Denver’s restaurant scene is always evolving. New chefs arrive, dining rooms change hands and neighborhood favorites make way for the next big opening. But some restaurants never really leave the table. They live on in family traditions, favorite dishes and memories that diners continue to share years after the doors have closed.
When DiningOut Denver asked readers which closed restaurant they would bring back if they could, the response was overwhelming. In fact, the social media post generated over 2,000 comments, making it the largest single discussion thread on a DiningOut page to date. Readers named 45 leading restaurants, with hundreds of additional mentions extending well beyond the top selections.
Racines was the clear favorite, receiving 133 mentions. Benny’s followed with 72, and White Fence Farm earned 69. Le Central came in fourth with 57 mentions, but its comments received the most engagement, accumulating 542 likes.
The results reveal something about Denver’s dining history. Readers aren’t just remembering restaurants because of what they ate. They’re remembering birthday celebrations, family dinners, late-night breakfasts, neighborhood gathering places, and the experiences that made a restaurant part of their lives.
The Restaurants Denver Misses the Most
Racines
With 133 mentions, Racines was the runaway favorite in the poll, and its place in Denver’s restaurant history is easy to understand. Opened in 1984, the longtime gathering place welcomed politicians, business people, families, and regulars for more than three decades.
Over the years it had two locations, the original Golden Triangle spot on Bannock Street and then, in 2004, the restaurant moved to Capitol Hill. The restaurant announced plans to close in January 2021, but the pandemic moved up its final goodbye to July 2020. After 36 years, Racines remains one of Denver’s most missed dining institutions.
Benny’s
Benny’s Restaurant & Cantina received 72 mentions, making it the second-most-requested restaurant in the poll. The Capitol Hill favorite at 301 E. Seventh Ave. was known for Mexican comfort food, green chili, combination plates, and Margaritas.
The family-owned restaurant had a loyal following before closing in March 2020 during the pandemic shutdown. A proposed revival generated excitement among longtime customers, but Benny’s never returned. Its strong showing demonstrates just how much Denver diners miss this neighborhood restaurant.
White Fence Farm
With 69 mentions, White Fence Farm was another favorite among readers remembering Denver-area family restaurants. Located at 6263 W. Jewell Ave. in Lakewood, the restaurant was known for fried chicken, traditional sides, and a farm-inspired setting.
For generations of Colorado families, a visit was as much about the experience as the meal. And yes, it came complete with a white picket fence and animals. After 45 years in business, White Fence Farm served its final meals on December 30, 2018.
Le Central
Le Central received 57 mentions, but its comments generated the most engagement of any restaurant in the poll, with 542 likes. The restaurant brought affordable French dining to the corner of E. Eighth Avenue and Lincoln Street for 34 years.
Opened in 1981 by Robert Tournier, it became known for approachable French fare, mussels and frites, and a wine list that made a European-style meal accessible to Denver diners. At the time, this concept was revolutionary in the Mile High. It closed September 13, 2015, when Tournier retired.
Dino’s
Dino’s Italian Food earned 44 mentions, reflecting the restaurant’s lasting following in Lakewood. Founded by Dino DiPaolo in 1961, the restaurant at 10040 W. Colfax Ave. served traditional Italian cooking, including pasta, meatballs and red-sauce favorites. Diners enjoyed this spread for 58 years, until it closed on September 30, 2019.
Trail Dust Steak House
Trail Dust Steak House received 36 mentions, with readers remembering much more than its steaks. The restaurant was a family destination with country-western entertainment, a lively atmosphere, and the famous slide that generations of children remember.
It was also known for cutting off your tie and pinning it to the wall if you wore one, which became part of the fun. There were multiple locations, and the restaurant’s final location in Centennial closed in 2009.
Pagliacci’s
Pagliacci’s received 33 mentions from readers remembering the North Denver Italian institution at 1440 W. 33rd Ave. Founded in 1946, the family-owned restaurant became known for classic Italian dishes and generations of neighborhood customers. It closed in August 2012 after 66 years in business.
Breakfast King
Breakfast King received 31 mentions, with readers remembering its orange booths, extensive menu and 24-hour schedule. Located at 1100 S. Santa Fe Dr., the diner was a familiar stop for night owls, early risers, workers and families. It was also a hot ticket after church on Sundays, way before brunch became a trend.
Opened in 1975, it served its final customers on January 3, 2022. The chicken-fried steak, vintage decor and around-the-clock service made it a fixture in Denver’s diner culture, and we wish it could have stayed forever.
Baby Doe’s
Baby Doe’s earned 30 mentions for its distinctive approach to dining. The restaurant featured a mine-themed interior and period-inspired decor. The setting was all designed around Colorado mining history and the story of Baby Doe Tabor, a famous rags-to-riches socialite. The food, on the other hand, leaned toward more modern pub house fare.
Denver Diner
Denver Diner received 29 mentions from readers who remembered its location at the intersection of Colfax Avenue and Speer Boulevard. A familiar destination for breakfast, late-night meals, and around-the-clock comfort food, the diner operated for more than 30 years.
In between those years, a fire shut it down in 2014. It opened again in 2015, but then in January 2021, after the pandemic-related closure, the owners announced it would not reopen. Today it’s a bank.
