Southern$$midtownDaily 11:00-22:00
Music City Hot Chicken fries Nashville-style birds on Prospect Road in Fort Collins across a ladder of heat levels, from Southern to the Flammable Solid dare.
Signature: Nashville hot chicken, Chicken and waffles
Order: Half chicken at Nashville Hot with white bread and pickles
Tip: Vegans get crispy fried tempeh in any heat level; weekend brunch adds chicken and waffles plus a Monte Cristo.
American$$midtownDaily 11:00-22:00
The Colorado Room stacks gourmet sliders, poutine and Rocky Mountain oysters with local taps and local art on South College Avenue in Fort Collins.
Signature: Rocky Mountain oysters, Gourmet sliders
Order: Rocky Mountain oysters, then a slider flight
Tip: This is the room to try Rocky Mountain oysters with a Colorado beer in hand; the art on the walls is for sale.
Diner$$old-townDaily 07:00-14:00
Silver Grill Cafe has fried breakfast on Walnut Street in Fort Collins since 1933, and its giant cinnamon roll is the single most famous dish in the city.
Signature: Giant cinnamon roll, Pancakes
Order: The giant cinnamon roll, grilled, with a side of crispy bacon
Tip: Order the giant cinnamon roll grilled with butter; the Roll of the Month (August is Peaches and Cream) rewards repeat visits.
Creole$$old-townMon-Fri 07:00-14:00; Sat-Sun 08:00-14:00
Lucile's Creole Cafe serves beignets, Eggs New Orleans and homemade gumbo out of a creaky house on Meldrum Street in Fort Collins, mornings only.
Signature: Beignets, Eggs New Orleans
Order: Beignets first, then Eggs New Orleans with grits
Tip: Start with an order of hot beignets for the table; the Pain Perdu is the sweet main worth the queue.
Indian$$midtownWed-Mon lunch 11:00-14:30, dinner 17:00-21:00; closed Tue
Star of India, a six-time NoCo Style best-Indian winner, has been cooking North Indian and Punjabi curries on Harvard Street in Fort Collins.
Signature: North Indian curries, Tandoori
Order: A Punjabi curry with fresh tandoori bread
Tip: Closed Tuesdays. The lunch window is the value play; dinner service starts at 17:00 sharp.
Thai$$campus-westMon, Wed-Sun 11:00-14:30, 16:30-21:00; closed Tue
Cafe de Bangkok cooks khao soi, drunken noodles and Massaman curry on West Elizabeth Street in Fort Collins, with a deep vegetarian and vegan list.
Signature: Khao soi, Drunken noodles
Order: Khao soi, medium heat, with a Thai iced tea
Tip: Closed Tuesdays and the kitchen breaks between lunch and dinner; parking sits right out front in the Campus West strip.