[memento]

I'll be traveling to Centennial, CO next week for training. For sure I'll have 5 nights to eat at good restaurants. I will possibly have friday afternoon to explore the area. I've never been there, so I want to check out "local" cuisine and hopefully make it to the Rocky Mountains with camera and tripod in hand.

Any recommendations? I'm thinking that "big game" and frontier-style would be local cuisine, but would like to hear from some real locals. Thanks!

[kmkkid]

Rachael Ray shows her top picks on Tasty Travels:


TV : Rachael Ray's Tasty Travels : Denver : Food Network


I trust her insight, mostly because she's just adorable!

[Rev-O]

There are a few folks on these boards close to Centennial, so maybe you'll get some suggies.
Where abouts in Centennial are you going to be staying? There are good places to eat close to Centennial, and there are great places to eat if you are willing to drive. For wild west type grub, the two best are:
The Buckhorn Exchange has the first liquor license issued in Colorado, is still in business, and usually has Yak and Elk on the menu. I seem to recall Teddy Roosvelt ate there.
the Fort you can get Buffalo Prime Rib. Droolworthy. IIRC the Fort sometimes has alligator steak and Emu steak as well.
Both of these are a longish drive from Centennial (about 45 mins) and are spendy. Reservations suggested.
Other nice places:
The Rocky Mountain Diner has nice food and is in Downtown Denver. Again, about 45 mins away but it is in LoDo (lower downtown) So there are a fair number of bars to crawl to around it.
The Castle Cafe has the best fried chicken in Colorado. Made completely from scratch with each order, so it takes about a half hour for your chicken to show up. In Castle Rock which is about 30 minutes south of Centennial.
The Breckenridge Brewery in the mountains is got great bar food and killer microbrew. Breckenridge is a nice town to wander around as well. Ski season is going on so traffic in the mountains is brutal, go on a weekday if possible.
Carmine's on Penn (not their website, just a review) has fantastic Italian food. Best in Colorado. Food is served family style, so you need to go with four or more people to get a proper variety of stuff tho. The Egg Plant Parmesan is nice nice nice, and the veal dishes are über. Has the smallest men's bathroom I have every seen. Like a sink over a toilet with a door behind you. Food is awesome though. Arrive early (5pmish) or you may have to wait a long time.
2 Apple stores within a half hour drive
Outlets stores to the south in Castle Rock (once again, half hour drive)
Nice enough mall about 10 minutes away called Park Meadows. Has a P.F. Changs which many people like (I think it is horrible chinese food). Also close to the mall is an indoor skydiving place (expensive from what I've heard).
Hacienda has a location in Lone Tree (about 10 minute drive) and has very good Mexican food. Close to the previously mentioned mall.
The Cool River Cafe in Denver (about 10 minutes from centennial) has a nice selection of business class prostitues hanging out in the bar on weekends. Don't know about the food or the weekday prostitute selection tho
Hammond's Candies is one of the few places in the United States that still makes all their hard candy by hand. Ribbon Candy, Lollipops, etc... all hand made. Really good stuff. Tours of the candy making available. Never been through the tours... just hoovered down a bunch of their sweets. About an hour drive.
The Denver Art Museum is really architecturally cutting edge. It has an interior design that has been giving people vertigo becaue the interior space is so wonky. Cool in my book. Honestly, it's more remarkable for it's architecture than it's art tho.
And there is always the People's Republic of Boulder (about an hour, hour and a half drive) to go to for some people watching. On the Pearl Street mall there are usually a few good buskers and a few you just want to kill.
The Nuggets will be in town for 3 games (Trail Blazers, Lakers, Suns). You might be able to watch the gutless no defense playing Nuggets fall out of the playoffs. The Avalanche will be in for 2 games (Flames and Sharks) either of which will be really fun Hockey games. The Pepsi Center is a nice place to watch a Basketball or Hockey game. Also it is very close to many bars for pre and post game libations, also some nice places to eat before the game close by. About an hour from Centennial.
If you are driving around the mountains, you can always stop in Beaver Liquors in Avon Colorado and get a hat or a shirt. It is an unremarkable hole in the wall liquor store with a crappy selection and bad prices that is kind of a pita to even find, but a hat or shirt from the place is a nice conversation piece.

