We recently wrapped a four-article journey through San Diego’s best restaurants, public markets, experiences, and hotels, as we visit different drive markets, local and neighborhood travel across America. Next up, we’re heading to Denver.
The Mile High City is a great next stop because of its somewhat central location, which is important for anyone who’s ready to take a great American road trip once lockdown ends. For us in California, it’s a 16-hour drive which is a bit far, but not impossible to make in a day.
However, Denver is in close proximity to a wide variety of other states and cities:
- Arizona (12 hours from Phoenix)
- Utah (7 hours from Salt Lake)
- Texas (12 hours from Dallas)
- Idaho (12 hours from Boise)
- Oklahoma (9 hours from OKC)
- Kansas (8 hours from KC)
- Nebraska (7 hours from Omaha)
- New Mexico (5 hours from Santa Fe)
- Montana (7 hours from Billings)
Not to mention, when you visit Denver you’re close to other places within the state of Colorado like Colorado Springs, Aspen, Vail, and Telluride. It’s a great city from which to set up a base of operations and explore other local options.
And there’s no better way to enjoy your stay or plan a day trip than over a great meal. To that end, we’ve spoken with our local contact in the city, Mitch Malin and his crew, to find out where you can find the best Denver restaurants. Get ready for some serious eating.
1. Angelo’s Taverna
With a name like Angelo’s Taverna, you’d expect to get homemade pastas, stacked pizzas, and everything made with fresh ingredients. You’re not wrong, they have recipes that have cemented them as a fixture among Denver restaurants for over 40 years.
One thing you might not expect, though, are oysters shucked fresh (not rocky mountain oysters). Eat them raw, or indulge in char-grilled oysters that come piping hot with signature sauce. Even if you don’t like traditionally served oysters, you’ll love these.
2. El Five
The only thing that pairs better with the Mediterranean inspired tapas from El Five are the fifth floor views you get from the restaurant. Not only will you be able to see sprawling highlands, you can enjoy them all from an open-air patio.
You’ll get all the fan favorites, like patatas bravas and croquettes, but you’ll also get some speciality items like shawarma lamb ribs and harissa eggplant fries. Whatever you do, start off right with a nice plate of jamon iberico.
3. Sassafras
Our team of locals highlighted Sassafras as one of their favorite brunch spots among Denver restaurants, and who doesn’t love a good brunch? Grab a nice latte—maple or snickerdoodle flavored—or dive headfirst into a mimosa carafe or 32 oz bloody mary growler.
When you’re ready to grub, they’ve got breakfast items running the gamut from healthy (veggie grits) to sinfully decadent (breakfast po’ boy). And speaking of po’ boys, they have an extended menu with five other options as well as a full lunch menu that shouldn’t be ignored.
4. Maria Empanada
Lorena Cantarovici arrived on the scene with $300 in her pocket, a dream to serve Argentinian empanadas to the people, and a relentless drive to succeed in a competitive market of established Denver restaurants. It began with her selling empanadas out of her actual kitchen to friends and family, but six years later she was swimming in awards and accolades (check out their Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives episode).
Maria Empanada serves breakfast empanadas, traditional savory options, and they even have a sweets menu that’s sure to delight. No matter what you order, they just want to see you enjoying the food with a big smile.
5. Cart Driver
Head to the heart of Denver’s RiNo neighborhood and look for a small, 640-square foot shipping container. That’s where you’ll find Cart Driver. They’re dishing up wood fired pizza, fresh oysters (again, not rocky mountain oysters), local craft beers, seasonal market plates, Italian style spritzes, cocktails, and they even have prosecco on tap.
The whole restaurant is inspired by the Carrettiera, or a cart driver from Southern Italy responsible for bridging goods from farms to villages. Along the way this person would stop and serve food to people they met and share a great experience in Denver. You can get a similar experience for lunch, dinner, happy hour, or even late-night seven days a week.
6. SuperMegaBien
Another RiNo neighborhood hotspot, SuperMegaBien prides themselves on serving Latin American cuisine from São Paulo, Oaxaca, Santiago, and beyond. What makes it unforgettable is the way in which it’s been flipped upside down.
Case in point, they serve small plates like ceviche and pupusas on dim sum carts. On the flip side, you’ve got huge family style dishes meant to be shared, like slow-roasted pork shoulder (pork pibil) or charred Caribbean jerk chicken (best chicken). Don’t skip the family style cocktails either, that’s always a good idea.
7. Uchi
In Japanese, uchi means “house,” and the first-ever Uchi restaurant was originally opened in Austin, TX in a tiny house. Since then, head chef Tyson Cole has opened a location in Denver where he displays his non-traditional take on Japanese cuisine that’s loved by locals.
The simple sushi rolls feature fish like Norwegian mackerel, dayboat scallops, and Japanese sea bream while the more complex rolls highlight spicy tuna, crispy pork belly, and yellowtail. Definitely check out the other menu items aside from sushi—karaage is often overlooked, but almost always one of the best kept secrets on Japanese food menus.
8. My Brother’s Bar
Since 1970 My Brother’s Bar, also known as just Brother’s, has served some of the best burgers in Denver. About 50 years ago, Jim and Angelo Karagas (the brothers) moved to the mile high city from Detroit where they decided to purchase what was then known as Whitey’s.
