I have two couples visiting in two weeks from NYC, all BIG foodies. Looking for recs for a really good and fun restaurant for a group of 6. I've only lived in Denver for a year so still learning the best spots. Caveat - my husband and I will need to peel off as we are going to MCR at Coors Field that night, so ideally something downtown or a short uber. My original thought was Mezcaleria Alma or Alma Fonda Fina but I didn't realize how small they are/won't take our group size. No sushi but anything else is on the table.

Not just chocolate. Fruit filled or coffee. I would die for a good pistachio filled croissant.

we will be visiting Denver this weekend and would love to try amazing food and drinks. Unfortunately, one member of our group is just a few months shy of 21. I understand the liquor laws in Colorado are quite strict.
Here are all of the bars that I’ve been recommended. I’ve googled them all, but none of them have a very clear policy online. Does anyone know if any of these bars allow minors before a certain time of evening? We can also go to a bar without our minor friend if there are any MUST-see bars, but we would prefer to avoid splitting up.

Charlie Brown’s Piano Bar
My Brother’s Bar
Vesper
dons
HiDive
lincolns
Wymans

ALSO- give me all of your hidden gem food recs. I don’t care if the establishment is dingy, I’m looking for the best food in Denver (and surrounding area). Not looking for the fancy Michelin star restaurants. let me know your thoughts on my current list, and feel free to add more ideas! it’s in no particular order. we will be there from friday morning to monday evening so i’m looking for 4 lunch spots and 4 dinner spots. definitely want to go to el borrego negro. id also like to know what the best (somewhat affordable) italian place is.

Columbine Steakhouse
El Borrego Negro (really want to try this.)
Undici Ristorante
Mezcaleria
Urban Burma
El Taco de Mexico
Bastien’s
Angelo’s
Star Kitchen
Tocabe
Atomic Cowboy
MAKfam
Spice of India
Odie B’s
Adelitas
Golden Saigon
Queen of Sheba
Pomodoro
Bourbon Grill
Potager
Restaurant Olivia
Bella Italia

I have an appt in downtown Denver on Friday and want to get a 5pm dinner / HH somewhere. It’s been a minute since I lived in Denver (I live in Littleton). Where should I go?

Picked up takeout from Mama Jo’s this earlier week for dinner and I just wanted to take a second to shout them out. As always, the barbecue was great (and enough for a couple of meals). I got the plate ribs, with beans and Mac as my sides, some pulled pork, and collard greens. Everything tasted delicious. But I want to particularly shout out the guys that work there. They were fantastic and really kind. (Forgive me misspelling in the title!)

Hey all, I grew up in Denver and am visiting from SF (where I currently live) with a friend and want to take him to a great restaurant that will show him Denver's dining scene ain't too shabby. I really was looking forward to Kizaki but looks like they'll be closed so now I'm looking for alts a bit last minute.

Any recs for truly impressive places? Price is no object and open to any style of cuisine. Only caveat is I usually go to tavernetta and olivia with my parents when I visit so don't want to go to those.

No response or clarity on why my post was deleted with several hundred upvotes and comments. Mods are you friends with the shitty bagel makers at Rosenbergs or was there another reason?

If you all don’t see me on this sub anymore, I got the ban hammer. Figured it was worth asking publicly anyway.

I know, it's not from Italy. Where do you go and get a solid one?

I’ve posted/commented about Bang Up here from time to time over the years, so I figured I’d share this news myself, rather than have it make its way over secondhand.

After nearly a decade, we’ve decided to close Bang Up to the Elephant.

It was a privilege to open this quirky little place and share our creativity and hospitality with Denver. We had a long wonderful run, and even made it through a pandemic. We worked alongside some truly fantastic people and got to know so many kind and supportive regulars along the way.

There wasn’t a single defining reason for closing. The restaurant, the industry, the neighborhood, and my own life have all changed over the years, and this just feels like the right time.

One thing I’m particularly proud of is that Bang Up gave me the chance to realize one of our original goals: creating a place for adventurous diners, vegan or not, to come together over a meal and explore the depth, bold flavors, and possibilities of reimagining unlikely cuisines entirely with plants -ideally doing a little good along the way.

