Couple in mid-30s will spend the night of Wednesday, August 25 in Denver after a family wedding and some Colorado sight seeing, and want to indulge in a delicious meal before we fly out the next morning. We'd like to walk from our hotel (which we haven't booked yet) to the restaurant, so it would be great if it could be in a fun neighborhood where we can wander around and do some window-shopping or sight-seeing before dinner (and walk safely back to the hotel afterward). Price is not an issue and we are open to any type of cuisine. Any suggestions?

This should cover it - http://www.westword.com/bestof/2010/...d-drink-35100/

Thanks SAnParis2! So doing a little more research, it seems like Larimer Street is a fun area of town and that Rioja and TAG are coming up on lots of recommended/best of lists... can anyone with experience with both comment on the best choice between the two (or other good options we might be missing)?

I haven't actually eaten at TAG the restaurant, but I have had the chef's food. He came to Crested Butte last summer for the Tour de Forks which is a fundraiser for the Center for the Arts and cooked a meal in someone's home. The meal was fantastic. I wish I could give you more of an idea of atmosphere and a comparison, but again I've just eaten his food and would not hesitate to recommend a visit to his restaurant based on that meal.

My vote for best restaurant in Denver is split between Barolo Grill and Strings. Both are excellent. Barolo is best known for its wine list. If you order pairings for your dinner, you will be impressed with their selections.

I looked at the Westword article (not the best source, actually), and it recommends Rioja. I've been there and it's ok, but not fabulous.

The two I recommend above are tried and true with long-standing solid reputations, not flash in the pan successes.

Barolo Grill is excellent. The owner takes the staff to Italy every year for a "course" in "how it should be done". Mizuna or Luce, very near there are also wonderful.
Fruition is another great place. Chef was at Mizuna.
If you want to have a wonderful pizza experience while you are in Denver go to Marco's Coal Fired Pizzeria on Larimer. They are artisan pizzas, the most delicious salad and antipasta plate you will see, and then wings marinated in limoncello and rosemary and cooked on their coal fired grill. Pizza is of course, brick oven.

I was in Denver in the early eighties and ate in a restaurant that looked like a bank vault.

Does it still exist. If so is it any good?

I don't remember anything about it other than at the time thinking it was good.

If you want to walk to a restaurant from your hotel, then you can rule out Barolo, Fruition, and Strings. There isn't one best restuarant in Denver. We have a number of excellent spots. If I were you, I'd probably opt for something in the Larimer Square area. It's a fun place to walk about with several good restaurants.

Myer, I think you are talking about The Broker downtown
http://www.thebrokerrestaurant.com/

Still there, and fun for a big group, but not "fine dining" per se.

dananddar, you could stay in Cherry Creek North, at the new JW hotel. In which case you would be near shops and restaurants for strolling around. Could even walk to Barolo if you like longer walks. Piatti is right there in CCNorth, and it's good, but I wouldn't say it's one of Denver's best: http://www.piatti.com/loca11c.html

If you stay in the downtown area hotel you can easily walk to any restaurant with the aid of the free 16th St Mall shuttle. The very best restaurants in the downtown, lower downtown (LODO) are:

Rioja and The Capital Grill. Both across the street from each other in Larimer Square.

However, just a notch behind is Vesta Dipping Grill. One of our favorite place and bit unique type of restaurant. And I would recommend it for you just because it is different. Also in the area is Panzano and The Palace Arms in the Brown Palace,

So, where did you choose and how was it?

Denver has these neat things called taxis IF you want to eat somewhere really good not near your hotel.
Vesta is fun. Fine dining? Maybe not.

But the OP specifically requested walking so responded accordingly. Vesta may not make Gretchen list's but it does make the list of most food critics. Beside, Gretchen only has one restaurants that she likes -- Elway's in Cherry Creek. And, it is indeed, very good.

Did I mention Elway's. At least be fair. And I love Vesta. I was only pointing out that there are other ways of dealing with having a fine dining experience.

The OP has already been to Denver. I am hoping they will post a dining report.

Just so you know, OP, it is considered courteous to post your experience and which restaurant(s) you chose. Just saying, because people took time to give you recommendations.

Best restaurants are always so subjective. While I would agree with all of the previous suggestions, the 5280 magazine list does not. Rioja was the highest at 12th, Vesta Dipping Grill at 16th, Barolo Grill was 22nd, and the others were not even mentioned.

Here is a pretty nice list compiled from several sources that maybe we can all feel good about OUR selections.

http://www.guidespot.com/guides/denv...urants_best_of

Fruition's chef was chosen best chef of the year. Their food is just very special. He was at Luce's or Mizuna when we first ate there.
Kevin Taylor's restaurants are excellent, including the one at Denver Art Museum.

Thanks so much to everyone who offered suggestions for our trip, which was (gulp) a year and a half ago. So sorry for not posting our experience sooner!

We ended up going to Washington Park Grille (or "Wash Park", as I'm told it's referred to by the locals), which was about a 5-minute cab ride from the hotel where we ended up staying. It wasn't exactly in the middle of things, but I loved the neighborhood-y feel of the Wash Park strip and the restaurant itself was very good. We had a drink at another bar on that same block before dinner and it seemed to be quite a lively crowd.

We were in Denver for such a short time that I have no idea how it was situated relative to other attractions, but it was an enjoyable experience for our last night in Colorado.

Next time we're in Denver, we'll be sure to check out some of the other places that were suggested by the very thoughtful responders here.

Thanks again everyone!

Thanks for reporting back! Wash Park Grille is a standard in a great little hood. Good pic.