Renowned equally for its intricate Friulian cuisine, a wine program created by partner and master sommelier Bobby Stuckey, and above-and-beyond service, this longtime Boulder destination creates the kind of experiences that make many a Coloradan’s bucket list. Multicourse tasting menus abound in seasonal intricacies that might at any given time include game such as venison and quail; unusual pastas like balanzoni or cjalsons; luxuries like caviar and truffles; and unexpected juxtapositions — lamb bacon and dates, black garlic and seaweed — while pairings are curated by some of the best in the business.

Attached to an artisan butcher shop and deli, Hosea Rosenberg’s ten-year-old contemporary American restaurant somehow just keeps getting better. The meat of the matter here is, well, meat itself, be it a charcuterie board; the signature steak tartare; or a market cut of lamb, pork, or beef. But the kitchen treats seasonal produce with equal respect: Take, for example, Mokum carrots a la plancha with green chermoula and toasted sunflower seeds or yellow jelly potatoes with pickled ramp aioli and black garlic vinaigrette. By day, the breakfast burritos have earned themselves a cult following — and the textbook Reuben deserves to (as Denverites are now discovering at Blackbelly’s new outpost in Berkeley).

For years, it’s been something of a Mile High rite of passage to endure the perpetual line at Liang’s Thai Food’s cart on the 16th Street Mall for a taste of its curries, stirfries, and noodles. But now, that time can be just as well spent making the drive to Liang’s year-old brick-and-mortar in Broomfield, where the slightly expanded menu includes crispy-edged chicken dumplings, classic papaya salad, boat noodle soup, and homemade coconut ice cream. The icing on the cake — or in this case the mango on the sticky rice — is that it’s open for dinner as well as lunch.

Plantains and palm hearts, prawns and peixe (fish), pickled peppers and Peruvian potatoes: For three decades and counting, this colorful portal to South America has been serving it all up in the form of seafood stews enriched with coconut milk and dende oil, slow-cooked meats flavored with saffron or Valencia oranges, and other delicacies of the region (as well as the chef’s imagination) alongside cocktails splashed with cachaça and rum — let the affable staff keep them coming.

Co-owner Ben Jacobs, a member of the Osage Nation, opened this fast-casual showcase of indigenous ingredients and recipes in 2008, and it’s been a Berkeley neighborhood fixture ever since. Fry bread, Indian tacos, and bowls based on native grains like wild rice and wheatberries form the core of a menu that’s as soulful as it is stick-to-your-ribs (speaking of which, the menu also features richly seasoned bison ribs that are not to be missed).

Part coffeehouse, part sandwich shop, part day-drinkers’ delight, this Sunnyside smash hit is above all more than the sum of its parts. Bangers like the Boujee (scrambled egg, whipped herbed feta, arugula, muhammara, za’atar on focaccia), the Ham + Cheese (pork belly, sharp cheddar, creamy collard greens, apple, and pickled mustard seeds on marble rye), and the mixed bag of fries make fast regulars of first-timers, who return again and again to hang out on the patio over, say, green chile Bloodies or Kool-Aid margaritas. Here’s a slice of neighborhood life.

Rich, heady with spices, and alternatively crisp, soft, and dripping with juice in all the right places, the birria tacos that captured the zeitgeist when Kiké’s launched as a food truck in 2020 are now on glorious display at its fast-casual brick-and-mortar in Sunnyside. The expanded menu includes quesadillas, tortas, burritos, and more, backed by an agave-centric cocktail list ranging from prickly pear–guava margaritas to spiked horchata.

The shining star of the Source Hotel in RiNo is a showcase for chef Alon Shaya’s robust brand of modern Israeli cuisine. No meal here would be complete without an order of the wood-fired pita with hummus and an array of salatim, or small plates, such as baba ghanoush and whipped feta with fig vinegar; from there, go for the duck matzo ball soup, the crispy eggplant layered with tomato and herbed goat cheese, and the pomegranate-braised lamb shank — signature dishes all.

Tommy Lee’s enduring RiNo favorite puts an exuberant modern spin on regional Chinese staples in an equally high-energy dining room. While all first-timers (if there are any left) should try the shrimp toast, Beijing duck roll, and bone marrow–fried rice, abundant seasonal and daily specials keep regulars coming back — whether for wok-fried catfish in oyster sauce and chili oil, black bean clams with charred scallion salsa verde, or foie gras–topped kaya toast at the reservation-only chef’s counter. The bar team is more than up to the pairing challenge the menu presents, known as they are for cocktails infused with Asian ingredients as well as a geeky selection of wines and ciders.

