The Mile High City has long been at the forefront of the U.S. culinary scene, and in the past decade, it has become an award-winning culinary destination with nationally renowned hotspots, and unique and innovative concepts across all neighborhoods. Denver is now home to multiple James Beard Award winners, one of the most prestigious culinary honors in the U.S., and many more nominees. Additionally, Michelin recognized more than 30 Denver restaurants in the third year of their Michelin Guide Colorado. The famously anonymous Michelin Guide inspectors honored a diverse range of restaurants across the city that exude culinary excellence. 

The most important part of Denver’s culinary identity is its deep roots in hyper-local cuisine. For years, local chefs have worked directly with local farms, utilizing Colorado’s bountiful harvest of fresh produce, artisanal cheeses and organically raised meats to create dishes that are eco-friendly, innovative and delicious. 

 

Denver Michelin Guide 

More information about these restaurants and the Michelin Guide program are available on the Visit Denver website. 

Two Michelin Star: 

  • The Wolf’s Tailor (NEW!) 

One Michelin Star: 

  • Alma Fonda Fina  

  • Beckon 

  • Brutø 

  • Kizaki (NEW!) 

  • Margot (NEW!) 

  • Mezcaleria Alma (NEW!) 

Michelin Green Star: 

  • Brutø 

  • The Wolf’s Tailor 

Bib Gourmand: 

  • Ash’Kara 

  • The Ginger Pig 

  • Glo Noodle House 

  • Hop Alley 

  • La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal 

  • MAKfam  

  • Mister Oso 

  • Tavernetta 

Denver’s 2025 Recommended restaurants: 

  • A5 Steakhouse   

  • Alteño (NEW!)        

  • Barolo Grill  

  • Brasserie Brixton  

  • Dio Mio        

  • Guard and Grace      

  • Hey Kiddo 

  • Kawa Ni  

  • Marco’s Coal Fired   

  • Mercantile Dining and Provision        

  • Olivia                              

  • Safta              

  • Smok             

  • Temaki Den 

  • Ukiyo (NEW!) 

  • Wildflower (NEW!) 

Michelin Special Awards: 

  • Michelin Outstanding Service Award (sponsored by Capital One Dining): Heather Morrison – Olivia  

  • Michelin Young Chef (sponsored by Sysco): Aiden Tibbetts – Wildflower  

  • Michelin Exceptional Cocktails Award: Dustin Lawlor – Hop Alley 

 

Annual Culinary Events 

  • Denver Restaurant Week (late-winter) – Denver Restaurant Week features multi-course menus with four price points at hundreds of Denver’s top restaurants. Diners can find multi-course menus for $25, $35, $45 or $55. 

  • Denver Food + Wine Festival (September) – Denver Food + Wine Festival is a multi-day extravaganza of food, wine and spirits events. Festival events feature the best of Colorado’s culinary community, the finest wines and spirits, educational tasting seminars and the signature Grand Tasting. 

 

Dining by Neighborhood  

Here are just a handful of spots to enjoy the dining scene in some of Denver’s most popular neighborhoods. For more options, check out this Must Try Restaurants page. 

Lower Downtown (LoDo) – This 26-square block neighborhood has the largest concentration of restored turn-of-the-century and Victorian brick warehouses in the nation, and is now home to more than 100 restaurants, breweries, rooftop cafes, music clubs and sports bars. 

  • The famous Larimer Square is the city’s most historic block and home to some of Denver’s signature restaurants. James Beard Award winner Jennifer Jasinski made her first mark with Rioja, the Mediterranean-centric eatery influenced by local and seasonal ingredients. Frank Bonanno, 2016 James Beard Award Semifinalist for Best Restaurateur, also owns a concept on the block, Osteria Marco. Additionally, there is Richard Sandoval's Tamayo, which offers a blend of authentic Mexican ingredients and innovative culinary techniques while showcasing a beautiful view of the city from its rooftop. 

  • The Dairy Block, located on a historic block that was once home to Windsor Dairy, is now a vibrant micro-district that boasts multiple restaurants, bars, boutique shops and a luxury coworking space. In addition to the activated alley, there is Milk Market in Dairy Block, which is a curated culinary marketplace featuring several food outlets – including a pastry shop, hot fried chicken spot, fresh seafood eatery, Hawaiian poke bar, specialty salad bar, sandwich shop, Italian eatery, ice cream shop and a cocktail bar.  

  • Wynkoop Brewing Company was the first brewpub in historic downtown Denver after Prohibition. This well-established brewery serves freshly brewed on-site beer with classic pub fare and entertainment. Colorado’s beloved Gov. Hickenlooper brewed and served the first pint in 1988. 

Denver Union Station – Also in LoDo, Denver’s historic train terminal reopened in 2014 with 10 new restaurants, bars and fine retailers. The Beaux Arts train station’s revival has spurred a major redevelopment in the surrounding blocks, with several new and upcoming hotels, communal spaces and top restaurants. 

