The esteemed MICHELIN Guide’s inspectors dined in Colorado restaurants from Denver and Boulder to Aspen, Snowmass Village, Vail and Beaver Creek to identify those serving an exciting mix of flavors on their menus. Colorado received five One-MICHELIN-Star restaurants, four Green Star restaurants, nine Bib Gourmand designations and 30 Recommended restaurants. Jump to the recognized restaurants.
The state caught the Guide’s attention with its rich culinary community of established, notable chefs and innovative up-and-comers using a wide range of high-quality ingredients often sourced locally and sustainably. Farm-to-table dining, multicultural influences, distinct weather and our mountainous terrain inspire unique takes on new and classic dishes.
This is the first time any Colorado restaurant has been considered for this prestigious designation. Meticulous in maintaining their confidentiality, MICHELIN Guide inspectors made dining reservations anonymously and paid for all their meals to ensure they were treated the same as any other customers.
The Colorado restaurant ratings followed MICHELIN’s time-tested methodology, based on five criteria to ensure a level playing field:
- Quality products
- Harmony of flavors
- Mastery of cooking techniques
- Voice and personality of the chef reflected in the cuisine
- Consistency between each visit and throughout the menu (Each restaurant is inspected several times a year.)
MICHELIN has several designations for its ratings:
- 3 MICHELIN Stars: Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey!
- 2 MICHELIN Stars: Excellent cooking, worth a detour!
- 1 MICHELIN Star: High-quality cooking, worth a stop!
- MICHELIN Green Star: At the forefront of the industry when it comes to sustainable practices
- MICHELIN Bib Gourmand: Good quality, good value cooking
Colorado’s MICHELIN-Rated Restaurants
One Michelin star
Beckon
2843 Larimer St., Denver, 303-749-0020
More than just a name, it's an ethos at this ambitious RiNo dining room from Chef Duncan Holmes where staff warmly welcome you. Once inside this Scandi-cool space, diners pull up a chair at the 18-seat ... Read More
Bosq
312 S. Mill St., Aspen, 970-710-7299
At this singular enclave, Chef Barclay Dodge and his team are executing seasonally inspired cooking that focuses on foraging, fermenting and local farms. The dimly lit interior might seem moody and my ... Read More
Frasca Food and Wine
1738 Pearl St., Boulder, 303-442-6966
This sleek restaurant is set in the heart of downtown Boulder on a charming street lined with shops and restaurants. All are treated as special guests here, where the cooking is Italian, but in a hype ... Read More
One Michelin Star Green Stars
Brutø
1801 Blake St., Denver, 720-325-2195
This hip spot from Kelly Whitaker's Id Est Hospitality Group is tucked away in the Dairy Block's Free Market. Chef Michael Diaz de Leon runs the show here, where the team takes a serious approach to ... Read More
The Wolf's Tailor
4058 Tejon St., Denver, 720-456-6705
With culinary stylings as singular as its name, this charmer stands apart from the pack. Chef Taylor Stark shepherds a creative multicourse menu that abounds with personality, boasting a unique, genre ... Read More
Green Star
Blackbelly Market
1606 Conestoga St., Boulder, 303-247-1000
Chef/owner Hosea Rosenberg is a familiar name in these parts, and Blackbelly Market is just one of the reasons why. There are plenty of spots to sip and snack here, whether at the counter facing the ... Read More
Bramble & Hare
1970 13th St., Boulder, 303-444-9110
It's a farmhouse-meets-lodge vibe at Jill and Chef Eric Skokan's Bramble & Hare, where wood paneled walls and wood floors keep things rustic, and chairs and loveseats are draped with fur throws for ... Read More
Bib Gourmand
AJ's Pit Bar-B-Q
2180 S. Delaware St., Denver, 720-815-5571
Owners Amanda and Jared Leonard and pitmaster Patrick Klaiber have a hit with AJ's Pit Bar-B-Q. From the white-washed facade and neon sign to the picnic tables and white metal chairs inside, this place ... Read More
Ash’Kara
2005 W. 33rd Ave., Denver
At this brightly hospitable neighborhood spot, Chef Reggie Dotson offers up an exploration of contemporary Israeli cuisine, pulling in influences from the Mediterranean, North Africa and Middle East. Read More
Basta
3601 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, 303-997-8775
Concrete floors, cream walls and an open kitchen with a wood-burning oven set an industrial-chic tone at Basta. Snag a spot at the bar and you'll have a front row seat to the culinary action, where ... Read More
The Ginger Pig
4262 Lowell Blvd., Denver, 720-324-8416
The story here begins with Chef Natascha Hess's time as an exchange student in Beijing, where her host family taught her the fundamentals of Chinese home cooking, lessons that sparked a full-bore ... Read More
Glo Noodle House
4450 W 38th Ave., Denver, 303-993-4180
The location in a run of the mill strip mall belies the cool interior at this spot named for Chef/owner Chris Teigland's mother. Inside, dark charcoal and dark wood are offset by pops of bright colors ... Read More
Hop Alley
3500 Larimer St., Denver, 720-379-8340
Hop Alley refers to the original name for Denver's Chinatown, but there's nothing historic about this sleek restaurant. In keeping with the contemporary look, the Chinese menu with Sichuan leanings ... Read More
La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal
2233 Larimer St., Denver, 720-519-1060
This Larimer Street spot from chef Jose Avila is no fuss and no frills but all heart. Inside, it's equal parts cozy and colorful with dark, unpolished wood floors and vibrant walls. In case the name ... Read More
Mister Oso
3163 Larimer St., Denver, 720-677-6454
It's laid-back and lively at Mister Oso, a small but stylish spot with a creative menu and clever cooking. Chef/owner Blake Edmunds has a hit on his hands, with a second location opening in recent years ... Read More
Tavernetta
1889 16th St. Mall, Denver, 720-605-1889
Tavernetta is an absolute stunner. Every detail has been considered and designed to encourage lingering and relaxing in this unique and beautiful space. The Italian menu nods to more well-known dishes ... Read More
