17 Restaurants That Showcase Colorado’s Thrilling Culinary Scene

In 2023, the Michelin Guide made its way to Colorado, revealing a restaurant scene that rivals the beauty of its national parks and chic ski towns. Over time, Colorado has quietly become one of the most vibrant food destinations in the nation. This is no surprise, given that the Rocky Mountains provide abundant resources for foragers, hunters, and fishers. With over 300 days of sunshine, local farms yield exceptionally sweet corn and peaches, while ranchers cultivate prized sheep, cattle, bison, and elk. Coupled with a diversifying population, Denver has evolved into a globally inspired culinary hub, drawing influences from Mexican, Ukrainian, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Israeli cuisines. You could spend years exploring the state's dining options—and I have!—and these 17 establishments are a delightful starting point.

Alma Fonda Fina, Denver

The latest Michelin Guide edition unveiled this year featured just one new starred restaurant, a high-end Mexican eatery in Denver’s Lower Highlands. Johnny Curiel, who grew up in a family of chefs in Guadalajara, began his career as a dishwasher at 14 and has since become one of the state’s most esteemed interpreters of Mexican cuisine. Every dish on the menu is carefully crafted: a simple tostada is adorned with applewood-smoked tuna and a mayonnaise made from chicatanas (flying ants), while a humble plate of beans pays homage to his mother with red chorizo and chili de arbol salsa. A standout is the camote asado, an agave-roasted sweet potato served with salsa macha and whipped requeson (Mexican ricotta). Curiel recently opened a sister restaurant in Boulder named Cozobi Fonda Fina, inspired by the Zapotec corn god, featuring corn flown in from Mexico and ground daily, highlighting its use in tacos, chilaquiles, and even a sweet corn margarita.

Sap Sua, Denver

This uniquely styled Vietnamese restaurant is the creation of the husband-and-wife chef team, Ni and Anna Nguyen. Since its opening in June 2023, it has garnered a loyal fanbase and has even been recognized as a James Beard semifinalist for the best new restaurant in the country. Colorado influences can be found cleverly woven into the dishes: Pork larb is transformed into a tostada topped with avocados, while the rendition of cha ca la vong replaces catfish with Rocky Mountain rainbow trout. The highlights are some of the simplest offerings on the menu, such as soft-scrambled eggs enriched with brown butter, fish sauce, and trout roe served over warm rice—a comforting bowl reminiscent of what a Vietnamese grandmother might prepare when you return home from school. Be sure to try the cocktails featuring unique ingredients like pandan, shiitakes, fish sauce, and sweet potato shochu.

Molotov Kitschen + Cocktails, Denver

The whimsical misspelling of 'kitchen' in this Eastern European restaurant’s name hints at the playful spirit chef-owner Bo Porytko embodies. Established in 2023, this eatery pays tribute to his Ukrainian roots with a fun twist: colorful cuckoo clocks adorn the bar, a wall mimics an oversized vinok (flower crown), and the menu features horilkas (infused vodkas) in flavors like horseradish, often inspiring lively toasts from the staff. Porytko and his team creatively reinterpret dishes using seasonal ingredients from Colorado, offering delights like elk tartare with buckwheat blinis, corn and crab varenyky (dumplings) served in a cold-smoked corn broth, and beet and plum borscht garnished with “beet gummies.”

Rootstalk, Breckenridge

This summer, chef Matt Vawter from Breckenridge’s Rootstalk was awarded the James Beard Foundation Award for best chef in the mountain region—an unexpected recognition given how often ski towns are overlooked. However, the warmth of this inviting venue, housed in an 1889 Victorian residence, is hard to resist. The restaurant features straightforward dishes that heavily draw from Colorado’s local farms, ranches, apiaries, orchards, distilleries, breweries, and grain mills. With menus that adapt with the seasons, diners can always enjoy the freshest offerings: Late summer may feature heirloom tomatoes with fennel panna cotta, pine nut butter, and eggplant, while winter highlights comforting classics like mussels with gnocchi, house-made fennel sausage, and ‘nduja brodo.

Pêche, Palisade

Famous for its stone-fruit orchards, particularly its peaches, the quaint Western Slope town of Palisade has blossomed into one of the most thrilling wine regions in the United States. Naturally, a great wine region requires an outstanding restaurant, and the husband-and-wife duo, Matt and Ashley Chasseur—who originally met while working at Chicago’s renowned three-Michelin-starred Alinea—answered the call in 2019 with the opening of Pêche. The menu reflects a wide array of influences and emphasizes seasonality, featuring dishes like red snapper street tacos, strawberry and goat cheese flatbread, and Thai fried chicken. Pro tip: Be sure to order anything that includes fresh local fruit, whether it’s in a salad, main course, or dessert.

