What Food is Denver Famous For?
From green chili to Rocky Mountain oysters, find out what food you should be ordering tonight!
When people think of Denver, they often conjure up images of smiley beard-dusted locals sipping craft brews somewhere with a view of the Rocky Mountains’ Front Range in the distance. And they wouldn’t be far off from the daily reality of living in the Mile High. We Denverites love our mountains even more than we love our craft breweries—and who could blame us? What can we say, we’ve got elevated tastes.
Beyond craft beer, Denver’s culinary landscape is rather diverse, and the city isn’t as synonymous with a particular food as, say, New England is with clam chowder or Chicago is with deep dish. But what Food is Denver Famous For? The city is full of local flavors—and these are the ones Denverites can’t get enough of.
5 Denver Foods You Need to Try Today:
Bison Steak
Bison, or buffalo as it is also often called (although the two animals are not one in the same), is a Colorado staple. Anyone living in or visiting Denver knows that these animals graze on a nature preserve close to Denver. In fact, many people visiting are known to visit them while exploring Denver. The meat is leaner than other red meats such as beef. There are many restaurants locally that have bison on the menu. Any local steakhouse is bound to know how to cook some great bison.
Here are a few recommended restaurants to try a bison steak at:
The Fort
Green Chili
Green chili is not like the bean-filled stew most of us are accustomed to. This dish is something else entirely. Order a bowl with a side of tortillas at one of the many Mexican restaurants in the city. Green chili is described as smoky, meaty and citrusy. Most locals swear by this delicious blend. Usually the chili gets mixed with tomatoes, onion and pork, though each recipe differs depending on the restaurant. Make sure you get a side of cheese fries for dipping and you may find yourself hooked.
Here are a few restaurants to try green chili at:
Santiago’s
Sam’s No. 3
Mexican Hamburger
The Mexican hamburger is like a traditional hamburger but with a twist. Invented in Colorado, it is a beef patty folded with refried beans in a large flour tortilla. Think: quesadilla and burger all in one. Then chefs smother the entire thing in cheese and our aforementioned hearty condiment of choice, green chili.
For a great Mexican Hamburger try:
La Loma
Craft Ice Cream
Denver is known for their love of craft beer, but did you know that they also have craft beer ice cream?! Local breweries team up with ice cream shops in town to make Colorado created ice cream flavors locals love. Some flavors seen on the menus include, Almond Butter Pale Ale, Butter Pecan Maple Porter and Pineapple Sour. I mean what’s better than ice cream and craft beer all at once?
If you are looking to sample these delicious creations, try one of these sweet spots:
Em’s
Rocky Mountain Oysters
No, these oysters do not come from the ocean. Yes, Rocky Mountain oysters are in fact the testicles of a bull. Denverites love to try and trick their out-of-town visitors into partaking in this delicacy. While they are not too tasty on their own, a bunch of Colorado establishments consider them a menu staple they often serve fried. If you want another way to try this flavor, go for a pint of Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout by Wynkoop Brewing. Each barrel of the beer gets three roasted bovine balls, and according to insiders, actually tastes delicious.
