Denver, CO

A guide to Denver organized by neighborhood—breweries, restaurants, and things to do around town.

General Denver

Call Your Mother Bagels

Top 3 bagel I've ever had. Lindsey and I go here a few times a month. Multiple locations around town.

Illegal Pete's

Denver's version of Chipotle/Qdoba—in my opinion 10x better. Great margs and bar scene.

Sweet Cow

Awesome ice cream. Plenty of locations around Denver.

Union Station

Cool area by the ballpark where all the public transit routes converge. Tons of bars, restaurants, and shops.

Colorado Rockies

They're really bad at baseball, but it's an amazing stadium with a great view. Worst team ever. Literally.

Breweries

Great Divide

Denver Beer Co

Lowry Beer Garden

Awesome outdoor area in an old air force base. Cool park nearby to walk around. Good coffee next door (Copper Door?). There's a Mexican joint and Officers Club restaurant right there too.

Cerebral Brewing

We usually pair up a Cerebral stop with Blue Pan (walking distance). Put your name in at Blue Pan and walk up to Cerebral for a beer while you wait.

Airport Adjacent

The airport area is kind of tough, but these are 15–20 mins from DIA and get you out of the cruft. You could also take the train downtown from DIA if you didn't want to drive anywhere.

Stanley Market

Probably 20 minutes from the airport. Cool shops and restaurants, easy to walk around and see some stuff.

Gaylord Rockies (Great Wolf Lodge area)

It's a crazy hotel, but they have a cool bar and decent food if you're trapped out by the airport.

FlyteCo Tower

In an old airport control tower. They have a brewery and other items on draft. Food is "good bar food." Also have bowling and activities. Closer to Stanley Market—could do both. I think there's also a Call Your Mother here.

South Broadway

Joy Hill Pizza

Cool vibe, good pizza, good drinks.

Dive Inn

Dive bar with a boat in it. Cool vibe.

LoHi (Lower Highlands)

Alma Fonda Fina

Amazing quaint little restaurant with Mexican-ish inspired food. Lindsey and my favorite in Denver. Must get the sweet potatoes (no shit) and the avocado margs. We usually split another plate or two—with margs, 2 of us are out of there for $120–$150. Requires a reservation, but happy hour and open seating on the patio if you get lucky.

El Five

Awesome view of downtown and great cocktails. The piaya and tapas are amazing, serves 2–3 people. It's on the 5th floor of the building—just jump on the elevator and take it to floor 5. Sometimes there's a host on the bottom floor to direct you.

Happy Camper

Great cocktails and pizza, fun vibe that is "inside/outside."

Avanti

Across the street from Happy Camper. Food hall with good cocktails and great view from the rooftop.

5 Points / RiNo (River North)

Cart Driver

Gets a ton of press and people really like it, but I think it's a bit overrated. See Walnut Room below.

Dio Mio

Squid ink pasta is to die for. I don't think they do reservations—expect a line to place your order at the counter. Grab a bottle of wine and sniff out a table to hang in a cool area and eat great pasta.

RiNo Beer Garden

Best happy hour in Denver, I think—2 for 1 beers, great outdoor area, general bar food. 50 taps or so.

Walnut Room Pizza

The Cassino's of Denver. Awesome little bar with great pizza. Golf simulators and darts in the back room.

Cherry Creek & North Cherry Creek

Hapa Sushi

Landlocked state sushi? You betcha. Cool vibe especially at night—they'll have a DJ. The Hapa beer is a rice lager from Denver Beer Co. Good sushi.

Quality Italian

I go here for my birthday every year. Get the chicken parmesan pizza ($80)—so worth it. One pizza feeds 5–6 people probably. It's amazing. Probably need a reservation.

Cherry Cricket

Awesome Denver burger bar. Cool vibe inside feels like the 70s. I think there's a few locations now, maybe one at Union Station? The one in Cherry Creek is the one to go to.

Blue Pan Pizza

Denver classic, won some awards. Deep dish and tavern style pizza, good beers.

Campus Lounge

Old school bar with good chicken wings.

Sights & Entertainment

Denver Botanic Gardens

Awesome place to kill a few hours and walk around to see some amazing flowers and plants. Really well done—has inside and outside areas, water features, cool buildings and sculptures.

Yeti & Tecovas

Yeti removed their bar 😬, but these two stores are cool to check out.