Believe it or not, not all the tables are full for Denver Restaurant Week, which runs Saturday through Feb. 29.
Here’s the deal: Area restaurants offer three-course fixed-price menus for $52.80 per couple.
At some restaurants, ones that aren’t all that expensive in the first place, this is a fair, if not amazing, bargain.
But at some restaurants, the ones that are usually a bit beyond most mortal budgets, it’s a great deal. We scoured the menus for our picks for Restaurant Week’s extra-good deals. Check for the complete list.
Panzano
909 17th St., 303-296-3525
Tucked into the Hotel Monaco downtown, this Northern Italian spot, when firing on all burners, is both energetic and romantic. Start with the gamberi fritti, crispy shrimp tossed with arugula, gorgonzola and fried prosciutto. Move into a spinach, pomegranate and almond salad, then a bowl of buridda, a robust seafood stew.
Luca D’Italia
711 Grant St., 303-832-6600
Right around the corner from its big sister, Mizuna, Luca D’Italia serves a refined but contemporary take on Italian classics, like this one for a cold night. Start out on a dish of ziti tossed with house- made fennel sausage in a spicy red sauce, then move onto a stuffed roasted pork loin with cabbage smashed potatoes. Seal the deal with rich semolina cake and Italian honey.
Mateo
1837 Pearl St., Boulder, 303-443-7766
Worth a drive to Boulder anyway, this small, sweet Provencal restaurant is even more enticing during Restaurant Week. Get an early table, and feast on an appetizer of tuna tartare with a deviled quail egg, a main course of cassoulet with Colorado lamb and duck confit, and a dessert of pot au chocolat with cream. Supplement your experience with a bottle of wine from the sharp list.
Drink specials
These restaurants are offering complimentary glasses of Beringer wine — a Restaurant Week sponsor, free margaritas, sake or beer, or specials on other wines and cocktails (check for details). Kristen Browning-Blas
Alto
Aqua Oyster Bar & Fish House
The Bent Noodle
Bridgewater Grill
Buenos Aires Grill
The Burnsley Dining Room
Cafe Colore
Campo de Fiori
Cheeky Monk
Corridor 44
Cucina Colore
The Dish Bistro
Dixons Downtown Grill
The Fresh Fish Co.
Gaetano’s Italian Restaurant
Gallagher’s Steak House
Hacienda Colorado
India House
Jax Fish House Denver
La Fondue
Las Margaritas Belmar
Little India
Lodo’s Bar & Grill
Lola
Maggiano’s Little Italy
Mateo
Opal Restaurant
The Oven Pizza E Vino
P.F. Chang’s China Bistro — LoDo
Pearl Street Grill
Piatti Locali
Que Bueno! Mexican Grille
Racines
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery
Samba Room
Sansone’s Bistro, Casual Fine Dining
Santa Fe Tequila Co.
Steuben’s
Treo at Lone Tree
Via Baci Italian Bistro
Wasabi Sushi Bar
The Wellshire Inn
