10 of Denver’s Best French Restaurants

The Mile High City has become a hub for global eats, including French fare. Over the past few years, a new crop of restaurants has joined the roster of tried-and-true brasseries and bistros. That means Denverites can now enjoy a wider variety of both classic renditions and inventive spins on cuisine from La République Française at a range of price points. Here, 10 of our favorite places to satisfy your cravings for steak frites, crêpes, and other delights right now. 

Editor’s Note: This is a living list of the best French restaurants, listed in no particular order, that was last updated on August 23, 2023. Did we miss your favorite? Email us at dining@5280.com.

Le French

Le French in Denver Tech Center’s Belleview Station is the only place in town where you savor specialties from France and West Africa. The bistro and bakery’s cuisine reflects the heritage of Senegalese French sisters Aminata and Rougui Dia, who founded the venue in 2019. To taste the best of both cultures, go for the new multi-course weeknight menu, which includes a starter, entrée and dessert for $50; options include escargot cooked in parsley-garlic butter, le mafe (West African beef stewed in a tomato-peanut sauce), and chocolate mousse. Bonus: On September 21, Le French will debut a second location in the 9+CO development, which will serve favorites (think: moules frites and crêpes) from the original location as well as fresh, globally inspired creations. —PK

Coohills

A location within a one-minute walk to Ball Arena is not the only draw to Coohills. The 12-year-old LoDo restaurant draws patrons in the on- and off-season, thanks to Tom and Diane Coohill’s smart, French-y fare that’s not always easy to find in Denver, from wild Burgundy-sourced escargots to decadent scalloped Baumanière potatoes. Seafood lovers should try the filler-less (read: gluten-free) blue crab cake set in a pool of tarragon Champagne nage, while fungivores will enjoy the duxelles-stuffed mushroom ravioli. As a bonus, Coohills’ happy hour special (4 to 6 p.m.) gets you $2 off wines by the glass, beers, and certain cocktails. We’ll clink to that. 1400 Wewatta St. —Ethan Pan

Bistro Barbès

At Park Hill’s tiny Bistro Barbès, chef-owner Jon Robbins offers one of the most intimate dining experiences in town. The nine-year-old restaurant, which only has 10 or so tables, transitioned to a reservation-only model during the pandemic. That means when you visit, Robbins may be your host, server, and chef, dishing out specialities influenced by the time he spent living in Paris’ Barbès neighborhood (home to a large North African population) and his tenure cooking in Michelin-starred French kitchens. The results are four-course tasting menus featuring the likes of saffron-braised artichoke heart with roasted fennel hummus and braised beef short rib atop green peppercorn au poivre with leek-laden dauphine potatoes (aka the best potato au gratin you’ve ever tasted). It’s a date-night-ready experience worth making a reservation for. 5021 E. 28th Ave. —PK

Bistro LeRoux

In 2021, chef-owner Lon Symensma debuted a makeover of his more than two-year-old haute French concept, LeRoux. The bistro-style menu sports more Pan-European dishes than the original, but many of Symensma’s creative takes on French staples remain. That includes the baked brie en croute dressed with seasonal flair (the summer version has Palisade peach preserves, comb honey, and marigold); the wagyu steak tartare with smoked oyster aïoli and confit egg yolk; and the umami-rich, onion-crusted short rib accompanied by silky potatoes whipped with Gruyère. Pop into the romantic, chandelier-adorned restaurant for happy hour (Monday to Friday, 4 to 5 p.m.;Saturday to Sunday, 3 to 5 p.m.) to get half a dozen freshly shucked oysters and a bottle of Prosecco for only $30 and select plates priced under $10. 1510 16th Street Mall —PK

Noisette

When chefs Tim and Lillian Lu burst onto the Denver dining scene a year ago with Noisette, French food on the Front Range got a serious upgrade. The LoHi eatery’s delicate, floral-forward decor and tableware takes a page out of the Rococo stylebook, but everything—including the menu based around elevated takes on French bourgeois (middle class) cuisine—feels fit for the 21st century. The revolving land- and sea-based entrées always feature technically precise proteins and seasonal accompaniments. But the best bite you’ll eat is sourced from the restaurant’s adjoining bakery concept: The épi-style baguette served with cultured brown butter defies the high-elevation odds to produce a perfectly crisp yet fluffy texture. 3254 Navajo St. —EP

