Five Restaurants to Try This Weekend in Denver

Rain, snow, or shine, everyone needs some extra dining inspiration for this coming weekend and Eater's here to help. A couple of times a month, the site's writers will select a new group of restaurants and suggest them for various meals throughout the weekend. These picks range from brand new restaurants to old, reliable favorites.

Some pair well with fun weekend activities; others reflect the recent news of the day or features on the site this week. Hungry readers are unlikely to check all five off the list in one weekend, but that's what next weekend is for, right?

Friday night dinner: Spuntino

Husband and wife team Elliot Strathmann and Cindhura Reddy run this ambitious yet comfortable neighborhood restaurant in the Highland. Reddy’s new seasonal menu brings spring stars like ramps and stinging nettles into Italian-inspired dishes. For his part, Strathmann curates one of the most captivating wine lists in town and he also quietly features an outstanding collection of new and vintage amaros. 2639 W 32nd Avenue.

Saturday lunch: Cafe Aion at the Boulder Farmers Market

With the Boulder Farmers Market in full swing, lunch from the paella stand that Cafe Aion now runs inside the market is a must. Chef Dakota Soifer, who owns the five year old restaurant located on the hill in the college town, makes two kinds of paellas for farmers market goes. Options include an egg on top. 13th & Canyon

Saturday dinner: Funny Plus

Get out of your comfort zone and head to this palace of fried chicken and Korean cuisine in Aurora. Bonus: The Aurora restaurant serves until 2 a.m. for when that late night craving strikes — and there is karaoke available too. 2779 S Parker Road

Sunday brunch: El Jefe

The Sunnyside Mexican restaurant is launching its patio with an event that starts at 10 a.m. and goes into the evening. There will be free chicharrones for every table and happy hour prices on food and drinks all day. 2450 West 44th Avenue

Sunday supper: Lala’s Wine Bar

Every Sunday starting at 3 p.m., this Cap Hill eatery slows the pace down to bring guests a four course dinner served family style - until you are full. With a cost of only $12.95 per person, this is not only a great deal but also a window into Italian-American culture where Sunday supper is a tradition that requires all dat preparation followed by a relaxed comforting meal. 410 E 7th Avenue

MAY 12, 2017

Friday night dinner: The Way Back

Set at the edge of Berkeley and the Highland, The Way Back has not only an extraordinary cocktail program, but also a food menu worthy of a weekend night. Give the bison carpaccio and the okonomiyaki a try. 4132 W 38th Avenue

Saturday lunch: Star Kitchen

This Chinese fixture of Federal Boulevard has the weekend crowds flocking into its fuss-free large dining room in search of traditional dim sum dishes. Carts, overflowing with classic fare, roll around the bustling restaurant from 10:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. Pro tip: Arrive early for the best chance to get a table. 2917 W Mississippi Avenue

Saturday dinner: Tables Restaurant

A longstanding staple of this otherwise quiet residential neighborhood, this husband and wife-owned restaurant offers diners a cozy getaway where attention to detail is of outmost importance. The top notch wine menu complements seasonal dishes like the chilled asparagus with watercress, tarragon-grapefruit curd, spring onion, and toasted pistachios. 2267 Kearney Street

Sunday late lunch: Resolute Brewing Co

Everyone and their mother is literally going to brunch on this day, most likely somewhere with a fixed price menu. Resolute Beer Co, a brewery in Centennial, is shaking things up with a beer and crawfish boil event that has seatings at 1 and 3 p.m. 7786 South Yosemite Street

Sunday dinner: Clyde

This quaint yet modern restaurant set in the space that previously housed Le Central, has one of the best wine lists around and a menu that is daring but not uncomfortably so. Every week, a Sunday Supper menu is offered, including a prix fixe option, snacks, wine specials, and more. 112 E 8th Avenue

APRIL 28, 2017

Friday night casual dinner: Chop Shop Lowry (or Park Hill)

The three year old Park Hill neighborhood restaurant brainchild of chef Clint Wangsness recently launched a second location in Lowry at 200 Quebec Street. Both are casual but sharply executed, family-friendly without being dumbed-down. Favorite dishes include the 48 hour slow cooked short rib and the Chop Shop fried rice.

Chop Shop

Saturday lunch: Thai Street Food

A one-woman operation, Thai Street Food (11650 Montview Boulevard) still offers some of the very best pad thai in town. Utumporn Killoran (affectionately known to her patrons as Anna) makes each dish to order in her humble yet comfortable restaurant at the edge of Denver and Aurora. Other menu offerings include crab and cheese wontons, Thai fried rice, and vegetable dumplings.

Courtesy of Thai Street Food

Saturday dinner: The Preservery

Set off the beaten path in RiNo, the Preservery (3040 Blake Street) is a heartfelt homage to seasonality, to ingredients that honor mother Earth and the human body and please and surprise the palate. An inviting space where the community feel is quickly apparent, the Preservery offers dishes like the cotecchino meatball below, made in house using Niman Ranch whole pork belly and served over soft polenta with fire-roasted tomato sauce, buttered fava beans and mizuna salad.

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Sunday brunch: Bar Dough

The LoHi staple (2227 West 32nd Avenue) remains one of the best brunch destinations in town not only because of its varied menu but also because the outstanding hospitality. From bottomless Aperol Spritzes to the tequila punch, from the tempura fried avocado blt to the buttermilk fried chicken, and from the pizzas to the overnight french toast with whipped nutella, there is something everyone in your group will love here.

Adam Larkey

Sunday night drinks and bites: Ste. Ellie

Bartender Alex Jump of the RiNo Yacht Club won the regional round and will soon be competing in the national phase of Speedrack, a competition that pits the best and fastest female bartenders shaker to shaker. To prepare, Jump needs to work on making great drinks as quickly as possible in a less-familiar setting, which is why her friends at Ste. Ellie (1553 Platte Street) are hosting her on Sunday between 7 and 11 p.m. and are ready to put her to the test. Details here.

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