,320 'Create Your Own Breakfast Combos.' Check our math – we were already drunk on hollandaise sauce…

  • Breckenridge Distillery

    Breckenridge

    Served in a big-city-cool dining space, the eclectic menu at this distillery follows the delightful whims of its high-caliber chefs, jumping from the…

  • Twisted Fork

    Southwest Colorado

    This is new-school Gunnison: healthy dishes rocking Asian influences alongside craft cocktails. The Korean beef bowl combines heat and well-seasoned…

  • Chugwater Soda Fountain

    Wyoming

    Small-town America was once filled with places like this. Now they're national treasures. No-frills Chugwater Soda Fountain has Wyoming's oldest-operating…

  • Pepe Osaka's Fish Taco

    Central Colorado

    You like sushi. You like fish tacos. And as it turns out, you love sushi tacos, because…why not? At this almost-but-not-quite Nikkei eatery (that's…

  • Westside Cafe

    Vail

    Set in a West Vail strip mall, the Westside is a local institution. It does terrific all-day-breakfast skillets – like the ‘My Big Fat Greek Skillet’ with…

  • Tennessee Pass Cookhouse

    Central Colorado

    If you've never had a gourmet dinner in a yurt before, this is your chance. Diners get to hike, snowshoe or cross-country ski 1 mile to the yurt, where an…

  • Lost Cajun

    Central Colorado

    Convivial waitstaff and a festive Louisiana soundtrack greet hungry diners here. First-timers are rewarded with five samples to help them decide (or…

  • Amícas

    Central Colorado

    Thin-crust wood-fired pizzas, panini, housemade lasagna and microbrews on tap? Amícas can do no wrong. This high-ceilinged, laid-back hangout is the…

  • Chop House

    Telluride

    With superb service and a chic decor with embroidered velvet benches, this is an easy pick for an intimate dinner. Start with a cheese plate. From there…

  • Hop Alley

    Denver

    Hop Alley was a slur used for Denver’s hardscrabble Chinatown in the 1880s, until a race riot and anti-Chinese legislation scattered the community. The…

  • Free Range Kitchen & Wine Bar

    Aspen & the Maroon Bells

    Working uniquely with local farmers and ranchers, the recently opened Free Range Kitchen merits a trip down from Aspen. Pair a glass of peppery Gigondas…

  • Rincón Argentino

    Boulder

    Don't be turned off by the shopping plaza setting: Rincón packs a wallop of authentic Argentinean flavors. It bakes fresh empanadas – savory, small…

  • Cowfish

    Wyoming

    Spring for a candlelit dinner of brussels-sprout carbonara or coffee-rubbed rib eye at Lander's upscale restaurant suitable for date nights. The attached…

  • Bunkhouse Bar & Grill

    Wyoming

    West of Cheyenne on the W-210, this storied steakhouse is worth the trip. Around since 1898, they've learned a thing or two about local tastes – burgers,…

  • City O’ City

    Denver

    This popular vegan/vegetarian restaurant mixes retro decor with an innovative spin on greens, grains and seitan. The menu has a wide offering of items…

  • Secret Stash

    Southwest Colorado

    With phenomenal food, the funky-casual Stash is adored by locals, who also dig the original cocktails. The sprawling space was once a general store but is…

  • Brasserie Ten Ten

    Boulder

    A go-to place for both students and professors, this sunny French bistro has a refined menu and an elegant atmosphere – think fresh flowers, marble high…