Denver, COBreweries, pizza, and neighborhood gems in the Mile High City.Updated 2026-03-24Must Go (13)Activities (3)Bars (4)Breweries (3)Restaurants (18)Shops (4)Must Go Spots(13)Alma Fonda FinaMust GoRestaurantsAmazing 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.AltenoMust GoRestaurantsModern Mexican with a polished interior and great cocktails.Blank BarbersMust GoShopsGet your ears lowered by Sasha at the wash park location, amazing service with vinyl spinning and a relaxed atmosphere.Blue Pan PizzaMust GoRestaurantsDenver classic, won some awards. Deep dish and tavern style pizza, good beers. We like to go to Cerebral then walk to the one on 12th Ave!Call Your Mother BagelsMust GoRestaurantsTop 3 bagel I've ever had. Lindsey and I go here a few times a month. Multiple locations around town—we prefer the Hilltop location.Cerebral BrewingMust GoBreweriesWe 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. We love the West Highlands location—they now have Outdoor Pizza and it's amazing food!Cherry CricketMust GoRestaurantsAwesome 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.Denver Botanic GardensMust GoActivitiesAwesome 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.Dio MioMust GoRestaurantsSquid 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.Lowry Beer GardenMust GoBarsAwesome outdoor area in an old air force base. This was mine and Lindsey's first date! Cool park nearby to walk around. Good coffee next door (Copper Door?). There's a Mexican joint and Officers Club restaurant right there too.North ItaliaMust GoRestaurantsSolid upscale Italian chain with a great happy hour. The pizza and pasta are both worth it.Union StationMust GoActivitiesCool area by the ballpark where all the public transit routes converge. Tons of bars, restaurants, and shops.Walnut Room PizzaMust GoRestaurantsThe Cassino's of Denver. Awesome little bar with great pizza. Golf simulators and darts in the back room.All PlacesAlma Fonda FinaMust GoRestaurantsAmazing 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.AltenoMust GoRestaurantsModern Mexican with a polished interior and great cocktails.Avanti Food and BeverageRestaurantsAcross the street from Happy Camper. Food hall with good cocktails and great view from the rooftop.Blank BarbersMust GoShopsGet your ears lowered by Sasha at the wash park location, amazing service with vinyl spinning and a relaxed atmosphere.Blue Pan PizzaMust GoRestaurantsDenver classic, won some awards. Deep dish and tavern style pizza, good beers. We like to go to Cerebral then walk to the one on 12th Ave!Call Your Mother BagelsMust GoRestaurantsTop 3 bagel I've ever had. Lindsey and I go here a few times a month. Multiple locations around town—we prefer the Hilltop location.Campus LoungeRestaurantsOld school bar with good chicken wings.Cart DriverRestaurantsGets a ton of press and people really like it, but I think it's a bit overrated. See Walnut Room below.Cerebral BrewingMust GoBreweriesWe 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. We love the West Highlands location—they now have Outdoor Pizza and it's amazing food!Cherry CricketMust GoRestaurantsAwesome 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.Colorado RockiesActivitiesThey're really bad at baseball, but it's an amazing stadium with a great view. Worst team ever. Literally.Denver Beer CoBreweriesDenver Botanic GardensMust GoActivitiesAwesome 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.Dio MioMust GoRestaurantsSquid 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.Dive InnBarsDive bar with a boat in it. Cool vibe.El FiveRestaurantsAwesome 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.FlyteCo TowerBarsIn 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 Marketplace—could do both. I think there's also a Call Your Mother here.Great Divide Brewery & RoadhouseBreweriesHapa Sushi Grill and Sake BarRestaurantsLandlocked 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. Multiple locations, but we prefer Cherry Creek—great happy hour.Happy CamperRestaurantsGreat cocktails and pizza, fun vibe that is "inside/outside."Illegal Pete'sRestaurantsDenver's version of Chipotle/Qdoba—in my opinion 10x better. Great margs and bar scene. We prefer the DTC location.Joy Hill PizzaRestaurantsCool vibe, good pizza, good drinks.Lowry Beer GardenMust GoBarsAwesome outdoor area in an old air force base. This was mine and Lindsey's first date! Cool park nearby to walk around. Good coffee next door (Copper Door?). There's a Mexican joint and Officers Club restaurant right there too.North ItaliaMust GoRestaurantsSolid upscale Italian chain with a great happy hour. The pizza and pasta are both worth it.Quality ItalianRestaurantsI 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.RiNo Beer GardenBarsBest happy hour in Denver, I think—2 for 1 beers, great outdoor area, general bar food. 50 taps or so.Stanley MarketplaceShopsProbably 20 minutes from the airport. Cool shops and restaurants, easy to walk around and see some stuff.Sweet CowRestaurantsAwesome ice cream. Plenty of locations around Denver.TecovasShopsCool boot and western wear store in Cherry Creek.Union StationMust GoActivitiesCool area by the ballpark where all the public transit routes converge. Tons of bars, restaurants, and shops.Walnut Room PizzaMust GoRestaurantsThe Cassino's of Denver. Awesome little bar with great pizza. Golf simulators and darts in the back room.YetiShopsYeti removed their bar 😬, but still a cool store to check out.
