Santiago’s* (multiple locations) - Go for the $3 breakfast burritos. Get them “half and half”. Their green chili is delicioso. This is Elliott’s first stop when we visit Colorado. Ask him how many burritos he’s consumed from there…

Parkway Cafe (Boulder) - Again, green chili. This breakfast spot is our local favorite. I love their juevos rancheros and any breakfast meal smothered in green chili.

The Buff (Boulder) - A Boulder staple, this family run restaurant has been around forever. I love the saddlebags (pancakes with sausage baked inside) and the skillets (my favorite is the Ole, because you guessed it, green chili). Obama stopped here to eat, so you should too!

Snooze (multiple locations) - People LOVE this place. I think it’s good but a little overhyped. If there’s a huge line, which there usually is, I’m definitely skipping it and eating somewhere else. If you do love it, let me know why and I’ll go back to try your recs.

Sam’s No. 3* (Denver) - This is a great no frills diner for breakfast or a late night snack. Their tater tots smothered in green chili are delicious.

Lucile’s Creole Cafe (Multiple Locations) - I’m a sucker for shrimp and grits. If it’s on the menu, there’s no question that I’m ordering it. Lucile’s version of shrimp and grits is wonderful. They have a ton of other great Creole breakfast food options.

Village Coffee Shop (Boulder) - This place has been open and family run forever. Close to campus and always busy with a line out the door, they consistently serve great diner food. I always get the breakfast burrito with green chili. Be sure to let them know you’re a Village Virgin if it’s your first time visiting.

Cosmo’s Pizza* (multiple locations) - College pizza spot on The Hill that has the best ranch sauce in the whole world.

Snarf’s* (multiple locations) - My go to sandwich spot in Boulder. I love the Italian.

Zoe Ma Ma* (multiple locations) - Is this the best Chinese food ever, no… but, it’ll satisfy your craving. A small place on Pearl street and a location in Denver with dumplings, dim sum, noodle soup and more!

Brider* (Denver) - This is a casual rotisserie and sandwich shop from the people who created Oak at Fourteenth and Acorn. I haven’t tried it yet, but have heard great things.

Southern Sun* - Boulder’s classic pub with delicious hamburgers. Most of the patrons there are heavily bearded and wearing plaid but the food is always satisfying and their beers are always on point.

Pho 79* - My cousin Taylor and I would go to Pho 79 almost weekly when I lived in CO. We had our favorite waiter who knew what we wanted and we didn’t even have to tell him. Their broth is heavy on flavor and one of my favorite go to pho spots when I’m home. We braved some fairly bad weather just to get our fix. I always go Pho Tai (rare steak) here.

Pho Duy* - Another spot that’s close to Pho 79, I like Pho Duy because it has a variety of pho dishes like Bun Rieu, Banh Canh and Bun Bo Hue.

*also open for dinner

Restaurants

American

Wolf’s Tailor (Denver) - Kelly Whitaker is taking over CO’s restaurant scene. Bon Appetit just named Wolf’s Tailor one of the best new restaurants of 2019. The food is a unique combination of Japanese pickled foods, traditional small dishes plus yakitori, and homemade pastas. Navigating the menu might sound intimidating but our meal all made sense once we started eating. He also runs Basta in Boulder which is great and is opening a few other restaurants. For more on that, click here.

Oak at Fourteenth (Boulder) - If you’re looking for a good American meal that’s a bit elevated, I would recommend Oak at Fourteenth over Acorn. Their bone marrow pairs perfectly with the green chimichurri sauce and the hamachi crudo was great. Skip the ramen and go for the wood roasted chicken or pork shoulder.

Acorn (Denver) - I’d love to hear your comments about your dining experience at Acorn. I ate there with my cousin Kim and two friends and Kim and I could not figure out why people love this place so much. To be honest, I can’t even remember what we ordered (which is never a good sign) and all I remember is that the food was super salty and that the menu seemed to be trying very hard to be trendy. I would like to go back (I believe in giving restaurants a second chance) to see if I can figure out what all the buzz is about.

