The modern metropolis we know and love was long home to Indigenous peoples before the 1858 gold rush brought settlers to the area. Although Denver has grown by leaps and bounds since then, you can catch a glimpse of its past through the many 19th-century buildings that still stand and have been lovingly restored and turned into shops, hotels, and restaurants.
The latest historic project on the list comes from the team at Half Eaten Cookie Hospitality, who run Boulder’s Oak at Fourteenth and Corrida, as well as the growing fast-casual regenerative beef chain, C-Burger. Soon, said owner Brian Dayton, we will see a new steakhouse in the lineup, right inside the iconic National Western Stock Exchange Center. That venue was built in 1898 and has acted as a hub for the local livestock economy, home to a telegraph office, a barbershop, and more.
Until then, get your history fix by eating in one of these 18 spots, all located in landmark buildings, or at the very least, ones with a storied past.
The Legacy of Union Station
One of the biggest and brightest examples is Union Station, which first opened in the late 19th century. However, that version was short-lived after a fire in 1914. The train station was rebuilt, and remained much the same until renovation projects in 2014 and 2024. Today the station acts as a community gathering place and is home to a boutique hotel and wide array of restaurants, including Mercantile, Ultreia, and Cooper Lounge.
Palace Arms: Dishing Out French Revolution Charm
Inside Denver’s Brown Palace Hotel & Spa you’ll find Palace Arms, an elegant and historical restaurant decorated with memorabilia reminiscent of French general Napoleon Bonaparte. The space housing the unique spot is over 130 years old, and it does nothing to hide that fact.
While dining on steak frites and the best Caesar salad in town, look around and take in the floor-to-ceiling decor. For example, the golden eagles perched on the walls, which once sat atop the poles carried by Napoleon’s army when he marched to Notre Dame to declare himself emperor in 1804. These days, the restaurant is prix fixe only, serving three courses for $54, a conquering deal even the general himself would have loved. 321 17th St., Denver, brownpalace.com
Acova x Mafia
Though sunny and family-friendly, the building housing Acova in Sunnyside has a torrid past as a mafia hot spot. Before Acova it was Patsy’s, which served the neighborhood for 95 years. Both restaurants kept mafia memorabilia. For example, one table in the Acova dining room has a trap door underneath for quick escapes, and there’s a bullet hole in the bar from an old gang skirmish.
The current owners found amazing historical artifacts when renovating the building, including Pasty’s old dough roller, which now serves as the host stand. Come in for upscale bistro fare, with a focus on special gluten-free dishes like fried chicken and fish and chips. 3651 Navajo St., Denver, acovarestaurant.com
Jovanina’s Broken Italian: Ghosts and Gin
The historic building housing this popular Italian restaurant dates back to the 19th century, when it operated as a cigar factory. Now, the only thing smoking is the wood-fired oven, where pizzas, vegetable dishes, and oysters come out of.
Downstairs, in what is now Jovanina’s sexy basement den Sotto Voce, a Prohibition-era speakeasy thrived. The exposed brick and low lighting make dining there feel forbidden, in the best ways. There’s even spots where the tunnels used to connect, though they have been closed off. 1520 Blake St., Denver, jovanina.com
Classic Steakhouse Vibes at Bastien’s Restaurant
Since the 1930s the East Colfax Avenue steakhouse has served its famous sugar steak, beef stroganoff, and crisp iceberg wedge salads to hungry locals, all with a side of history. The original building housing the family-run eatery was torn down and erected anew in 1958. It remains on the National Registry of Historic Places as a prime example of the Googie style of architecture popular in the mid-20th century. 3503 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, bastiensrestaurant.com
Class Has Started at The Schoolyard Beer Garden
Located smack-dab in the middle of the Golden Triangle, The Schoolyard Beer Garden opened last year in the building that served as the Evans School in the early 20th century. Head downstairs to the Renaissance Revival building and see the remnants of the past in the massive boiler room and wander the wide hallways. The venture also offers ample outdoor seating for alfresco sipping, and a selection of Colorado beer, and casual bar food from the Schoolyard Café. 1115 Acoma St. #116, Denver, schoolyardbeergarden.com
Church and Union: Historic Hotel Charm
The Denver location of Church and Union resides inside a building that dates back to 1896, and once functioned as the St. Elmo Hotel. The historic hotel served silver miners traveling to Colorado to seek fame and fortune. Though originally wood like other buildings in the late 1800s, the hotel was replaced with brick a decade later for fire safety.
The restaurant, like its sister spots, sports a hand-painted rendition of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War on the ceiling. Other decor offers a nod to local history, including a giant mockup $5 bill with the face of Black Kettle, a Southern Cheyenne chief who once lived in Southern Colorado. 1433 17th St. #150, Denver, churchandunion.com
Schooled at Teacher’s Lounge Food and Drink
The Slate Hotel in Downtown Denver used to be the Emily Griffith Opportunity School, which opened in 1916 as a revolutionary trade school taking in students of all backgrounds. As a nod to the building’s original function, the Slate Hotel’s restaurant is called the Teacher’s Lounge. The menu features creative takes on classic American dishes, such as lamb sliders and hatch chile grilled cheese. After, loiter in the wide hallways and wander around the property, which still feels like a school. 1250 Welton St., Denver, slatedenver.com
Angelo’s Taverna’s Squeaky Clean Past
Angelo’s Taverna has been a Denver institution since 1974, built in a edifice that’s been around since the early 20th century. The building used to be divided into several businesses, including what the current owners believe was a soap shop after they found an ad for soap painted on a wall during renovations. Favorite dishes at the Italian restaurant include balsamic-glazed ribs, lamb lollipops, ravioli, and a wide assortment of pastas and pizzas. 620 E. 6th Ave., Denver, angelosdenver.com
Hapa Sushi Restaurant
The Blake Street location of Hapa Sushi Restaurant resides inside the oldest standing structure in Denver. Erected in 1863, it’s called the Barney L. Ford Building after its original owner. Ford, who was born into slavery and escaped from a Southern plantation, created an empire of businesses in Denver, many catering specifically to the Black community.
