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Like a lot of business districts, Olde Town Arvada shut down some of its streets to cars at the onset of the pandemic to allow restaurants to expand outdoor seating. Unlike other locales, this northwestern suburb of Denver made the change permanent in 2021, investing in more robust barriers at intersections and commissioning colorful murals on the blacktop. The improvements quickly began paying delicious dividends, with a handful of exciting concepts joining still-bustling classics to make this charming, twinkly-light-adorned area an even better place to grab a bite or beverage. (Street parking is limited, so consider taking RTD’s G Line to the Olde Town Arvada Station, or the adjacent four-level garage and transit hub is a convenient, free place to stash your car.) Here, a by-the-occasion guide to some of Olde Town Arvada’s tastiest offerings, new and old.
Editor’s Note: This is a living list and was last updated on August 7, 2025. Did we miss your favorite? Email us at dining@5280.com.
Table of Contents
Casual Eats
303 Ramen
Inside a former house on Olde Town’s northwestern border, 303 Ramen is rarely bustling—meaning you’ll likely be able to snag a seat on the charming, tucked-away patio—but it does a steady takeout business. Devotees return to the longstanding Asian eatery again and again for pad thai, curries, and, of course, its namesake broth-soaked noodles (varieties include miso, shoyu, and spicy beef). 5725 Yukon St., Arvada
Bonfire Burritos
Families flock to the Olde Town location of this popular Golden-based breakfast burrito company, which opened inside a former Arby’s in May 2025, in part because it has a generously sized, astroturfed patio where kids can run wild. We suggest stopping by on a weekday, since the line often winds around the corner on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Breakfast is the focus here (unlike at the original Golden location, which also offers an array of lunch burritos), with a full espresso bar and imaginative breakfast tacos that hold their own against the ever-popular burritos. Try the Javelina, a hearty mix of hash browns, chorizo, cotija, and grilled pineapple, among other toppings. Those with dietary restrictions will be happy with the ample vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free choices. 5800 Olde Wadsworth Blvd, Arvada
The Bluegrass Coffee & Bourbon Lounge
In the morning, remote workers stream into this cozy pub for coffee drinks, made with a house brand of specialty roasts, but as the day goes on, the laid-back staff seamlessly transitions to serving cocktails and pours from its extensive bourbon collection. Choose from more than 150 kinds of whiskey (diehard fans can drive to the pub’s Candelas location, about 20 minutes to the northwest, where the menu includes a staggering 250 options). Visitors any time of day know that the Bluegrass serves some of the better between-bread options in Olde Town Arvada, from bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwiches with extra spicy ranch (the $2 upgrade to an everything bagel is well worth it) to an oven-toasted pesto chicken sub. 7415 Grandview Ave., Arvada
Bread Winners Cafe
Bread Winners might look like somewhere your grandma meets her girlfriends for lunch (and it probably is), but the homey daytime diner also does a rollicking brunch business. Wash down a green chile omelet, stack of praline pancakes, or chicken-fried steak with a bloody mary or mimosa carafe on the seasonally enclosed, dog-friendly patio. 7311 Grandview Ave., Arvada
Homegrown Tap & Dough
Families flock to this lively pizza joint, an offshoot of the original location in Washington Park, for dinner: The friendly servers bring crayons and, if you ask, a ball of squishy dough for each kid to play with. Appetizers like pepperoni rolls and roasted Brussels sprouts with lemon aïoli arrive quickly; the din is generally loud enough to cover any screaming; and the mostly Colorado beer list is long and varied. Expect to wait, especially if you want prized seats inside the chandelier-clad gondola or on a swinging ski lift bench. Or go before 2 p.m. for a satisfying lunch deal that’ll leave you with leftovers to enjoy the next day: a personal pizza and generous portion of any of the salads for $14.50. 5601 Olde Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada
School House Kitchen and Libations
An Olde Town Arvada mainstay, School House leans into its two-story location inside, you guessed it, a former school, with elevated pub grub sorted into different periods and decorative flourishes like retro desks hanging from the ceiling in the bar. Kids love customizing their mac and cheese or flatbread pizza with the likes of pulled pork, pesto, and tomatoes, while adults pore over the massive list of more than 2,000 whiskies. Front and rooftop patios make this crowd-pleaser especially, well, pleasing in the summer. 5660 Olde Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada
Teocalli Cocina
