The 19 Best Restaurants in Denver

When a place feels as special as chef and co-owner Cindhura Reddy’s Spuntino, it’s bound to remain one of the top restaurants in the city. The inside of this Highland spot is cozy and intimate, with dark wood accents and a long bar where diners can sit and chat with co-owner Elliot Strathmann about his amaro program and the well-curated Italian wine list. Tap into Strathmann’s knowledge for the perfect drink pairing to go along with Reddy’s Italian food, which comes with a Colorado and Indian twist, a direct tip of the hat to her heritage. The menu changes all the time, depending on the season, with items such as toasty arancini with Hatch green chiles and white cheddar; capellini aglio e olio with Indian spice-preserved garlic; and house-made Colorado lamb keema sausage with tamarind rice, toasted peanuts, and spice-preserved tomato.

When James Beard Award-winning chef Jennifer Jasinski opened Rioja, there weren’t many fine-dining restaurants around, and Larimer Square was just starting to offer the city places beyond the normal chains. Now, Rioja, which serves Mediterranean-inspired fare with a Colorado twist, is a city staple that blazed the trail for a clutch of other spots to descend on this historic block. Think Palisade peach and cornbread caprese, seared venison with blackberry, and handmade pastas tricked out with artichoke goat cheese mousse, seasonal produce, and guanciale. There’s also a tasting menu available upon request. Despite the white tablecloths, Rioja maintains an easygoing vibe. The restaurant remains a Denver staple, and the city wouldn’t be the same without it—or Jasinski.

Since 1968, this laidback, family-run Mexican food joint has served South Denver, and it hasn’t changed much to the delight of its fans. It’s a go-to place to get a taste of Southwestern Mexican fare and enjoy a crowd that’s been frequenting the place for decades. Sit back in one of the large, roomy booths or outside on the covered patio, and sip a refreshing margarita on the rocks, fill up on chips and salsa, and indulge in a large platter of tamales, chile rellenos, enchiladas, and tacos. Service is quick and casual, and you won’t wait long for food, but you might for a table without a reservation on weekend nights.

Classic American is the best way to describe this restaurant, opened in 2006 by Secret Sauce, the same team behind the neighboring pan-Asian eatery, Ace Eat Serve. It’s a place for solid comfort food, from pot roast to fried chicken to green chile cheeseburgers, which are a staple in the Denver diet. While other restaurants have tried to copy Steuben’s signature hipster-diner style, over the years this venture has remained consistent, without any huge changes save for adding hot chicken to the menu, a dish that helped heat things up for the restaurant’s fans. Steuben’s is also great for kids, with a lighthearted pint-sized menu that includes an optional milk flight.

Chef Christopher Lin has been immersed in Chinese-American food since he was a child, thanks to his Chinese immigrant parents and their New Hampshire restaurant. Lucky for Denver, Lin brought his skill to Congress Park, where he creates platters of shareable foods such as wok-fried cheung fun, bang bang chicken salad, twice-cooked pork belly, and more. A lot of the dishes sound familiar to any Chinese food lover, but they tend to have a little twist: The lo mein has duck in it and the barbecued spare ribs are spiced with peanuts, for example. The setting leans modern with thick wood tables, padded chairs, and a row of stools along a wall of windows. There are also outside seats for those nicer days and a full bar that you can sit at to sip a yuzu highball or glass of dry Riesling.

Family-style Italian used to be plentiful in Denver, but many of those places have sadly shuttered in the last decade. But thankfully not Carmine’s on Penn, open since 1994 in Washington Park. The restaurant looks like a traditional red-sauce joint, with candles on the tables and simple, sturdy furniture and decor. On the menu you’ll find two portion sizes, the smaller one for two people, marked with a “T,” or the larger for groups, marked with an “F.” Start dinner with a classic Caesar salad complete with white anchovies, then follow that with vodka sauce-drenched ravioli. For the main dish, the chicken piccata is popular, as well as cannoli for dessert. The wine list is made up of all Italian varieties, perfect for pairing with the bolognese or spaghetti in clam sauce.