The name comes from the restaurant’s beginnings, when it was just a two-man operation. The brothers would share job duties with one behind the bar and the other in the kitchen. Each day they would swap places, and when a vendor would come to collect payments they would humorously posit: “Don’t look at me, it’s my brother’s bar.”
9. Osteria Marco
People love Osteria Marco because of the burrata—it’s all anyone could tell me about. In fact, this Italian joint has an entire cheese and salami bar where you can get burrata to go, special ricotta, speck, spicy soppressata, and fresh coppa.
If you’d rather dine-in, go for the prosciutto, carne, or wild mushroom and rabiola. You can also get entrees like lamb meatballs, rabbit (how exotic), and the classic chicken parmesan sandwich. It’s simple, straightforward, and delicious.
10. Hops and Pie
The name really spells it out for you: pizza and beer. However, Hops and Pie isn’t a gross back alley joint. They’ve got artisanal pizzas that will blow your mind and some of Denver’s most popular beers on tap.
Choose from traditional pizzas, Detroit style (square), pan pizzas (kind of like deep dish), or their monthly pizza special. No matter what style you get, and which toppings you load it up with, you won’t be disappointed.
11. Curtis Park Delicatessen
When you’re not in the mood to sit down and eat, nothing beats a good deli. Curtis Park Deli is widely hailed as one of the best in the city, probably because they get deliveries of freshly baked ciabatta every day to serve sandwiches on.
They also make their own condiments daily—which means you’ll never get anything that’s stale, from a can, and packed with preservatives—as well as the pickles to pair with your sandwich. Personally, The Park (fried egg, prosciutto, white cheddar, butter) is the best. But you can’t go wrong with anything, and you’re always guaranteed a great customer service experience.
12. Big Bill’s Pizza
Big Bill’s New York Pizza is just plain fun. When you walk in you’re greeted by a line of chefs tossing fresh dough, laying on toppings, and popping hot pies out of the oven to be served.
Get a slice, the whole pie, a hot calzone, heroes, salads, and other Italian dishes. It’s truly a New York establishment, as if ripped directly from the streets of Manhattan, from the pizza and sports memorabilia on the walls all the way to their catch phrase: Fuhgeddaboudit!
13. Super Star Asian Cuisine
For those who might not know, dim sum is a Chinese meal of small plates best enjoyed with tea in the company of family and friends. Often, it’s enjoyed as a brunch-style meal where the whole family will get together in the late morning or early afternoon to dine together.
Super Star Asian Cuisine is a great place to get your dim sum fix. Sit down and watch as the carts fly by with seafood, chicken, noodles, soups, rice, beef, pork, and so much more. Just hail the cart, grab what you like, and get ready to eat big.
14. Pho Duy
Some would say that Pho Duy is one of the top pho joints in all of Denver. The extensive Vietnamese menu filled with color and fresh flavor only makes this claim stronger. Truly, the mark of a great pho restaurant is the variety of ways you can enjoy the dish.
All told, there are 23 different combinations you can try from simple rare steak and brisket to shredded chicken and everything in between. Get some light appetizers like chicken wings or spring rolls before jumping into your bowl of pho.
15. Palenque Mezcaleria
Fun fact: Palenque Mezcaleria is Denver’s first and only Mezcaleria. Initially, it was opened as a passion project by the owners to showcase different flavors, styles, and varieties of Mezcal as well as the Maguey (Agave) used to make it.
Today, it’s got a jaw dropping selection of Mezcal and Agave spirits that you can enjoy alongside kickass Mexican street food. Nothing goes better with a nice pour than tlayudas, molcajete de mariscos, flautas, and some bunuelos to finish.
16. Sweet Cooie’s and Little Man
There’s a great debate between who has the best ice cream in Denver: Sweet Cooie’s or Little Man. While both offer great options, Sweet Cooie’s tends to lean more toward the exotic flavors, like salted Oreo. For those who like classic flavors, Little Man might be better.
Another layer to this whole argument is that Little Man tends to have a longer line than Sweet Cooie’s. Perhaps the real question isn’t who has better ice cream. Maybe it’s best to ask: why not just eat both and enjoy double ice cream?
17. El Taco De Mexico
When it comes to some Mexican food restaurants, there’s a general rule of thumb that tends to hold up well from place to place. Often, the places that look like a hole in the wall have the best food around. For El Taco De Mexico, this holds true.
Don’t be fooled by the exterior, because this family-owned restaurant has been serving straight hits every day, all day, since 1985. The menu’s robust flavor and culture comes directly from Mexico City, and word on the street is the green chili smothered burritos are beyond amazing.
18. The Bindery
The Bindery comes highly recommended from those who love a European-inspired bakery, corner neighborhood market, and lively eatery. This restaurant has all of that wrapped into an intimate atmosphere where you can enjoy a meal before shopping for some take-home goodies.
While the menu is small, it’s powerful when it comes to flavor. This is most evident in the 16-piece pickle juice fried chicken meal that comes with BBQ bacon potato salad, tomato and cheddar pie, and garbanzo bean, tomato, and feta salad. Where do we sign up for that?
There’s so much the Mile High City has to offer beyond food, so make sure to come back next week for our future installments on the city’s markets, experiences, and the best Denver hotels. If we missed any Denver restaurants, holler at us on Instagram and let us know what’s up—we’re always looking for more on-the-ground locals to help.
Image Credit: Little Man Instagram page