Blackbelly Market (Boulder) - Blackbelly is spectacular. This place continues to serve some of the best breakfast burritos in Colorado. It’s also a butcher shop, catering business and restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, happy hour, and dinner. Their meat is locally sourced, organic, and raised in Colorado. They even have bone broth for sale. Definitely worth the stop!

Work & Class (Denver) - Dana Rodriguez’s Latin American restaurant is in the hip RiNo neighborhood of Denver. The sides are all super flavorful and delicious and I particularly liked the meatballs. This is a really good spot for a large group that’s interested in sharing everything (who doesn’t love family style meals). She also recently opened up Super Mega Bien which is a dim-sum style take on Latin cuisine. I can’t wait to go back to check out more of this creatively hip place. I did love the shrimp curry soup and am excited to return with more friends so we can try everything.

On a side note, a friend of mine opened up a stunning hotel, The Ramble, that Super Mega Bien is it’s 100% worth the visit. It’s truly beautiful and the bar, Death & Co., is worth the stop alone. Book a night here if you are visiting, you’ll enjoy it to say the least.

The Post (Multiple Locations) - Everybody loves fried chicken. I think this place does fried chicken extremely well. They also brew their own beers and their beer list is impressive. You’ll see their beers pop up on many local restaurant menus (like below at Root Down). The sides are also great, I always go with mac & cheese and collared greens. The hot sauce is homemade and available for purchase. We went through our bottle very, very fast.

Root Down (Denver International Airport) - Yes, I’m writing this review about a restaurant in the airport. The regular Root Down is good and I really like how they use lots of local suppliers and are very accommodating if you have dietary needs. It’s a good place to take someone to if they are vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free etc. Back to the airport location, it’s located in concourse C (Southwest) and if you want a good salad, local beer or gourmet burger, I would highly recommend stopping here before you hop on your flight.

Asian

Chey Thuy (Boulder) - This has also always been somewhere that my family goes to for Vietnamese food. Their vermicelli bowls are delicious and the pho is one of the better ones in Boulder.

Hop Alley (Denver) - Tommy Lee is a CO native and also the owner and chef of Uncle and Uncle II (below). His ramen has been nationally recognized at Uncle but I definitely preferred Hop Alley. The space is beautiful and located in a former soy sauce and and wonton factory. It used to be the location of a small Chinatown in CO. He has mixed all types of Chinese cuisines (Taiwanese, Hunan, Cantonese & Szechuan) to create an innovative twist on Chinese food.

Folsom Thai (Boulder) - I picked up takeout here for our family one day for lunch and was completely blown away by the authentic Thai flavors. All of the dishes were enjoyable and I can’t wait to go back to try the KMG (Thai style chicken and rice). The drunken noodles, curries and pad Thai are perfect for getting your Thai fix.

Hana Japanese Bistro (Louisville) - Ever since I can remember we would eat at Hana in Longmont with my grandparents. It became our family’s go to spot for Japanese food. My grandparents developed a relationship with the owners, who kept a photo of them at their cash register. Eric, one of the chefs, split off on his own and started this new bistro in Louisville. It’s definitely good quality in terms of the fish freshness and be sure to try the Daisy Family roll (named after none other than my late Grandma Daisy). It has eel tempura inside, which she loved!

Ting’s (Lafayette) - Another family favorite that is usually the answer to our Chinese food cravings! I like their mushu pork, sweet and sour chicken, fish with black bean sauce, and any of the crunchy noodle dishes.

Matsuhisa (Denver) - One of the fancier places in Denver, their omakase does not disappoint. You’ll get your money’s worth since it’s more than just a traditional omakse of nigiri slices. When we went, we were served a whole half crab as one of the dishes. It’s very fresh and since it’s Matsuhisa, you know the quality will be always be above average.

Den Corner Restaurants (Denver) - Sushi Den, Izakaya Den and OTOTO: Sushi Den is the best sushi spot in CO, in my opinion. Chef Toshi has been at Sushi Den since 1984 and brings in fresh fish daily from Fukuoka (Japan). Sushi Den is the most traditional and Izakaya Den is its hip little sister. OTOTO is a more casual raw bar, great for happy hours and small bites. They make up the corner of a fun Denver neighborhood, hence the name “Den Corner”.

