How to make the most of Denver Restaurant Week, plus 7 places that caught our chef’s eye

Restaurants across metro Denver are gearing up to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the much-anticipated Denver Restaurant Week, which runs from March 1-10. It’s a unique opportunity to try some of the city’s most celebrated restaurants and discover new favorites.

Masterminded by Visit Denver, Denver Restaurant Week started in 2005 with a price tag of $52.80 for a multicourse menu for two people. In 2017, Denver Restaurant Week transitioned into a tiered pricing structure that allowed more restaurants to participate. This year’s offerings include four price tiers: $25, $35, $45 and $55 per person.

The Denver Restaurant Week website allows you to sort the offerings by price, choose from 37 cuisines or find a place by neighborhood. But with more than 200 restaurants participating, it’s tough to decide where to go and what to order, so we asked Chef Jason Rice from Metropolitan State University of Denver’s School of Hospitality for his expert advice.

Start with the menu

Metro Denver’s dining scene has flourished in the past few years. Myriad restaurants offer diverse cuisines and flavors — thus, the menu is a great starting point.

“I look for cuisines or dishes I don’t normally cook at home,” said Rice. “I want to see what they do and how they do it and learn the flavors directly from them.” He also searches for foods or dishes he has never tried. This is an opportunity to expand your palate, explore new-to-you foods or cuisines and get out of your comfort zone.

Bang Up to the Elephant! caught his attention. From the $35 menu offerings, Rice is eyeing the potato and plantain mofongo as his appetizer of choice, the bunny chow stew for the entree and the banana fritters for dessert.

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Another great option is Daughter Thai Kitchen and Bar, named by 5280 one of Denver’s best restaurants. At $55, the three-course menu offers Bangkok ribs, crab wontons and a choice between red curry chicken or fried chicken (Rice’s choice) among other options.

Search for star-studded restaurants

Another way to choose your next dining destination is by consulting the newly established Colorado Michelin Guide or searching for restaurants and chefs with accolades or awards from the James Beard Foundation.

Ash’Kara offers assertive flavors that highlight Israeli cuisine, and the four-course menu doesn’t disappoint. It includes a taste of the eatery’s Denver Steak, which runs $42 on its regular menu. “The menu shows the creativity of the kitchen working within a budget to provide variety and value,” noted Rice. “With increasing food and labor cost, this menu is a huge deal for $55.”

With new American cuisine and $55 menu, Corinne also made Rice’s list. “I’ve been looking forward to visiting Corinne,” said Rice. “I’d go for the crab croquettes, truffle bucatini and bread pudding, although classics, when well-executed, can make a memorable meal. Plus, I’d to see what flavors they might incorporate to make it more contemporary.”

Rice also recommends trying Konjo Ethiopian Food, whose owner, Fetien Gebre-Michael, an MSU Denver graduate, was a guest chef at the Taste of the World class, a course in the Hospitality Leadership major. “Fetien showed us how to eat with our hands using the traditional Ethiopian injera bread as a vehicle to grab the food but also to cool down the spice. It was delicious!” Konjo Ethiopian Food’s offerings include a dessert made with slave-free, ethically produced chocolate by Denver’s Bibamba Artisanal Chocolate.

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Other celebrated restaurants include Mercantile, whose $55 menu includes seasonal fare, and Cantina Loca, which features a $45 four-course menu that includes cochinita pibil and pozole rojo.

Go with friends

Denver Restaurant Week is the perfect occasion to celebrate with friends and family and a great excuse for each person to order a different dish from the menu and share. “Treat yourself to a great dinner,” Rice said. “And have fun while supporting locally owned restaurants.”