Mediterranean (Spanish, Moroccan, Turkish)$$$highland
El Five in Denver is Justin Cucci's fifth-floor Highland tapas room with floor-to-ceiling views of downtown and the Front Range, a Mediterranean small-plates room since 2017.
Signature: Pintxos and tapas, Lamb shawarma, Wood-grilled octopus
Order: The wood-grilled octopus and the lamb shawarma; the kitchen runs a tasting menu and Bottomless Brunch on weekends.
Tip: Sunset reservations book out a month in advance. The hidden side patio runs walk-ins; the elevator entrance is on Umatilla.
Steakhouse$$$$downtown
Guard and Grace in Denver is Troy Guard's modern downtown steakhouse since 2014, with an in-house dry-ageing program and a Colorado wagyu and bison selection.
Signature: Dry-aged ribeye, Wagyu tasting, Tomahawk
Order: The 28-day dry-aged ribeye or the Snake River Farms wagyu tasting; pair with the truffle creamed corn and the wedge salad.
Tip: The downstairs lounge runs happy hour 4 to 6 pm with discounted steaks. Book the wine vault for a private steak dinner.
Global street food$$highland
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.
Steakhouse (game)$$$$lincoln-park
The Buckhorn Exchange in Denver is the city's oldest steakhouse since 1893, holding Colorado liquor license number one and a game menu that includes elk, buffalo and rattlesnake.
Signature: Elk steak, Rocky Mountain oysters, Bison burger
Order: The elk steak or the buffalo prime rib, both on the menu since opening; the Rocky Mountain oysters are the room's calling card.
Tip: The dining room is the original 1893 saloon with mounted heads on every wall; second-floor lounge is quieter. Light rail stops 50 feet from the door.
Modern Japanese$$$$rino
Uchi in Denver is Tyson Cole's Hai Hospitality sushi room in RiNo since 2019, the Austin original's third location with the same omakase template and modern Japanese plates.
Signature: Hama chili, Maguro sashimi, Brussels sprouts
Order: The hama chili and the maguro sashimi to start, both signatures of the Uchi template; sit at the sushi bar for the chef's hand-built omakase.
Tip: Happy hour at the bar runs Sunday-Friday with a $5 sushi list; cheapest way into a Hai Hospitality kitchen.
Modern American$$$stanley-marketplace
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.