Given the presence of Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, Lady Nomada, and Cochino Taco, it was fair for Arvadans to wonder, Does Olde Town really need another Mexican restaurant? But this industrial-meets-tropical offshoot of the original location in Lafayette brought elevated, entirely gluten-free options—charred beef short rib with grilled bone marrow, pork shank pibil, hamachi ceviche—in addition to, yes, more tacos to Olde Town when it opened in February 2022. Seats on the expansive corner patio are coveted, especially during happy hour (3 to 5 p.m.) when house margaritas are just $6. 5770 Olde Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada
Date-Night Destinations
The Arvada Tavern
Couples have long enjoyed canoodling in the Arvada Tavern’s red-leather tufted booths or holding hands over the candlelit high-tops, while friends and single minglers perch at the bar to watch the sharply dressed mixologists at work. The menu boasts shareables such as mushroom pierogi and pretzel bombs with milk stout beer cheese, as well as entrées like chicken schnitzel and pan-seared red snapper, but the real draw is the painstakingly crafted Prohibition-era cocktails. On Friday and Saturday nights, squeeze through the “secret” passage in the phone booth to enter Bernard’s Tiki Room, a Polynesian-themed escape complete with kitschy rattan decor, tropical drinks, and servers donning Hawaiian shirts. 5707 Olde Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada
Lady Nomada
Walking through Lady Nomada’s heavy wooden doors, you feel like you’re leaving Arvada and stepping into a chic SoCal beach cafe: Cacti line the eggshell-hued walls, murals of women surfing and a projection of undersea creatures serve as art, and rattan and terra cotta accents set a neutral, sandy backdrop. The self-described Baja-rado cuisine includes mostly shareable items like birria fries, baja fish and grilled shrimp tacos, and fajitas. We’re partial to the just-sweet-enough, adorably pink elderflower prickly pear margarita, but all of the tropical drinks (including a mai tai and coconut cream marisol) complete the coastal teleportation. 7519 Grandview Ave., Arvada
Stone Cellar Bistro
Area foodies have been fighting over reservations at this upscale, farm-to-table dinner spot since it opened in June 2022. The concise menu is always changing, but chef Jordan Alley reliably weaves local produce into beautifully plated dishes. Exhibit A: a late-summer Palisade stone fruit special with peaches, pluots, heirloom tomatoes, and African blue basil in an apricot broth. Larger entrées revolve around meats such as pork tenderloin, red snapper, and hanger steak, and everything pairs well with creative cocktails—the Oh Snap! combines yuzu gin and lemon—from the bar. 7605 Grandview Ave., Arvada
Read more: Arvada’s Stone Cellar Bistro Is a Throwback—in the Best Possible Way
Fun & Games
Secret Level
Rich in millennial and Gen X nostalgia, this arcade bar is the only place in the greater Denver area where you can sip on a Princess Peach Mule while playing Mario Kart. Other perfectly paired drink-and-game combos include Pacman’s Cherry Chomp Lemonade and a round of Ms. Pac-Man, or the Atari 2600 Olde Fashioned (with angostura and plum bitters) and Pong. Twelve pinball machines and a claw machine round out the arcade. An ideal spot for a casual date night or a family outing with teenagers, Secret Level also offers quick bites including chicken chunks to dunk in your choice of 11 sauces, fried pickles, waffle fries, and alcoholic or zero-proof slushies. 5711 Olde Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada
The TRN Grandview
It’s all about golf at this spot, which has two golf simulator bays indoors and a free miniature golf course outdoors (with nine holes, it’s pretty small, but perfect if you’ve got little ones in tow). You can book a private lesson, join a fantasy golf league, or simply enjoy a drink on the astroturfed front lawn. On Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights in the summer, there’s live music, and the full bar is always open. A variety of food trucks stop by as well; follow TRN’s Instagram page for the latest updates. 5601 Yukon St., Arvada
Wine, Beer, & Booze
Arvada Beer Garden
Perhaps due in part to its highly visible location steps from Ralston Central Park, Arvada residents turned out in droves for the July 2025 opening of this new beer garden located inside a former gas station. (While not technically in Olde Town, it’s just a five-minute drive or eight-minute bike ride west on the Ralston Creek Trail.) Part of a planned multi-use development that will eventually include affordable- and market-rate apartments, retail space, and more, the sprawling garden boasts both indoor and outdoor areas to dine and mingle. Beer, wine, and cocktails are available for just $5 during weekday happy hour, and a selection of veggie-based bowls and salads balances out the traditional fried pub fare, such as pretzels, burgers, and brats. Bring your friends and spring for the Super Giant Pretzel with cheese ($18, but it’s accurately named). 9258 58th Place, Arvada
Denver Beer Co.
