Best Restaurants in Denver

Sometimes, "best" isn't about upscale and expensive. Casual and affordable restaurants can be the best at what they do and The Post Chicken & Beer on South Broadway is just such a place. For its fans, it's the go-to for deeply satisfying fried chicken in Denver. Guy Fieri clearly agreed when he showcased The Post on a Diners, Drive Ins & Dives segment on his popular show. While there's better craft beer in Denver, Post brews are worthy companions to the food, which includes options in addition to chicken. As for sides, standout accompaniments include cheddar biscuits, beets & sweets, collard greens and deviled eggs, though naturally mashed potatoes and mac & cheese have many fans, too. There is, however, something that must be noted: Inexplicably, grits are no longer on the menu. My great-aunt Mary from rural Alabama would be horrified. Come on, Post, give us back our grits!

The compact, cozy wine bar and restaurant overlooking the tracks at Union Station deliberately evokes the sophistication and camaraderie of the best wine bars in Europe. With 20 to 25 wines by the glass and a menu featuring snacks to entrees, this is an anytime place for couples and others to gather. The space was designed with acoustics in mind, and what's noticeable immediately on entering is the rich quality of the sound. But whatever is playing, guests can still talk and hear each other. The thoughtfully curated collection of vinyl comes from every music genre and, like the wine list, from across the world. Somewhere in the mix you'll likely hear old favorites. For a well-priced wine and bite, go for happy hour, 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday and 2 to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

Unpretentious and just a little edgy as befits its RiNo location, Hop Alley offers a menu that's hardly typical of Chinese restaurants. In addition to lobster dumplings and La Zi Ji (battered and fried chunks of chicken thigh tossed with Sichuan chili), there are familiar favorites including fried wontons and fried rice, albeit elevated by creative presentation and something unexpected—"much like the audible play list that frequently pulses to a hip-hop beat. Fried rice, for example, gets a rich, flavorful boost from bone broth. Start with something from the compact but creative cocktail list and don't skip dessert, especially if house-made coconut-lime sorbet is offered. Chef Tommy Lee of Uncle fame, hits the mark with Hop Alley.

For[a]ged opened in 2019 with a menu that ranges from an impressive raw bar to steaks, salmon and vegetarian entrees. The name is a play on the words foraged, related to the freshest of natural ingredients, and forged, a nod to the chef's collection of knives, including some he made himself, displayed on the walls and used in the kitchens. Chef Duy Pham and his son are culinary artists, each nigiri and hand roll as much artistic presentation as delectable bite. For an incomparable experience, book Omakase, translation, "I leave it to you," a photo-worthy, multi-course chef's table for up to eight offered at the raw bar where you can interact with the chefs. A romantic choice: the green velvet booths upstairs. Wherever you sit, ask what fresh ingredient isn't on the menu as fish from all over the world arrive fresh daily but aren't always listed.

Light-colored woods and stylish contemporary furnishings give Tavernetta, just outside Union Station, an appealing Northern European vibe. Unlike Frasca, its acclaimed sister restaurant in Boulder, Tavernetta draws inspiration not from one region of Italy but from areas across the country, with added inspiration from neighboring Austria and Slovenia, among others. House-made pastas are standouts, but whatever seasonal dishes are on the menu will likely be memorable. For couples seeking a romantic interlude and whose culinary desires align, the menu includes options for two to share, along with a nicely curated wine and "aperitivi" list. Tavernetta is a place to splurge, to savor, to indulge and to find utter satisfaction in a meal artfully conceived, flawlessly served and presented. If you just want drinks and appetizers or dessert, find seating for two by the lounge fireplace, Tavernetta's most romantic spot.

Beckon is an experience, an evening conducted much like a symphony. The tempo rises and falls as eight or nine courses appear, but everything, including the synchronized plating of courses and placement of plates before guests, is deliberate. Beckon is available by prepaid ticketed reservation at $150 per person and can be sold out weeks in advance. Diners choose one of two sessions per evening, at 5 or 8 p.m., and should expect the experience to last approximately two-and-a-half hours. The meal consists of small plates prepared and presented in view of guests, each dish created to be savored and remembered. When you make your reservation, you're asked if there's anything you can't or won't eat, but dishes remain a mystery until the food appears before you. Beer, wine and cocktails are extra. Seating is available on Beckon's patio as well.

Chandeliers and candlelit tables define LeRoux's elegant and romantic space. Even the bar gets candles as evening arrives. Several seating areas provide intimacy for a romantic occasion or simply a dinner at which conversing is not made impossible by the cacophony experienced at so many restaurants today. It feels a bit old school in that regard, a return to what fine dining used to be, yet it's also casual and contemporary. Dishes are prepared meticulously, a perfect melding of complex and delicate flavors in an exquisite presentation. The chicken liver mousse might be the best in Denver, and if you want a show-stopper, go for the Wagyu beef tartare presented with a flourish of smoke. There's a fine wine and cocktail menu, too.

The Kitchen in Denver was originally an offshoot of the popular Boulder Kitchen, but it stands on its own and, in fact, offers a very different ambiance and vibe. Sleeker and brighter than the Boulder eatery, The Kitchen American Bistro is a chic urban restaurant in this small chain with a menu befitting its LoDo neighborhood and all the trendy restaurants and bars around it. The menus, created by the same chef, are the same, so if you find yourself in Boulder and want to indulge in those fantastic carrots again, go for it. Did I mention the carrots? Of course, you may want to try the steak, salmon, oysters or pastas, too, along with a glass of fine wine or a creative cocktail. If you're looking for a pleasant bar to sit at for happy hour, look no further.

From the same group that created Root Down, Ophelia's and Linger (located next door), El Five is also focused on planet-friendly food, much of it plant-based, all of it superb. To be sure there are meat entrees on the menu of small plates, but vegetarians and vegans have plenty of options. Embracing an industrial-glam aesthetic enhanced by bold pops of color in wall-spanning murals, El Five is bustling and welcoming with sweeping views over LoHi and downtown Denver thanks to its fifth-floor location (hence the name), expanse of windows and a sunset-bathed terrace. The entire Mediterranean region is showcased on the eclectic menu labeled Tapas de Gibralter, including Italy, Spain, Israel, Lebanon and Morocco. While the atmosphere is casual, service is attentive and knowledgeable, and a cocktail from the sophisticated bar list is the way to start the evening.

Hotel restaurants don't always measure up to the hotels themselves, but in the case of Chez Maggy, the upscale Thompson Denver's in-house restaurant, that is definitely not the case. With a menu devised by Chef Ludo Lefebvre, Chez Maggy showcases traditional French cuisine with a few Colorado twists and lots of butter and cream. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as brunch, Chez Maggy is stylish, the service is superb and the food is everything French dishes should be, which is richly delicious with overtones of decadent. Chef Ludo grew up in Burgundy, France, and married a woman from Colorado. Chez Maggy is named for his mother-in-law and the Tagliatelle Bolognese on the menu, decidedly not French, is her recipe. If you're looking for an utterly divine and decadent breakfast, try the thick French toast topped with vanilla ice cream.