3 Best Restaurants in Denver, Colorado

This always-packed spot is worth the trip to Highland for such South American fare as shrimp and scallops sautéed with fresh herbs, coconut milk, and hot chilies or feijoada completa, the Brazilian national dish of black-bean stew and smoked meats, accompanied with fried bananas. With its vivid paintings and colorful traditional masks, it always seems to be a festive party here. It's frequented by locals in the know, especially those looking to try one of their 75-plus rums on hand.

A basic contemporary American menu offers classics done well at the Nickel, the restaurant located in the Hotel Teatro. Enjoy a top-notch burger, an entrée-sized salad, or Mediterranean-style salmon, all while kicking back in sumptuously upholstered chairs. Breakfast and weekend brunch offer some unique options like carrot cake pancakes. The room takes terrific advantage of the natural light that floods the space, making the ambience feel impressive and special. Rooftop bees provide in-house honey.

Holistic health guru Dr. Andrew Weil has opened restaurants in select locations in 17 states, and this venture in Cherry Creek, where his intensive focus is on anti-inflammatory preparations and antioxidant ingredients prepared with an international flair, has met with great success. Don't expect all-vegetarian, however; the menu offers plenty of meat, particularly lean bison and turkey, as well as fish, tempeh, and other meat substitutes. Trendy cocktails—cucumber margarita or blueberry acai mojito, for example—and natural sodas add to the appeal for the younger crowds that flock to the communal tables for small plates and thin-crust pizzas. The kids' menu is impressively healthy and appealing with its mini grass-fed burger and chicken teriyaki bowl.