Alma Fonda FinaMust GoRestaurantsAmazing 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.
Blank BarbersMust GoShopsGet your ears lowered by Sasha at the wash park location, amazing service with vinyl spinning and a relaxed atmosphere.
Blue Pan PizzaMust GoRestaurantsDenver classic, won some awards. Deep dish and tavern style pizza, good beers. We like to go to Cerebral then walk to the one on 12th Ave!
Call Your Mother BagelsMust GoRestaurantsTop 3 bagel I've ever had. Lindsey and I go here a few times a month. Multiple locations around town—we prefer the Hilltop location.
Cerebral BrewingMust GoBreweriesWe 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. We love the West Highlands location—they now have Outdoor Pizza and it's amazing food!
Cherry CricketMust GoRestaurantsAwesome 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.
Denver Botanic GardensMust GoActivitiesAwesome 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.
Dio MioMust GoRestaurantsSquid 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.
Lowry Beer GardenMust GoBarsAwesome outdoor area in an old air force base. This was mine and Lindsey's first date! Cool park nearby to walk around. Good coffee next door (Copper Door?). There's a Mexican joint and Officers Club restaurant right there too.
North ItaliaMust GoRestaurantsSolid upscale Italian chain with a great happy hour. The pizza and pasta are both worth it.
Union StationMust GoActivitiesCool area by the ballpark where all the public transit routes converge. Tons of bars, restaurants, and shops.
Walnut Room PizzaMust GoRestaurantsThe Cassino's of Denver. Awesome little bar with great pizza. Golf simulators and darts in the back room.
Alma Fonda FinaMust GoRestaurantsAmazing 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.
Avanti Food and BeverageRestaurantsAcross the street from Happy Camper. Food hall with good cocktails and great view from the rooftop.
Blank BarbersMust GoShopsGet your ears lowered by Sasha at the wash park location, amazing service with vinyl spinning and a relaxed atmosphere.
Blue Pan PizzaMust GoRestaurantsDenver classic, won some awards. Deep dish and tavern style pizza, good beers. We like to go to Cerebral then walk to the one on 12th Ave!
Call Your Mother BagelsMust GoRestaurantsTop 3 bagel I've ever had. Lindsey and I go here a few times a month. Multiple locations around town—we prefer the Hilltop location.
Cart DriverRestaurantsGets a ton of press and people really like it, but I think it's a bit overrated. See Walnut Room below.
Cerebral BrewingMust GoBreweriesWe 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. We love the West Highlands location—they now have Outdoor Pizza and it's amazing food!
Cherry CricketMust GoRestaurantsAwesome 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.
Colorado RockiesActivitiesThey're really bad at baseball, but it's an amazing stadium with a great view. Worst team ever. Literally.
Denver Botanic GardensMust GoActivitiesAwesome 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.
Dio MioMust GoRestaurantsSquid 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.
El FiveRestaurantsAwesome 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.
FlyteCo TowerBarsIn 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 Marketplace—could do both. I think there's also a Call Your Mother here.
Hapa Sushi Grill and Sake BarRestaurantsLandlocked 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. Multiple locations, but we prefer Cherry Creek—great happy hour.
Illegal Pete'sRestaurantsDenver's version of Chipotle/Qdoba—in my opinion 10x better. Great margs and bar scene. We prefer the DTC location.
Lowry Beer GardenMust GoBarsAwesome outdoor area in an old air force base. This was mine and Lindsey's first date! Cool park nearby to walk around. Good coffee next door (Copper Door?). There's a Mexican joint and Officers Club restaurant right there too.
North ItaliaMust GoRestaurantsSolid upscale Italian chain with a great happy hour. The pizza and pasta are both worth it.
Quality ItalianRestaurantsI 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.
RiNo Beer GardenBarsBest happy hour in Denver, I think—2 for 1 beers, great outdoor area, general bar food. 50 taps or so.
Stanley MarketplaceShopsProbably 20 minutes from the airport. Cool shops and restaurants, easy to walk around and see some stuff.
Union StationMust GoActivitiesCool area by the ballpark where all the public transit routes converge. Tons of bars, restaurants, and shops.
Walnut Room PizzaMust GoRestaurantsThe Cassino's of Denver. Awesome little bar with great pizza. Golf simulators and darts in the back room.