Top 5 Foodie Things to do in Denver
Looking for foodie things to do in Denver? The Mile-High City has an awesome food scene with vibrant restaurants, cool craft beers and Rocky Mountain views!
Denver is a pedestrian-friendly urban playground packed with opportunities for adventure. Denver has it all – from nearby hiking and biking to live music, art, theater, seven professional sports teams, shopping and, of course, stellar food and drink. Soak up the city’s 300 days of sunshine each year, not to mention thrilling Rocky Mountain views. Take in a concert under the stars at the breathtaking Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre. Along the way, be sure to stop for plenty of fuel, in the form of the memorable food and drink offered at Denver’s many culinary hot spots.
Here’s a flavour of foodie thing to do in Denver…
- Farm-to-table dining al fresco
With 300 days of sunshine, Denver’s patios are the perfect place to enjoy the local food & drink! Denver’s farm-to-table dining scene is hot in places like Larimer Square where Victorian buildings are now home to boutique shops, wine bars and restaurants, or in historic Denver Union Station which has become a hotspot for innovative cuisine and old-fashioned elegance. The station is a fun gathering place for locals and visitors – eat a breakfast burrito at Snooze, sip a beer at the Terminal Bar, sample the locally sourced cuisine at one of the unique restaurants, shop a bit or have a hand-mixed cocktail at Cooper Lounge. Or, check out the unique eateries in adjacent neighborhoods like Linger and El Five with expansive rooftop views in LoHi (Lower Highlands) or check out RiNo (River North) Art District’s Work & Class and Super Mega Bien with Latin and American culinary influences.
- Urban food halls in Denver’s unique neighborhoods
Denver Milk Market is located in LoDo (Lower Downtown), the hip historic district, connected to The Maven Hotel and adjacent to Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies baseball team. The 16 concepts within the hall each have their own style and theme, presenting food lovers with a range of choices such as crepes, pizza, pasta, salads and seafood. Access four of the venues from handy walk-up windows along the Dairy Block’s activated alleyway. Head to RiNo and check out Denver Central Market amidst colorful street art murals or The Source Hotel & Market Hall, a collection of 25 artisans including a bakery, pizzeria, barbeque all connected to a hip hotel. Inspired by European markets and food truck roundups, the visionaries behind Avanti F and B converted a building that previously housed a printer in the Lower Highlands neighborhood. Seven different restaurant concepts are housed in modified shipping containers and share comfy and attractive common space, including dining areas, two bars and a terrific rooftop with views.
- Denver Beer Trail
Denver is home to approximately 150 craft breweries, many within walkable distance of each other in the centre. Each is a little different, but makes and pours its own drinkable ales. Wynkoop Brewing Company was Denver’s first brewpub when it opened in 1988 (in a renovated warehouse dating to 1899), and entices customers with 22 pool tables, as well as its beverages. Denver Beer Co. in the Riverfront area northwest of Downtown sells an ever-changing line-up of brews and has a patio with lovely views of the city, as does the popular Great Divide Brewery. Blue Moon was born in Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies baseball team and now Blue Moon Brewing Company serves their classic Belgian white along with many creative brews in their new RiNo taproom. And all of these beer havens are featured on the Denver Beer Trail, a guide to some of the city’s best craft breweries.
- Wineries & distilleries
Those not just here for the beer can find locally distilled spirits at Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey, which is open for tastings just south of downtown, and at Leopold Bros, which treads the same line in northeast Denver. And, perhaps unexpectedly, travellers can also find wine in the city – notably at the Infinite Monkey Theorem Winery in RiNo, which sources fruit from Colorado’s Western Slope and opens their tasting room to the public. Bigsby’s Folly Craft Winery is an eco-friendly operation in a modern industry chic tasting room in RiNo.
- Guided food & drink tours
Leave it to the craft beer experts and take a guided brewery tour on foot with Denver Microbrew Tour or via a private tuk tuk with Etuk Ride. Let a local guide lead you off the beaten path and introduce you to delicious local dishes while dishing about Denver’s rich history, art and architecture with Delicious Denver Food Tours. Visiting and local foodies alike will eat up neighborhood walking tours from the state’s longest-running food tour operator, Local Table Tours.
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