The hill north-west of downtown across the Platte. Mister Oso, Linger, Root Down, El Five and Bar Dough cluster along 32nd and Pecos with patio-heavy tables and Front Range views.
Mister Oso in Denver is Blake Edmunds's playful Latin American room in RiNo, with masa tacos, Caribbean cocktails and a wood-grill program built around.
Signature: Octopus al pastor, Chicharron tacos, Steak frites tacos
Order: The octopus al pastor on a fresh blue-corn tortilla.
Tip: The patio runs three rounds of seating on summer nights; the bar walks in if you arrive by 5:30 pm. The taro chips are bottomless if you ask.
El Five in Denver is Justin Cucci's fifth-floor Highland tapas room with floor-to-ceiling views of downtown and the Front Range, a Mediterranean small-plates.
Signature: Pintxos and tapas, Lamb shawarma, Wood-grilled octopus
Order: The wood-grilled octopus and the lamb shawarma.
Tip: Sunset reservations book out a month in advance. The hidden side patio runs walk-ins; the elevator entrance is on Umatilla.
Linger in Denver is Justin Cucci's rooftop global street food room in the old Olinger Mortuary in Highland, with a 360-degree city view and a small-plates.
Signature: Banh mi, Bison meatballs, Pad Thai
Order: The bison meatballs and the banh mi sliders; the room's name is a play on the Olinger neon sign upstairs.
Tip: The rooftop patio is the room's draw; book by 5 pm or wait at the bar. Closed for service on Mondays in 2026.
Spuntino in Denver is Cindhura Reddy's Highland neighbourhood trattoria and gelateria since 2012, a tight pasta-and-aperitivo room with house-made gelato.
Signature: Hand-cut pastas, Burrata, Gelato
Order: The agnolotti and the ricotta gnudi.
Tip: The bar pours Italian aperitivos and a tight natural-wine list. Gelato counter is open to walk-ins after dinner service.
Bar Dough in Denver is Max MacKissock's wood-fired pizza and pasta room in Highland since 2015, with a Neapolitan-trained oven and house-made pastas.
Signature: Wood-fired pizza, Cacio e pepe, Burrata
Order: The cacio e pepe and a Margherita pizza; the kitchen runs daily seasonal pasta specials.
Tip: Walk-in at the bar usually works; the patio is busy on summer weekends. Brunch on Sunday with carbonara is a draw.
Root Down in Denver is Justin Cucci's vegetable-forward dining room in a former 1950s service station in Highland since 2008, with a patio that runs.
Signature: Veggie burger, Hummus plate, Sweet potato falafel
Order: The sweet potato falafel and the veggie burger; the bar runs an inventive cocktail menu with house syrups.
Tip: Brunch on weekends is the room's busiest service; the patio side runs walk-in until 5 pm.
Park Burger in Highland is Jean-Philippe Failyau's casual burger room with grass-fed Colorado beef, a Front Range mini-chain that began on Pearl Street.
Signature: Park Burger, Sweet potato fries, Truffle fries
Order: The Park Burger (classic with cheddar) and sweet potato fries; milkshakes are spiked with bourbon on weekends.
Tip: Walk-in; takeout via app. The Pearl Street original is two blocks from Sushi Den.
Highland Tap and Burger in Denver is Cory and Robbie Bonneau's Highland gastropub since 2011, a neighborhood beer bar with Colorado-bison burgers.
Signature: Bison burger, Cricket Burger, Cheese curds
Order: The bison burger with green chile, and the truffle fries; sister room Park Burger is two blocks west.
Tip: Walk-in; the patio is the room's draw, and the basement bar runs late.
Avanti F&B in LoHi is the two-floor collective eatery with a rooftop bar and seven kitchen stalls above Pecos Street, with a wide patio looking back at the downtown Denver skyline.
Tip: Bar runs late on Thursday through Saturday. The rooftop is heated for shoulder seasons; sunset is the move on summer evenings.
Linger in LoHi turned the old Olinger Mortuaries building into a global street-food kitchen and a rooftop bar built around a 1975 GMC RV, with downtown views across the Platte.
Tip: The rooftop runs seasonally and is partially covered and heated. Reserve weekend dinner online; the RV bar serves the rooftop patio direct.
Williams & Graham on Tejon Street fronts as a corner bookstore in LoHi. Pull Harry Craddock's Savoy Cocktail Book from the shelf and the bookcase slides open onto a 60-seat speakeasy.
Tip: Open 17:00-01:00 daily, no reservations. Walk in early on weeknights; weekend waits stretch to 90 minutes from 19:00.
My Brother's Bar at 15th and Platte has poured since 1873 as the oldest continuously operating bar in Denver, with a Jack Kerouac letter on the wall and a brick patio overlooking the Platte.
Tip: Open until midnight weekdays, 02:00 Friday and Saturday. The Johnny burger and JCB cheeseburger are the food orders; the jukebox is classical only.