Vesta Dipping Grill
Also receiving 29 mentions, Vesta Dipping Grill helped establish a distinctive place in Denver’s dining scene by offering an upscale menu featuring grilled meats and huge selection of gourmet dipping sauces.
The restaurant opened in 1997 at 1822 Blake St. in LoDo, back when the area was less hip than it is today. It was the first establishment by Josh Wolkon who still owns Steuben’s and Ace Eat Serve. After 23 years, Vesta announced in July 2020 that it would not reopen. Yes, it was another victim of the pandemic.
The Broker
The Broker received 28 mentions from readers remembering its classic downtown steakhouse experience. Located in the historic Denver National Bank building at 821 17th St., the restaurant operated for 45 years. The menu featured Beef Wellington and Steak Oscar, along with complimentary peel-and-eat shrimp. The restaurant served its final New Year’s Eve dinner on December 31, 2017.
Griff’s
Griff’s Hamburgers also received 28 mentions, reflecting its place in Denver’s old-school burger culture. The South Broadway location was known for drive-through service, inexpensive burgers, fries and milkshakes. Its straightforward menu and neighborhood following made it a memorable stop for customers looking for a classic burger. The stand shut down in 2015, and the iconic building was demolished two years later.
Denver Drumstick
Denver Drumstick received 27 mentions. The family-friendly restaurant made a lasting impression thanks to the model train that traveled around the dining room near the ceiling. Between the free entertainment and the restaurant’s combination of casual dining and kid-friendly space, it was a memorable destination for families.
Patsy’s
Patsy’s earned 26 mentions from readers remembering one of Denver’s oldest Italian restaurants. With a history stretching back to 1921, the restaurant at 3651 Navajo St. remained in the same family for much of its history. It closed August 22, 2016, after 95 years, ending a long chapter of traditional Italian dining in the neighborhood. Today the space houses Acova, which opened in 2018, run by the team behind the now closed South Broadway icon, The Hornet.
Furr’s Cafeteria
Furr’s received 24 mentions, and it’s easy to understand why. Located off S. Monaco Parkway and Iliff Avenue, the mini-chain was started in the 1940s. It was one of the first places where diners could all get what, and how much, food they wanted.
Think roast beef, mashed potatoes, ham, macaroni and cheese, slices of pie on a plate wrapped in plastic, and more. The chain officially closed the last location in 2017, but the Denver one had shuttered years before that.
Organ Grinder
Organ Grinder received 20 mentions. The restaurant combined pizza and entertainment with a large theater pipe organ, offering families a dining experience that went beyond the food. Live organ music and a distinctive atmosphere made it part of an era when restaurants frequently built an identity around entertainment as well as the menu.
Yum Yum Tree
Long before today’s food halls became popular there was Yum Yum Tree, which received 19 mentions from the poll. It opened in 1968 on S. Colorado Boulevard, offering a family-friendly food court with a variety of dining options including barbecue, a deli, Chinese, Italian, and German fare. It closed in 1981.
Fresh Fish Company
Fresh Fish Company earned 19 mentions from readers remembering four decades of seafood dining in southeast Denver. Owners Karen Kristopeit-Parker and Tim Bell worked to keep the restaurant operating during the pandemic, but ultimately closed in June 2020 after 40 years in business. Its seafood menu and longtime following made it a familiar destination for special dinners and neighborhood meals. Plus, you could go on your birthday and your meal would be discounted your age, be that 5 or 95.
Strings
Strings received 18 mentions. The Uptown dining destination operated for nearly 27 years at 1700 Humboldt St. Owner Tammy Cunningham closed the restaurant on April 30, 2013. But even today Strings has loyal locals who remembered the creative New American food and polished but approachable atmosphere.
Tom’s Home Cookin’
Tom’s Home Cookin’ received 17 mentions from readers remembering its Southern-style comfort food in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood. Known for fried chicken, meatloaf, collard greens and sweet tea, the restaurant attracted long lines and a devoted following. It closed in December 2015 after nearly 17 years in business.
Bonnie Brae Tavern
Bonnie Brae Tavern also received 17 mentions. The neighborhood institution was known for the pizza and family atmosphere. Opened in 1934, the restaurant remained in the Dire family for generations before closing June 25, 2022, after 88 years in business.
The List of Nostalgic Restaurants Continues
The conversation extended well beyond the leading selections. Readers also named Sweet Tomatoes, Apple Tree Shanty, Mataam Fez, Euclid Hall, Wazee Supper Club, Z Cuisine, Piccolo’s, Fuddruckers, White Spot, Cafe Brazil, and more.
The strongest theme running through the comments turned out to be nostalgia for experiences that today’s restaurants cannot necessarily recreate. Readers remembered birthday celebrations at Trail Dust, weekly family dinners at Furr’s, and milkshakes at Round the Corner. Others remembered the atmosphere of Baby Doe’s, the music at Organ Grinder, and watching airplanes from the 94th Aero Squadron.
Restaurants open and close, but the impact often lasts much longer than the leases. For the readers who participated in DiningOut Denver’s poll, bringing back a favorite restaurant would mean more than revisiting a menu. It would mean getting another chance to experience a little piece of Denver’s past, and wouldn’t that be fun?
