Boulder
Upscale comfort food is probably the best way to describe the menu at River & Woods, with forays into classical and avant garde. The ever-changing menu…
Must-see restaurants in The Rocky Mountains
Montana
The restaurant at Chico is renowned throughout the region, though there’s slim pickings for vegetarians. The beef Wellington ($70 for two) gets rave…
Durango
This romantic countryside cafe flaunts Euro style with American overtones. Think tasty and creative – chef Miguel Carrillo serves up Duck Two Ways (seared…
Denver
This European-style bakery is worth a stop if only for the spectacular 18-layer croissants, some stuffed with ham and Gruyère cheese, others filled with…
Northern Colorado
Peanut shells litter the floor and bric-a-brac covers the walls of this barbecue joint, a place keenly balancing a casual atmosphere with a slightly…
Denver
With housemade cheeses and house-cured deli meats, this isn't just another Italian pizza place. Grab a sun-drenched table outside or retreat to the brick…
Denver
Although styled as a midcentury drive-in, the upscale treatment of comfort food (mac 'n' cheese, fried chicken, lobster rolls) and the solar-powered…
Denver
People line Colfax to get their mitts on the delicious and sometimes far-out creations made at this Portland-based shop: doughnuts topped with strips of…
Boulder
This is Boulder’s go-to bakehouse, where the favorites are the Ol’ B Cookie (chocolate, oats, cinnamon and coconut) and the Black Bottom Cupcake …
Boulder
This ethical and elegant kitchen serves meatless gems (Jamaican jerk tempeh, jackfruit enchiladas, spaghetti squash peanut noodles, 'sushi' salad made…
Glacier National Park
Grab a burger, burrito or delicious elk meatloaf and beer and head to the picnic tables to watch the sand volleyball game, swap tales of grizzly…
Estes Park
Looking over the park with a broad wraparound porch, this is a great lunch spot. The copper-topped booths inside offer quiet retreats, and the salads are…
Denver
A small restaurant with a big punch, Work & Class serves up a marriage of Latin and American cuisines: flaky empanadas, melt-in-your-mouth roasted lamb,…
Boulder
Running for two decades, this lively seafood shack is still an exquisite treat. Belly up to the circle bar for oysters and martinis, then splurge on fresh…
Denver
A barbershop turned pub, Dunbar is an unassuming place with high-end pub grub – burgers with homemade pimento bacon jam, Cajun mac 'n' cheese, hand-cut…
Southwest Colorado
With a mantra of 'mostly local, mostly organic,' this brick cafe with mismatched seat-yourself tables is a hub for healthy appetites. On the menu are…
Boulder
A Boulder classic, this friendly, festive joint brings all the many flavors of the Mediterranean under one roof (and patio). Best of all, it's…
Jackson
Breakfast merges into lunch here at this attractive cafe. They do a mean Cajun eggs Benedict for brunch, while dinner is more formal, with red curry ribs,…
Denver
Businesspeople and fat cats come to wax nostalgic about Denver's all-time top-performing quarterback and carve into pricey medium-rare porterhouses at…
Colorado
Frills? Forget about it. Situated in what looks like the mobile home of a displaced Texan auntie, this place has some good wings. Stay away if you’re…
Southwest Colorado
With an award in culinary excellence, this upscale restaurant in the Far View Lodge offers an innovative menu inspired by Native American food and flavors…
Rosenberg's Bagels & Delicatessen
Denver
The bagels at this deli are the real deal, as close as you can get to a NYC bagel in Denver – the crust, a perfect thin shell, the inside warm and chewy…
Southwest Colorado
This friendly, upscale cafe is the spot to hit for a glass of wine and cheese boards with fig jam. Highlights include deviled eggs, and light items like…
Smokin’ Dave’s BBQ & Tap House
Estes Park
Half-assed BBQ joints are all too common in Colorado’s mountain towns, but Dave’s fully delivers. The buffalo ribs and pulled pork come dressed in a…
Denver
A repurposed iron foundry, this industrial-chic marketplace features shops specializing in artisanal breads, specialty cheeses and locally sourced produce…
Telluride
Seasonal plates of French cuisine, white linen and candlelit warmth contrast with this rustic 19th-century icehouse. Dishes like the coq au vin with bacon…
Denver
Far and away the best deli in downtown, the attention to quality here is obvious in the take-out salads and sandwiches, selection of cheeses and expert…
Colorado
Flights serves up over 100 wines – by the glass or flight – in a cozy cottage setting. A menu of gourmet sandwiches and flatbreads, salads, and appetizers…
Durango
The best steakhouse in town, with food served in casual and rustic environs. Order a hand-cut aged steak, or try the steak, crab leg and lobster combo…
Denver
Mizuna is exclusive, expensive and exquisite. The small dining room only adds to the rarefied atmosphere and there’s a certain pride knowing you’re eating…
Denver
Try the mango mojito at this swanky Cuban joint serving finger-lickin’ BBQ spareribs, flavor-packed fried yucca, scrumptious sandwiches and sumptuous…
Boulder
At Boulder's hippest noodle bar you can find fresh street food at a long outdoor counter. Mama, the Taiwanese matriarch, is on hand, cooking and chatting…
Denver
Don’t wander past this neighborhood ice-cream parlor expecting the same old chocolate chip: the seasonal, housemade flavors here include baklava, salted…
Montana
The only thing finer than the view of the Absaroka Range rising behind the winding Yellowstone River is the food. Sustainable local ingredients, fresh…
Colorado
There's nothing fancy about this place: it's a deli with old chairs and fluorescent lights. Here, it's all about the subs – hot, cold, pressed or not, the…
Boulder
Deal with the line at lunch, or come for the daily happy hour (4pm to 7pm) that’s 'guaranteed to kick your butt' (the 32oz pitcher of Long Island Ice Tea…
Montana
A golf-course clubhouse isn't the typical location for a special-occasion steakhouse. But Whitefish locals know this is the place to make reservations for…
Durango
Nothing says summer like live jazz on the patio at this little Mediterranean cafe, a favorite of the foodie press. With a farm-to-table philosophy, it…
Denver
This tiny, family-run Mexican joint is a favorite among locals. The food is authentic and cheap, and it’s all handmade from whole ingredients. If you like…
Northern Colorado
Of all Fort Collins’ excellent brewpubs, this is the only one with a good menu. It’s all about the thick-cut steak fries, chunky burgers and yards of…
