Bison appears across Fort Collins menus as short ribs, burgers and roasts, the state's heritage protein cooked with more sweetness and less fat than beef.
Where to eat it: 2 restaurants across 1 city.
Bison ranching returned to Colorado's grasslands in the twentieth century, and CSU's agricultural orbit keeps the supply chain close to Fort Collins. The Emporium Kitchen and Wine Market braises bison short ribs inside the Elizabeth Hotel, while Austin's American Grill runs bison plates beside its open-flame rotisserie on Mountain Avenue. Leaner than beef with a faintly sweet, iron-rich depth, bison rewards long braises and careful grilling, and locals treat it as the default special-occasion red meat.
Tip from the editors. Braise in amber ale rather than red wine; the malt sweetness flatters bison where tannin fights it.
The Emporium Kitchen and Wine Market serves brasserie plates and bison short ribs inside Fort Collins' Elizabeth Hotel, with a retail wine wall to browse.
Tip: Late-night menu runs to 23:00 nightly and the Bowerbird coffee counter opens at 06:00, so it covers both ends of the day.
Austin's American Grill roasts and grills over an open flame on Mountain Avenue in Fort Collins, bison plates and cast-iron cornbread with honey butter.
Signature: Rotisserie chicken, Cast-iron cornbread
Order: Open-flame rotisserie chicken with the skillet cornbread
Tip: The cast-iron skillet cornbread with honey butter is the non-negotiable side; a second branch sits out on Harmony Road.
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