Restaurants are listed alphabetically.
AMERICAN
Beatrice & Woodsley
38 S. Broadway, 303-777-3505,
(Great) Small plates all under $20, but you’ll order a few. The dishes on what is perhaps Denver’s most creative menu usually score, with rare exceptions. Last reviewed December 2008.
Cherry Creek Grill
184 Steele St., 303-322-3524
(Very Good) Plates $12-$32. In a city where Monday nights see most restaurants underattended, if not shuttered, Cherry Creek Grill maintains a lively, populated atmosphere. Burgers, chicken and fish in satisfying portions. Cocktails are cold and ample. Last reviewed April 2008.
The Crushery
1579 S. Pearl St., 303-733-4117,
(Very Good) Sandwiches about $7; salads $7.75; bagel sandwiches $3.75 and up. Bespoke ice creams (choose your flavor, they’ll make it fresh) are just a bonus at this Old South Pearl salad and sandwich shop, where fresh ingredients and fair prices make it one of the best deals on that strip. Last reviewed July 2010.
Interstate Kitchen + Bar
901 W. 10th Ave., 720-479-8829,
(Good/Very Good) Entrees $11-$16; sandwiches, salads $6-$9; snacks $4-$5. Part roadhouse, part supper club, Interstate’s progressive comfort food and Santa Fe Drive location make it a haven for Denver’s hipster scene. On the menu: meatloaf, sloppy Joes and craft cocktails. Last reviewed September 2010.
Jonesy’s EatBar
400 E. 20th Ave., 303-863-7473,
(Very Good) Plates $12-18. This corner room in Denver’s burgeoning upper-uptown features dozens of craft beers, supported by substantial gastropub fare like gnocchi with torn lamb and “mac-and-cheese” fries. Jeans and T-shirts are de rigeur. Last reviewed December 2009.
Lohi Steakbar
3200 Tejon St., 303-927-6334;
(Very Good/Great) Steaks $17 and up. Burgers $11 and up. It calls itself a bar, but really it’s a full-service restaurant, with affordable steaks, hot French fries and plenty to drink. Come early or late; this neighborhood anchor is wildly popular. Last reviewed May 2010.
The Palm
1672 Lawrence St. at the Westin Tabor Center, 303-825-7256, denver
(Good/Very Good) Most steaks in the $40-$50 range; sides about $10; martinis $10. You’ll recognize The Palm, if you’ve visited before, as the same as it’s always been: Walls filled with caricatures of local celebs, efficient service, huge steaks. Creative? No. Good? Yes. Expensive? Very. Last reviewed September 2010.
Root Down
1600 W. 33rd Ave., 303-993-4200,
(Very Good/Great) Plates $7-$22, with most around $9-$11. An eclectic menu of innovative, flavorful small dishes (many of which are vegetarian) drives this forward-thinking eatery and watering hole, fashioned from a reclaimed garage. Last reviewed March 2009.
Salt the Bistro
1047 Pearl St., Boulder. 303-444-7258
(Very Good/Great) Small plates run $9-$15. Entrees are $12-$28. Bare brick walls and a pressed-tin ceiling house this storefront bistro, where elevated comfort food (pork- belly BLT, lamb-stuffed canneloni) feed a lively crowd. Bespoke cocktails flow vigorously. Last reviewed September 2010.
Tarbell’s
6955 S. York St., Centennial (in the Streets at SouthGlenn), 303-703-8100,
(Very Good) Appetizers $6-$14; main plates $15-$29. The menu at this sprawling eatery is split between “Vintage” dishes (pork chops and applesauce, sloppy Joes and nightly “blue plate” specials like meatloaf or fish sticks) and “Modern” (halibut with wheat berries and grapefruit, gluten-free tomato gnocchi). Worn-out shoppers will appreciate the wine list. Last reviewed August 2010.
EUROPEAN
Brasserie Felix
3901 Tennyson St., 303-953-2401,
(Very good) Appetizers $5.95-$12.95, mains $14.95-$20.95. A very good example of the Americanized French Brasserie, with accessible and relevant fare like steak frites, mussels and croque monsieurs. Small but serviceable wine list. Great sunny room looks even better at lunchtime. Last reviewed April 2009.
Carmines on Penn
92 S. Pennsylvania, 303-777-6443;
(Very good) Family-style platters, $23.95-$44.95. With a wait list as long as any in Denver, this reliable noodle house leans on huge, family- style platters of pasta. Large groups love the festive atmosphere, where kids can color on the tables while Mom and Dad sip wine. Last reviewed June 2010.
Cracovia
8121 W. 94th Ave., Westminster, 303-484-9388,
(Very good) Most entrees around $13-$15, nothing over $20. Serving substantial Polish favorites — sausages, stews and potatoes — in a lively atmosphere. Come for the stuffed cabbage, stay for the polka (live music on Saturday nights). A Westminster gem, worth the drive. Last reviewed May 2010.
Ondo’s
250 Steele St., 303-975-6514,
(Very good) Nothing over $16. Wine, shared plates, sparkling conversation: Is this a trip to San Sebastian? No, but the croquetas and albondigas are worth every penny. Come on a date, or with a group, and plan to take a cab home. Last reviewed April 2010.
Village Cork
1300 S. Pearl St., 303-282-8399,
(Great) Very small menu, changes frequently, most under $20. A wine bar at heart, with an excellently executed (and blessedly tiny) French-inflected menu. Neighborhoodies stroll over on weeknights for nibbles and sips; more strident foodies come for the excellent roasted chicken. Last reviewed May 2010.
Ya Ya’s
8310 E. Belleview Ave., Greenwood Village, 303- 741-1110;
(Very Good) Appetizers $5-$14; main plates $19-$32. The menu is a little more exotic (if Mediterranean qualifies) than most Tech Center bills, with more boundary-pushing dishes like a delicious artichoke and crab barigoule and risotto arancini. Jam-packed happy hour.
Last reviewed August 2010.
Our star system:
: Exceptional: Great
: Very good
: Good
