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According to Denver’s tourism bureau, overnight visitors to the Mile High City spent nearly $1.5 billion on food and beverage in 2023. That’s a lot of money well spent, considering how much this town’s culinary scene has flourished in the past 20 years. Given a single day to experience it all, here’s how Eater’s editors would roll. Note that this dream itinerary covers a lot of ground, so rent a car or use a ride-share service to follow along, then spend any downtime exploring each vibrant neighborhood by foot.
8 a.m.: El Taco de Mexico or Bakery Four
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In 2020, El Taco de Mexico in the Santa Fe Arts District was one of just six restaurants in the country to receive an America’s Classics Award from the James Beard Foundation. It’s an honor the tiny, decades-old taqueria lives up to day in and day out as its hard-working team serves up not only tacos but quintessential versions of such morning staples as breakfast burritos, huevos rancheros, and chilaquiles; the green chile they’re smothered in will spoil newbies for any other take on the salsa/stew/cure for all ills.
Looking to satisfy a sweet tooth instead? Pastries galore await at Bakery Four in Berkeley, which has earned itself a massive cult following for an ever-changing lineup that might include chocolate-orange scones and lemon meringue danishes one week, mocha cruffins and spiced apple coffee cake the next. Plan to arrive by 7:45 when it’s open (Wednesday through Sunday) — the line of customers begins forming well before the shop opens its doors — and note that seating is somewhat limited, but there’s a cute little park right across the street.
11:30 a.m.: Yuan Wonton or Roaming Buffalo Bar-B-Que
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Park Hill treasure Yuan Wonton is open Tuesdays through Fridays for lunch only — but chef (and James Beard Award nominee) Penelope Wong makes every second count, changing up the menu inspired by her Chinese American upbringing constantly so there are frequent reasons to return. As the name suggests, dazzling dumplings form the shop’s core, but at any given time the kitchen might also be whipping up Taiwanese popcorn chicken nuggets with chive aioli and fries, honey-walnut prawns with rice, or mapo tofu sandwiches on homemade bao buns.
Alternatively, get a true taste of Colorado cuisine at Roaming Buffalo Bar-B-Que in the University neighborhood, where Coy and Rachael Webb smoke the likes of bison ribs, lamb shoulder, and venison sausage as well as more traditional meats Wednesday through Sunday; the sides show regional flair too (think white cheddar–green chile potato chips).
1:30 p.m.: Day drinking in RiNo or Union Station
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As the home of the Great American Beer Festival, Denver’s status as one of the nation’s top spots for craft suds cannot be denied — and the rollicking RiNo neighborhood is a locus of the brewery scene. Just to name a few, the doors of Our Mutual Friend, Ratio, and Great Divide’s Barrel Bar will all be open by now, so start your taproom crawl there, followed by Bierstadt Lagerhaus, which opens at 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday and noon Friday through Sunday, and River North, which opens at 3 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 1 p.m. on weekends.
Union Station in LoDo (Lower Downtown) is another sure bet for a leisurely afternoon of imbibing and people-watching. The bar and lounge at celebrated Italian restaurant Tavernetta is open all day Monday through Friday, while happy hour starts at 3 p.m.; this is the place to splurge on a rare bottle of wine or a Negroni to end all Negronis (perhaps alongside a few cicchetti — no judgment here). Around the corner, gorgeous gastroteka Ultreia specializes in gin-tonics while keeping Sherry and vermouth on tap in fine Iberian fashion. And across the street, combination coffee shop and cocktail bar the Wild makes a mean espresso martini to stave off siesta-time sleepiness.
5 p.m.: Molotov Kitschen + Cocktails
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At once an ode to chef-owner Bo Porytko’s Ukrainian heritage and a showcase for his boundless creativity, this cozy-as-could-be charmer on East Colfax ably and enchantingly upends any and all old-fashioned notions about Eastern European food. English pea pelmeni in carrot-infused dough with chive smetana and snap pea foam? Sour cherry borscht with braised duck and trumpet mushrooms? Rabbit meatloaf in tarragon-Madeira gravy with parsnip puree and golden raisin ketchup? Monkfish paprikash with pickled golden beets and braised greens? Expect the unexpected to be sure — and the same goes for the horilka-splashed cocktail list.
8 p.m.: Alma Fonda Fina
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In Denver, there’s no such thing as too much Mexican food, so have dinner number two at Johnny Curiel’s stylish and soulful hot spot in LoHi. Although there are a couple of tacos on the menu, the emphasis here is on thoughtfully conceived and sharply presented plates like agave-roasted sweet potato with broken salsa macha and fennel-whipped requesón; adobo-seared hamachi aguachile with roasted pineapple and tepache oil; and sopes topped with pasilla-rubbed short rib, avocado puree, pickled red onions, and crema agria. Wine from Baja California ties it all together beautifully.
10:30 p.m.: Kumoya, Bar Kumo
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Starting at 10 p.m., the action at this Japanese stunner a couple of blocks away from Alma shifts to its moody adjacent lounge, Bar Kumo, where the cocktails have flair to spare — consider the Endo with mezcal, gin, elderflower, saffron, and snap pea or the Umami with mushroom rum, shoyu, black garlic, and sesame — alongside flights of sake or Japanese whisky. Hunger’s probably not an issue at this point, but still, the late-night menu will be no less tempting, ranging from Spam musubi to skewers to noodles (not counting the secret ramen — just say the word).
12 a.m.: Yacht Club
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Up for one last hurrah? Make it this banger in the Cole neighborhood, whose divey vibes belie the experience, skill, and imagination of the crackerjacks behind the bar. Maybe the moment calls for an H.V.R. Water with silver tequila, Fino Sherry, dill, mint, lemon, black pepper, and buttermilk or a Laughing Bones with mezcal, Manzanilla, green pineapple, celery, and curry leaf. Maybe it calls for a bottle of grower Champagne — or even just a Miller High Life. Whatever the case, it certainly calls for a toast to making the most of a day in the Mile High City.
Need more eating inspiration? Check out Denver’s 38 Essential Restaurants as well as the hottest new spots.