Boulder, COMy home for a dozen or so yearsUpdated 2026-03-09Must Go (10)Activities (3)Bars (4)Breweries (3)Coffee (1)Restaurants (19)Shops (1)Must Go Spots(10)Avanti Food and Beverage BoulderMust GoBarsGo to the 4th floor for great views of the Flatirons and good cocktails. Food hall downstairs—order food and take it upstairs. Recommend Newyorkese for pizza, but all the stalls get good reviews.Chautauqua ParkMust GoActivitiesFun area on the southwest side of town. Cute general store and very popular hiking area.McGuckin HardwareMust GoShopsThe craziest ACE Hardware you've ever been to. Boulder staple—must go and walk around. Great dog section.Ozo CoffeeMust GoCoffeeFour locations (two on Pearl Street). Must go—highly recommended coffee and good vibes. The Flatiron Court location is right next to Upslope Brewery (might only be open weekdays).Sweet CowMust GoRestaurantsVery good ice cream and sweet bites. Two locations—north and south Boulder.T/acoMust GoRestaurantsGreat little Mexican restaurant with amazing margs and a cool, laid-back atmosphere.The Boulder Dushanbe TeahouseMust GoRestaurantsOriginally built in our sister city in Asia and shipped to Boulder. Ornate building offering tea and light bites. The chai is supposed to be amazing.The Post ColoradoMust GoRestaurantsThe burger and chicken sandwich are very good. Fried chicken is gluten free—no shit. Small patio right on the sidewalk for people watching.The SinkMust GoRestaurantsA classic Boulder college bar. Great pizza and sandwiches. Unique setting in the basement of a building with a nice patio outside.Upslope BrewingMust GoBreweriesTwo locations—one up north and one out east. The one out east is their flagship, but the one up north is cool too. Great beer, dog-friendly patio. The east location has a sandwich place inside.All PlacesAvanti Food and Beverage BoulderMust GoBarsGo to the 4th floor for great views of the Flatirons and good cocktails. Food hall downstairs—order food and take it upstairs. Recommend Newyorkese for pizza, but all the stalls get good reviews.Avery BrewingBreweriesOne giant location up north—the mecca of "local" beer. Free audio tours available. Great dog-friendly patio, and there's a fun dog park across the street.BarchettaRestaurantsCool location in an old garage, good pizza that's a little pricey for what it is. The hand washing experience there is bar-none—worth stopping by just to grab a beer and wash your hands. I'm not kidding.Blackbelly Market & RestaurantRestaurantsCool butcher shop and restaurant with great cocktails. Inside is dimly lit, back patio is fine. Breakfast burritos (same as Santo) are bomb.Celestial SeasoningsActivitiesOffers free tours (unsure when)—gets great reviews. Must see/experience the "mint room." Might still be closed from COVID, unsure.Chautauqua ParkMust GoActivitiesFun area on the southwest side of town. Cute general store and very popular hiking area.Flagstaff HouseRestaurantsI've never been but the views are supposed to be superb. Expensive/fancy but happy hour is supposedly good.Foolish Craig's CafeRestaurantsOne of my and Lindsey's favorite breakfasts in Boulder. Get here early—the line can get long. Next to Ozo, so easy to put your name in and grab a coffee next door. Bar is open seating with fast service.Half Fast SubsRestaurantsIllegal Pete'sRestaurantsA way better version of Chipotle. Great margs.JapangoRestaurantsOut of the few sushi options on Pearl Street, this is my favorite. Cool aquarium full of squids inside.McGuckin HardwareMust GoShopsThe craziest ACE Hardware you've ever been to. Boulder staple—must go and walk around. Great dog section.Mount SanitasActivitiesI used to run this trail a lot—awesome views up top. Dog friendly.Ozo CoffeeMust GoCoffeeFour locations (two on Pearl Street). Must go—highly recommended coffee and good vibes. The Flatiron Court location is right next to Upslope Brewery (might only be open weekdays).Pasta Jay'sRestaurantsBoulder staple for Italian food. Not my favorite, but very classic Boulder vibe.Pearl Street Pub & CellarBarsDive bar central—go downstairs to play games. Don't forget to kiss the buffalo.Pizzeria AlbericoRestaurantsUnlike the other Locale locations, this is a wine and pizza restaurant vs. fast casual. Very good pizza and apps.Proto's PizzaRestaurantsUp north, very cool spot with great staff and wood-fired pizza.Rayback CollectiveBarsOutside food truck venue with a good beer list and cocktails. Dog-friendly patio.Rio Grande Mexican RestaurantRestaurantsBasic Mexican fare in an old renovated garage. Awesome views on the patio upstairs if it's nice outside.SantoRestaurantsActually a "New Mexican" restaurant. Cute inside, good margs, different food (but very yummy).Sherpa's Adventure Restaurant and BarRestaurantsDumplings and noodles in a quaint cottage.Sweet CowMust GoRestaurantsVery good ice cream and sweet bites. Two locations—north and south Boulder.T/acoMust GoRestaurantsGreat little Mexican restaurant with amazing margs and a cool, laid-back atmosphere.The Bitter BarBarsDimly lit cocktail bar, great for a nightcap on Pearl.The Boulder Dushanbe TeahouseMust GoRestaurantsOriginally built in our sister city in Asia and shipped to Boulder. Ornate building offering tea and light bites. The chai is supposed to be amazing.The Buff RestaurantRestaurantsGreat breakfast, good breakfast cocktails. Show up early—lines can get long. Boulder staple.The Post ColoradoMust GoRestaurantsThe burger and chicken sandwich are very good. Fried chicken is gluten free—no shit. Small patio right on the sidewalk for people watching.The SinkMust GoRestaurantsA classic Boulder college bar. Great pizza and sandwiches. Unique setting in the basement of a building with a nice patio outside.Upslope BrewingMust GoBreweriesTwo locations—one up north and one out east. The one out east is their flagship, but the one up north is cool too. Great beer, dog-friendly patio. The east location has a sandwich place inside.Wild Provisions by 4 Noses Brewing CompanyBreweries
Avanti Food and Beverage BoulderMust GoBarsGo to the 4th floor for great views of the Flatirons and good cocktails. Food hall downstairs—order food and take it upstairs. Recommend Newyorkese for pizza, but all the stalls get good reviews.
