Mexican$old-townMon-Wed 10:30-22:00; Thu 10:30-23:00; Fri 10:30-00:00; Sat 09:00-00:00; Sun 09:00-21:00
Illegal Pete's builds mission-size burritos with a full bar on Walnut Street in Fort Collins, the Colorado indie chain that pays a living wage.
Signature: Mission burrito, Queso
Order: A burrito with green chile and queso over the top
Tip: Weekend breakfast burritos run 09:00-13:00; Friday and Saturday the line serves until midnight with margaritas alongside.
Mexican$midtownDaily 07:00-20:00
Big City Burrito wraps its famous potato burrito on South College Avenue in Fort Collins from 07:00, the original counter of a homegrown institution.
Signature: Potato burrito, Breakfast burritos
Order: The potato burrito, smothered, with hot green chile
Tip: The potato burrito smothered in green chile is the order that made the name; breakfast burritos run from opening.
Sandwiches$campus-westSun-Thu 10:00-00:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-02:00
Cheba Hut toasts its counterculture subs on Taft Hill Road in Fort Collins until 02:00 on weekends, with billiards, a full bar and Kool-Aid on tap.
Signature: White Widow sub, Goo Ball
Order: A toasted White Widow with a Kool-Aid cottonmouth cure
Tip: The chain's headquarters sits in Fort Collins; the westside hut adds billiards and stays open latest. Order a White Widow toasted.
Japanese$$campus-westTue-Sun 11:00-20:45; closed Mon
JAWS Sushi rolls student-friendly maki and pours hot sake on West Elizabeth Street in Fort Collins, with an 11:00-13:00 happy hour on rolls.
Signature: Specialty rolls, Hot sake
Order: Two happy-hour rolls and a tokkuri of hot sake
Tip: Closed Mondays. The 11:00-13:00 happy hour is one of the cheapest sushi lunches in the city.
Mexican$old-townMon-Thu 07:00-20:00; Fri 07:00-22:00; Sat 08:00-22:00; Sun 08:00-21:00
Vatos Tacos + Tequila grills street tacos from a shipping container at The Exchange in Fort Collins, open from 07:00 with margaritas on the plaza.
Signature: Street tacos, Frozen margaritas
Order: Three street tacos with guacamole and unlimited chips
Tip: It opens at 07:00 for breakfast service, unusual for a taqueria; gluten-free items are flagged on the menu board.
Italian$old-townMon-Tue 12:00-21:00; Wed-Thu 11:00-21:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-22:00; Sun 12:00-21:00
La Piadina griddles Emilia-Romagna flatbread sandwiches from a container kitchen at The Exchange in Fort Collins, with Italian wine and local beer.
Signature: Piadina flatbreads
Order: A prosciutto and squacquerone piadina, hot off the griddle
Tip: A piadina crisped to order plus a glass of Italian wine on the plaza is one of the city's best cheap dates.