"Union Station, Denver Even if you don’t have a train to catch, you’ll want to make time to explore all of the dining options at Denver’s Union Station. This Beaux-Arts landmark, completed in 1914, underwent a complete renovation in 2014, and now it not only serves as a modern transit hub, but houses a hotel, shops, and nearly a dozen restaurants and bars as well. Eateries include fresh seafood, oysters, and a granita bar at Stoic & Genuine; seasonally inspired comfort food at the sit-down eatery within Mercantile Dining & Provision; and locally sourced casual fare at Next Door. Pick up breakfast at Snooze, get caffeinated at Pigtrain Coffee Co., and for lunch or a quick dinner, stop by the Acme Delicatessen (and don’t forget Milkbox Ice Creamery for frozen indulgence afterward). For evening visits—postprandial or otherwise—head up to the Cooper Lounge on the mezzanine level for cocktails looking out into the station’s Great Hall."

"Watercourse Foods calls itself Denver’s original vegan restaurant.After Dan Landes first openedWatercourse Foods in 1998, the menu slowly evolved fromstraight vegetarian to fullveganby 2014. Over the years it has becomea gathering place for a community of those interested in healthy foods and lifestyles—not just for those with a plant-based palate, but also for those withdietary restrictions that make eating out tricky. The bright Uptown restaurant is open from 7 a.m. all day and is especially popular for breakfast (not least of all for the design-it-yourself scrambled tofu skillet hash with a panoply of fillings and sauces). In the evening, creative cocktails—and mocktails—made with local ingredients are served alongside street tacos, curries, mac and cheese, and nachos loaded with tempeh chorizo, avocado, refried beans, and pico de gallo."

"From its location in Denver’s Union Station, Mercantile Dining & Provisionmakes delicious and nutritious meals accessible to commuters and travelerspassing through. This is the second eatery by Alex Seidel, a committed restaurateur who purchased a farm east of Denver to better understand the journey food takes from field to plate. The on-site market offers artisan-made provisions from spices and pickled beets to jams and jellies to coffee and potato chips. In the dining room, chef and partner Matt Vawterserves dinners so goodyou may miss your train—the spicy mussels (served in a tomato-butter broth perfect for mopping up with bread to console yourself after the shellfish and fennel sausage are gone), the housemade pastas, or the rotating selection of fire-roasted meat and fish entrees, can make the most fastidious traveler lose track of time."

"Farmer-Chef Fresh at Fruition Chef Alex Seidel is more than a chef, he is the farmer of most of the fresh food being served. On his 10-acre farm, he tends to herbs, fruits, vegetables, flowers, pigs and bees. With the addition of sheep in 2010, he created Colorado 's first Artisanal Sheep Dairy and Creamery. The Carbonara, which is the only item consistently on the menu, is infused delicious cheese from his cheese. The cavatelli pasta is also topped with crispy pork belly and a poached egg for you to crack and mix into the meal. The rest of the rustic menu rotates seasonally and is a favorite among foodies."

"Steuben’s If the name of this placereminds you ofthe Boston landmark, you’re on to something. It was named after Steuben’s,a Beantown hot spot fromthe 1940s well into the ’60s, known for jazz, big band shows, and parties. Steuben’s in Denver aspires to all that. The restaurant servesAmerican comfort food like meat loaf, chicken and waffles, milkshakes, and lobster rolls in a retro-groovy diner setting. Theformula has proven so successfulthatanother location in nearby Arvada opened in 2016."

"The truth is, there's a chance that there won't be any bread to buy when you visit the Raleigh Street Bakery's operation (a garage behind the baker's house). That's because the bakery sells bread shares to locals that they use to score a fresh loaf or two of artisanal bread every week. But because there may be an extra loafof this extraordinary bread for sale, you should make a point of trying. Two pickup locations around town operate at different hours on different days. The Monday-late-afternoon bread-pickup spot, Call to Arms Brewing Company, offers the consolation of fine local craft beer if the bread's all gone. You can also trythe Union Station Farmers’ Market on Saturdays between 9 a.m.and 2 p.m."

"It's easy tofind Little Man Ice Cream: Justcheck around for the 28-foot-tall milk can. This iconic landmark is not just about head-turning looks, it’s aboutservingthe freshest ice cream.Located across the river from Denver’s LoDo neighborhood, Little Man Ice Creamis definitely worth thestrollacross the footbridge. The rotating menuincludes classic flavors as well as some prettyinteresting variations like French Toast and Purple Cow."

"Eating fresh seafood in an inland city like Denver is certainly a unique experience, but don’t let the distance from the ocean be a concern. Jax’s mission is to bring the coasts to the coastless, and it does so with aplomb. For the eco-minded, the restaurant is deeply mindful about acquiring ingredients from sustainable sources; it's the first eatery in Colorado to be certified by the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch program. Jax encourages customers to be smart about their own fish purchases and recommends that patrons use the Seafood Watch app. You’d better believe, after taking that kind of care to bring the ocean to the mountains,Jax prepares everything to perfection. There are two locations in Denver to choose from—as well as two other Colorado outposts, one each in Boulder and Fort Collins."