Housed in a converted gas station, this outpost of the popular LoHi brewery is consistently packed with brew-sipping adults and their charges, both two- and four-legged. Seats on the patio are coveted in both summer and winter, thanks to shade sails in the former season and fire pits (perfect for roasting the giant marshmallow that comes with your Peanut Butter Graham Cracker Porter) in the latter. Pair whatever you’re drinking with a just-the-right-amount-of-greasy burger and tots from the Mighty Colorado Burger, housed in a converted Airstream inside the taproom. 5768 Olde Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada
Flights Wine Cafe
Patio tables, twinkly lights, and plenty of greenery set a garden-party vibe at Flights Wine Cafe, which has a small indoor space inside a former house but sprawls across a large outdoor area with a stage for live music. It’s a lovely spot to while away a warm afternoon with friends over a cheese and charcuterie board and a three-glass tasting selection of your favorite variation of vino: red, white, rose, or bubbly. 7714 Grandview Ave., Arvada
Marmalade Lounge
Clementine’s Salon, a local chain that opened a new location in Olde Town Arvada in July 2022, is so friggin’ cute—shelter-magazine-worthy floor tile, chic gold-rimmed mirrors, houseplants galore—that you’ll want to hang out and have a cocktail. And you can, either while you have your hair done or simply by visiting the equally adorable bar, Marmalade Lounge, that’s tucked into a subterranean space accessible from the alley. Sipping a lavender 11:11 (Marmalade’s take on the French 75) and taking advantage of the free Visia Skin Analysis face scanner to find out what products will best address your issues? That’s what we call self-care. 5665 Olde Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada
Method & Muse Spirits
A group of friends with professional backgrounds in chemistry and engineering opened this distillery in June 2024, and their precisely calibrated cocktails reflect that technical expertise. In addition to four gins made in-house, Method & Muse distills several amari varieties, spirits with bittersweet botanical flavors. The tasting room offers both traditional and inventive cocktails; try the classic Manhattan or venture further afield with the Sky’s Out Thighs Out, featuring gin, pineapple and passionfruit juices, and Caribbean-style amaro. 7513 Grandview Ave, Arvada
New Image Brewing
New Image Brewing makes some of the best beer in the state—especially if you love the hazy, New England–style IPAs that have taken the suds world by storm in recent years. Many of those varieties employ Phantasm, a wine-grape-derived powder that adds juicy flavors and aromas, while other popular flagship brews include the Moped blood orange witbier and the Wey Mnky dry-hopped sour ale. In December 2025, trendy burger joint Arty’s opened inside the brewery; try the Arty Style burger with Wagyu beef and chopped pepperoncini. 5614 Old Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada
Read more: Is Phantasm the Brewing World’s Coolest New Ingredient?
The StockRoom
Since 2021, an unmarked door at the back of liquor store Spirits Wine Provisions has led those in the know to the StockRoom, a dark, cozy space whose exposed brick and framing beams add to the speakeasy feel. Backlit bottles glitter behind the bar, where laid-back but expert staffers will mix something up to suit your preferences or pour tastes of various spirits carried in the bottle shop, should you like something enough to want to take a bottle home. 5713 Olde Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada
Coffee, Tea, & Treats
Heaven Artisan Creamery
This upscale ice cream shop has spread to six locations across Denver and Boulder, plus an outpost in Avon; the Olde Town venue opened in November 2024. In addition to a rotating array of more than 500 fancy ice cream flavors, such as Dubai chocolate with creamy pistachio paste and filo dough, Heaven also offers espresso drinks and sweet and savory crepes, plus generously sized desserts such as apple pie a la mode and, our favorite, sticky mango rice served on ice in a fresh coconut shell. 7375 Grandview Ave, Arvada
Hunter Bay Coffee Roasters
The sole outpost of Hunter Bay, born in 1991 in Missoula, Montana, opened in Olde Town in 2016 and has been a favored spot for remote workers ever since. The bright, high-ceilinged cafe offers a.m. eats such as avocado toast and bagel breakfast sandwiches and roasts beans daily for its lineup of single-origin and blended coffees, which are also sold in area Sprouts Farmers Market and Natural Grocers locations. 5600 Olde Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada
La Dolce Vita
Regulars frequent La Dolce Vita’s quaint, cozy space for scratch-made quiche and pastries, family-recipe coffee cake, steaming mugs filled with java drinks made with Denver’s Coda Coffee Company products, and Liks ice cream. In the evenings, the tiny stage hosts free open mic nights and performances by a variety of musicians, from cellists to folk groups to big-name locals such as Hazel Miller. 5756 Olde Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada
Rheinlander Bakery
Celebrating its 60-year anniversary in 2023, the sweets oasis that is Rheinlander Bakery often has a line of patrons streaming out its front door—and for good reason. Like any proper German bakery, it makes perfectly flaky fruit strudels, bienenstich coffee cake, and shortbread cookies. But the tiny shop also churns out inventive, seasonally inspired cupcakes and creations like king cakes, Irish soda bread, and Thanksgiving pies, and many of its offerings, including the divine seven-inch, special-occasion-worthy cakes, are available sans gluten and dairy. (Pro tip: There’s a handful of short-term parallel parking spots for customers along the alley to the south of the building.) 5721 Olde Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada
Scrumptious
From the ceramic pig outside that gets regularly repainted to the towering retro and modern candy displays to the large case of ready-to-be-scooped homemade ice cream, Scrumptious is a kid magnet. But there’s plenty for grown-ups to love too, including elevated rotating flavors like butterscotch caramel sea salt and Santa’s Breath (a holiday special starring peppermint, cookies, and whiskey) and cheeky home decor such as punny tea towels and pop art prints by local painter Kevin Eslinger. 7523 Grandview Ave., Arvada
