12 Best Restaurants in South Central Colorado, Colorado

Pizza reigns at this Italian hot spot on Main Street, where a large, modern bar anchors the dining room and giant picture windows highlight views of the Collegiate Peaks. Choose house-made focaccia or sourdough crust and build your own pizza, or pick from a dozen specialty pies. Anything drizzled with balsamic is sure to please. This lively spot also serves up delectable pastas, salads, small bites, cocktails, and Colorado craft brews. 

This local favorite draws visitors to mismatched tables with drawings by regional artists hovering on the walls above. The food has an organic bent, with many vegetarian options. Vegan Mexican green chile smothers the famous huevos rancheros, and seasonal French toast specialties attract breakfast enthusiasts until late afternoon, while spicy Asian bowls and rustic Italian lasagna bring in the dinner crowd.

A large patio overlooking the Riverwalk beckons visitors to this brewery with unexpected, elevated pub food. Burgers, especially the slopper, are popular favorites, but the charcuterie board, green chile made with Pueblo's famous peppers, and carne asada tacos with tomato chimichurri exceed expectations. Shareable flights include 10-ounce pours of beer brewed in tanks visible in the main dining room, which doubles as an occasional concert venue. Keep an eye out for remnants of the building's former life as a police station and jail. The gun range is now the women's restroom, and the drunk tank was turned into the restaurant's dishwashing station. 

This casual brewpub is located by South Main River Park, so after tackling the nearby miles of hiking and biking trails, dine on burgers, sandwiches, pasta, or steak, and wash it down with ales brewed on-site. Or visit its taproom location just off Route 24 where the brewing facility is housed for a wood-fired pizza, nachos, and other pub food.

Tunes, brews, and barbecue attract visitors and locals to the outdoor patio at this causal smokehouse in Old Colorado City. Guests can be overheard arguing about which homemade sauce is best and singing along to the music of live acts from across the country that can be heard throughout the block. Smells of piled-high pork sandwiches, family recipes, and slow-smoked specialties also waft through the nearby streets.

Outdoor adventurers both local and visiting gather to kick back and refuel on the fresh and healthy dishes at this lively spot on downtown's Main Street. Seasonal ingredients fill the bowls, salads, and sandwiches and are best enjoyed on the patio with a cold beer.

Small plates are the focus at this popular restaurant. People often share the more than 25 "noshers," ranging from the char sui Ramen bowl to rainbow trout. The koi murals represent the restaurant's flow of energy and good service. Happy hour specials are offered on weekdays.

Upside-down lamps hang from the ceiling and local art for purchase decks the brick walls of this downtown gastropub, where you can find a menu filled with southern comfort dishes with a dash of Asian flare. Sweet chili tartar sauce and a bed of Asian slaw level up the crispy fish-and-chips. Pulled pork covers the banh mi nachos—the star of the appetizers. And the sriracha buttermilk fried chicken adds some kick to the popular sandwich. Bartenders at a bar spanning nearly the entire length of the room mix up craft cocktails and pour a variety of craft beer. 

Steaks served with three Japanese sauces sizzle on cast-iron platters in this centrally located sushi and steak house. Traditional tempura appetizers and sushi rolls join noodle bowls, fried rice, and curry on the varied menu. The dining options are just as eclectic, with a few casual tables and a sushi bar up front, a large table with pillow seating in the next room, and a formal dining room open for dinner only in the back. For lunch, try a filling bento box with soup, salad, appetizer, sushi, and entrée. 

Named for the proprietor's grandmother, Paravicini lives up to its Italian name, which translates to "for the neighborhood." Locals of all ages gather in the colorful and well-lit space that provides a balance of fun and romance to sip glasses of wine and share the family-style salad, fresh bread, and heaping piles of noodles. Pasta reigns on this traditional Italian menu highlighting classic and surf-and-turf options.

Piles of sweet and savory baked goods, from salted caramel cronuts to homemade strawberry pop-tarts, some still warm from the oven, cover the coffee bar at this quaint brunch spot downtown. Colorful and vintage-inspired wallpaper and decor create a cozy second-floor dining room that's packed on weekends, but rooftop tables with views of the Collegiate Peaks offer the best spot in the house. Open-face sandwiches, breakfast nachos, and eggs Benedict with dill hollandaise are crowd-pleasers. Dinner is served Thursday through Saturday, and lunch can be found downstairs, where Sweetie's (same owners) offers more than 60 sandwiches made with the same breads and fresh ingredients.

As its name suggests, it's all about the views of Pikes Peak, which can be appreciated from the floor-to-ceiling windows in the second-story dining room, the rooftop, or the courtyard, where you can play volleyball, bocce, horseshoes, and cornhole. Several bars offer excellent craft beer options that complement the menu's varied offerings. Sushi, sandwiches, tacos, bowls, burgers, and pizza cater to all interests with seasonal changes inspired by the kitchen. Try the Thai peanut chicken bowl or blue-crab enchiladas, and don't forget a Nutella pizza for dessert.