Do you have an anniversary, birthday, or other fun occasion to celebrate? Here are my go-to local restaurants for a celebration that we've personally enjoyed!
MY TOP PICKS
Frasca (Boulder)
Located in Boulder, Frasca is more than a meal—it's an experience. Their team will take incredible care of you while serving beautifully crafted food from Northern regional Italy.
Blackbelly (Boulder)
Love Top Chef? Hosea Rosenberg, a Top Chef winner, runs this restaurant. We've been enjoying the food at Blackbelly for years, and it's always spot-on and delicious. They serve food inspired by local ranchers and farmers. This restaurant is family-friendly.
Annette (Stapleton)
Nestled in the Stanley Marketplace, Annette offers stunning and delicious "scratch-to-table" and wood-fired food. The chef, Caroline Glover, is incredibly talented and has received many local and national accolades. We've taken our kids there when they were 7 and 10 and were comfortable having them there.
Fruition (Cherry Creek)
This restaurant is small and mighty. Tucked into a homey building in the Cherry Creek area, the chefs create contemporary American cuisine with seasonal ingredients. Their food is delicious and beautiful!
El Five (Downtown Denver)
This boisterous gem is located near Coors Field downtown. The menu is so enticing here that I'd like to simply order everything, and it's all delicious. This restaurant is the newest of these recommendations and offers a chic and swanky atmosphere.
Brasserie Brixton (RiNo)
This restaurant had been on our list for a very long time, and it was so spectacular that now I'm sad we didn't get there earlier! This unpretentious neighborhood restaurant has some of the best food we've had in Denver. There were four of us during our visit, so we had the luxury to order a lot of dishes and sample them together. Favorites included the wontons, burrata, pate, beef tartare, mussels, duck, and the Brixton burger. We finished with the delicious ricotta donuts.
Root Down (LoHi)
We've had several delicious meals here and highly recommend it for a fun night out. I'm using the description of the restaurant from the website because it fits the vibe perfectly!
Root Down’s fresh-from-the-earth menu and funky, mid-century details have earned it a cult following. Not just a restaurant, Root Down is a neighborhood nexus and sensory rabble-rouser … served with a spoonful of nostalgia. Think: seasonal flavor, bright-AF cocktails, gas station architecture, and offbeat ebay finds. Word! Eclectic is an understatement. But so is this: It’s sure to whet your appetite.
OTHER GREAT LOCAL OPTIONS
Flagstaff House (Boulder)
Hideaway Steakhouse (Northglenn)
Johnny's (Thornton, Kid Friendly)
Barolo Grill (Cherry Creek)
Safta (Downtown Denver)
Tavernetta (Union Station, Elem Age Kid Friendly)
If you want more options, my go-to resource for fantastic and popular restaurants is Eater Denver. Check out their Eater 38 list, filled with tried-and-true local restaurants for all budgets, and the Eater Heat List, filled with up-and-coming restaurants!
It's worth noting that, based on our personal experience, some restaurants on this list don't live up to the hype. We haven't had great experiences at Beckon, Bruto, or the Wolf's Tailor and were disappointed in our meals and experience.
Bon appetit!
