The Best Places to Eat and Drink in Denver
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Rank 192. Heretík
Basque
The counter seats by the roll-up door are the ones to ask for at this Basque-leaning bistro in Denver's West Wash Park. The chef runs a rotisserie, ships white asparagus from France when it's in season, and keeps a pan con tomate on the menu that nearly every table orders. The New York Times put it on their 2026 Restaurant List, which tracks. The whole place reads like a bistro that skipped the part where bistros become self-conscious about being bistros.
The awards
- The New York Times The New York Times: 2026 · The Restaurant List
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Rank 192. King of Wings
Barbecue
The awards
- Westword 2026 · Best Restaurant for Craft Beer · Best of Denver
- Westword 2023 · Best Chicken Wings · Best of Denver
- Westword 2024 · Best Comeback · Best of Denver
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- Westword 2026 · Best Restaurant for Craft Beer · Best of Denver
- Westword 2024 · Best Comeback · Best of Denver
- Westword 2025 · Best Wings and Tenders · Best of Denver
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Rank 192. Milpero
Mexican
A corn farmer, a milpero, lends the name and the organizing principle to this intimate tasting-menu restaurant where the chef Johnny Curiel builds an 18-course progression around the grain. Expect dishes where a single oyster sits in smoked tomato broth and corn shoyu, or bluefin otoro folds into a flauta with black garlic chile paste. The New York Times put it on their 2026 Restaurant List, which tracks with the ambition on the plate.
The awards
- The New York Times The New York Times: 2026 · The Restaurant List
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Rank 192. Music City Hot Chicken
Nashville Southern
Nashville hot chicken shop tucked inside TRVE Brewing on Broadway, where the menu runs from classic spicy tenders to a green chile heat option that leans decidedly Colorado. The sandwiches are big and juicy in the way that requires a full stack of napkins and no white shirt. Vegan versions and a lineup of sides round things out for groups who can't agree on anything except that they're hungry.
The awards
- Westword 2023 · Best Chicken Sandwich · Best of Denver
- 5280 Fried Hot Chicken · The 17 Best Sandwiches in (and Around) Denver
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Rank 192. Noodles Express
Sichuan
The menu has a section called "America's Popular," which tells you everything you need to know about where the kitchen's heart actually lies. This counter-service Sichuan spot runs a long list of chile-heavy, mouth-numbing dishes built around Sichuan peppercorns, and the portions are sized for sharing. Come with people, order widely, and leave the safe column alone.
The awards
- Westword 2023 · Best Szechuan Fried Chicken · Best of Denver
- Eater The Best Chinese Restaurants in Denver
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Rank 192. Pete's Kitchen
Diner
The neon chef flipping pancakes above the door has been a landmark on East Colfax long enough to outlast everything around it. Pete's Kitchen is a classic diner, the kind that keeps the grill going through the night on weekends for whoever needs a gyros omelet or a green chile smothered burrito at 3 a.m. The crowd that fills the stools tends to tell a story. Westword named it Denver's best late-night diner.
The awards
- Westword 2026 · Best Diner That Survived the Colfax Construction · Best of Denver
- Westword 2023 · Best Late-Night Diner · Best of Denver
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- Westword 2023 · Best Sandwich Shop · Best of Denver
- 5280 Muffuletta · The 17 Best Sandwiches in (and Around) Denver
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A food hall in RiNo that runs from morning espresso to late-night cocktails without ever really slowing down. Coffee and pastries open the day, a wood-fired pizza counter takes over by dinner, and the central bar keeps things moving in between. The kind of place where it's genuinely difficult to leave, mostly because you keep deciding one more stop counts as research.