Hapa Sushi opened there in 2012, with a much different purpose. Today visitors can enjoy a blend of American-Asian foods such as Hawaiian calamari, truffle maguro, wagyu bao, and a solid gluten-free menu. 1514 Blake St., Denver, hapasushi.com
Urban Farmer Steakhouse: History Frozen in Time
Urban Farmer Steakhouse Denver resides inside the landmarked Oxford Hotel, Denver’s oldest hotel. While the restaurant serves fresh takes on sustainably-sourced beef and seafood, the space speaks to the past when the building opened in 1891. The interior still prominently displays features from the structure’s early days, like wood paneling and an ornate molded ceiling. Pair that with the Art Deco-style Cruise Room next door, and you have a meal through memory lane. 1659 Wazee St., Denver, urbanfarmersteakhouse.com
Out to Sea at the Ship Tavern
The model ships on display in Ship Tavern inside the Brown Palace were originally given as gifts to Edna Boettcher by her husband, who owned the hotel between 1922 and 1980. Edna was less than thrilled about having model ships in her home, so gladly donated them to the restaurant when it opened. Now, you can sit inside the ship-themed tavern and order classic pub food like fish and chips, clam chowder, and burgers. Sidle up to the classy old wooden bar, and make a game of counting the ships. 321 17th St., Denver, brownpalace.com
Woodie Fisher: The First Fire House
Woodie Fisher is located inside the building known as ‘Historic House No. 1,’ one of the first fire stations in Denver. Here the city housed its volunteer firefighters, which were all we had before Denver invested in a paid fire squad. The stately brick building stands out on the corner of Chestnut Place and 20th Street, clashing in the best way with the more modern edifices.
Inside the restaurant has a laid-back atmosphere and serves up excellent Americana food under the steady hand of chef Franco Ruiz, Enjoy three meals a day here. The Prime Rib French Dip, burgers, and wood-fired pizzas are favorites. 1999 Chestnut Pl. #100, Denver, woodiefisher.com
Five Cent History at The Nickle
Chef Ruiz also runs the kitchen at The Nickel and Hotel Teatro, which houses the elegant restaurant. Known as the Tramway Building, the structure was built in 1911 and used to house the trollies running through town. Today the edifice is a Denver and National Registered Landmark. The name of the restaurant pays homage to that original use, when a five-cent piece bought you a ride. 1100 14th St., Denver, thenickeldenver.com
My Brother’s Bar: Oldest Bar in Town
My Brother’s Bar is the oldest continuously running bar in Denver, which, in some iteration, has been in operation since 1873. The dark, wood-heavy bar has been like this for the past 50 years, a true dive in the vibes.
The food, however, doesn’t hit the same down and dingy notes. In fact, My Brother’s Bar is known for having one of the best burgers in town. Also on the menu, sandwiches, soups, salads, and an extensive meat-free section of the menu. Come in for weekend brunch, including breakfast burgers. 2376 15th St., Denver, mybrothersbar.com
Range Restaurant Brings in the Money
What once was the Colorado National Bank is now range Restaurant, located inside the Renaissance Denver City Center Hotel. The bank itself opened right around the time Denver became a city, and in 1915 moved to its current location at the intersection of 17th and Champa Streets. Soak up the history of the place as you dine on bison brisket and Colorado striped bass. 918 17th St., Denver, rangedowntown.com
West of Surrender Saloon & Kitchen
The saloon is located inside the seven-story Kittredge Building, a Richardsonian Romanesque landmark designed by A. Morris Stuckert and built in1891. It was one of the city’s first fireproof office buildings downtown with an elevator.
Today the saloon pays homage to migrants leaving their lives in search of something better in Colorado. The menu speaks to the West with classic comfort food like chicken pot pie, elk meatballs, short rib stroganoff, and more. 501 16th St., Denver, westofsurrender.com
Secret Tunnels Under Wynkoop Brewing Company
Wynkoop Brewing Company opened in the 1980s inside the J.S. Brown & Brother Mercantile building, which opened in 1899. The wholesale grocery store sported high-ceilings, exposed brick walls, and an impressive vault.
While much appears the same, that vault has become the brewers’ office, and tunnels that once ran underneath the building for transporting coal have been closed up to form the basement. Wynkoop may be best-known for its Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout, made with bull testicals, but it also serves plenty of other craft beers and pub food. 1634 18th St., Denver, wynkoop.com
Buckhorn Exchange: Featuring Exotic Animals on the Wall and Plate
On a street lined with modern apartment complexes, Buckhorn Exchange remains a vestige of Denver’s cowboy past, and still holds the title for the city’s oldest restaurant. The kitschy venue is decorated with taxidermied animals on the walls and has been operating for over 100 years, serving steaks, elk, Rocky Mountain oysters, and more. A meal at Buckhorn Exchange is a unique experience, and sitting inside it won’t be hard to imagine that important figures like Theodore Roosevelt and Chief Red Cloud, nephew of Sitting Bull, once dined here. 1000 Osage St., Denver, buckhorn.com
