You’re a running-for-my-plane kind of traveler, while your partner treats DIA like a living room and shows up hours early. The best compromise? Meet at the bar. With two hours to kill, you can make it a mission to hit the best spots in each terminal, dubbing it the airport bar crawl. And this holiday season, Denver flyers have plenty of local flavor to choose from. DIA, already hosting hometown favorites like Mr. Oso, Mercantile, Osteria Marco, D Bar, Tacos Tequila Whiskey, and Root Down, has seen an impressive share of new openings that would make anyone step out of the McDonald’s line and onto a stool at one of these chef-driven restaurants.
With all the lore about secret passages and cities under the airport, it’s about time DIA leaned into its clandestine reputation with the addition of a speakeasy. And not just any old watering hole would do.
The acclaimed Williams & Graham now hides behind a bookstore facade, trading gate-side chaos for luxurious calm, with cocktails that taste just as good as they do back in LoHi. Terminal A
Bar Dough offers wood-fired pizzas, handmade pastas, and a thoughtful wine list that makes any delay feel indulgent. Its airport menu notably omits the bottomless option on the brunch menu—probably for the best before a boarding call. Terminal C
For a taste of something distinctly local, Tocabe delivers. Their bowls feature Native American staples like bison, wild rice, frybread, and corn—hearty, satisfying, and full of flavor. Terminal A
Traveling can be stressful, so slow down with a steaming bowl of ramen from chef Tommy Lee’s Uncle. Between the broth, the sake, and a few quiet minutes to yourself, you might just forget there’s a boarding call coming. Terminal A
At The Bindery, chef Linda Hampsten Fox gives airport dining something it’s never had before—its first oyster bar. Between the raw bar, refined wine list, and New American fare like the chestnut-honey ribs and bison tenderloin, it’s a reason to arrive early on purpose. Terminal A
Lastly, ChoLon rewards the early and curious. From breakfast’s Vietnamese scrambled eggs and fried rice–stuffed burritos to all-day dim sum and rotating fusion specials, like French onion soup dumplings and mac ’n’ cheese wontons, each dish insists that waiting at the airport can be its own kind of adventure. Terminal C
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