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For the 15th consecutive year, Denver Restaurant Week (February 22 through March 3) will be the talk of our town. Participating restaurants choose from one of three available price points—$25, $35, or $45—and create multi-course meals in their price bracket that highlight what they do best.
There are 227 restaurants currently confirmed to take part in this year’s celebration, which means it’s easy to get overwhelmed when deciding where to make reservations—and you definitely want to make reservations. But we’re here to help.
First, consider this year’s new restaurants: Acova, Acreage Cider House & Eatery, Bamboo Sushi, Deep Roots Winery and Bistro, Former Saint Craft Kitchen and Taps, Liberati Osteria & Oenobeers, and Denver Milk Market.
Also new, diners can browse Denver Restaurant Week offerings on its website by “regions.” For example, the “Highlands” encompasses eateries on Tennyson Street and in Berkeley and LoHi. You can also search by cuisine, price, and by whether or not a restaurant is vegetarian-friendly. In the mood for Caribbean food? Check out Cuba Cuba Cafe & Bar. Looking for Mexican near Stapleton? There’s only one result, but it’s a good one: Los Chingones, where $25 gets you a fully customizable meal (options include rattlesnake chorizo queso, an enchilada plate, and a house margarita).
For those eager to knock out some of the spots on 5280’s 2018 25 Best Restaurants list, Coperta, El Five, Dio Mio, and Departure Denver Restaurant & Lounge are all participating. On the menu: house-made pastas from Coperta (pappardelle with monkfish sugo) and Dio Mio (cavatelli with broccoli rabe pesto, pistachio, and poached egg), Middle Eastern and Spanish tapas at El Five (patatas bravas, spiced beef kibbeh), and modern Asian dishes from Departure (fried whole striped bass, chocolate custard with yuzu granita).
That week is also a good opportunity to revisit longtime favorites, or to indulge in too-good-to-pass-up deals. At LoHi’s Family Jones Spirit House, for example, $35 gets you a three-course meal plus a specialty cocktail made with house spirits. And at Denver Milk Market, patrons get their choice of four dishes for $25—everything from papaya salad to hot fried chicken—while those who opt to dine at Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox (and plan accordingly) could pair their three-course, $35 dinner with a live show.
Wherever you end up, please practice proper Denver Restaurant Week etiquette and tip your servers generously.
If you go: Denver Restaurant Week runs from February 22 through March 3. Browse menus here.