Denver Food Hop #4: root down

1300 West 33rd Ave

Denver, CO 80211

Hands down this is the best restaurant in Denver, and I have a Food Hopper Stephanie to thank for the recommendation! From its open kitchen to its throwback 1950's decor, root down knows they have it going on. Not to mention that everything they used to build the restaurant is recycled. The menu is designed for tasting and highlights all local Colorado food & drink. The meal started off with a Colorado sourced Cabarnet. Everyone at the table ordered two tasting plates, and each were passed around encouraging a social dining experience. I was so excited to eat that I forgot to take a picture so I apologize if some of the pictures are half eaten.... but still beautiful! Some of the star dishes included perfectly cooked seared achiote rubbed Colorado lamb, golden beet risotto, King Canyon Ranch buffalo sliders, and organic hazel dell mushroom bruschetta. The finale of the meal was an unforgettable banana "creme brulee" pie with peanut butter crust. This Food Hop was one of the best I have visited to date! Put this on your itinerary the next time you visit Denver.

Denver Food Hop #3: Tamayo

1400 Larimer St

Denver, CO 80202

Order the guacamole and dig in! Otherwise hop right past Tamayo, a modern Mexican restaurant in Larimer Square. Not many of us at the table could taste our meals because our mouths were on fire! Believe me when I tell you... all Mexican does not have to burn the palate. My chile relleno stuffed with shrimp, and topped with crema fresca was good in a painful kind of way. For me I would hop past this food stop, and try another memorable Denver restaurant from my blog. Oh did I mention the watery margaritas!

Denver Food Hop #1: Luca D'Italia

711 Grant Street

Denver, CO 80203

Luca D'Italia is off the beaten path in Denver and highlights one of Denver's hottest chefs, Frank Bonanno. I ordered the house salad with an appetizer portion of the egg pappardelle with lobster and red sauce. The pasta was al dente, and the lobster a bit overcooked. It was tasty but did not blow me away. In addition it was very expensive... $17.00 for an appetizer portion of pasta. If I was food hopping in Denver again this would not be a repeat. I would stop by Osteria Marco run by the same chef on Larimer Street if I were you. Affordable and very delicious with outside seating. If I learned one thing from my trip to Florence, Italy it was that good Italian does not have to be expensive.

Denver, Colorado Trip

Hey all! Well I am about to get food hopping again in Denver, Colorado. I need some suggestions on where to eat. I will be there for four days, and then two days in Rocky Mountain National Park. I am staying at the Stanley Hotel where the shining was filmed. So far I have a few food hops as possibilities to eat at...... help me add a few more.

Snooze for brunch, Denver, Colorado http://www.snoozeeatery.com/

Luca D'Italia, Denver, Colorado http://www.lucadenver.com/

Fruition, Denver, Colorado http://www.fruitionrestaurant.com/

Nepal's Cafe, Estes Park, Colorado