"Ace Eat Serve, a fun restaurant in Denver’s Uptown neighborhood, has two main attractions: a pan-Asian menu and lots of ping-pong tables. The restaurant is popular with families and kids—there's lots of room to roam around, and everything onthekids' menu comes on a bed of sticky rice with steamed veggies (and followed by a guilt-freeand tasty dessert of shave ice). The restaurant is also popular withchildless adults, who come for thepatio, the duck-broth ramen, the cocktails,and the boisterous table tennis. Win-win."

"The Source Market Located in Denver ’s trendy River North district, the Source is a collection of 25 vendors sharing space in the hip industrial interior of a former 1880s iron foundry, where artisans and retailers include a bakery, a butcher shop, florist, coffee roaster, barber, and even a food photography studio. Restaurants include Acorn, a locally acclaimed eatery serving wood-fired specialties (a meaty oak-roasted monkfish comes rubbed with a Moroccan blend of chermoula and saffron ; Comida, a Mexican taquería known for authentic and slow-cooked pork carnitas and fantastic margaritas; as well as a couple of breweries and a cocktail bar. The space also hosts pop-up events for other food vendors, as well as jewelry, home goods, clothing, accessories, and cosmetics, and a 100-room hotel that opened in summer 2018."

"Family Breakfast at Snooze There are several places to get breakfast in Denver but most locals will say that Snooze is the best in town. French toast specials, bright yellow tables, appetite inducing aromas of bacon and the perpetual wait line combine to create an atmosphere of comfortable chaos. The wait is worth it, however, because the service is cheerful and prompt and the food comes fast. Pictured above is the Spuds Deluxe (hash browns covered with cheese, scallions, veggies and meat topped with an egg), the french toast special covered with crushed ginger snap cookies and several kids meals. Uno cards come separate."

"The Brown Palace High Tea The tradition of afternoon tea is refreshingly alive and well atDenver's Brown Palace Hotel. The atrium lobby of this 1892Italian Renaissance Revival hotel is alone worth a visit: The soaring stained-glass ceiling, the ornate metal rails along the balconies, and the grand staircase make quite the impression.Formal tea service is accompanied bylive harp or piano music. The ritual, complete with a range of teas to choose from, as well as scones, finger sandwiches, andimported Devonshire cream, will have you raising a pinkie to tradition. Reservations are recommended, especially around the holiday season."

"Eat Local at Kitchen Denver Denver's Kitchen Bistro describes itself as a community bistro: Its goal is to gather people and to create community through food. Through partnerships with like-minded farmers and ranchers, the Kitchen sources its food carefully and mindfully, serving an ever-evolving menu, with dishes like the creamy grits served drizzled with browned miso-butter or the roast center-cut pork chop. With each bite, you can taste the thought and care that goes in to every dish at the Kitchen. The decor is comfortable, clean and chic and it feels like being at home—you know, the kind of home you dream of."

"A key component to the mastery of a skill is knowing when to break the rules. As its name implies, Jovanina’s Broken Italian breaks away from the traditional rules and expectations of Italian cuisine with the measured confidence of a master. Owners Jennifer and Jake Linzinmeir bring years of restaurant experience, both in the kitchen and in management, to Jovanina's, which allows them to find an approachable balance of new flavors and classic dishes to the menu. The airy ground-floor space feels festive, with whitewashed brick walls along one side and a bar running the length of the other; a downstairs wine-bar dining area has a quieter, more intimate vibe. Try any of the handmade pasta specials or go with the favorite: a brick-oven pizza topped with fennel sausage, smoked mozzarella, and caramelized onions"

"Buckhorn Exchange, as much a museum as a restaurant, was founded in 1893 by a man who rode with Buffalo Bill. The restaurant's walls are hung with historical photographs and taxidermy animal trophies, among them a two-headed calf. Glass museum cases display western artifacts, including 125 guns. The walls are painted red, the tablecloths are red-checked and diners are seated Perhaps not surprisingly, the steakhouse menu offers a wide range of game dishes, with daily specials that can run to the exotic, like rattlesnake. Make a reservation, and show up early to enjoy the wild west style lounge and bar on the second floor. You’ll really feel like you’ve stepped back in time."

"Jelly Delights Look for a hip crowd of 20- and 30-somethings mingling outside a corner cafe in Denver's youthful Capital Hill neighborhood. This marks the entrance to the city's new favorite breakfast joint, Jelly. Enjoy Bloody Mary's with a garden of veggies on top and a mixed basket of doughnut bites (with housemade jellies and fillings) while you wait. Then choose between frosted flake pancakes, chai French toast, and four different "sliders" (frittata inside a bun) for breakfast. Take a break from eating to appreciate the retro cereal boxes that line the restaurant's bright walls. Jelly is a classic."