Eating & Drinking Your Way Through Denver: 4 Stops You Absolutely Must Make

Last week, I took a sort of impromptu trip to Denver with my two best friends. Flights to the city from my home airport were exceedingly cheap, and after months of work-related stress and general burnout, it was time to get the hell out of Dallas, Texas, and into a more beautiful setting.

As with every vacation, the restaurants are just as important as any sightseeing. Sure, I wanted to drive by Union Station and check out Coors Field, but every meal had to be carefully planned before I even got on the plane. After an exhaustive search through Yelp!, restaurant reviews, and local listings, I compiled a list of 17 Denver restaurants and somehow managed to whittle it down to these five essentials.

These spots aren’t necessarily the newest or the trendiest, but they’re solid stops for any traveler who’s looking for a great bite while they’re in Denver. Ranging from cocktail bars to an restaurant in a converted mortuary, there’s something for every palate, budget, and foodie that is making their way to the Mile High City.

Cocktails at Williams & Graham

When you first arrive at Williams & Graham, a Prohibition-style speakeasy, you might think that you’ve wandered into the wrong place. A nondescript reception area with a hostess looks more like a bookstore than bar lobby, until you’re whisked back through the bar’s secret door that is cleverly disguised as—you guessed it—a bookshelf. Once you’re inside, you can sit at the bar and sip from an extremely progressive menu of cocktails. I tried The Princess Bride, made with Bols yogurt, cranberry-rosemary infused local vodka, Strega, Licor 43, and egg white, and was extremely surprised that someone could make a yogurt-infused cocktail so drinkable.

Most Popular

The bar food here is also particularly refined, served in small plates that are perfect for sharing. A plate of black tea smoked quail served with braised greens and a cornbread cake was especially delicious, along with a massive serving of roasted bone marrow topped with bacon jam. Other highlights include housemade pork chiccharones and seared foie gras with blackberry gastrique and hazelnuts.

Breakfast at Voodoo Doughnut

Flickr/BrendanGates

Portland-based Voodoo Doughnut has quite the reputation for their funky and delicious creations, but the Colfax Avenue shop in Denver has taken a little inspiration from the city’s newly-legal recreational products. For just a few bucks, you can pick up a “Blazer Blunt,” or yeast doughnut rolled to resemble a marijuana blunt and then dipped in cinnamon-sugar and red sprinkles (on just the tip!) to complete the authentic look. If you’re more interested in Voodoo’s wackier doughnuts, try the Grape Ape, topped with surprisingly good vanilla icing, grape dust (it tastes like Kool-Aid powder), and lavender sprinkles. Voodoo Doughnut is cash only, but it’s open 24-7 and always convenient.

Lunch at Linger

It isn’t often that restaurants are housed in buildings that once housed the dead, but there’s nothing really common about LoHi eatery Linger. Opened in the building that was formerly home to the Olinger Mortuary, Linger has kept more than just their perfect double-entendre name from the original establishment. The interior is industrial but cozy, and a massive old Olinger Mortuary sign hangs on the top of building to let you know that you’re in the right place.

Once you’ve made your way in, you’ll notice that the menu is divided into categories that represent global and regional cuisines. The Asian options are particularly strong, especially the “hangover ramen.” Served with duck confit, deliciously crisp bites of pork belly, pickled vegetables, and mushrooms, this bowl is aptly named, perfect for a late morning lunch after a long night of drinking at altitude. The real star of the hangover ramen is a shoyu-poached egg, served with a rich and creamy yolk that will leave you thinking about it hours later.

Late Night Eats at Euclid Hall

Every city has a great gastropub or two, but Euclid Hall’ s modern bar fare is worth a stop. In one of the most interesting dishes of my entire trip, I had “steak & doughnuts,” or perfectly-seared slices of tri-tip steak served with the most interesting side dish I think I’ve ever had—a savory celeriac doughnut. The doughnut tasted a bit like a hushpuppy, but still had the crisp exterior and fluffy middle that you’ve come to expect from sweet doughnuts. Used to mop up a little of the dish’s stout-infused demi-glace, I began to hope that savory doughnuts are part of a new food trend that will soon take off.

Not every dish at Euclid Hall was a success—the poutine was sloppy and over-sauced, and a housemade pickle sampler was too small to really even share, even though the pickles themselves (hops-infused, spicy, and bread & butter) were incredibly good. Should you find yourself in Larimer Square in need of a few drunk eats after the bar, Euclid Hall is a solid option, far better than many of the city’s other late night choices. The selection of craft beers and cocktails is strong, too.

Amy McCarthy is Paste’s Assistant Food Editor. You can find her yelling about various things on Twitter @aemccarthy.