11 JANUARY 15-21, 2026 westword.com WESTWORD | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NEWS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | standout courses, the best uni the restaurant can get on any given evening. Margot Platt Park 1551 South Pearl Street margotdenver.com From working at a Subway in Brecken- ridge as a teen to earning a Michelin Star at his fi rst restaurant in Denver, chef Justin Fulton has come a long way. In 2022, he launched Margot as a tasting-menu-only pop-up. Three years later, it moved into the permanent home that it now shares with Kizaki. While its more intimate counter still follows a set tasting-menu format that highlights local ingredients in comforting yet eye-catching dishes, diners can also get a taste of Fulton’s fare in the front lounge area, where an à la carte menu is available — and reservations are not required. Marigold Lyons 405 Main Street marigoldlyons.com Chef Theo Adley spent years making a name for himself in the Denver dining scene before striking out on his own in an unexpected location: the small town of Lyons, between Boulder and Estes Park. Marigold debuted there in 2022, and its charm has only grown in the years since. The small eatery — housed in a red sandstone building originally built in 1885 as a train depot — is dripping with delicious details, like the table fi lled with mounds of but- ter and piles of fresh bread that greet diners, as well as the thoughtful use of local ingredients year-round. It’s a cozy spot serving food that elevates each ingredient without relying on overly fussy trends and techniques. Bonus: Adley will soon be cooking in Denver again, when he opens Heretík in RiNo this winter. Olivia Washington Park 290 South Downing Street oliviadenver.com Making good pasta from scratch is easy, but making great pasta is hard. That’s what sets Olivia apart from the pack, since its crew boasts a rare mix of technical perfection and culinary inventiveness that fi lls the intimate Wash Park spot on a nightly basis. Chef Ty Leon knows exactly when to break the rules (as with the staple French onion ravioli), when to deliver the hits (like the traditional tagliatelle Bolognese), and when to elevate lesser-known classics (like the showstopping gemelli with fennel sausage). Combined with stellar service led by Heather Morrison, the cocktail program helmed by Austin Carson and a wine list cu- rated by certifi ed Italian wine expert Scott Thomas, this place is pasta perfection. Rioja LoDo 1431 Larimer Street riojadenver.com Few Denver restaurants have aged as grace- fully or remained as infl uential as this Larimer Square anchor from chef Jennifer Jasinski and Beth Gruitch. Now more than two decades in, Rioja continues to balance Mediterranean fl avors with Colorado sensibilities in a space that feels refi ned without being stuffy. The menu still stands the test of time by focusing on handmade pastas, deliciously composed small plates, and seasonal vegetables treated with care. It remains the kind of place that works equally well for milestone dinners, a well- timed meal before a show or an impromptu happy hour at the bar. As other Denver old guards fall, Rioja proves that longevity doesn’t have to come at the expense of relevance. Sushi by Scratch LoDo 1441 Larimer Street sushibyscratchrestaurants.com/denver A lot has changed in Larimer Square since 2020, and there’s one new addition we fell for fast — surprisingly. In December 2024, chef Phillip Frankland Lee took over the former TAG space, opening a location of his smash- burger joint NADC on the main fl oor. But it’s what lies underneath that diners should really pay attention to: Denver’s outpost of Sushi by Scratch, a ten-seat omakase counter that, yes, is part of a chain. But as we’ve learned over the years, “chain” isn’t always a bad word. In this case, what Denver got is a well-oiled omakase experience led by local chefs who have a fair amount of creative control over the menu, which is updated regularly to refl ect the best of what’s available. We love the expert pac- ing, the upbeat vibes and the complimentary pre-dinner experience in the lounge. If you’re planning a celebratory night out with a special someone, this pick is hard to beat. Wildfl ower Highland 3638 Navajo Street wildfl ower-lohi.com In 2020, when he was just 22 years old, chef Aiden Tibbetts helped open this LoHi eatery; he took on the role of running the kitchen soon after. Five years later, Wild- fl ower was named a Michelin-recommended eatery, and Tibbetts has been billed as one of Colorado’s most promising young chef of 2025, a