Uncle Zoe’s (Aurora) - My cousin Thao has great taste in food. So, I always trust her recommendations. I have been looking for an authentic Chinese/Taiwanese place in CO and she recommended this spot.

China Gourmet - Another good local Boulder spot if you’re looking for good Chinese food. Their soups are delicious!

Gyu-Kaku (Denver) - So excited that CO has a Gyu-Kaku. Japanese BBQ is delicious and everyone should try it once! The quality of meat at Gyu-Kaku’s is higher than average so I would recommend getting the cuts that aren’t super marinated so you can really taste the flavor of the meat.

Uncle II - Review coming soon

Italian

Frasca (Boulder) - I’m embarrassed to say I still haven’t eaten here but this is revered as Colorado’s best restaurant. The founders worked at Thomas Keller’s French Laundry together and developed the concept from spending time in Northern Italy. I’ve heard nothing but great things about this place and can’t wait to check it off my list one day.

Tavernetta (Denver) - This is another restaurant from the Frasca team. The bread is amazing and they have a very impressive wine list. It’s on the fancier and pricier side but it’s definitely worth a visit if you are in the area and can get a reservation.

Il Pastaio (Boulder) - This cozy Italian spot in Boulder has great pasta and authentic Italian food. They make their own pasta which always tastes super fresh and their meatballs in sauce are definitely worth trying!

Pizzeria Locale (Boulder & Denver) - Another place from the Frasca team, they serve wood-fire cooked Napoletana style pizza. It’s a great place for a fast-casual lunch that’s of the highest quality ingredients.

Mexican

Efrain’s (multiple locations) - This is a family favorite of ours, especially after Delicioso closed. Their green chili is HOT and flavorful. Everything is mouth-watering here, especially the blue corn enchiladas, chimichangas, and burritos.

T|aco (Boulder) - When I go home, I spend most of my time with my family. That includes my cousin Chad and his good friends that I’ve known since I was little. Since T|aco opened, this is the place that we continue to go back to. I’ve been there more times than I’d like to admit and I always order the Classico taco - it’s a classic hard taco with beef (think Taco Bell style) and it’s damn delicious. The house margs are perfect too and on par with the Rio’s secret marg concoction.

The Rio (multiple locations)- Ok, to be honest, don’t come here to eat. Just grab some of their famous margs and sit on the rooftop to take in Boulder’s beautiful scenery. The Boulder Rio is the best location. Manberry (mango and strawberry mixed) on the rocks is the way to go.

La Loma (Denver) - This is more of a Tex-Mex style restaurant. The green chili is greener and starchier, not my favorite but the flavors of the Mexican food are satisfying. I do think this place is slightly overrated but I would go back for the chili rellenos.

Mediterranean

El Five (Denver) - The view is one of a kind here. Their cocktail list is thoughtful and innovative. The paella is flavorful and the drinks really compliment the food that’s served here. It’s definitely a tasty tapas spot to get your mediterranean fix on.

The Med (Boulder) - The Med used to be awesome. I think in the past years, it’s gone downhill a little bit but their happy hour can’t be beat. Their margherita pizza is still pretty tasty and so are the meatballs. I have it on here since it’s a very popular spot in Boulder and I feel like my list would be incomplete without it.

The Gyro Stand (Boulder) - When cabs were still a thing, we would line up in Boulder on Pearl Street after a night out at the bars and wait for a cab while consuming 1 to 2 gyros from this stand. I never realized he had a name for it (The Gyro Stand - how creative)… we just always called him the gyro guy. These might be delicious because we would eat them after many drinks, but it’s a must eat if you see him on the corner of Pearl and 11th. I hope he never stops selling these.

Safta (Denver) - Review coming soon!

Indian

Urban Village (South Denver) - My aunt and uncle who are also foodies, gave this place a good review so I’m going to add it to my list.

Yak & Yeti (Multiple locations) - Review coming soon!

Nepal Cuisine (Boulder) - This place has been around for quite some time and is always consistently good if you are looking for Indian food. They also have buffet style lunch and dinners and serve momo (Nepalese dumplings) that are great.