Discover the Best New Restaurants in Denver

by The OpenTable Team

Updated October 23, 2019

Known as the Mile High City due to its 5,280 feet elevation level, Denver, Colorado is one of the most scenic and sensational cities in America. It sits in the pure air of the Rocky Mountains and the booming urban center still retains its distinctive flair and cowboy mentality. The city offers 300 days of bright sunshine, a thriving cultural scene, diverse neighborhoods and heaps of natural beauty all around. You can visit Rocky Mountain National Park, check out the Art District on Santa Fe, take it a Rockies game and sample some of the best food in the city. Keeping up with the food scene here can be tough with new restaurants popping up as fast as new residents are moving in! That’s why we put together this handy list of the Tastemaker 20’s best new restaurants Denver has to offer. Check them out and see if you agree.

The Post Chicken & Beer - Boulder

4.5

4.5 (417)

$30 and under

Unspecified

Boulder

About the restaurant

The opening of the Post Brewing Company on 13th Street was a happy event in Boulder. Locals love the new casual dining spot and it’s a great space to go for delicious comfort food cooked with love. As recently featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive Ins & Dives, they are famous for the fried chicken. The chickens are all humanely raised and all natural and chefs brine them for hours before dipping them into buttermilk, seasoning and frying to perfection. Make sure its on your list of new spots to try in the area.

Top review

Shawn

Dined 4 days ago

Great fried chicken. Also had the green chili mac & cheese, which we loved. Prompt service. Overall, a great meal.

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Popular dish

Fried Chicken Tenders

Popular dish

FRIED HALF CHICKEN gf

Popular dish

Fried Chicken Biscuit

Ash'Kara

4.6

4.6 (814)

$31 to $50

Mediterranean

Highlands

About the restaurant

Ash’Kara, located on 33rd Street in the Highlands, is Chef Daniel Asher’s new spot. They focus on “Unorthodox Cuisine,” an exploration of the continuous evolution of Israeli cooking, including ingredients and flavors from across Europe and North Africa. The restaurant name is Hebrew street slang for “totally!” and you can feel the encouragement and excitement when you walk in the door. The menu features a selection fo shareable items, including roasted veggies, house-made pita, hummus, and spreadable sides as well as entree-sized proteins.

Top review

Cameron

Dined 3 days ago

Our server was amazing, and our food was tasty. Overall, a positive experience.

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4.7

4.7 (2052)

$30 and under

Comfort Food

Highlands

About the restaurant

Acova is an iconic locale in the historic district of the Highlands, or LoHi as the locals call it. It’s an excellent new restaurant Denver has on show and it brings a friendly neighborhood vibe to the former location of Patsy’s. The name means “Nest” in Italian and it does feel like the kind of place you nestle into with friends and family in order to enjoy a cocktail and a menu of eclectic American food. Try the Honey Stung fried chicken, which comes with a honey-cayenne drizzle and sausage gravy - and brunchers shouldn’t miss the $3 Bloody Mary bar on weekends!

Top review

GrantVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Great place for brunch. The espresso martinis were great. French toast was tasty. Limited menu which I appreciate - focus on a few things and do them well. And they covered all the bases with their choices. I was on a tight schedule to get to the airport and they hustled to keep me on schedule.

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Jovanina's Broken Italian

4.7

4.7 (1333)

$31 to $50

Italian

Downtown / LoDo

About the restaurant

Denver diners are already in love with Lower Downtown’s new Italian restaurant, Jovavina. It occupies the historic space next door to the former Blake Street Vault and features an opera house marquee, adorned mirrors, former theater light fixtures and candelabras. The warm atmosphere is the perfect setting for dining on wood- and coal-fired pizzas, pastas, and vegetables. They also serve oysters on the half shell and, for dessert, soft serve in funky flavors like white truffle and cereal.

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Beverly

Dined 2 days ago

Very nice space very attentive staff great food. What more could you want?

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4.8

4.8 (2803)

$50 and over

Sushi

River North (Denver)

About the restaurant

If you’re looking for an amazing sushi place in town, head to the award-winning Uchi, located in the River North neighborhood of Denver. The name Uchi means “house” in Japanese, and the original location is in Austin, Texas. It is so popular that Chef Tyson Cole thought it might be a hit in Denver, too! The non-traditional take on Japanese cuisine definitely appeals to locals and visitors from around the globe. Try a few small plates, like the Sasami Yaki, The Kosho Crudo or the Pork Belly.

Top review

StevenVIP

Dined 5 days ago

Noise was totally invasive. Way too loud and disco. More app would be muted Japanese music. It really ruined the evening. Food and service were superb but the noise level was awful

Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ - Denver, CO | Union Station

4.7

4.7 (456)

$31 to $50

Japanese

Downtown / LoDo

About the restaurant

Ever feel in the mood to cook but don’t want to do it at home? Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ has the answer! It’s a popular chain with locations all over the US and now diners can enjoy the first version in Denver! Grab a seat and order from the roster of proteins, including Harami skirt steak in miso marinade, certified Angus kalbi short ribs and more. Then you and your party cook them up over a grill at the center of every table. They also serve noodles, rice dishes and vegetables so you can complement your meat feasts with appropriate sides.

Top review

Liz

Dined on Dec 7, 2024

Great place for groups! This was our first Japanese bbq experience and our waitress Himiko was fantastic and extremely helpful explaining everything in great detail. The food was delicious! Every single thing we ate was amazing! Restaurant is very clean and has a great setup.

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Experience

Prix-Fixe BBQ Courses for Everyone: Starting at...

Experience

Expansive Happy Hour Options!!