well-earned distinction. Located inside the recently rebranded Gravity Haus Lodging & Hotels, Wildfl ower is a romantic spot that’s perfect for date nights or happy- hour sessions at the bar, but you’ll also be highly rewarded if you opt for the signa- ture Wildfl ower Bouquet, a shared-plate- style tasting menu that offers a no-brainer sampling of Tibbetts’s culinary style, often enhanced with ingredients grown in his mother’s sprawling garden. UPSCALE GO-TOS Elevated food and approachable ambience Alma Fonda Fina LoHi 2556 15th Street almalohidenver.com When chef Johnny Curiel and wife Kasie opened their fi rst restaurant, Alma Fonda Fina, in LoHi in December 2023, it sparked a culinary run that has trans- formed the local dining scene. Now the power couple has fi ve eateries in the metro area, and their fi rst tasting-menu concept is set to open in RiNo this spring; they’re also expanding outside of Colorado with a new eatery in Charleston, South Carolina. But it’s their Michelin-Starred OG that remains a must-visit. Order an avocado margarita and the signature camote asada (agave-roasted sweet potato with broken salsa macha and fennel-whipped requesón cheese) to start, then let the skilled staff guide you through the à la carte selections. And be sure to snag a seat at the counter whenever possible: If you show up right at the 2 p.m. week- day opening time, you can usually get a spot without a reservation, and you’ll catch happy hour, too. Annette Aurora 2501 Dallas Street annettescratchtotable. com Stanley Marketplace is home to several cele- brated concepts, includ- ing chef Caroline Glover’s seafood-centric bar, Trav- eling Mercies, and her OG spot, Annette, which opened in the fall of 2016. Wood-fi red cooking, homey vibes and a rotating menu based on a “scratch-to-table” ethos landed Glover on Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs list in 2019; three years later, she was named Best Chef in the Mountain region at the James Beard Awards. Annette’s menu is built around a close working relationship with small-scale, regional producers and includes staple dishes like the grilled beef tongue with marrow toast alongside ever- changing seasonal vegetables that showcase Colorado’s bounty. Nearly a decade in, Glover continues to impress. BearLeek RiNo 2611 Walnut Street bearleek.com Head down a neon-lit staircase to fi nd this trendy RiNo spot that joined the scene in the summer of 2025. Chefs Rema Maaliki and Harrison Porter’s fi rst venture as owners is a lively addition to the scene, with an urban edge and a hip-hop playlist. Named for the German word for “ramp,” it’s a culinary playground where these chefs are fl exing their creativity, imbuing dishes with playful touches such as the bear-shaped butter that accompanies the buttery brioche rolls and the restaurant’s signature bear-shaped passionfruit popsicle dessert drizzled with salsa macha. The Bindery LoHi 1817 Central Street thebinderydenver.com The Bindery is a delightfully diffi cult res- taurant to defi ne. It’s got a mysterious name, an eclectic menu that changes by season, and a concept that’s impossible to pin down. All sprout from the mind of the visionary behind it all — chef Linda Hampsten Fox. A world traveler whose thirty-year career includes stints living in such culinary capitals as Tus- cany, France, Switzerland, Mexico and…New Jersey (her home state), Fox has deftly fun- neled her infl uences into a restaurant that’s a fascinating peek into the mind of a true artist at the top of her game. From the award- winning weekend brunch, to a six-course chef’s table tasting menu, to Wednesday wine and pasta deals, the Bindery doesn’t really fi t into a neat package. But with food this good (not to mention a stellar wine list), who cares? We’re here for every bite. Boombots Pasta Shop Sunnyside 2647 West 38th Avenue boombotspasta.com In 2025, the couple that brought us a lineup of hits at two locations of Odie B’s turned their attention to pasta with the debut of Boombots next door to their OG Sunnyside eatery. Here, Cliff and Cara Blauvelt have created a pasta shop with no rules. A martini spiked with pasta water? Check. Bucatini inspired by a dirty martini? Check. Agnolotti fi lled with fl avors of a traditional samosa? Why not? From the elite cheese pull you’ll get when your order the Big Ass Mozz Stick to the impressive meat and cheese spread with housemade charcuterie and the grown-up version of mac and cheese made with green chile and smoked duck, everything here is stupid good. Barolo’s signature dessert: torta di formaggio. JONI SCHRANTZ continued on page 12
