Denver has a vibrant culinary scene, with 27 restaurants currently recognized by the Michelin Guide for their great food and masterful cooking techniques. From high-end dining to low-key boutique eateries, Denver’s restaurants offer food lovers a never-ending selection of delicious cuisine.
While in Denver, two unique spots to grab a bite are the historic Union Station and Larimer Square (the oldest block in Denver), both located in Lower Downtown (LoDo). These sites offer high-end dining, trendy restaurants, coffee and ice cream shops, as well as elegant bars and lounges. As a bonus, they are also great places to do some shopping! Another nice area to dine and drink is Hangar 2 in the Lowry neighborhood. Here, visitors can find restaurants, cafés, and a beer garden.
My visit to Denver was brief, so I didn’t have much opportunity to explore the city’s culinary scene. During my trip, I stopped by the Officers Club Lowry at Hangar 2 and The Thirsty Lion Gastropub in LoDo for two of my dinners, enjoyed lunches at the Denver Botanic Gardens and the Denver Art Museum, had a hotel picnic with food from Snarf’s Sandwiches, and savored some delicious ice cream at Union Station.
Officers Club Lowry
My first dinner in Denver was at the Officers Club Lowry, located right next to the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. I selected this restaurant based on its location, reviews, and menu. The Officers Club Lowry is a low-key restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere, offering indoor and outdoor dining spaces, as well as live music several times a week. Definitely a great place to hang out on a Friday night.
For dinner, I ordered the Daily Fresh Fish, which is served with fingerling potatoes and haricot verts. On the day of my visit, the fish of the day was salmon. The dish hit some high notes with the delicious potatoes and greens, but sadly, the salmon, while well-cooked, was a tad salty for my taste. Despite that, I wouldn’t mind visiting the Officers Club Lowry again. The restaurant had a great vibe, an interesting menu, and offered great customer service.
The Hive Garden Bistro
The Hive Garden Bistro is one of two restaurants inside the Denver’s Botanic Garden. I decided to stop by this bistro while exploring the gardens, as I was starving and also needed a reprieve from the hot afternoon sun. The Hive Garden Bistro is a counter-service eatery with outdoor dining space only, and a menu featuring vegetarian and gluten-free options. I grabbed a table near a water feature and had a special visitor during my meal!
I got the Pollinator Salad, and it was amazing!! It had a very interesting flavor profile and was overall very fresh. It looks a bit small in the pictures, but the serving size was generous. The highlights of the salad were the honey-smoked salmon, candied pecans, avocado, and honey-lavender vinaigrette. For a drink, I grabbed a cold, refreshing lemonade. I definitely recommend the bistro if you’re looking for a quick, delicious bite while exploring the gardens.
Snarf’s Sandwiches
After a long day trip to the Rocky Mountain National Park, I was quite tired and was looking for a meal that could be delivered to the hotel. The front desk at the Hyatt House highly recommended Snarf’s Sandwiches, a chain of restaurants offering a variety of salads, sandwiches, soups, and more. Wow, Snarf’s Sandwiches hit a homerun with this meal! The tuna salad with raspberry vinaigrette was great, the loaf of bread was melt-in-your-mouth delicious, and the white chocolate chip macadamia cookies were amazing. This is an excellent place if you’re looking for a simple and inexpensive, but delicious meal.
Café Gio
Café Gio is one of two eateries located in the Denver Art Museum. This café is counter-service, with meals brought to your table. Unfortunately, the meal wasn’t as great as the artwork on display. The iced coffee was refreshing, but the meal was a bit lackluster. I ordered a slice of sourdough topped with smoked salmon, avocado, and an egg, but the café was out of avocados and substituted mixed greens instead. I was really looking forward to this dish, and while the smoked salmon was flavorful, the rest was either dry or overcooked. Regardless, the meal still provided the energy I needed to continue exploring the museum. If you are spending a few hours at the museum, this is a good spot to take a break and grab a coffee and a pastry.
Thirsty Lion Gastropub
Thirsty Lion Gastropub was plan B after I discovered that Mercantile at Union Station, a restaurant recommended by a friend, was closed for the Labor Day Holiday. I’m glad I had the opportunity to visit this restaurant because the food was delicious, the customer service was excellent, and the atmosphere was fun and laid-back. I ordered one of the specials: grilled salmon, jasmine cilantro rice, and grilled vegetables. Every component of the dish was well prepared and well seasoned. The raspberry lemonade was refreshing and perfectly balanced between sweet and tart.
This restaurant is definitely a great place to hang out with family and friends. For sports fans, there are several large-screen TVs near the bar, and for those days with perfect weather, there is plenty of patio seating.
Milkbox Ice Creamery
Milkbox Ice Creamery was a sweet end to my time in Denver. This local ice cream shop is found in one of the best-preserved spaces inside the historic Union Station. I bought one scoop of the coffee ice cream; it was heavenly, very creamy and flavorful!
A 5% fee is added to all orders (3% Union Station Historic Preservation and 2% Fair Wage).
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