Though it’s a counter-service operation in a small, simple RiNo space, Spencer White and Alex Figura’s wildly popular pasta shop has proven itself far more vital to the neighborhood than any mere fast-casual joint could ever be (in fact, it has earned itself a sibling in the form of Redeemer Pizza a few blocks away). The compact menu over-delivers on intrigue for its size: While spaghetti and meatballs or cacio e pepe are always soothing options, it’s seasonal creations like squid ink cavatelli with pepperoni-clam ragu and wasabi–Calabrian chile breadcrumbs or garganelli with smoked pork shoulder, pickled plums, and horseradish-potato crumble, not to mention bold starters such as black butter-marinated artichoke hearts with oranges in olive sauce, that have earned Dio Mio its stripes. (The beverage list is equally stylish.)

No frills but all heart, this little soul food joint in Park Hill serves up pure comfort in the form of smothered pork chops, cornmeal-crusted catfish, gumbo, the hot wings implied by the name, and more — including trimmings like black-eyed peas, collard greens with smoked turkey, and peach cobbler. Come and get it.

Spuntino is a special place. Chef Cindhura Reddy’s cooking is at once polished and deeply soulful, as revealed by her modern Italian menu subtly strewn with Indian influences: elk tartare with toasted masala aioli and ajwain seed crisps here, malai kofta–inspired gnocchi there (and whatever the pasta dish featuring goat may be, get it). Her husband Elliot Strathmann, meanwhile, oversees one of the city’s most exciting beverage programs, painstakingly sourcing uncommon wines from small producers while making his own amari and liqueurs. And the couple’s passion for cuisine extends to their — and their dedicated staff’s — warm and genuine approach to hospitality.

Call it the “it” factor. With a rustic vibe and a come-as-you-are attitude, this modern izakaya has quickly become a home away from home for LoHi’s party people, who kick things off with cocktails like the Big Fat Old Fashioned featuring smoked bone marrow–washed bourbon before digging into a menu that’s full of adventurous twists and turns — from shaved broccoli miso goma with ham and burnt honey to pickled tofu bao with kimchi green tomatoes to congee with pork belly and collard greens. Sake bombs cap it all off with a bang.

If this LoHi bakery, cafe, and restaurant emanates eclectic energy from sunup to long past sundown, it’s all thanks to chef-owner Linda Hampsten Fox, as inexhaustible as she is imaginative. Influences as diverse as Italy, Israel, and Mexico reflect her globe-spanning career prior to settling here; they’re revealed by day in dishes like quinoa salad with roasted sunchokes, whipped tahini, and pumpkinseed pesto or duck hash with sweet potato, edamame, and squash and by night in seasonal creations ranging from scallop aguachile with strawberries, yuzu, and holy basil kombucha to roast chicken and radicchio flavored with sumac, urfa pepper, black garlic, and Aleppo chilis.

This place lives up to its name in spades. Alma is Spanish for “soul,” which emanates from every inch of the earth-toned decor, every interaction with the thoughtful staff, and every inspired bite of Mexican food that chef-owner Johnny Curiel and his team painstakingly present over the course of a meal here, be it diver scallop crudo in serrano ponzu and tomato butter, enmoladas de pollo in mole negro, or heritage pork shank with black bean puree and roasted habanero oil. No wonder seats at the chef’s counter may be the hottest ticket in town right now.

Though this (mostly) Asian Park Hill treasure is only open Tuesday–Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., chef Penelope Wong and her team make mighty good use of their time, whipping up not only dumplings galore but all sorts of regular specials: Depending on the day, that could mean bo luc lac (Vietnamese shaking beef), cong you bing (scallion pancake) with egg and chive, Taiwanese popcorn chicken with fries and Sichuan-pickled cucumbers, or classic char siu bao. There’s no better bet for a lunchtime breather these days.

Coming in hot with its signature pozole, made from house-nixtamalized heirloom hominy in a variety of broths, Jose Avila’s Ballpark banger doesn’t stop there — not for a moment. In a dimly lit, cantina-esque setting, the kitchen also specializes in guisados featuring ingredients like bone marrow, cochinita pibil, chayote squash, and even grasshopper served on tacos, pambazos, and more; puts its own spin on brunch Thursday through Sunday via items such as carne asada–topped huaraches and concha French toast; and rocks the trompo on Wednesdays, when al pastor or black grouper tacos come with a cocktail for $5–$7. And speaking of cocktails, the bar makes a mean mezcal margarita (among other agave-based libations).

While Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder (see above) may well be Colorado’s most famous dining destination, its Denver sibling is every bit as notable. Set on the Union Station platform in full view of the trains, the sleek restaurant and lounge takes a broader regional approach to Italian cuisine than its Friuli-focused sibling, proffering a seasonal menu that might find hamachi in acqua pazza with fennel, olives, and Calabrian chilies next to Puglian capunti with braised rabbit, English peas, and smoked ricotta salata next to classic bistecca alla Fiorentina; the splurge-worthy wine list naturally follows suit. And the service, of course, is as polished as the tableware.

