Boulder and North Central Colorado Restaurants

Thanks to the influx of people from around the world, you have plenty of options here. Restaurants in north central Colorado run the gamut from simple diners with tasty, homey basics to elegant establishments with extensive wine lists. The hot trend is organic and sustainable ingredients, with many restaurants offering dishes made from local ingredients. Some restaurants take reservations, but many, particularly those in the middle price range, seat on a first-come, first-served basis.

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  • 1. Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse

    $$

    Feast your eyes on the intricately carved walls, pillars, and ceiling at this unique teahouse, a gift from Boulder's sister city Dushanbe, Tajikistan; Tajik artisans decorated the building in a traditional style, with ceramic Islamic art and a riot of colorful wood. The menu presents a culinary cross section of the world, with dishes including North African harissa chicken, spicy Indonesian peanut noodles, and Tajik shish kebab.

    1770 13th St., Boulder, Colorado, 80302, USA
    303-442–4993

    Known For

    • Traditional afternoon tea service
    • Nearly 100 varieties of tea
    • Lovely patio
  • 2. Sagebrush BBQ and Grill

    $$

    Falling-off-the-bone, melt-in-your-mouth barbecue pork, chicken, and beef draw local and out-of-town attention to this homey café. Munch on peanuts (and toss the shells on the floor) while dining at tables with cowhide-patterned tablecloths set against a backdrop of license plates from across the country.

    1101 Grand Ave., Grand Lake, Colorado, 80447, USA
    970-627–1404

    Known For

    • Peanut-shell-lined floor
    • Wild game burgers and sausage
    • Rotating daily specials
  • 3. Bramble & Hare

    $$

    Blending authentic farm-to-table with a cozy, old-fashioned farmhouse vibe, this small restaurant—sister to the Black Cat Farm to Table Bistro—boasts its own nearby organic farm, whose produce shapes the daily-evolving menu, even down to a special corn used to make polenta. The food is wildly innovative yet consistently delicious. Watch staff in the tiny, open kitchen, which aims to have as little waste as possible.

    1970 13th St., Boulder, Colorado, 80302, USA
    303-444--9110

    Known For

    • Extensive organic farm
    • Genius cocktails, including a farm-to-glass program
    • Great charcuterie boards

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential.
  • 4. Dedalus Wine Shop and Market

    $$

    Vermont-based Dedalus Wine Group has taken over the day-to-day operations of Boulder’s finest sandwich shop and the best place in town for a quick meal. The café--gourmet grocery store is small, with only a few tables, but impressive; sample the exquisite charcuterie and cheese trays, European-style sandwiches, and premade dinners, including roasted organic chicken. Snag a bottle of wine in what claims to be Colorado's tiniest liquor store, and don’t pass up a latte from Boxcar Coffee, which shares the space.

    1825 Pearl St., Boulder, Colorado, 80302, USA
    720-389--8096

    Known For

    • Extensive cured meats selection
    • Well-rounded international wine selections by the bottle
    • Cheese-centric picnic lunches in wooden baskets

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No reservations
  • 5. Estes Park Brewery

    $$

    If you want to sample some local brews, check out the Estes Park Brewery, which has been crafting beer since 1993. The food is no-frills (beer chili is the specialty), and the menu includes things like pizza, burgers, sandwiches, and house-made bratwurst. Not sure which beer you will like? Head downstairs to the tasting area to sample a variety of brews on tap, like the popular Stinger Wild Honey Wheat or the balanced Estes Park Gold amber ale.

    470 Prospect Village Dr., Colorado, 80517, USA
    970-586–5421

    Known For

    • Local beer
    • Pool tables
    • Laid-back atmosphere
  • Recommended Fodor’s Video

  • 6. Kathmandu Restaurant

    $$

    Prices are reasonable at this casual, bustling Nepali and Indian restaurant with dark wood walls, red booths, and a wood bar in the center of the room. Kathmandu has received accolades for its vegetarian food, but everything is good on a full traditional menu that spans the gamut from starters like momos (dumplings) and samosas to aloo gobi (cauliflower and potatoes), tandoori chicken and lamb, and curries. Friday night features an all-you-can-eat dinner buffet.

    110 N. Jefferson St., Nederland, Colorado, 80466, USA
    303-258–1169

    Known For

    • Authentic food from family recipes
    • All-you-can-eat lunch buffet
    • Chicken tikka masala
  • 7. Mama Rose's

    $$

    An Estes Park institution since 1989, Mama Rose's consistently serves no-nonsense Italian meals, including the house specialty: hearty lasagna concocted with house-made meatballs and sausage. There are also plenty of lighter options, including vegetarian and gluten-free entrées, as well as build-your-own pasta from three noodles, six sauces, and nine meats and vegetables. The spacious Victorian dining room with decorative woodwork and fine art harkens back to an earlier era, minus the formal dress code. You can also dine outside on the patio with views of the Big Thompson River. Reservations are recommended in the summer.

    338 E. Elkhorn Ave., Colorado, 80517, USA
    970-586–3330

    Known For

    • Cozy Italian comfort food
    • Prime riverside location
    • Sprawling porch seating

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch
  • 8. Oskar Blues Grill and Brew

    $$

    The first American craft brewery to can its beer, Oskar Blues is a Lyons hot spot for beer, pub grub, and music. Try Dale's Pale Ale or any of the other robust beers brewed nearby in small (20-barrel) batches. In the basement, a "juke joint" hosts live music and an arcade has old-time games; there's a bluegrass jam Tuesday night.

    303 Main St., Lyons, Colorado, 80540, USA
    303-823–6685

    Known For

    • Creative burgers
    • Cajun dishes
    • Bourbon balls for dessert
  • 9. Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant

    $$

    Like its other Front Range brethren, the Fort Collins branch of this six-location restaurant always satisfies with favorites such as tacos, quesadillas, burritos, and fajitas. The spacious location in the heart of Old Town has exposed brick walls, hand-painted tables, and old storefront windows. When the weather is warm, wait for a table on the enclosed patio with a giant Mexican fountain.

    143 W. Mountain Ave., Fort Collins, Colorado, 80524, USA
    970-224–5428

    Known For

    • Potent margaritas with a limit of three
    • 60-plus hand-selected tequilas
    • From-scratch black beans and handmade tortillas
  • 10. The Sink

    $$

    Since 1923, students have flocked to this spot on the Hill, where Robert Redford worked briefly as a janitor in the 1950s while studying at CU; tables fill a labyrinth of rooms, and caricatures and murals decorate the walls. The broad pub-food menu includes the Sinkburger, smothered in barbecue sauce, and the POTUS pizza, named after former president Barack Obama, who ate here in 2012.

    1165 13th St., Boulder, Colorado, 80302, USA
    303-444–7465

    Known For

    • Boulder's oldest bar and restaurant
    • Cowboy Reuben with 10-hour-smoked brisket
    • CU grads and patrons write their names on ceiling

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