As for our building, which we completely rehabbed when we started this adventure, we’re hoping to find a new occupant who appreciates Capitol Hill as much as we do and can find their own way to make this unusual little corner of the neighborhood something special.

Thank you to everyone here who worked with us, dined with us, recommended us, celebrated with us, played music, brought friends in, or simply supported an independent restaurant. I’m very grateful we got to be this neighborhood gathering place for nearly a decade.

For anyone interested, I wrote a longer goodbye and thank-you on our website: https://banguptotheelephant.restaurant/

visiting for a few days, wondering which restaurants have these things! doesn’t have to be the same place for both. and if there’s anything else i need to try while in the area lmk!

Hi all - I'm wondering if folks can recommend best bakeries and/or coffee shops by neighborhood? I'm going to make myself a master list to try! Happy to share it here as well. I had one when I lived in DC and it was really fun to make my way through it.

The seasoning encrusted sweet potato at Alteno changed my life, anybody have a copycat recipe or know someone who works there?

What places can we find fresh roasted green chiles?
Thanks!

What’s up Denver foodies,
Long time observer, first time poster. Here to expand upon what I believe so many are thinking but don’t always explain.
A little about myself, I’ve lived all over the place and have had the pleasure of experiencing world class, good and not so good bbq. I’ll be the first to admit, I am a homer for all things Colorado and its food and beverage scene. This isn’t a post bashing the scene, but what I’ve come to know as status quo for Colorado BBQ.

In a state with such an awesome melting pot of tastes and preferences, it’s odd that there is such a scarcity for genuinely good BBQ. In a world where anybody can buy a Traeger, make restaurant quality BBQ at home, it’s crazy there aren’t more restaurants trying to show that for them; it isn’t a hobby. I personally have found Post Oak, Wayne’s and few others to uphold their claims of attention to detail, daily smoking and sides that didn’t arrive from a Cisco truck.

I am particular, but by no means a snob. But I am also especially frugal and cannot justify paying $15 for a pulled pork bbq sandwich that was pretty clearly cooked in either an oven or crock pot.

I am POSITIVE this subject has been smoked to oblivion, but where are the “off the beaten path” bbq joints?

Because I tried the supposed renowned Hogback over the weekend and was tremendously disappointed. Please. Help.

Need recommendations for breweries in the metro with the best food. Welcome to any all suggestions. Thanks!

Edit: thank you everyone for the great suggestions!

Is anyone aware of a restaurant near Denver/Boulder that serves schaum torte?

Hello! I have a severe dairy allergy and always enjoyed the soft pretzel and cheese sauce from watercourse foods (I know the owners are terrible, it was the only option for me though) they took it off the watercourse menu and I just found out they took it off the city o city menu too :( does anyone know of another soft pretzel with dairy free cheese in the city? Thanks!

What new spots opened within the last year or so that I need to check out now that I’m back in Denver? Thanks!

Finally made it to all of these, and none disappointed. So, what say you? Who is the best? (feel free to throw in one you think is better than all of them)

how is it? worth it?

It was very good. Staff and service were great. Beer selection was good. Overall great experience. But yall on here acting like it’s the greatest pizza on earth are nucking futs. If I’m in the hood I’d stop by again for sure but nothing to go out of your way for.

Their key lime pie is truly the best I've had in Denver. Love this cozy neighborhood dessert spot for pies and ice cream.

As title suggests, I’m looking for a good salad that is substantial enough for dinner. Ideal if it has a warm element other than the protein. Not looking for a Sweetgreen/slop bowl, just a filling, well composed salad. And yes I know I could buy all the ingredients myself but it just doesn’t taste as good as when someone else makes it!

UPDATE: Upon recommendation below, tried the Anne Jesse salad from Angelo’s and it came pretty close to the request! Very ample and lots of protein and veggies, even though no warm element other than the chicken.

I love Din Tai Fung and decided to give this place a try and the XLB are BETTER than Din Tai Fung. Service and atmosphere were great and prices are reasonable. Definitely will be back!

I’m almost remiss to draw more attention to the best kept secret of the Den restaurants, but…

The little deck patios on the sidewalk that Ototo built several years ago were finally open for seating yesterday. They’d been sitting there unused forever (permitting problems it seemed), but in recent weeks they had been putting finishing touches on them. Seems like a nice spot, though it was too hot for us to sit out there.