Must-see restaurants in 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…

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…

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;…

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

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 –…

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…

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…

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…

It's impossible to miss the 28ft-high dairy jug. From its window, cones of handcrafted ice cream – including several vegan options – are doled out from…

La Casita serves up the best tamales in Denver, hands down. Two types are on deck: red chile and pork, and green chile and cheese (the latter is…

Alex Seidel and Blake Edmunds are heavy hitters in Denver’s fine-dining scene, pulling off their contemporary American plates (potato-wrapped oysters…

The best views of the Denver skyline can be had on this glassed-in tapas joint in the swinging Lower Highlands area. The small plate offerings blend…

'Japanese country food' doesn’t really capture the refinement of dishes at Domo, which sports the best garden dining in all of Colorado – kind of like…

This retro-styled cheery spot is one of the hottest post-party breakfast-and-brunch joints in town. It dishes up spectacularly crafted breakfast burritos…

Beatrice & Woodsley is the most artfully designed dining room in Denver. Chainsaws are buried into the wall to support shelves, there’s an aspen growing…

When you discover Vendôme, tucked behind the storefronts of historic Larimer Sq, it feels like your own little secret. Brunch is more casual than dinner,…

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…

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…

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…

Although styled as a midcentury drive-in, the upscale treatment of comfort food (mac 'n' cheese, fried chicken, lobster rolls) and the solar-powered…