Chez Maggy 

Chez Maggy is Ludo Lefebvre’s ode to his wife’s late mother, Margaret, a Littleton resident who was killed by a drunk driver in 2019. The Los Angeles–based chef has fond memories of visiting her on the Front Range, so bringing his polished French cuisine to the Mile High City was a no-brainer. At Chez Maggy—which opened in February 2022 inside the swanky Thompson Denver hotel—look for the tagliatelle Bolognese, his mother-in-law’s favorite dish, and the trout almondine, a filet encrusted in toasted almonds and bathed in lemon brown butter. Complemented by a deep wine list and well-curated cocktails (we like the vodka- and strawberry-forward Let Them Eat Cake), the all-day eatery serves comforting food and drink we’re sure Maggy would approve of. 1616 Market St. —PK

Crêpes ’N Crêpes

This 19-year-old stalwart, which moved from Cherry Creek to a roomier space in Congress Park this past March, is one of the Mile High City’s only dedicated crêperies. There, you can order delicate pancakes stuffed with more than 30 filling combinations, from Petit Dejeuner (eggs, bacon, sausage, and cheese) to Seafood Provençal (shrimp, salmon, lump crab, tomatoes, and garlic in white wine sauce), complemented by a lineup of coffee and wine. The selection of ice creams and desserts, all crafted by chef-founder Alain Veratti, also makes the cafe a worthy stop for sweet treats. Ask for the Negresco, two scoops of vanilla, your choice of chocolate sauce, and whipped cream nestled in a crispy crêpe. 1222 Madison St. —PK

French 75

If you’re at French 75, the six-year-old downtown bistro from chef-restaurateur Frank Bonanno of Mizuna and Osteria Marco, you must start your meal with, well, a French 75. The classic cocktail of gin, Champagne, and lemon is a perfect pre-dinner refreshment, and with inspired twists on the recipe like the mezcal-based, açai-infused Black Dahlia, this elegant concept appeals to both connoisseurs and newcomers of the drink. If you’re stopping in for lunch, keep things light with a salad or sandwich, but evening patrons should indulge in a housemade pasta, like the fresh fusilli with mushrooms in a cheesy, creamy truffle sauce. 717 17th St. —EP

Le Bilboquet

This elegant eatery originally opened on New York City’s Upper East Side in 1986 and launched a Denver outpost in 2019. Nestled among the boutiques of Cherry Creek North, it is a lovely Parisian hideaway for myriad occasions, from power lunches and catch-up brunches to celebratory dinners with friends and loved ones. Inside the space—equipped with a spacious wraparound front patio and furnished with ornate chandeliers, fresh flowers, and sapphire-hued banquettes—guests are encouraged to linger over plates of tartare de thon (tuna tartare) and poulet Cajun (tender chicken coated with Cajun seasoning and accompanied by a velvety beurre blanc and crispy fries). We recommend pairing the latter, one of Le Bilboquet’s signature dishes, with a pick from the roster of spritzes, such as the blueberry-vodka-spiked Bramble. 299 St. Paul St. —PK

Brasserie Brixton

Debuted in summer 2020 on a calm corner in the Cole neighborhood, Brasserie Brixton has many of the Parisian standards, including beef tartare and French onion soup. But dishes like blood-sausage-stuffed fried wontons with tamari vinaigrette and chile crisp and a caviar bump for high-fliers indicate that the open-kitchen-equipped brasserie has more than just the classics up its sleeve. The duck entrée, for example, forgoes the à la orange treatment for an accompaniment of radish cake, duck egg, and sweet soy. We’re also partial to the tender pork loin, cooked to a perfect medium and presented with charred corn risotto, roasted mushrooms, and tomato conserva. 3701 N. Williams St. —EP

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