James Beard Foundation Thirteen of the state’s best chefs and restaurants received nods The results are in, and 13 Colorado-based chefs, restaurateurs, and restaurants received semifinalist nods for the 2024 James Beard Foundation Awards. The James Beard Awards are often considered one of the most prestigious honors in the food industry, and each year, chefs and restaurants who make the semifinalist round hope to progress to receive finalist nominations. Denver and its surrounding cities saw many chefs receive semifinalist recognition, including Best Chef: Mountain semifinalists Diego Coconati ..read more

Ryan Dearth/Eater After arriving in Colorado earlier in 2023, the Michelin guide has named its first starred restaurants and bib gourmands across the state For the first time, the Michelin Guide has recognized restaurants in the Centennial State. In partnership with the Colorado Tourism Office, Michelin announced its latest destination in June. In August, Michelin revealed Colorado’s Bib Gourmand recipients, designating those restaurants that offer multi-course meal options at a “reasonable price”; its star recipients — judged using the guide’s rigorous criteria — were announced on September 1 ..read more

Shutterstock An unofficial and highly opinionated but totally accurate primer on the Mile High City dining scene That famous lamb. Those Palisade peaches, Olathe corn, and Rocky Ford melons. That ubiquitous green chile. The ever-flowing beer. Anyone who still claims there’s no such thing as Colorado cuisine just hasn’t been looking hard enough. This guide to its capital city will show you where to find it at its very best. Ashton Ray Hansen Union Station Farmers MarketWelcome to the Land of Literally Elevated Cuisine Over the past few years, the restaurant publicity machine has begun to attach ..read more

A chicken sandwich and fries from SmashBurger. | Photograph provided courtesy of Denver International Airport Top tips for fueling up before takeoff Between the art installations that have launched 1,000 conspiracy theories, the al fresco leisure activities out on DEN Plaza, and that ringtone-worthy train jingle, the Denver International Airport (DIA) is more entertaining than your average travel hub — and that’s no less true of its dining options, both present and upcoming. The former are covered at length below, terminal by terminal, and here’s a quick rundown of what’s opening in the future ..read more

Frasca Food and Wine With outstanding tasting menus, steak dinners, trophy wines, and more, these spots were built for celebration Denver is a famously casual town, but it’s still got an abundance of options when a birthday, anniversary, reunion, or career milestone calls for celebration. Bring on the Champagne and shellfish towers, the magnums and the filet mignon, the white cloths and the pampering; these 25 places, listed in geographical order from north to south, aim to do it right. Needless to say, reservations — in some cases prepaid ones — are highly recommended or required ..read more

Tandoori lamb chops at Urban Village Grill. | Urban Village Grill Beyond the buffet are a dazzling range of regional specialties Indian food in Denver keeps getting better, with options representing a greater range of regions and styles. And while there are plenty of traditional menus to choose from, modern interpretations of the cuisine abound, from restaurants slinging masala French toast to “surf and turf” platters with lamb, tandoori salmon, and prawns. Here are nine places, all opened within the past few years, that are doing their part — and doing it well — to broaden Denver diners’ hori ..read more

Linger’s rooftop greenhouses. | Lucy Beaugard Where to go to soak up the city’s famous sunshine Denver’s not nearly as wintry as outsiders tend to assume — especially not this year, in which the city tied its 134-year record for consecutive days without snowfall — but it isn’t Miami either, so offering outdoor service year-round takes some effort. Granted, that effort was aided by pandemic-era restrictions on dining-room capacity, which forced many restaurant and bar operators to invest in alternative seating options. So while many patios are weather-dependent throughout the season, many are n ..read more

A Detroit-style pie from Blue Pan. | Ruth Tobias/Eater A go-to guide to the city’s top pies and slices Denver may not have its own signature pie, but it’s a thriving pizza town nonetheless, representing the full spectrum of regional American — not to mention traditional Italian — styles admirably. From Detroit and New York to Naples and Sicily, there’s something here for every homegrown local or transplant. In fact, there are so many primo parlors in metro Denver alone that there’s no room for their Boulder counterparts below; to offer a quick rundown of the most notable up northwest, then, co ..read more

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