Your Guide to Denver Restaurant Week 2023

Chefs Spencer White and Alex Figura, drawing on their fine-dining background, bring traditional Italian cuisine mixed with a modern concept to this intimate RiNo eatery. Dio Mio, which means “oh my god” in Italian, will have you exclaiming just that when you taste their food. The prix-fixe menu offers everything you want, including appetizers like black butter-marinated artichoke hearts, orange supremes, croutons, and olive sauce. Choose between terrific pastas such as rigatoni with fennel sausage, kale, chili, breadcrumbs, and pecorino or spaghetti crab maison with jumbo lump crab meat, beurre blanc, and capers. You can’t go wrong with either savory or down-to-earth dishes. Finally, cool down with a citrusy key lime tart with toasted meringue. Dio Mio does not take reservations, so we recommend arriving as close to 4 p.m. as possible to secure a table.

This farm-to-table eatery celebrates the seasons with a focus on locally-sourced agricultural products from regional ranchers, purveyors, and farmers. Located inside the Hyatt Centric Downtown Denver, the lively restaurant offers gluten-free and vegetarian options as choices on the exclusive restaurant week menu.The three-course menu is running for $45, with an optional curated wine pairing for a little extra. The cuisine won us over with dishes such as duck gumbo, rigatoni, and a brownie sundae, satisfying our comfort cravings with fresh and flavorful ingredients. We have no doubt that chef du cuisine Russ Fox will continue to push the envelope with his innovative seasonal dishes as he did with the corn and mushroom burrata that we know and love.

This Japanese noodle bowl and small-plate nook promises a natural and delicious dining experience. Founders Noah Heaney and Brandon Bortles, previous owners of local Golden staple Abejas, are bringing a three-course dinner for $35, which includes a choice of beverage. The menu includes a selection of three small plates, two large plates, and two desserts, featuring dishes such as eggplant bao buns, octopus takoyaki, chicken and pork Tsukune meatballs, chicken katsu, and sesame-miso ramen, bursting with irresistible flavor from ingredients like miso, ginger, nori, and bamboo. The spiciness is electric but not overwhelming, especially when paired with the Nosu’s house sake.

Brought to us by the beloved Edible Beats team, El Five pays homage to the Mediterranean by serving bold flavors from all over the region. The stylish LoHi space is elevated above the streets, offering stunning views of the downtown Denver skyline. For Restaurant Week, El Five is offering a $45 tasting menu that showcases some of its menu highlights, with multiple options for each course—so bring your friends and your appetite so you can get a taste of all the good stuff El Five is cooking up. The Denver hotspot’s tasting menu kicks off with a bonus “pintxos” course, with dishes such as jamon y queso, smoked sardine rillette, and tortilla espanola on offer to whet your appetite. For the next two courses, the Moroccan lamb sausage is a standout, as is the Iberico pork loin. For a cherry on top of an excellent meal, El Five’s dessert options include Basque cheesecake, chocolate baklava, and a malabi (milk pudding) with apple compote, pistachio butter, and pomegranate-lavender syrup.

Falling in the $25 category for Denver Restaurant Week, this plant-based vegan eatery serves beach-shack food in a tropical bar setting—what’s not to love? The Capitol Hill restaurant’s stained glass garage doors connect the intimacy of the indoors to the natural beauty of the outdoors. Taste the Caribbean with featured plates such as the potato and plantain mofongo, coconut curry, and the restaurant’s signature Dirty Banana Balls dessert. The $25 dinner menu allows you to choose one starter, one entrée, and of course, the Banana Balls. Expect a plethora of spices and tropical zest in the dishes. Relax with drinks or non-alcoholic beverages that feature flavors such as passion fruit, guava, coconut, hibiscus, mango, and jalapeño. The non-alcoholic “proofless fizzies” transport you to the serenity of a sandy beach by turquoise water. Reservations can be made in advance for parties of 10 or more.

Michelin-starred Chef Ludo Lefebvre marries the elements of a traditional French brasserie with native Colorado ingredients to create the upscale and oh-so-sophisticated Chez Maggy inside the Thompson Hotel in LoDo. A destination for food and sights, the timeless and charming dining room is the perfect gathering place for life’s simple pleasures. Arrive hungry and curious, and let the culinary experts take care of the rest. The set $45 Restaurant Week menu includes a cozy butternut squash soup, light and crispy Boston lettuce salad, and a juicy filet aux poivres with frites as the main course. A luscious gluten-free chocolate mousse is on tap for dessert—smooth and creamy, it will just melt in your mouth. Ask your server for his or her recommendations on wine pairings and treat yourself to a splendid evening in this French haven.

Not many places offer an upscale market, bakery, and eatery under the same roof with complimentary parking in the attached garage—but The Bindery does. The dynamic European LoHi establishment sets the standard for the ultimate dining and shopping experience. Discover lavish dishes on the three-course dinner menu priced at $45. With a couple of options for each course, it’s the perfect place for a date night where you can share all the wonderful plates offered. The ruby red grapefruit and sumac salad, featuring red endive, red onion, red chile, and mesquite, will tantalize your taste buds with its deliciously tart flavors. For the main course, we recommend trying their brown sugar and stout-braised pork shank with rapini and pomegranate to sweeten things up. For dessert, don’t miss their grilled banana bread with brown butter ice cream, honey, and whipped tahini.

This award-winning dining experience delivers dishes made with only the highest quality ingredients. Head chef Amanda Singh is bringing her warm and familiar plates to downtown’s original boutique hotel, Hotel Teatro. The refreshing golden beet friese salad, topped with watermelon radish, goat cheese mousse, and spicy candy pistachio, is the strategic trio we’ve been waiting for. The scallops are also on our to-eat list, served with corn purée, chive foam, fried leeks, and chorizo. Every texture complements each flavor, resulting in a creative but nonetheless savory plate. The dinner menu costs $45, with an optional wine pairing available for an additional $30. Handpicked wines accompany your chosen starter and entrée, and for dessert, you can choose between an espresso martini paired with either crème brûlée or chocolate tart. Ooh la la.

Arvada’s woman-owned hidden gem has built a menu featuring its famous certified Angus meats, in particular the highly-regarded Aspen Ridge beef. The steakhouse brings a fresh twist to traditional, craveable dishes. During Restaurant Week, the restaurant is offering a $45 prix fixe menu that includes a choice of salad or green chili cornbread, an entrée, and a dessert. For chocolate lovers, there’s a choice between the classic chocolate layer cake and a rich, moist chocolate layer cake with chocolate mousse. For the main course, there’s a choice of bourbon glazed salmon, New York strip steak, or truffle honey chicken.

This authentic Mexican restaurant blends creativity with artful surroundings to create innovative Latin cuisine. In English, the restaurant’s name means “what good luck”. And that good fortune brings you a $35 menu with options for four first courses, four entrées, and two desserts. We recommend trying the seasonal ceviche, the que bueno fajitas, and the traditional Mexican vanilla flan – all with a creative twist on classic, mouthwatering dishes. The portion sizes are generous, giving you even more good luck for future meals. Complement your plates with a selection from the extensive tequila and mezcal list, or choose from the seasonal house cocktails available for an additional price.