  • Alex Seidel (2018 James Beard Award Winner for Best Chef: Southwest) owns Mercantile dining & provision, featuring food items from his farm located in nearby Larkspur, Colorado. 

  • Homegrown brunch hotspot, Snooze, brings energy, creativity and delicious food to the morning. Snooze features iconic pancakes, morning cocktails and a huge patio. 

  • Tavernetta – from the award-winning team at Boulder’s Frasca – opened in late-2017 to immediate acclaim. Its sister restaurant, Sunday Vinyl – a wine bar with a highly curated selection of libations and food – opened in late-2019, followed closely by a James Beard Award nod for “Best New Restaurant.” 

  • Denver Union Station also includes Terminal Bar, situated in the station’s old ticket window and featuring more than 30 Colorado craft beers on tap. Cocktail lovers can enjoy hand crafted libations in Cooper Lounge, which was named Bon Appetit’s “Most Posh Bar in a Train Station,” overlooking the grand hall. 

Lower Highlands (LoHi) – Connected to downtown by three pedestrian bridges, this culturally diverse neighborhood northwest of downtown Denver has experienced amazing growth over the past decade and is overflowing with trendy restaurants, bars and shops. 

  • Denver mainstay, Linger, is located in a former mortuary, adding a quirky charm to chef/owner Justin Cucci’s culinary creations, which are inspired spins on global street food featuring Colorado’s seasonal ingredients. The restaurant has spectacular 360-degree views of the city skyline and the Rocky Mountains and a Spanish-style tapas menu. 

  • Inspired by European markets and food truck roundups, Avanti F&B is a modern-day food hall and restaurant incubator. Seven rotating restaurant concepts housed in one collective space providing guests with an eclectic mix of affordable, chef-inspired cuisine. 

River North Art District (RiNo) – One of Denver’s popular arts districts, the RiNo neighborhood has become a hotspot for established and emerging chefs, restaurants and food concepts. A former industrial neighborhood now filled with art galleries, restaurants, breweries, distilleries and urban wineries, RiNo has seen some of the most concentrated restaurant growth of any neighborhood in the city. 

  • Work & Class is a casual, full-service restaurant by chef Dana Rodriguez that focuses on Latin and American dishes, including an array of slow-roasted, braised and rotisserie meats, creative sides, freshly baked breads and desserts. The Source Hotel + Market Hall features five restaurants – Safta, from James Beard Award-winning chef Alon Shaya; Temaki Den, Michelin Recommended sushi bar; barbecue joint, Smok, from chef Bill Espiricuetta; sports bar and grill, The Moose; and more. The Source also features an award-winning bakery and wares from several local artisans. 

  • Denver Central Market in RiNo was Denver’s third food hall and has become a mainstay in the neighborhood. It features a selection of 13 local food purveyors – a produce shop, coffee shop, fish shop, butcher and bakery, wood-fired pizza place and chocolatier, among others, plus outdoor public murals by local artists. 

Golden Triangle and South Broadway – Another hip neighborhood, Golden Triangle and South Broadway, is just one mile south of downtown. It has a distinct feel with everything from fine dining at Restaurant Olivia, to the freshly made baked goods at Leven Deli, to classic Irish pubs and live music joints. 

  • Just a few blocks off Broadway, in Denver’s Golden Triangle Creative District, is Leven Deli – a take on the traditional deli that features popular items made lighter and brighter with Mediterranean ingredients. 

  • A former furniture store that burned down in 1978 was transformed and reopened in 2023 as BurnDown, a restaurant and live music venue. The four-story building offers an array of dining experiences, from a sit-down dinner in front of live entertainment to a more relaxed cocktail-hour vibe on its rooftop, which features gorgeous views of the mountains and the city of Denver.  

  • Somebody People brings fresh energy to Denver with its plant-forward Mediterranean flavors. Embracing the whole vegetable, the restaurant celebrates the changing seasons and local produce while providing a fun environment for guests to enjoy them as well. 

Cherry Creek North – Long known as Denver’s premier dining and shopping destination, Cherry Creek is undergoing a culinary renaissance. 

  • Recently added to the dining scene in this upscale neighborhood are Bar Amorina, a cocktail bar inspired by coastal Italy; Alteño, the latest creation from Michelin-starred chef Johnny Curiel, both located in the Clayton Hotel; and Le Colonial, an upscale French Vietnamese restaurant known for its elegant, colonial-inspired decor. 

  • Toro Latin Kitchen + Lounge, from famed chef Richard Sandoval, is located in Hotel Clio, a Luxury Collection Hotel. The restaurant brings a Latin flair to a casual yet sophisticated dining experience.  

  • Cherry Cricket has been a staple in the Cherry Creek neighborhood since 1945. Over the years, Cherry Cricket has won numerous awards for its delicious burgers and has even attracted national attention, having been featured on several TV shows, like Man vs. Food and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.