Southwestern in Denver

210 3rd St. Castle Rock

303-688-9000

American, Southwestern, Steakhouse, Best Of, Sponsor, Menu

Still looking like the beautiful place of worship it once was, the Old Stone Church continues to be a mecca for some kind of reverence or another, whether your particular religion be food or wine. The serene, elegant restaurant offers just the kind of joyous occasion that takes the edge off the stresses of the season. Sunday brunch is the obvious best choice for the Church, which counts stained-glass windows, cream-colored walls and white linens among its glorious offerings. Sadly, the original stained-glass window of the Last Supper that once hung in the now-decommissioned building was taken out by the Denver Archdiocese because it was deemed sacrilegious to leave it, but plenty of holy reminders remain, including the much-coveted table in the confessional, which makes for some fine romantic dining. But not on Sundays, when the place is filled with families and church-goers of another sort. They're all there to commune (at a good price) over such innovative goodies as the "soup of the moment," salads, decadent baked goods and more. It's also a great choice for a romantic dinner (try the duck) or appetizer-grazing at the bar.

4 articles

Tocabe: An American Indian Eatery

3536 W. 44th Ave., Denver Berkeley/Sunnyside

720-524-8282

Southwestern, Critics' Pick, Best Of, Sponsor, Menu, Essentials

Matt Chandra and Ben Jacobs are behind Denver’s only American Indian-owned and -operated restaurant. They were inspired to open the fast-casual restaurant by Grayhorse: An American Indian Eatery, which was established in 1989 by the Jacobs family. Tocabe made its debut in 2008 and since then has continued to serve an affordable menu of salads, fry bread tacos, bison ribs and more, all while supporting the Native and Indigenous producers that supply the restaurant and sell products directly to the public through Tocabe’s online marketplace.

11 articles

Blue Agave Grill

1201 16th St., #104 Downtown Denver

720-550-8389

Southwestern, Slideshow

2 articles

Jack-n-Grill

2524 Federal Blvd. Northwest Denver

303-964-9544

Southwestern, Recommended, Menu

This legendary and well-loved New Mexican (not Mexican) joint has received national acclaim, and that's because chile man Jack Martinez knows what his customers want. First, there's the good, honest New Mexico-style green chile he's been dishing up since his days as a chile importer. Then there's the succulent shrimp, juicy chicken and exceptionally potent shredded beef, all served on flat corn tortillas with pico de gallo, cheese and a side of lime for great tacos. Try the vaquero tacos with barbecue sauce and cooling sour cream served on a flour tortilla, and you'll be hooked. There are two other offshoots in the Denver area, but stick to the original Federal Boulevard location; it's the heart and soul of the operation.

31 articles

Jack-N-Grill

9310 Sheridan Blvd., Westminster Northwest Denver Suburbs

303-428-4788

Southwestern, Menu

2 articles

Jack-n-Grill

2630 W. Belleview Ave., Littleton Southwest Denver Suburbs

303-474-4242

Southwestern, Menu

5 articles

Julia Blackbird's New Mexican Cafe

3434 W. 32nd Ave. Northwest Denver

303-433-2688

Southwestern, Recommended

All the pieces come together in kitchen at Julia Blackbird's. Although the dining room looks like something concocted by the Santa Fe tourism board, the menu offers very genuine fare. This is classic, homegrown New Mexican comfort food, everything from simple burritos and calabacitas to an excellent posole, grilled elote, fideo and rellenos (fried hard, not eggy).