Chautauqua ParkMust GoActivitiesFun area on the southwest side of town. Cute general store and very popular hiking area.
McGuckin HardwareMust GoShopsThe craziest ACE Hardware you've ever been to. Boulder staple—must go and walk around. Great dog section.
Ozo CoffeeMust GoCoffeeFour locations (two on Pearl Street). Must go—highly recommended coffee and good vibes. The Flatiron Court location is right next to Upslope Brewery (might only be open weekdays).
Sweet CowMust GoRestaurantsVery good ice cream and sweet bites. Two locations—north and south Boulder.
T/acoMust GoRestaurantsGreat little Mexican restaurant with amazing margs and a cool, laid-back atmosphere.
The Boulder Dushanbe TeahouseMust GoRestaurantsOriginally built in our sister city in Asia and shipped to Boulder. Ornate building offering tea and light bites. The chai is supposed to be amazing.
The Post ColoradoMust GoRestaurantsThe burger and chicken sandwich are very good. Fried chicken is gluten free—no shit. Small patio right on the sidewalk for people watching.
The SinkMust GoRestaurantsA classic Boulder college bar. Great pizza and sandwiches. Unique setting in the basement of a building with a nice patio outside.
Upslope BrewingMust GoBreweriesTwo locations—one up north and one out east. The one out east is their flagship, but the one up north is cool too. Great beer, dog-friendly patio. The east location has a sandwich place inside.
Avanti Food and Beverage BoulderMust GoBarsGo to the 4th floor for great views of the Flatirons and good cocktails. Food hall downstairs—order food and take it upstairs. Recommend Newyorkese for pizza, but all the stalls get good reviews.
Avery BrewingBreweriesOne giant location up north—the mecca of "local" beer. Free audio tours available. Great dog-friendly patio, and there's a fun dog park across the street.
BarchettaRestaurantsCool location in an old garage, good pizza that's a little pricey for what it is. The hand washing experience there is bar-none—worth stopping by just to grab a beer and wash your hands. I'm not kidding.
Blackbelly Market & RestaurantRestaurantsCool butcher shop and restaurant with great cocktails. Inside is dimly lit, back patio is fine. Breakfast burritos (same as Santo) are bomb.
Celestial SeasoningsActivitiesOffers free tours (unsure when)—gets great reviews. Must see/experience the "mint room." Might still be closed from COVID, unsure.
Chautauqua ParkMust GoActivitiesFun area on the southwest side of town. Cute general store and very popular hiking area.
Flagstaff HouseRestaurantsI've never been but the views are supposed to be superb. Expensive/fancy but happy hour is supposedly good.
Foolish Craig's CafeRestaurantsOne of my and Lindsey's favorite breakfasts in Boulder. Get here early—the line can get long. Next to Ozo, so easy to put your name in and grab a coffee next door. Bar is open seating with fast service.
JapangoRestaurantsOut of the few sushi options on Pearl Street, this is my favorite. Cool aquarium full of squids inside.
McGuckin HardwareMust GoShopsThe craziest ACE Hardware you've ever been to. Boulder staple—must go and walk around. Great dog section.
Ozo CoffeeMust GoCoffeeFour locations (two on Pearl Street). Must go—highly recommended coffee and good vibes. The Flatiron Court location is right next to Upslope Brewery (might only be open weekdays).
Pasta Jay'sRestaurantsBoulder staple for Italian food. Not my favorite, but very classic Boulder vibe.
Pearl Street Pub & CellarBarsDive bar central—go downstairs to play games. Don't forget to kiss the buffalo.
Pizzeria AlbericoRestaurantsUnlike the other Locale locations, this is a wine and pizza restaurant vs. fast casual. Very good pizza and apps.
Rayback CollectiveBarsOutside food truck venue with a good beer list and cocktails. Dog-friendly patio.
Rio Grande Mexican RestaurantRestaurantsBasic Mexican fare in an old renovated garage. Awesome views on the patio upstairs if it's nice outside.
SantoRestaurantsActually a "New Mexican" restaurant. Cute inside, good margs, different food (but very yummy).
Sweet CowMust GoRestaurantsVery good ice cream and sweet bites. Two locations—north and south Boulder.
T/acoMust GoRestaurantsGreat little Mexican restaurant with amazing margs and a cool, laid-back atmosphere.
The Boulder Dushanbe TeahouseMust GoRestaurantsOriginally built in our sister city in Asia and shipped to Boulder. Ornate building offering tea and light bites. The chai is supposed to be amazing.
The Buff RestaurantRestaurantsGreat breakfast, good breakfast cocktails. Show up early—lines can get long. Boulder staple.
The Post ColoradoMust GoRestaurantsThe burger and chicken sandwich are very good. Fried chicken is gluten free—no shit. Small patio right on the sidewalk for people watching.
The SinkMust GoRestaurantsA classic Boulder college bar. Great pizza and sandwiches. Unique setting in the basement of a building with a nice patio outside.
Upslope BrewingMust GoBreweriesTwo locations—one up north and one out east. The one out east is their flagship, but the one up north is cool too. Great beer, dog-friendly patio. The east location has a sandwich place inside.