Check out these Colorado must-eats and let us know if you uncover other super-local bites that you think we’ve left off the list at editor@Colorado.com.
1. Bingo & Mesa Burgers at Bingo Burger in Pueblo
Anytime you eat in Pueblo, you’re likely to detect the famous Pueblo chile in your dish, and the Bingo Burger is no exception with flavorful chiles blended right in with the beef. But it’s got tough competition with the Mesa burger, which is made with juicy Colorado lamb, goat cheese and delicious fig-fennel jam.
2. Palisade peach Caprese salad at 626 on Rood in Grand Junction
Palisade is peach country, and you’ll find seasonal fare all over the region utilizing this tender fruit. For a truly explosive dish, ask about dishes like the peach Caprese salad at 626 on Rood. The peaches are decorated with a (get ready for this) mint-basil and smoked-paprika-reposado tequila (aged in a wooden barrel) sauce and fresh basil. It’s a must-taste twist on the typical Caprese salad for sure!
3. Boulder Tea Company Teahouse Chai at Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse
The hand-carved Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse (gifted from Boulder's sister city — Tajikistan) offers an artisan-style chai both at its traditional teahouse and in to-go bottles. Using malty black tea along with ground spices and organic sugar, this served-warm and seasoned drink is the perfect pick-me-up libation for weary travelers.
4. Hwy. 50 Melons
Some of the best memories from family road trips include impromptu pit stops at small fruit stands. While traversing Colorado’s eastern plains near Rocky Ford, keep your eye out for melon stands along Hwy. 50, which pepper the highway starting in La Junta and heading west to Pueblo. The juicy sweetness from the cantaloupe and honeydews along this swath of countryside provides a refreshing respite indicative of the area’s agriculture.