As 2025 wraps up we can get excited for what 2026 will bring to the table, both figuratively and literally. Here’s a hint: We see a lot of noodles in the future, as well as private dining experiences, more chefs hanging out, and more.
Many of the trends from 2025 will also fade away. We predict the end of the American comfort food dumpling craze, and really don’t need to see another cheeseburger turned into one. The need to make birria-everything should also tone down, though we are fine with the many options we already have, including birria ramen from Kike’s Red Taco and Birrieria Y Taqueria Los Tecos’s pizza.
What hot and not-so-hot trends do you hope to see end and/or start in 2026? Let us know in the comments.
Authentic Casual Asian Food in Denver
Getting a solid Chinese or Thai meal is becoming easier and easier, and you don’t have to travel to the ends of Denver or suburbs to get one. Over the last few months we saw a slew of quality, independent places opening in the city, each one offering casual fare and a laidback setting.
For starters, Ma’s Kitchen, which launched at the beginning of November. Run by the team behind Okinawa Japanese Cuisine, Ma’s is helmed by chef Xi Nuan Zheng, who worked at prestigious dim sum houses in China for years. On the menu you’ll find classic dim sum mixed with melt-in-the-mouth claypot eggplant, stir-fried noodles, and one of the best hot and sour soups.
Magic Noodle House also opened recently, and features hand-pulled noodles that diners can watch being made. Denver finally has a solid dan dan noodle to get excited about, and the mapo tofu equally wowed. You’ll find this cafe in the former Qdoba Mexican Eats spot, which graced the Uptown neighborhood for over a decade.
Another casual cafe opened right next to Daughter Thai in LoHi. In fact, it’s owned by the same team, and dubbed Insee Father Noodle House. Unlike the first restaurant, Insee focuses on Thai street food, noodles, and rice bowls. It’s a simple menu featuring delicious, not-easy-to-find dishes such as Mae Klong Beef Noodle soup, Ka Nom Jeeb Thai Dumpling, and Khao Moo Krob.
The Next Hot Dining Experience: Chef Collaborations
There’s nothing new about chefs collaborating with other chefs, but the amount of talent visiting other talent to create a special dinner certainly has grown. This past year we saw the excitement surrounding chefs Erasmo Casiano and Johnny Curiel’s Mexico dinner series, one-night events focused on select regions in the country.
At Pony Up the team decided to host guest chefs to “battle” over French Dip recipes. It proved so popular for both the chefs and the customers that owner Angela Neri said she plans to continue it into 2026 with a different pairing once a month.
Over at Riot BBQ, chef Manny Barella has been bringing the chefs he competed against in Top Chef into his restaurant for special collaboration dinners. Then, at Somebody People, chef Justin Freeman is constantly tapping local talent to create special plant-based feasts.
Multi-Use Spaces
Considering the steep rise in the cost of rent, utilities, and ingredients, it’s no surprise more places are opening as a day-night concept, and/or with added amenities. We’re talking coffee shops that become bars, breakfast places with night events, and teaching spaces inside bakeries.
For example, last fall Rebel Bread on South Broadway opened up a whole teaching kitchen in its building. Already carb-lovers could stock up on bread and pastries from the retail and cafe space, but now you can also learn the ins and outs of baking for yourself, including classes on shaping pasta, making sourdough, and crafting pretzels. It also hosts a Friday night sourdough pizza party from 5 to 9 p.m., when normally the Rebel Bread Cafe is closed.
The newly opened El Piñon, located inside the revamped La Vista Motel, is not just a coffee shop for guests. At night the retro-fitted space becomes a neighborhood cocktail bar, showing how one spot easily becomes two concepts.
Coming up in 2026, the Michelin-starred Brutø will launch a home-goods market and the Studiø right next to the 18-seat restaurant. The shop will sell kitchen ware and the idea is to host cooking demos in the adjacent space.
Send Noods
Noodles are everywhere, and we aren’t complaining. With the launch of Boombots Pasta a couple months ago, and Johnny Bechemel’s opening in December, there’s no lack of new noodle places to try. But these aren’t just about Italian- or Asian-style pastas. The culinary gloves are off and noodles are the new canvas for a slew of creative flavors and cultural clashes. Expect more places to open in 2026 with a similar idea in mind.
Diners Crave Intimate Experiences
As much as we see an onset of cozy cafes, the other side of the dining coin leans into special menus, high-end meals, and experiences that can’t be repeated. In fact, the Michelin Guide gave out two stars in 2025 to two new concepts that fit the description: Margot and Kizaki.
Run by chef Justin Fulton, Margot just opened in July inside the Denchu building on Pearl Street. Coincidently, Kizaki also launched in the same space this past May. Both have a similar style when it comes to serving guests.
For chef Toshi Kizaki, who owns the Denchu building, his intimate chef’s counter serves an edomae-style sushi omakase, and only seats nine, with a couple larger tables in the back. There are two seatings per night, four nights a week.
Fulton also has a handful of seats at his chef’s counter, which serves a tasting menu of seasonal, globally-inspired fare. Diners can also try a more casual selection of dishes in the common bar room of the Denchu building.
The list of experiential restaurants that opened this year also include the opening of The Guest in Downtown Denver and The Counter at Odell’s, which takes place at chef Miles Odell’s bagel shop after hours. Think of it as a chef’s tasting menu, but so much more. These aren’t the only new places to fit the bill, and as 2026 starts we expect more restaurants to fall in line.