9 articles

Kachina Cantina

1890 Wazee St. Downtown Denver

Southwestern, Slideshow, Readers' Choice

13 articles

Kachina Southwestern Grill

10600 Westminster Blvd., Westminster Northwest Denver Suburbs

303-410-5813

New American, Nuevo Latino, Southwestern, Slideshow

A meal at Kachina, which opened in the Westin Westminster in the fall of 2012, is supposed to be “a magical trip through the Southwest,” according to its menu. The dining room is separated from the exhibition kitchen by a partition of pueblo-style niches; the space is lovely, if overdone. The menu needs some editing, too -- and diners could also crash into a stiff bill if they order too much from the gimmicky food cart. But there are some worthy stops. Sliders, a special on the stand-alone “Chef and Butcher” menu, are well-seasoned, with housemade chile-laden buns to complement the aged, high-quality beef butchered in-house. Navajo tacos, with puffy fry bread substituted for hard corn shells, are delicious; the menu lists seven variations. Green-chile corn chowder, thick with kernels, pairs the earthiness of corn with hearty chicken and potatoes. Pork posole rojo, in a rich stock flavored with hog’s head and three kinds of chiles, includes morsels of browned pork and heirloom hominy. And for a satisfying final destination, brake for chocolate-and-chile-filled beignets, dusted in cinnamon and sugar and dipped in goat’s-milk caramel. If you don’t steer carefully, though, Kachina is a Southwestern cliché straight out of Epcot.

18 articles

Little Anita's

5545 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada Northwest Denver Suburbs

720-974-3200

Southwestern

A bit of New Mexico in Colorado, Little Anita's is run by an Albuquerque family with a 30-year history in the restaurant business. The red and green chiles are multi-layered and flavorful, and the food features plenty of Southwestern touches, such as blue corn in the enchiladas and a roster of stuffed sopaipillas. The carne adovada is the house signature.

2 articles

Little Anita's New Mexican Foods

1550 S. Colorado Blvd. Southeast Denver

303-691-3337

Southwestern, Best Of

A bit of New Mexico in a strip mall, Little Anita's is run by an Albuquerque family with a 30-year history in the restaurant business. The space is small and only offers counter service, but both the red and green chiles are multi-layered and flavorful, and the food features plenty of Southwestern touches, such as blue corn in the enchiladas and a roster of stuffed sopaipillas. The carne adovada is the house specialty, but as any true Denverite knows, you can never pass up the sopaipillas.

8 articles

Pearl Street Grill

1477 S. Pearl St. South Denver

303-778-6475

American, Brunch, Mexican, Soul Food, Southern, Southwestern, Recommended, Menu

This South Pearl landmark looks like a cross between Cheers and a location for Friends, but it serves swell bar burgers, nachos and other grill standards. The international beer list is overwhelming, the atmosphere unassuming and friendly, and the secluded patio a great summer hideaway.

9 articles

Santo

1265 Alpine Ave. Boulder

303-442-6100

Southwestern, Best Of

Denver and Boulder are chock-full of great Mexican food; whether you're a fan of Den-Mex, Tex-Mex or plain old Mex-Mex, there are plenty of places to get your taco-and-smothered-burritos fix. But New Mex? There aren't many places in town specializing in the fusion of Native American, Spanish and Mexican cuisine that's found in New Mexico. That's why chef/owner Hosea Rosenberg's Santo made such a splash when it landed in November 2017. Southwestern classics like Navajo fry bread, pork-and-potato green chile stew and blue-corn rellenos and enchiladas pack the menu. Of particular note is the restaurant's vegetarian green chile; rather than rely on pork in the dish, Rosenberg builds layers of flavor by oven-roasting all of his vegetables before they go in the pot, including the Hatch green chiles — which the chef brings up from New Mexico every fall. You'll find a land of enchantment in suburban Boulder.

11 articles

Table Mountain Inn Grill and Cantina

1310 Washington Ave. Golden

303-216-8040

Southwestern, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

Sometimes you want to get away from it all, but you don't feel like braving I-70 for hours. Head up the hill instead to Table Mountain, an adorable Southwestern inn that's also a smart choice for a great meal. The kitchen puts out superb Southwestern-focused cuisine and then follows it up with wonderful desserts, like the chocolate taco. Brunch is a treat, too; try the five-pepper Bloody Mary or the eggs Benedict with chipotle Hollandaise.

4 articles

Viaggio Italian Trattoria

10253 E. Iliff Ave. Southeast Denver

303-750-1580

Asian, Fusion, Italian, Southwestern, Recommended, Menu

Viaggio's menu features a complicated Italian-Southwestern-Asian fusion: green-chile lasagna, grilled salmon dressed with a sauce of roasted peppers and pecorino, pizzas, pastas, veal roulades served with red-onion tempura, angel hair pasta tossed with oyster mushrooms. Anywhere else, such combinations might be ridiculous, but it's a credit to this kitchen that a lot of these dishes come off almost as revelations. Viaggio also features Italian classics, a cheap wine list, and a staff that quickly learns your name.

Southwestern in Denver

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