While utterly succulent carnitas are this Arvada gem’s claim to fame, the whole menu’s a treasure trove of recipes derived from the owners’ upbringing in Michoacán — from aporreadillo (a homey mixture of beef jerky and scrambled egg in tomato sauce) to morisqueta (pinto beans and rice topped with fried pork, green chile, and queso fresco) to enchiladas la huacana, which come smothered in a pasilla chile sauce alongside roasted chicken on the bone. Meanwhile, cocktails like the Cactus Blossom with mezcal and prickly pear puree are as refreshing as the service is attentive.

Open for breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Friday, this RiNo venture run by the nonprofit Focus Points Family Resource Center gives aspiring women entrepreneurs from local immigrant and refugee communities the tools to run their own kitchen — matching its menu to its mission. Though dishes from other countries often enter the rotation, Mexican food is Comal’s bread and butter (or handmade tortillas and salsa, as the case may be): Depending on the season, the selection might include chicken in pipián verde (pumpkinseed mole), pork ribs in salsa roja, and/or camarones a la diabla in addition to staples like breakfast burritos and tacos.

Among the leaders of Denver’s surprisingly solid pack of Mexican seafood specialists, this casual Sunnyside hideaway does it all with a small but kind and hard-working staff: aguachile, cocteles, botanas, ceviche, caldos, molcajetes, and more positively teeming with mariscos, as well as grilled and fried fish dishes. (Bonus points for the irresistible goat birria tacos.)

This family-run Highland fixture (with outposts in Villa Park and Aurora) puts the culinary traditions of Mexico City front and center on its wide-ranging menu. Highlights include the huaraches — oblong masa flatbreads, which come topped with everything from steak and cactus to chicken and mushrooms — and alambres, mixed grills of meat or seafood, veggies, and cheese accompanied by tortillas.

Run by a couple from Chihuahua, this Golden getaway offers a seemingly straightforward menu of burritos, tacos, quesadillas, and the like day to day, but the secret to its success lies in its steady stream of creative specials: One day that might mean tacos dorados filled with mashed sweet potatoes, queso Oaxaca, and blistered chiles; the next, tamal-stuffed tortas; and the one after that, hibiscus-peach tacos with coconut and chipotle. Sealing the deal are margaritas infused with jalapeño and cilantro or kiwi and tamarind, a bevy of house-bottled salsas, and the signature flan de elote for dessert.

From terrific tacos to bang-up happy hour bargains, Jose Avila’s hopping Ballpark cantina has more than earned itself a spot on Eater Denver’s 38 Essential Restaurants — so it certainly belongs here too. First-timers had best order a bowl of the steaming, soothing signature pozole with any of five types of broth to find out what the fuss is all about; regulars may branch out from there to appetizers like the esquites with bone marrow or chorizo-stuffed plantains in mole rojo, hefty pambazos, and brunchtime specials such as the huarache al pastor with scrambled eggs and salsa verde.

The family who runs this colorful, artsy Jefferson Park charmer (complete with a lovely back patio) hails from Puebla, and it shows in a menu built around the region’s specialties. If “poblano” is in the dish description, be it mole or chicken-stuffed crêpes, it’s guaranteed to be worth a try, though the kitchen’s ultimate claim to fame is its festive chile en nogada — a roasted pepper stuffed with beef, fruit, and nuts beneath a pomegranate seed–sprinkled walnut cream sauce.

Corazon means “heart” in Spanish, which is something this beloved LoDo longtimer has plenty of: There’s a homemade (as opposed to housemade) quality to everything it serves — from addictive beef-and-bean dip to crispy chiles rellenos in thick, rust-colored Colorado-style green chile to pork chops smothered in ranchero sauce. Even more charming are the prices, which seem like throwbacks to the pre-pandemic era: Most entrees are under $16, and margaritas don’t crack the $9 mark.

Like its seafood-centric sibling El Coco Pirata — known for its Sinaloan-style sushi — this Aurora spot pays tribute to the traditions of the owners’ home region, though the menu here runs a much larger (and meatier) gamut. Look for items that mention either Sinaloa or the cities of Culicán or Mocorito by name — for instance, sopitas con huevos, which are similar to migas; chilaquiles with the simmered pork called chilorio; and shrimp-filled tacos el gobernador, not to mention soups and stews galore. Of course, the eponymous machaca (dried, shredded beef) also plays a role in several dishes.

From its singular green chile and impeccable beans and rice to its famous chile-relleno burrito and, of course, textbook-level tacos, there are myriad reasons this decades-old institution in the Santa Fe Arts District not only counts among Denver’s best Mexican restaurants but also regularly ranks on the Eater 38 — and boasts an America’s Classics Award from the James Beard Foundation to boot.

Think of this friendly, family-filled sleeper hit as two restaurants in one: One of two giant menus is devoted to all things masa-based, the other to mariscos. On the one hand, that means machetes, tlacoyos, sopes, memelas, gorditas, and still more items that start with corn dough — the majority of which come topped or stuffed with a choice of ingredients ranging from ultra-tender lamb barbacoa and sesos (cow brain) to huitlacoche and flor de calabaza (squash blossom). On the other hand, it means elaborate seafood cocteles and caldos, sparkling ceviches, grilled and fried whole fish — and, yes, still more. Come with a hungry horde.

Michoacán native Noe Bermudez combines the traditions of his home region with his own penchant for nutrition on an herbivore-friendly menu that’s supplemented by a vibrant selection of juice blends, aguas frescas, and smoothies. Signatures include the deeply savory sopa Tarasca (bean soup), tamales de elote, and seven-chile mole, but Bermudez’s vegetarian huaraches and enchiladas — loaded with the likes of cactus, carrots, potatoes, spinach, zucchini, and mushrooms — warrant mention too.

Bubbling and brimming with everything from steak, shrimp, and longaniza to cheddar, cotija, and panela cheese to black beans, cactus, and chayote squash, the molcajetes are a must at this hopping Bonnie Brae haunt — but so are handsomely presented appetizers such as the tamari- and Sriracha-marinated tuna tostada and the flautitas de pollo drizzled in macha salsa and poblano crema atop guacamole, especially when paired with smashing cocktails like the Rhubarb’s Ripost featuring raicilla, rhubarb liqueur, aquafaba, and dehydrated strawberry.

Named for the famous plaza in Mexico City where mariachi bands congregate, this surprise hit is located inside, of all places, an Englewood gas station. It’s known for its quesadilla-like, chicharrón- or veggie- filled quekas; tostadas, enchiladas, and more featuring blue corn and cactus; and sometime specials like lamb barbacoa, wings in mole rojo, and mango-topped corn custard — but it deserves equal recognition for its prompt and welcoming service.

Though it also offers tacos, gorditas, and weekend menudo, this Aurora quick stop is a torteria first and foremost — and a superlative one at that. The whizzes behind the counter whip up more than 20 different sandwiches complete with mayo, frijoles, tomato, onion, thinly sliced avocado, pickled carrots, and jalapeños, yet somehow, even monsters like the Super Cubana with breaded steak, chorizo, ham, pierna (pork leg), egg, and two types of cheese hold together.