Colorado · best-of list
The 15 Best Restaurants in Colorado
All 15 restaurants our route editors picked in Colorado, across 7 destinations, gathered in one list. 13 come with an insider tip.
Our curated picks
15 restaurants in Colorado, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Aspen 4 picks
Ajax Tavern
Aspen · On our Colorado Rockies route
Slopeside patio at the base of the gondola, known for its truffle fries and burger.
Tip: Patio seats go fast at après hour.
Photo: Ajax Tavern · Google
Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro
Aspen · On our Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route
Mountain hut on Aspen Highlands serving fondue and raclette, known for its lively afternoon lunch seating.
Tip: Reservations are required and open well before the season; book the moment they do.
Photo: Wolfgang Moroder · CC BY-SA 3.0Matsuhisa
Aspen · On our Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route
Nobu Matsuhisa's restaurant in a Victorian house on Main Street, a downtown fixture since the late 1990s.
Tip: Book as soon as your dates are set; holiday weeks fill early.
White House Tavern
Aspen · On our Colorado Rockies route
Small tavern in an 1883 miner's cottage, known for crispy chicken sandwiches.
Tip: No reservations; go at opening or mid-afternoon.
Photo: Alaina Culbertson · Google
Denver 3 picks
Buckhorn Exchange
Denver · On our Colorado Rockies route
Denver's oldest restaurant (1893), packed with taxidermy and serving steaks and game.
Tip: Try the elk or the Rocky Mountain oysters if you're curious.
Photo: Another Believer · CC BY-SA 4.0
Denver Central Market
Denver · On our Colorado Rockies route
Food hall in a restored RiNo warehouse with pizza, tacos, pastries and a central bar.
Tip: Good group stop when everyone wants something different.
Photo: Paul Sableman · CC BY 2.0
Sam's No. 3
Denver · On our Colorado Rockies route
Diner institution since 1927, known for big breakfasts and green chile.
Tip: Order anything smothered in the Kickin' Green Chile.
Photo: Bachi 2Go · Google
City Park 2 picks
Denver Biscuit Company
City Park · On our Denver New Year's Eve route
Biscuit sandwiches and gravy at the East Colfax location, two blocks south of City Park.
Tip: Expect a wait at New Year's Day brunch; put your name in and walk to the park.
Pete's Kitchen
City Park · On our Denver New Year's Eve route
Long-running Greek-American diner on East Colfax, known for breakfast burritos and late-night hours.
Tip: Hours have been trimmed from the old 24/7 schedule; check before going late.
Downtown Denver & 16th Street 2 picks
Guard and Grace
Downtown Denver & 16th Street · On our Denver New Year's Eve route
Troy Guard's high-ceilinged downtown steakhouse at 1801 California Street, a short walk from 16th Street.
Rioja
Downtown Denver & 16th Street · On our Denver New Year's Eve route
Jennifer Jasinski's Mediterranean restaurant on Larimer Square, open since 2004.
Tip: Ask for an early New Year's Eve seating so you can walk to the 9 p.m. fireworks.
Vail 2 picks
Pepi's
Vail · On our Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route
Austrian restaurant and bar in the Gasthof Gramshammer, opened by ski racer Pepi Gramshammer in 1964.
Tip: The deck is the classic après spot on Bridge Street; come early to get a seat.
Sweet Basil
Vail · On our Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route
Vail Village restaurant on Gore Creek Drive, serving modern American food since 1977.
Tip: Reserve weeks ahead for holiday dinners.
Breckenridge 1 pick
Hearthstone
Breckenridge · On our Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route
Long-running restaurant in a restored Victorian house on Ridge Street, one block above Main Street.
Tip: Reserve well ahead for holiday weeks, or have a drink at the bar.
Rocky Mountain NP 1 pick
Bird & Jim
Rocky Mountain NP · On our Colorado Rockies route
Estes Park restaurant near the Beaver Meadows entrance, with seasonal mountain cooking and a patio.
Photo: Hank Johnson · 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 restaurants 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 15 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Colorado has the most restaurants on this list?
Aspen has the most (4 of 15), followed by Denver (3) and City Park (2).
More lists for Colorado
Best restaurants nearby
Destinations on this list
- Aspen 4 on this list
- Denver 3 on this list
- City Park 2 on this list
- Downtown Denver & 16th Street 2 on this list
- Vail 2 on this list
- Breckenridge 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.