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At the only independent restaurant in Boulder licensed to make and sell its own house-cured meats (you can see some in the windows), those seeking a sophisticated yet casual culinary experience away from downtown will delight in food known for farm-to-table freshness. Chef Hosea Rosenberg, a Top Chef winner, crafts a changing menu using ingredients from local farms and ranches. Blackbelly's market serves quick service weekdays for breakfast and lunch. Full-service dinner is available daily.
1606 Conestoga St., Boulder, Colorado, 80301, USA
Known For
- A hyperseasonal menu that constantly changes
- Dry-aged beef, house-made sausages, and salumi
- Creative small plates
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekends, Reservations essential
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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
Known For
- Traditional afternoon tea service
- Nearly 100 varieties of tea
- Lovely patio
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Located on the boardwalk, this cozy family-run café serves up hearty helpings, as well as advice on local sightseeing. The weekend breakfast buffet includes nearly 50 items—including biscuits and gravy, huevos rancheros casserole with house-made green chile sauce, and a wide selection of scones, pastries, and pies that are baked in-house.
916 Grand Ave., Grand Lake, Colorado, 80447, USA
Known For
- Sprawling brunch buffet
- Homemade pies
- Homey decor
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No dinner
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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
Known For
- Peanut-shell-lined floor
- Wild game burgers and sausage
- Rotating daily specials
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This farm-to-table restaurant inside the Elizabeth Hotel has a full wine market, so you can select bottles on-site at retail price for your meal. It all adds to the homey yet hip, slightly retro vibe and look—complete with tile floor and wood throughout—that matches well with food that is some of the city's best, including the Wagyu beef burger, bison bourguignon, and elk Wellington with puff pastry.
378 Walnut St., Fort Collins, Colorado, 80524, USA
Known For
- Perfect charcuterie board
- Bowerbird Coffee Shop by day, unpretentious wine market by night
- Weekend brunch
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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An Estes Park staple since 1972, this family-run outfit is where the locals go for breakfast. Try a double-cheese omelet, huevos rancheros, or grits before heading into the park in the morning. The owners are happy to pack a lunch for you—just place your order along with breakfast, and it will be ready when you leave. This homey spot also serves lunch and dinner, with specialties such as house-smoked pulled pork, house-made meatballs, and rib eye cut on-site. Expect a wait in summer.
401 W. Elkhorn Ave., Colorado, 80517, USA
Known For
- Hearty breakfast
- Huge portions
- Picnic lunches to go
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.–Thurs.
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The aroma of homemade bread and soup hint at the loving care this sandwich shop infuses into its food. Grab a quick breakfast burrito or sandwich to take out on the trail, or stay and snag a table inside the cheerful blue deli or on the sunny patio.
717 Grand Ave., Grand Lake, Colorado, 80447, USA
Known For
- Quick lunch
- Green and red chile breakfast burritos
- Fresh-bread sandwiches
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Nov.–mid-May
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This Pearl Street café's locally roasted coffee is unmatched, with about a dozen blends, so you can expect all of Ozo's five locations to be packed. The decor is simple, centering around local art, and the food at the pastry counter is simple, too—coffee is the star. Ozo boasts its own training center, accredited through the Specialty Coffee Association of America and open to anyone who wants to study.
1015 Pearl St., Boulder, Colorado, 80302, USA
Known For
- Cholaca Mocha with pure, liquid cacao
- Artfully crafted espresso and coffee drinks
- Tasty breakfast burritos
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner, No reservations
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For comfort food in a historic atmosphere, stop by this charming, bustling café with diner counters, some boxy booths, dozens of tables, and an inviting, year-round patio. Operating in its current location since 1933, it serves a wide selection of breakfast food all day, such as omelets, Benedicts, biscuits and gravy, hotcakes, steak and eggs, and burritos, while lunch features delicious sandwiches, soups, salads, and burgers.
218 Walnut St., Fort Collins, Colorado, 80524, USA
Known For
- Legendary cinnamon rolls
- Top-notch breakfasts including homemade hash browns
- Award-winning Bloody Marys
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner, No reservations.
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Coffered ceilings, stained-glass windows, and mosaic tile floors create a classic setting for this fish-focused restaurant in the Hotel Boulderado. Savor happy hour at the spruce-wood bar with farm-fresh oysters and handcrafted cocktails, or stay for dinner in the dining room with its fully enclosed porch and sample a seasonal menu emphasizing local foods.
2115 13th St., Boulder, Colorado, 80302, USA
Known For
- Signature barrel-aged Manhattan
- Daily brunch with sweet and savory options
- Pan-seared Rocky Mountain trout
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential.
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Espresso drinkers sip their sustenance here while sitting on leather chairs or at tables. Beyond breakfast, the café serves delicious quiches, salads, and sandwiches at lunch and dinnertime. For dessert, dig into decadent pastries and homemade cakes.
112 S. College Ave., Fort Collins, Colorado, 80524, USA
Known For
- The popular cappuccino cake
- Unique drinks like Colorado honey and rose latte
- Great people-watching
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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This bohemian-style café two blocks west of the pedestrian mall serves bagels, muffins, pastries, and oatmeal for breakfast, and panini sandwiches and soups for lunch; do try the locally roasted, organic espresso. This is where Boulder's creative community and young tech entrepreneurs rub shoulders, sometimes literally, thanks to the tight seating. There are multiple other branches in town.
1709 Pearl St., Boulder, Colorado, 80302, USA
Known For
- Gluten-free baked goods
- Patio with mountain views
- Coffee shop featuring local beer and wine
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No reservations
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As the name hints, the café is set up inside three repurposed train cars, including an old circus train from the late 1800s. It serves locally roasted coffee, frozen yogurt, light food such as homemade mini-doughnuts and sandwiches, and kava, a Pacific Island beverage made from the ground roots of the kava plant. Splurge with a malt or go healthy with a green smoothie with chia seeds.
101 Rte. 119, Nederland, Colorado, 80466, USA
Known For
- Pick your own toppings for fresh-made mini-doughnuts
- Spicy green chile, Colorado's favorite dish
- Affogato with hot espresso over frozen yogurt
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