[SpaceMonkey]

Originally Posted by kmkkid 

I trust her insight, mostly because she's just adorable!

Please tell me you are joking.

[Snow-i]

do as the denvernians do

[zro]

Casa Bonita!

Pete's Kitchen

[phantomdragonz]

What a horrible part of colorado to visit... Highlands ranch/lone tree is like a mini L.A. without all the gang violence... bunch of trophy wives who drive brand new SUV's and take their kids to soccer practice (not even joking, almost every one has a vinyl sticker on the rear window with "Johnny #5" inside a little soccer ball thing...

I was very glad when my girlfriend moved away from there and up to the boulder area, boulder is full of hippies, but the surrounding area is awesome! and the mountains are 10 minutes away...


anyways, all I am saying is dont judge colorado by that part of it, please get out into the mountains and check it out.

Zach

[memento]

Rev-O: I'll be at the Bradford Suites on S Clinton St. Thanks for the suggestions! Is The Fort a place that the locals go to also? I'm looking to avoid tourist restaurants. Is Hacienda authentic mexican? Does colorado have good southwest style food, too?

[memento]

what about the "Garden of the Gods"? Is that worth the trip?

[kjb]

Definitely try Potager. It's at 11th and Ogden. Local farms/purveyors are highlighted, and the wine list is made to match each menu item. You can get half glasses of wine, so as to try a bunch and not get buzzed.

If you've the time, the drive to Estes Park and RMNP is worth it, although it's tourist heavy. It's maybe a hour and a half north of Denver. If it's warm enough, try to grab a bite on the second floor deck of the Sweet Basil Cafe in Estes Park.

If you're into running/biking, I like the cherry creek trail through downtown or Sloan Lake Park on the west side.

[memento]

thanks kjb! I had a friend recommend Estes Park, too. Anyone know about Cafe Brazil?

[imitchellg5]

Originally Posted by memento 

what about the "Garden of the Gods"? Is that worth the trip?

That's in Colorado Springs, about 5 minutes away from my house. If you want to come to Colorado Springs do more then just see Garden of the Gods. It's cool. But not cool enough to drive for several hours to see. You could take a free tour of the Olympic Training Center. That's pretty cool. Also there is a big cave with guided tours that is cool just outside of the Springs.

[The Mick]

There's lots of places that are good for a fine meal.
The aforementioned Fort restaurant is very good. I also enjoy J. Alexander's which is off County Line Road across from Park Meadows mall (maybe 5 minutes from your hotel). I've never had a bad meal there, mostly steaks and other "American" style cuisine. Right next door is the Rock Bottom Brewery if you like brewpubs. If you really like brewpubs, try the Falling Rock Taphouse downtown. They have over 100 beers on tap.

There's always the Denver Chophouse downtown if you want expensive steaks in a historic building. Right down the street from that is the Wynkoop, which is a very famous old warehouse converted to a brewpub and is owned by the mayor of Denver, John Hickenlooper. For a less known and smaller place try Steakhouse 20 in Englewood just off of Hampden Blvd.

For some unique pizzas try Beau Jo's in Littleton, or for some just fantastic Greek food, try Yanni's in Denver.

[memento]

I've gotten other feedback about garden of the gods that it's not all that great either.

Google Earth says Steakhouse 10. I'm assuming that's the place?

[Rev-O]

Originally Posted by phantomdragonz 

What a horrible part of colorado to visit... Highlands ranch/lone tree is like a mini L.A. without all the gang violence... bunch of trophy wives who drive brand new SUV's and take their kids to soccer practice (not even joking, almost every one has a vinyl sticker on the rear window with "Johnny #5" inside a little soccer ball thing...

I was very glad when my girlfriend moved away from there and up to the boulder area, boulder is full of hippies, but the surrounding area is awesome! and the mountains are 10 minutes away...


anyways, all I am saying is dont judge colorado by that part of it, please get out into the mountains and check it out.

Zach

This just in from the People's Republic of Boulder...