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The Best Restaurants In Denver
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The Best Lunch Spots In Denver
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The Best Restaurants In RiNo
- The Infatuation The Best Restaurants In Denver
- The Infatuation The Best Lunch Spots In Denver
- The Infatuation The Best Restaurants In RiNo
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Rank 217. Coperta
Southern Italian
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- Thrillist Thrillist: The Best Bars in Denver
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- 5280 The 43 Best Places to Brunch in Denver
- 5280 The 11 Best Breakfast Burritos in Denver and Beyond
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- 5280 The 43 Best Places to Brunch in Denver
- 5280 The 11 Best Breakfast Burritos in Denver and Beyond
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- Thrillist Thrillist: The Best Bars in Denver
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Rank 217. Uchi
Non-Traditional Japanese
The daily specials list at this non-traditional Japanese restaurant changes constantly, which gives regulars a reason to sit at the bar and work through it systematically. Uchi originated in Austin and landed a block from RiNo, bringing a range that runs from happy hour nigiri to wagyu on a hot rock. The room stays loud and full most nights, so an early arrival is less a tip than a necessity.
The awards
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The Best Restaurants In Denver
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The Best Restaurants In RiNo
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- Thrillist Thrillist: The Best Bars in Denver
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Rank 224. El Five
Tapas Bar
The awards
- Westword 2024 · Best Vegan-Friendly Spot for Special Occasions · Best of Denver
- Eater A Complete Guide to Dining in LoHi
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Rank 224. Golden Falafel Restaurant
Middle Eastern
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Rank 224. Moonrise Coffee Roasters
Hawaiian Coffee Shop
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Rank 224. Ochag Bar & Grill
Armenian
An Armenian and Caucasian grill tucked into an Aurora strip mall, where the khachapuri arrives topped with egg and cheese and the beef dumplings, called khinkali, are large enough to require a small plan of attack. The menu runs from hearty stews and hand-pulled noodles to eggplant rolls stuffed with garlic-walnut spread. Georgian wine, from a region that considers itself the cradle of viticulture, is the right call alongside any of it.
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Rank 224. Ototo
Japanese
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Rank 224. Piper Inn
Dive Bar
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Rank 224. Redeemer Pizza
New York Pizzeria
The slice window in the alley is how most people find Redeemer, though there's also a small dining room inside if you want to sit down with a 16-inch pie. The style lands somewhere between New York and sourdough, with a tang that makes the crust worth eating on its own. Toppings range from classic to surprisingly fussy, and the to-go window sells beer and wine alongside the slices.
The awards
- Westword Westword: 2024 · Best Cheap Date · Best of Denver
- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The Best Restaurants In RiNo
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The entrance is a walk-in freezer door at the back of an ice cream shop, which sets the tone perfectly. Behind it is a sci-fi cocktail lounge with a glowing backbar and B movies running on the wall, where the drinks are named after cult films and built with ingredients that require a moment to process. The kind of bar that rewards people who ask questions.
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- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The Best Bars In Denver
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The 12th-floor balcony of this penthouse lounge looks out over RiNo, and the room inside, all emerald banquettes and moon-like pendant lights, is doing its level best to compete with the view. Cocktails lean botanical and a little precious, saffron gin and rose water that kind of thing, which fits the vibe perfectly. The snacks are luxe and unapologetic. Eater named it among Denver's best bars, and the crowd tends to dress for the occasion.
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Rank 224. Taqueria La Familia
Taqueria
A tiny, no-frills taqueria on the old Northside where the pricing seems to have missed the memo about LoHi. Five tacos come with guacamole and tomatillo salsa, and the fillings wander from fresh fish to browned bison to zucchini and mushroom. There are also tortas, tostadas, and Mexican hamburgers, which are basically burritos stuffed with a patty. Order at the counter and wear whatever you've got on.
The awards
- Westword 2024 · Best Budget-Friendly Mexican Restaurant · Best of Denver
- Eater A Complete Guide to Dining in LoHi
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- The Infatuation The Infatuation: The Best Restaurants In Denver
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Siouxsie and the Banshees memorabilia shares wall space with He-Man tiki mugs at this 1980s-themed cocktail bar on South Broadway. Lava lamps, vintage arcade games, and old music videos running on mounted TVs make it the kind of place where you stop checking the time entirely, which is probably the point. Pizza rolls show up on the snack menu, as they should. The crowd dresses accordingly, or wishes they had.
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