Brutø, Denver

Chef and restaurateur Kelly Whitaker revolutionized fine dining in Denver, making a significant impact at the state’s inaugural Michelin ceremony. He received a Bib Gourmand for Basta (an Italian restaurant in Boulder), a Recommended rating for Hey Kiddo (which offers eclectic bites alongside a hidden speakeasy), and one star each for Denver’s tasting-menu destinations the Wolf’s Tailor and Brutø. The latter is helmed by Top Chef alum Byron Gomez, who prioritizes flavor over fancy presentation in his exquisite courses. One standout is a dish featuring palmito (hearts of palm) with American sturgeon caviar, while another draws inspiration from South Indian rasam soup and curry potato dumplings, served in a specially designed ceramic vessel made for slurping broth. Committed to sustainability, the team utilizes nearly all kitchen scraps by fermenting, pickling, and dehydrating them into powders, as well as transforming them into ingredients for cocktails and mocktails.

Hop Alley, Denver

Named after Denver’s former Chinatown, which derived its name from "hop," a slang term for opium, Hop Alley has attracted diners to a hidden corner of the River North (RiNo) Art District for nearly ten years. Chef-owner Tommy Lee isn’t shy about pushing local taste boundaries with his bold spice usage, featured in dishes like Uighur-inspired cumin lamb buns and the spicy Sichuan la zi ji (dry chili chicken). As of February, Hop Alley operates as two distinct restaurants, offering a new reason for past visitors to return: Lee has introduced a six-seat chef’s counter, open Thursdays through Saturdays, presenting a completely different and ever-evolving menu from the main establishment. With standout dishes like chicken-fried swordfish and char siu wild boar loin, it’s clear the team is having a great time here.

Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder

This August, Boulder’s sole Michelin-starred restaurant marked its 20th anniversary, playing a pivotal role in establishing this Front Range college town as a culinary destination. The menu features Italian cuisine with a strong emphasis on the unique flavors of Friuli–Venezia Giulia, a region often overlooked in American Italian cooking, located in the northeastern corner of Italy near the borders of Austria and Slovenia. First-time guests should indulge in the complete Friuliano tasting menu, complete with wine pairings if desired, and be ready to engage with the staff about the dishes. Even seasoned Italian food lovers may be unfamiliar with regional specialties like frico (a crispy, cheesy potato pancake), blecs (buckwheat pasta), or cjalsons (sweet-savory filled pasta). For those unable to visit Boulder, its sister restaurant, Tavernetta, located in Denver’s Union Station neighborhood, also excels in serving house-made pastas and grilled dishes.

Bosq, Aspen

For an authentic Rocky Mountain experience through a fine-dining perspective, look no further than Aspen’s Bosq, which has consistently earned Michelin stars in the latest guides. Chef Barclay Dodge and his crew actively forage the local mountains and meadows for wild ingredients like spruce tips, chanterelles, dandelions, and wild ramps, employing traditional preservation methods such as pickling, dehydrating, and fermenting to capture these flavors year-round. Guests can choose their dishes for a five-course meal or opt for the impressive chef’s tasting menu. The restaurant’s name, derived from the Spanish word for "forest," reflects the earthy flavors found in dishes like lobster grilled over juniper branches.

Bin 707 Foodbar, Grand Junction

Nestled in the far western reaches of Colorado, Bin 707 Foodbar unveiled its stylish new space this summer, showcasing an Instagram-worthy blend of pink walls, lush potted plants, vibrant botanical wallpaper, and a stunningly curved open kitchen. The aesthetic wouldn't mean much if the food didn't match its allure. Chef-owner Josh Niernberg, a three-time James Beard semifinalist, presents a menu brimming with imaginative shareable small plates, including smoked ruby trout rillette and elk tartare, as well as inventive salads and pizzas topped with unique ingredients such as green chili marmalade, chickpea miso chimi, strawberries, pistachios, and duck confit. Be sure to save room for dessert from “the pie menu,” featuring Palisade peach cobbler paired with sweet corn ice cream from sister restaurant Taco Party or panna cotta pie drizzled with lemon verbena and melon syrup.