Originally Posted by memento 

Rev-O: I'll be at the Bradford Suites on S Clinton St. Thanks for the suggestions! Is The Fort a place that the locals go to also? I'm looking to avoid tourist restaurants. Is Hacienda authentic mexican? Does colorado have good southwest style food, too?

Ahh... the scenic Bradford Suites. Across the street from the Bradford Suites (to the South) next door to the Target is a Mexican joint named Las Brisas that supposedly has good Margs. Dunno about the grub. To the east of you will be JD's Bait shop which is kind of a sports bar. Been years since I've been there.
The Fort or the Buckhorn are just neat places to go have a meal. I'd do the Fort above the Buckhorn, mostly because of location and atmosphere tho.
Beau Jo's is good pizza. Forgot Beau Jo's, and there are several of them around. Closest to you will prolly be in Parker (my neck of the woods), which is about 20 minutes south for you.
Hacienda is notauthenitc Mexican food, but it is really savory grub!

[MOTHERWELL]

Originally Posted by phantomdragonz 

What a horrible part of colorado to visit... Highlands ranch/lone tree is like a mini L.A. without all the gang violence... bunch of trophy wives who drive brand new SUV's and take their kids to soccer practice (not even joking, almost every one has a vinyl sticker on the rear window with "Johnny #5" inside a little soccer ball thing...

boulder is full of hippies,
Zach

Those are both horrible generalizations. Boulder is not "full of hippies" by any means.

There are several good restaurants in the LoDo area of Denver. LoDo = Lower Downtown.
I really like a place called the Vesta Dipping Grill. It's a small plates/tapas place where your meals come with different dipping sauces.

[chabig]

I'd wholeheartedly recommend Pappadeux for seafood. It's about 4 miles north of you near I-25 and Bellevue.

[memento]

I'm back (after being stranded due to the northeast storm). My co-worker is still stuck there.

Steakhouse 10 was THE best steak. Cafe Brazil was the best meal. Bayou Bob's had it high points.

We drove to Estes Park and it was beautiful. Buffalo Bill and lookout mtn were great. My friend took a train to Pike's Peak while still stuck there and thought it was awesome.

I'll be going back for another visit. I don't get the hostility I see here between different locales. I really didn't see that much difference in the people from Centennial to Boulder to Denver, taking into consideration the fact that Boulder seemed to be a college town. The way I see it, coming from NYS, everyone there seems like they are on "vacation time" and all areas have a hippy twang (compared to NY). That's not to say that there's something wrong with that, it's just the difference that I noticed.

[DuckRacer1]

If you ever take another trip to CO, be sure to go to Woody's Pizza in Golden. It's literally the best pizza I've ever had in my life.

[nredman]

Cafe Berlin

[imitchellg5]

Originally Posted by DuckRacer1 

If you ever take another trip to CO, be sure to go to Woody's Pizza in Golden. It's literally the best pizza I've ever had in my life.

And in Colorado Springs (downtown) there is also a great pizza place, just as good as Woody's. It doesn't have a name outside, but it's on Bijou St. The ambience sucks, but the pizza makes up for it . Plus it's been family owned and operated since the 1930s.

[memento]

Pizza is not high on my list of foods to eat.

nredman - where were you 2 weeks ago? Both of us are German and would have loved a good German meal.

[earthlings]

Originally Posted by DuckRacer1 

If you ever take another trip to CO, be sure to go to Woody's Pizza in Golden. It's literally the best pizza I've ever had in my life.

I've been there. Don't they have the salad bar and you go to the counter to recieve the pizza they make?!?!?!?!

[imitchellg5]

Originally Posted by earthlings 

I've been there. Don't they have the salad bar and you go to the counter to recieve the pizza they make?!?!?!?!

Yep, that's them!

[earthlings]

Originally Posted by imitchellg5 

Yep, that's them!

Its a great place!

[imitchellg5]

Originally Posted by earthlings 

Its a great place!

Yep. Too bad I live so far away from Centennial, and my mom is such a good cook! I still enjoy eating pizza out everyonce in a while.

[earthlings]

There are other good pizza places in the Denver area.