The places in Denver the guidebooks miss.
The places in Denver the guidebooks miss. locals-only counters, after-hours rooms and the spots tourists walk past.
Why locals love it: Five Points' Caribbean and soul food kitchen, run by the Smith family since 1986, in a neighborhood most visitors skip.
Tip: The Tropical Banquet plate (jerk chicken, oxtail and rice) is the must-order; the kitchen runs Wednesday to Sunday.
Why locals love it: Aurora Ethiopian dining room with a tightly-curated menu, in a corridor of East African kitchens most Denver guides skip entirely.
Tip: Order the Konjo combination platter (samples 6 dishes) for the table; ask for it spicy if you want the real heat level.
Why locals love it: Five Points bagel shop with NYC-style water-boiled bagels, a Denver-corrected New York deli the city's mid-Atlantic transplants treat as essential.
Tip: The everything bagel with house-made lox is the most ordered; the matzoh ball soup runs the lunch trade.
Why locals love it: Federal Boulevard Mexican-American kitchen with a counter-service approach to enchiladas and tacos, a Mile High family room since 1996.
Tip: The smothered cheese enchilada plate and the bean tostada are the room's most ordered items; the salsa bar has six house salsas.
Peak food season in Denver is year-round.
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Denver rewards trust.