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Downtown
As you walk along Pearl Street, aromas drifting from the restaurants penetrate the senses, making it hard to choose where to dine. From sophisticated cuisine to inexpensive pub grub and microbrews, get ready for a quality dining experience. For the health minded looking for stereotypical Boulder fare (i.e. natural foods), stop in at the Creative Vegetarian Café for some of the best fiber fodder this side of California. The Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery is a brewery with a Boulder twist, specializing in full-bodied ales and mostly meatless bar fare.
Upscale bistros and stylish cafes pepper the downtown vicinity. A good majority of the restaurants feature seasonal menus emphasizing contemporary American creations. The imaginative dishes usually involve salmon, trout, lamb, or chicken. Most local chefs feature homegrown organic ingredients including seasonings, spices and vegetables.
Try Q's Restaurant in the Hotel Boulderado for a taste of regional fare and Boulder's most happening ambiance. Chef John Platt is a master of artistic presentation, and the roasted rack of lamb is well worth the expense. Jax Fish House proves you can be landlocked in a mountain town and still find incredible clam chowder and other ocean delights. Plus, the martinis are the best around.
The sunny riviera comes alive at Mediterranean (a.k.a The Med). Incorporating a wood-burning oven, this cozy hideaway just off the Pearl Street Mall serves traditional favorites from Spain, France and Italy. The wood burning oven also flickers at Antica Roma Ristorante & Bar and the 14th Street Bar and Grill, baking innovative Neapolitan pizzas, along with other Italian standards.
For deep-dish, Chicago style pizza and an intoxicating drink menu, stop in Old Chicago and take the world beer tour. The patio is one of the rowdiest in town, especially during the summer. BJ's Pizza, Grill and Brewery brings the chain element to Pearl Street, but still handcrafts some fine local ale while serving an array of pizzas and sandwiches. Hometown brewpubs include the Walnut Brewery which concocts a masterful blends of barley and hops and goes way beyond the traditional bar fare.
Downtown's ethnic offerings span the mountain depths of the Himalayas, chart the cold coastal waters of Japan, and delve into the exotic mysteries of India all in less than a 10 block area. Trek over to the Himalayas Restaurant for authentic Tibetan and Nepalese cuisine featuring some amazingly spicy curries. Mij Bani mixes the healthy (and spicy) eats of old world India with the spiritual flavorings of Nepal.
Sushi lovers line up outside Sushi Zanmai for wild nights of karaoke and the freshest rice wrapped in seafood money can buy. Japango's sushi bar is the tops, but the funky eatery also caters to those who prefer Japanese fare a bit Americanized. The Boulder Dushanbe Tea House, a gift from Boulder's sister city Dushanbe, Tajikistan, adorns the eastern fringe of Central Park and is a cultural experience in itself. The international menu includes creations from such places as Tajik and Algeria.
Juanita's, a festive Mexican joint a block from the Pearl Street Mall, draws the local crowd for platters piled high with all the standards: burritos, tacos and enchiladas. The Rio Grande's potent margaritas (there is a 3-drink limit) are powerful enough to knock anyone silly, and make the Mexican fare taste even better. If you want to skip on the fancy cuisines and simply bite into a no frills burger, head over to Tom's Tavern. It is the best place in town to hear how things used to be in Boulder. The folks that run the place make everyone feel like a local and prepare home-style classics, along with the biggest burgers in town.
No trip to Boulder should be complete without stopping in a downtown coffee shop and debating a little Buddhist philosophy over java and éclairs. If you are up for bantering with locals, check out the Trident Cafe or Sidney's Cappuccino and Art Bar. For the less adventurous, there is always Starbucks.
University Hill
No matter how many businesses move to town or how high the median income might be, Boulder is still undeniably part college town. The depth of cheap eats, pizza joints and coffee shops on The Hill reflect this reality. For a quirky example of the feel of this campus area look no further than the Sink. Low ceilings and graffiti coated walls give the place the urban charm of a hip subway tunnel, and with every tasty pizza comes a bit of local attitude. The joint is always rocking with distressed poets, suburban hippies and hungry students. Frat boys and business cohorts hit the drink specials at Teresa's Pizza Colore. A local chain, Abo's is the perfect stop for pizza by the slice.
Illegal Pete's caters to the big burrito crowd, packing all sorts of veggies, rice, beans and meats into a tortilla the size of a large pizza. Hapa On The Hill is where to go for cheap sushi. Moe's Broadway Bagel is probably the closest thing to healthy the neighborhood has to offer.
On the other side of The Hill, travel into the past for a feast at the Chautauqua Dining Hall. Now open year round, the seasonal menu features Colorado lamb and rainbow trout.
28th Street Vicinity
Muddled in the mass of chain eateries and fast food fry pits, and lost in the labyrinth of strip malls congesting the area, are some of Boulder's best dining surprises. Dolan's, a longstanding Boulder tradition, dabs heavily into the regional cuisine and is the place to go for steak and seafood. If you are entertaining clients, try the Boulder Broker for a juicy porterhouse or filet. John's Restaurant is best for romance and magical New American cuisine. Zolo Grill, a Zagat favorite, specializes in fiery southwestern fare and a lively atmosphere.
For vegetarian fare, sports and microbrews kick back at the Lazy Dog Sports Bar and Grill. Do not worry, the joint also cooks up the traditional burger and fries. Casa Alvarez conjures a taste of old Mexico straight from the family recipe book. Turley's is a great neighborhood stop for healthy grub, and Dot's Diner is an inexpensive start to the day.
Foothills and Mountains
There is nothing quite like dining alongside a mountain, watching the sun creep away, witnessing the city lights settle into an easy glimmer, and mustering up a bit of romance. The Flagstaff House is perhaps Boulder's most elegant (and pricey) dining experience. Perched atop Flagstaff Mountain, it is the place for rattlesnake and alligator appetizers and the best Buffalo filet in the world- and at the price, it should be. The Red Lion Inn also exudes a bit of romance, but is also a great place for business meetings, and the German cuisine emphasizes wild game.
Nederland has quite a few interesting dining spots loaded with all sorts of mountain characters, but Neapolitan's pizza joint is the most popular layover for tourists, especially after a long day of skiing at Eldora Mountain.
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