Modern Latin American$$highland
Mister Oso in Denver is Blake Edmunds's playful Latin American room in RiNo, with masa tacos, Caribbean cocktails and a wood-grill program built around Colorado proteins.
Signature: Octopus al pastor, Chicharron tacos, Steak frites tacos
Order: The octopus al pastor on a fresh blue-corn tortilla; the masa is milled in-house and the octopus is grilled in slick chile oil.
Tip: The patio runs three rounds of seating on summer nights; the bar walks in if you arrive by 5:30 pm. The taro chips are bottomless if you ask.
Mediterranean$$$downtown
Rioja in Denver is Jennifer Jasinski's James Beard-winning Mediterranean dining room on Larimer Square since 2004, a flagship of the Crafted Concepts group with Spanish, Italian and North African plates.
Signature: Goat cheese ravioli, Artichoke tortelloni, Olive oil cake
Order: The artichoke tortelloni and the goat cheese ravioli, both on the menu since opening, and the olive oil cake to finish.
Tip: Sunday brunch with bottomless mimosas is a Larimer Square institution. The chef's tasting menu changes weekly and is the best way to see Jasinski's range.
Modern American (farm-to-table)$$$lodo
Mercantile Dining and Provision in Denver is Alex Seidel's farm-to-table dining room and provisions counter in Union Station, sourced from his Fruition Farms in Larkspur.
Signature: Roasted Colorado trout, Pork loin with sweetbreads, Charcuterie board
Order: The Colorado trout from the live-fire hearth and the house-made charcuterie board, cured from Seidel's farm pork.
Tip: The market counter sells the kitchen's bread, charcuterie and produce; the morning espresso bar is the city's best Union Station coffee.
Modern Chinese$$$rino
Hop Alley in Denver is Tommy Lee's modern Chinese dining room on Larimer in RiNo since 2015, a Michelin Bib Gourmand that runs Sichuan and northern Chinese plates with Colorado proteins.
Signature: Mapo tofu, Cumin lamb noodles, Tea-smoked duck
Order: The cumin lamb noodles and the tea-smoked duck, both menu signatures since opening; the mapo tofu is the heat benchmark.
Tip: Book the bar counter to watch the wok station. Lee's bao counter Uncle is two blocks away if you want noodles after.
Tasting menu (East-meets-West)$$$$sunnyside
The Wolf's Tailor in Denver is Kelly Whitaker's tasting-menu room in Sunnyside since 2017, a James Beard Best Chef Mountain finalist running East-meets-West fire-cooked courses.
Signature: Multi-course tasting, Hand-cut noodles, Live-fire course
Order: The chef's tasting menu only; a la carte is not offered. The hand-pulled noodle course and the live-fire dessert are the room benchmarks.
Tip: Tickets release on Tock 30 days ahead at 9 am. Walk-ins are taken at the bar counter when bookings cancel; arrive by 6 pm to chance it.
Tasting menu$$$$rino
Beckon in Denver is Duncan Holmes's 18-seat chef's counter on Larimer in RiNo since 2018, a Michelin-recognised tasting room behind sister bistro Call.
Signature: Multi-course chef's counter tasting, Seasonal Colorado tasting, Wine pairing
Order: The tasting menu only; one seating per night. Pair with the Vermouth-and-Vinous Vines flight; the wine list is the city's most adventurous.
Tip: Tickets release one month out at 12 noon on a Wednesday via Tock; sell out in minutes. Try the bar at Call next door for walk-ins.