As at sibling The Wolf’s Tailor (which also makes frequent appearances on this map), much of what drives the intricate, stunningly presented tasting menu at this intimate chef’s counter inside the Free Market in LoDo is a commitment to sustainability that manifests in everything from a meticulous approach to sourcing local and heritage ingredients to a low-waste program relying in large part on fermentation projects of all kinds. But Costa Rica-born chef/partner Byron Gomez’s global outlook and a wood-fired oven are also major sources of inspiration. Beyond that, no spoilers: Just come with an open mind, opt for the beverage pairings, and prepare for a fully multi-sensory experience.

What separates this steakhouse from the pack is a sense of playfulness that speaks to the moment. Against a backdrop that defies genre stereotypes in lively shades of green, the kitchen likewise upends expectations through the diversity of its influences — deftly supplementing those exquisite cuts of beef with, say, Mexican-style bay shrimp cocktail, maitake-porcini poutine, tamarind chutney–glazed rack of lamb with saag curry, and bacon-and-kimchi fried rice. But the real surprise here is happy hour, when the bar is hopping with those in the know chowing down on burgers and French dips at pre-pandemic prices.

It’s a nightly fiesta in here, thanks not least to a pan-Latin menu that’s tailor-made for sharing with friends, including dishes like the Brazilian fish stew moqueca de peixe; Mexican tlacoyos with cochinita pibil, habanero onions, salsa macha, and garlic crema; Puerto Rican mofongo with pork belly chicharron and herb salad; and an ever-changing, weekends-only paella. But the vibe also points to the colorful, come-one-come-all culture cultivated by partners Erasmo Casiano, Diego Coconati, and Michelle Nguyen, whose bar plays its part in the party too as it whips up kicky cocktails like the La Guadaña with mezcal, corn liqueur, Yellow Chartreuse, almond, and charred lime.

The words “Eastern European food” and “sexy” rarely appear in the same sentence, but this snug East Colfax charmer may change that. Even the humblest and heartiest of ingredients — cabbage and carrots, bulgur and buckwheat — get the gourmet treatment from endlessly creative chef-owner Bo Porytko and his team, who transform them into refined dishes like young potato borscht with pistachio-potato relish, egg yolk jam, crispy leeks, and sauerkraut powder or kielbasa-stuffed, buttermilk-fried quail with smoked beet-radish slaw, all of which pair perfectly with horilka-based cocktails and wines from, say, Slovenia and Serbia. Book seats at their counter for the ultimate intimate experience.

The light, bright flavors of Vietnam shine at Ni and Anna Nguyen’s white-hot East Colfax spot, where dishes like crispy pig ears in chili-ginger vinaigrette with peanuts and a soft egg; fried quail in hot sauce with coconut ranch; and charred cabbage with anchovy breadcrumbs and egg yolk have gained an instantly loyal following. Cheeky cocktails such as the gin-based Tiger’s Milk flavored with orange and dill complete the vibrant picture.

Long before farm-to-table cooking entered the mainstream, this Cap Hill gem practiced it. Since 1997, the kitchen has been building its menu around locally sourced ingredients to yield such microseasonal dishes as Maine halibut with spinach, rhubarb, and pea-shoot pistou; beet-chèvre souffle with honey-lemon vinaigrette and carrot chips; and the famous wintertime cassoulet. To pair with it all, the exceedingly thoughtful wine list focuses on off-the-beaten-path bottles from sustainable producers around the world (Colorado included).

Walk in a first-timer, walk out a family member: That’s what a meal at African Grill and Bar feels like. Owners Theo and Sylvester Osei-Fordwuo emanate warmth while also cooking dishes that showcase the diversity of regional African cuisine. For newcomers, fufu or red red with goat or oxtail are great places to start, cooled by the fresh ginger drink; regulars, meanwhile, tend to work their way through the menu until they’ve tried every last stew and staple starch.

With a second location on 6th Avenue, this casual South Broadway spot is no frills but all thrills when it comes to Indian cuisine. The extensive menu deftly covers all the usual suspects — biryani, tandoori, tikka masala, saag, vindaloo — along with some less familiar dishes such as rajma-and-aloo (kidney bean and potato) masala and Goan fish curry, as well as a couple of Nepalese staples. Start with a vibrant chaat like the Bombay bhel and be sure to work some lamb into the meal one way or another.

The name says a lot: This Aurora Korean joint makes its own tofu, so a bubbling bowl of stew featuring the soft, creamy stuff is a must. But it doesn’t tell the whole story of the menu, which also includes excellent seafood like soy sauce–marinated crab and braised, half-dried pollock with potatoes as well as staples such as spicy tteokbokki (rice cakes) and galbi jjim (short ribs). Wash it all down with soju or beer brewed by sibling Mono Mono in Lafayette.

Owned by a Moroccan family, this Hampden spot serves warming Middle Eastern plates in a modest but welcoming setting. Earthy lentil soup, pomegranate seed–topped baba ghanoush, crunchy-tender falafel, juicy chicken shawarma, rich braised lamb shank — it’s all here; just be sure to ask for a side of the wonderfully creamy house spinach too.