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 room since 2017.
Signature dishes: Pintxos and tapas, Lamb shawarma, Wood-grilled octopus
Must order: The wood-grilled octopus and the lamb shawarma; the kitchen runs a tasting menu and Bottomless Brunch on weekends.
Tip: Sunset reservations book out a month in advance. The hidden side patio runs walk-ins; the elevator entrance is on Umatilla.
Address: 2930 Umatilla St, Denver, CO 80211
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 menu spanning Asia, Mexico and Mediterranean.
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.
Guard and Grace in Denver is Troy Guard's modern downtown steakhouse since 2014, with an in-house dry-ageing program and a Colorado wagyu and bison selection.
Signature: Dry-aged ribeye, Wagyu tasting, Tomahawk
Order: The 28-day dry-aged ribeye or the Snake River Farms wagyu tasting; pair with the truffle creamed corn and the wedge salad.
Tip: The downstairs lounge runs happy hour 4 to 6 pm with discounted steaks. Book the wine vault for a private steak dinner.
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 menu spanning Asia, Mexico and Mediterranean.
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.
The Buckhorn Exchange in Denver is the city's oldest steakhouse since 1893, holding Colorado liquor license number one and a game menu that includes elk, buffalo and rattlesnake.
Signature: Elk steak, Rocky Mountain oysters, Bison burger
Order: The elk steak or the buffalo prime rib, both on the menu since opening; the Rocky Mountain oysters are the room's calling card.
Tip: The dining room is the original 1893 saloon with mounted heads on every wall; second-floor lounge is quieter. Light rail stops 50 feet from the door.
Uchi in Denver is Tyson Cole's Hai Hospitality sushi room in RiNo since 2019, the Austin original's third location with the same omakase template and modern Japanese plates.
Signature: Hama chili, Maguro sashimi, Brussels sprouts
Order: The hama chili and the maguro sashimi to start, both signatures of the Uchi template; sit at the sushi bar for the chef's hand-built omakase.
Tip: Happy hour at the bar runs Sunday-Friday with a $5 sushi list; cheapest way into a Hai Hospitality kitchen.
Annette Scratch to Table in Stanley Marketplace is Caroline Glover's James Beard-winning wood-fired neighbourhood kitchen, a small dining room and patio with daily-changing menu.
Signature: Wood-fired chicken, Smoked beet salad, Pasta of the day
Order: The wood-fired half chicken with smoked vegetables and the pasta of the day; menu changes daily by what arrives from Front Range farms.
Tip: Stanley Marketplace is a 12-minute drive from RiNo. Brunch on Sunday is the busiest service; the patio runs through October.
Potager in Denver is Teri Rippeto's market-driven dining room in a Capitol Hill row house since 1997, a daily-changing menu built around Front Range farm produce.
Signature: Seasonal vegetable plate, Rabbit pasta, Cassoulet
Order: Whatever pasta is on the chalkboard and the seasonal vegetable plate; Rippeto built the city's farm-to-table playbook here.
Tip: The patio garden is the room's draw spring through fall. Closed Sundays and Mondays in 2026; book a week ahead for Saturday.