As long as you eat meat, Buckhorn Exchange in Lincoln Park should be on your list as a must-visit Denver restaurant. After all, it’s an iconic city spot that was founded in 1893, back when the area was considered the Old West. The space and offerings have changed since then, and now Buckhorn Exchange specializes in steak and game meat. Among the beef and bison steaks, the menu includes more exotic meats such as Rocky Mountain oysters, alligator, rattlesnake, elk, and quail. Reserve a table in one of the many rooms that make up this old house, where red-checkered tablecloths, deep red walls, and dark wood paneling make one momentarily forget they are dining in a National Historic Landmark. Not only that, but there are more than 500 taxidermy animals mounted on the walls and through the space, plus a whole lot of history to digest with your meal.

This Downtown restaurant has been serving modern Asian food since 2010, and it’s known for its French onion soup dumplings and shaking wagyu steak with wok-charred tomatoes. ChoLon is owned by chef Lon Symensma, who worked extensively in Asia with celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten to open his Shanghai restaurant. That influence is palpable on the menu, in dishes such as sweet corn crystal dumplings, miso-glazed cod, crab rangoon, and more. Take a seat inside at one of the stately tables, and, while there isn’t white linen, it feels fancy enough that bringing the boss, your mother-in-law, or having an adult celebration here is appropriate.

Tamayo was local-favorite chef Richard Sandoval’s first Denver venture more than two decades ago. Over the years, it’s consistently delivered inventive modern Mexico City fare to locals and visitors, and it’s always a go-to among the lunch crowd and theater goers. Order dishes such as crab-topped guacamole, birria tacos with braised lamb, chicken tinga enchiladas, and a side of caramelized plantains. Don’t forget the house-made churros at the end, which come with cinnamon-chocolate and caramel sauces for dipping. The drink list is equally impressive, with tequila and mezcal as the main spirits of choice.

Before decent cocktails could be found at any diner, dive, or takeout spot, Williams & Graham revitalized the speakeasy in Denver and started serving really, really good drinks. This place has true speakeasy vibes—when you walk into the tiny space, you can’t see the real bar. It’s hidden behind a bookshelf, and diners can enter only when a table or seat at the bar is ready. There’s a solid, simple food menu by chef Grant Bushkuhl that includes a signature dry-aged beef burger, seasonal small plates, roasted bone marrow with bacon jam, steak frites, and more. To see the full, 60-plus list of cocktails, diners have to venture into the dark, intimate venue—but rest assured that if none of the craft drinks sound right, the bartender will tailor a beverage to your tastes.

the plimoth was one of the first in Denver to really dedicate its menu to the farm-to-table concept. The City Park restaurant opened in 2014 and has remained a neighborhood staple ever since. The menu changes with the season, and chef-owner Peter Ryan works with many local farms to get the freshest and best produce on the table. Make sure to order the French onion soup with cave-aged gruyere, fried eggplant with brie fondue, grilled Colorado lamb ribs, and the orange-lavender sorbet.

When chef and restaurateur Justin Cucci opened this spot in 2011, he took over a building that used to be a mortuary. But nothing is stiff when it comes to Linger’s raucous vibe, tasty cocktails, or eclectic global street food. The kitchen whips up dishes such as tempura-fried fish and chips, Israeli salad with Colorado lamb sausage, Korean barbecue tacos, and Filipino spring rolls. Like Linger’s sibling restaurants in the Edible Beats culinary group, the menu speaks to dietary restrictions and allergies with handy symbols next to each dish. Bonus: Linger has one of the best views of Downtown Denver, as long as you’re lucky enough to snag a table on the rooftop patio.

Join the pinky-up crowd and enjoy an elegant tea service in one of Denver’s oldest venues, The Brown Palace Hotel. Since 1892 when the luxurious venue opened, afternoon tea has been a highlight of the hotel’s offerings. Today the service is held on the ground floor of the atrium each afternoon. Sit back in one of the lush chairs and choose from an array of loose-leaf teas and the optional glass of Champagne. Then enjoy fresh scones with Devonshire cream, finger sandwiches, and tiny pastries all while gazing at the hotel’s old school grandeur. Make sure to reserve a spot for any occasion; it’s a popular service especially on weekends and can only be enjoyed right then and there.

