Best Restaurants 2019: Dio Mio

There are so many things I love about fine-casual Dio Mio on Larimer Street, numbers tell the story best:

400: Pounds of fresh pasta (from six different doughs) that chefs and co-owners Spencer White and Alex Figura make every week. That doesn’t include the 50-odd pounds of spaghetti they make for neighbor Hop Alley’s dan dan mian.

13: Loaves of superb bread—seeded sourdough and tender focaccia—baked daily. Once lunch service begins in October, there will be even more options.

2 years, 7 months: Length of time Dio Mio’s magnificent cacio e pepe was made with wide fettuccine noodles. As of this past June, the dish features ruffle-edged mafaldine instead (which my Italophile nine-year-old son pronounced even better for its sauce-soaking capabilities).

5 to 7: Seasonal and mostly local vegetable-centric shared plates on the beautifully concise menu. If White and Figura ever take off the roasted broccoli with spicy cheddar sauce, pickled broccoli stems, and French’s Crispy Fried Onions, tears (mine and my kid’s) will flow. $$, 3264 Larimer St., 303-562-1965