La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal, Denver

If you haven’t had the pleasure of trying pozole, you’re in for a delightful experience: This traditional Mexican soup, crafted with meat, hominy, and an array of chilies and spices, is celebrated at this cozy, divey eatery that pays homage to the pozolerías chef José Avila frequented in Mexico City. Indulge in dishes like guava-juice halibut ceviche, duck confit paired with black mole, and a diverse selection of tacos and pambazos (sandwiches) stuffed with fillings such as birria, chorizo, red snapper, and even grasshoppers. However, first-time visitors should not miss the chance to savor a bowl of steaming pozole. With five caldo bases (rojo, verde, blanco, negro, and vegan), two meat options (chicken or pig’s head), and a plethora of toppings (cabbage, radish, lime, avocado, etc.), the combinations are virtually limitless. While pozole can be enjoyed at any time, La Diabla opens at 10 a.m. on weekends, making it an ideal spot to cure a hangover. And for those looking for a hair of the dog, the extensive selection of mezcals, tequilas, and lesser-known Mexican spirits like sotol, raicilla, and pox is sure to please.

Safta, Denver

Following his success with the acclaimed New Orleans restaurant Shaya, which earned the James Beard Foundation Award for best new restaurant in the nation, chef Alon Shaya, originally from Israel, opened Safta (meaning “grandmother” in Hebrew) in Denver's vibrant River North Art District. The menu features fluffy, wood-fired pitas and the comforting duck matzo ball soup, both of which steal the spotlight while showcasing flavors from the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Jewish diaspora. Bring along a large group to sample a generous selection of hummus topped with ingredients like foraged mushrooms and lamb ragu, as well as salatim such as whipped feta with fig vinegar and pecan-cherry tabbouleh.

221 South Oak, Telluride

Housed in a beautifully restored historic residence close to the gondola base, this New American eatery is led by Top Chef alum Eliza Gavin. Diners can expect hearty offerings of fish and game, including elk T-bones with polenta and corn cream, bison short ribs adorned with candied pink peppercorn, and striped bass served in achiote broth. The food is sophisticated yet hearty enough to sustain you through a few challenging black-diamond runs. Don't miss the Sunday brunch menu, which features unique items like buttermilk fried quail and smoked trout Benedict paired with fried green tomatoes.

Santo, Boulder

Top Chef champion Hosea Rosenberg gained acclaim in Boulder with his cherished establishment Blackbelly, a market and restaurant known for its exceptional cured meats and charcuterie. His next venture, Santo, is a modest strip-mall eatery that pays tribute to his northern New Mexico roots. If you can only indulge in one dish, don't miss the grab-and-go breakfast burrito: a delightful combination of egg, cheese, tater tots, Hatch green chilis, red chili sauce, pinto beans, and optional local chorizo, all wrapped in a soft flour tortilla. Plus, they double as fantastic hand warmers on chilly winter days.

Sweet Basil, Vail

It takes a remarkable restaurant to remain relevant for nearly fifty years, and Sweet Basil has accomplished just that since its inception in Vail in 1977. This establishment is legendary in the après-ski scene, evolving over the years to balance between the formal white-tablecloth dining and a more relaxed atmosphere, with a fresh emphasis on global cuisine. The menu features delights like tuna tiradito accompanied by coconut and jicama leche de tigre, French onion lasagna, and Iberian duroc pork served with sour cream and chive latkes, blending flavors from diverse cultures. The patio offers a charming summer setting, the cocktails are innovative, and there’s a thoughtful kids’ menu for family visits.

Bramble & Hare, Boulder

In today’s world, the term “farm-to-table” is commonly used, but at Bramble & Hare, it genuinely holds meaning. Chef Eric Skokan and his wife Jill operate a 425-acre organic vegetable farm outside Boulder, cultivating over 250 heirloom and heritage varieties while raising sheep, pigs, chickens, and geese. They maintain a farm store and a CSA, frequently appearing at the Boulder Farmers’ Market. In 2012, they launched this farmhouse bistro, showcasing their seasonal harvest alongside wild ingredients foraged from the Front Range and charcuterie made from their own pigs. Don’t miss their Dirt Dinner series, which features four-course tasting menus focused on a single ingredient, such as squash blossoms in summer, pumpkins in fall, and parsnips in winter. Recently, the restaurant earned a Michelin Green Star, one of only 30 in the U.S., recognizing its dedication to sustainability.

MAKfam, Denver

Originally a pop-up and then a food hall stand, MAKfam transitioned to a full-fledged brick-and-mortar establishment last November, offering what it calls “Chinese food made by ABC Kids”—that’s American-Born Chinese for those unfamiliar. The menu showcases Cantonese flavors reminiscent of those found in Chinatowns across the nation, featuring beloved classics like crab and cheese wontons (complete with duck sauce), scallion pancakes, and chicken and chive pot stickers. Don't miss out on their brunch options, which include salted egg yolk Hong Kong French toast and bacon, egg, and cheese jian bing (similar to a Chinese crepe). And yes, they proudly incorporate MSG in their dishes!