This cool Italian spot is one of the many sleek places in RiNo, but where some are more for show, chef and owner Andrea Frizzi’s Il Posto is no gimmick. The food is solid, the vibe fun but professional, and the cocktails are spot on. Order an epic charcuterie platter, then follow it up with dishes such as house-made burrata, crispy chicken Milanese, mushroom risotto, and pappardelle with Berkshire pork ragu. Don’t skip dessert—the key lime pie is the best in the city, even if it’s decidedly not a traditional Italian sweet.

Jax Fish House in LoDo has been sourcing some of the best oysters since 1996. Founded by Dave Query, who runs the Big Red F restaurant group, today, the restaurant gets all its oysters from Rappahannock River Oysters in Virginia and maintains a dedication to keeping its seafood sustainable. Chef Sheila Lucero upholds this promise in a tantalizing menu that goes beyond oysters to include made-to-order seafood chowder, yellowfin tuna steak, pastrami-cured smoked salmon dip, and more. Pair the meal with a classic cocktail, local beer, or glass of bubbles, and search for the bits of nautical decor tucked here and there among exposed brick walls.

When chef Toshi Kizaki opened Sushi Den in December 1984, no one could predict the spot would still be going strong almost 40 years later. But it's not just an iconic past in the historic Old South Pearl Street neighborhood that brings locals and visitors, it's Kizaki's dedication to fresh ingredients, exceptional service, and top-notch fish. The last feature is key, and the chef's brother, who lives in southern Japan, makes daily trips to the fish market to purchase the seafood for Sushi Den. From there, the fish is placed on dry ice and shipped directly to the restaurant, where it arrives within 24 hours. Kizaki also opened Izakaya Den, right next door, and Ototo, for those seeking a more casual experience. Not only are these places independently owned and operated, but Sushi Den also brought sushi to Denver when very few were doing it.

This was the first Little India location to open, helmed by Simeran Baidwan, who launched the spot in 1998, armed with his family's recipes and the help of his parents. Now there are four restaurants, and all are known for a wonderful lunch buffet, solid Indian fare, and an elegant but laid-back vibe. The menu reaches into various regions of India, and diners might find themselves ordering from across the subcontinent with items such as Punjabi samosa, chicken saag, shrimp vindaloo, and lamb Madras. With dim lighting, pretty lamps, and Indian tapestries draped around, stepping inside this local institution feels like you're eating far away from the Mile High City.

Chef Tyson Cole's award-winning Texas transplant, Uchi, swam into Denver in 2018, and it's been a popular spot for sushi and super fresh produce since. The latter bounty comes courtesy of Altius Farms, the rooftop farm attached to the restaurant. (Check out the farm from inside the restaurant, thanks to an eight-foot oculus looking up into the greenhouse.) Sit along the 70-foot marble sushi bar and order the chef's tasting omakase menu, or go for a select few items including hirame usuzukuri (thinly sliced flounder with candied quinoa), bluefin zuke crudo with pomegranate, and wagyu tataki with grilled mushroom and burnt onion.

Old school Italian favorites, pizza, and fresh oysters are the specialties at this decades-old restaurant on Capitol Hill. With thick, dark wood tables, exposed brick walls, and warm lighting, the inside feels comfortable and welcoming, like Nonna's house—only you don't have to help with the dishes. Many of the entrees can be ordered family-style, which makes sharing easier in a restaurant that truly embodies home. Fettuccine and pappardelle are made fresh in house, and topped with either gorgonzola cream sauce with steak, mushrooms, and roasted peppers, or a hearty bolognese sauce. There's so much more to choose from as well. Think shrimp fra diavolo, chargrilled oysters with chipotle-bourbon butter, lasagna, stromboli, and a multitude of pizzas. Make sure to try the wine too, made by the owners under the name Carboy Winery in Littleton.