1) Old Spaghetti Factory 1215 18th St., Denver, CO 80202
Yes, its a chain, but its a good chain and given that the closest location to us here is in Nashville, Im pretty sure youve not been there. You get a free dish of Spumoni with every meal and its always affordable. Their baked lasagna is simply out of this world, and if you want meat instead you cant beat their Chicken Marsala. When asked for dressing for your salad ask for bleu cheese with the balsamic vinegar on the side when it arrives, add the bleu cheese first, then the vinegar. YUM!
Menu:
http://www.osf.com/menu/location-menus/denver.htm
2) Sams No.3 1500 Curtis St, Denver, CO 80202
If you ask either of my kids which is my favorite restaurant in Denver, they will instantly tell you Sams No. 3. While Im more old-school in terms of my choice in location (preferring their original location on Parker Road), the downtown location provides the same great food and atmosphere. They specialize in, well, everything. From Mexican to American to Greek, they carry almost everything you can think of. For breakfast, the Kitchen Sink omelet will keep you full until at least 2:00 or later. Their green chili (which is a must in Denver) is some of the best Ive had anywhere. They have some pretty good Huevos Rancheros, but not nearly as good as Jose OSheas (Sat/Sun only).
Menu:
http://samsno3.com/media/menu2010.pdf
3) Las Margaritas 1035 E 17th Ave, Denver, CO 80218
While its not downtown and kind of in a scary area of town, this place has the BEST Sunday brunch around. As a warning, this is not Tex Mex style Mexican food this is actual MEXICAN which means that it carries a little heat but not a lot of flavor. This was right around the corner from where my wife used to live and we ate there all the time, esp on Sunday mornings. Dee-lish! OH! One last thing if you want a margarita, dont get the house margarita. Any of the others are fine. Personally, if Im at a real Mexican restaurant I order a Dos Equis dark or a Fat Tire. Wait, did I not mention Fat Tire? Its born and bred in Ft. Collins, Colorado and is, by far, the best beer Ive ever had. Strongly recommended that you try it. You know, if you drink at all.
4) Le Peep 999 18th Street, Denver, CO 80202 (my wife and mom demanded this be added)
This is a breakfast/brunch restaurant with a wide range of really good food. Their stuffed French toast, pancakes, crepes, and omelets are very very good.
Menu:
http://lepeep.com/menu.php
Outside of Denver:
1) Casa Bonita
Im not including an address because I dont recommend going. This is where every Denver tourist comes at one point or another and while it has a lot of atmosphere (cliff divers, guy in a gorilla suit, Black Barts cave), the food isnt all that much to write home about. If youre in town with family, then its worth it. The fresh sopapillas with honey inside are DEELISH, but that doesnt warrant a trip.
2) Jose OSheas 385 Union Blvd Lakewood, CO 80228
When I asked my wife about places to eat in Denver, this is the first one she thought of. This is another classic Mexican restaurant, but arguably the best in town. This is where wed go for real Mexican food. I strongly recommend the Authentic Chile Rellenos. If youre in town over a weekend, their Saturday/Sunday brunch is pretty good. The #1 seller is the Huevos Rancheros. Youll notice that most things in Denver are smothered in green chili, thats for a good reason its really good.
Menu:
http://www.joseosheas.com/menu.html
I think thats about it. Share it with whomever may be going next but as a guide from a Coloradan, this is pretty much my go-to list of favorite restaurants in town.
