Colorado · best-of list
The 7 Best Bars & Cafés in Colorado
All 7 bars & cafés our route editors picked in Colorado, across 5 destinations, gathered in one list. Expect bars, cafés and tasting rooms, spread across 5 destinations.
Our curated picks
7 bars & cafés in Colorado, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Breckenridge 2 picks
Breckenridge Brewery
Breckenridge · On our Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route
Brewpub at the south end of Main Street, open since 1990 and the original home of Breckenridge's beers.
Breckenridge Distillery
Breckenridge · On our Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route
Craft distillery known for its bourbon, with a tasting room and restaurant on Airport Road.
Tip: Book a distillery tour, then stay for dinner in the restaurant next to the stills.
Downtown Denver & 16th Street 2 picks
Denver Union Station
Downtown Denver & 16th Street · On our Denver New Year's Eve route
Restored 1914 rail station whose Great Hall holds the Terminal Bar and the Cooper Lounge mezzanine bar.
Tip: The Cooper Lounge takes reservations; book for Dec 30 when New Year's Eve is booked solid.
Photo: Isaac Kim · CC BY-SA 4.0Ship Tavern
Downtown Denver & 16th Street · On our Denver New Year's Eve route
Wood-paneled bar inside the Brown Palace, pouring drinks since the end of Prohibition in 1934.
Aspen 1 pick
J-Bar at Hotel Jerome
Aspen · On our Colorado Rockies route
Classic 1889 hotel bar, home of the Aspen Crud bourbon milkshake.
Photo: J-Bar · Google
Denver 1 pick
Death & Co Denver
Denver · On our Colorado Rockies route
Serious cocktail bar inside the Ramble Hotel lobby, a short walk from RiNo's mural streets.
Tip: Arrive early on weekends; walk-ins only for much of the lobby.
Photo: Billy Nesbitt · Google
Rocky Mountain NP 1 pick
Estes Park Brewery
Rocky Mountain NP · On our Colorado Rockies route
Estes Park's longtime brewpub, open since 1993, for post-hike pints and pub food.
Photo: Jeffrey Lebowski · Google
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the bars & cafés in Colorado?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 7 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Colorado has the most bars & cafés on this list?
Breckenridge and Downtown Denver & 16th Street lead with 2 each; the other picks are spread across 3 more destinations.
More lists for Colorado
Best bars & cafés nearby
Destinations on this list
- Breckenridge 2 on this list
- Downtown Denver & 16th Street 2 on this list
- Aspen 1 on this list
- Denver 1 on this list
- Rocky Mountain NP 1 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.