Uptown, one of Denver's most walkable and denser neighborhoods, continues to grow its dining scene. The East Denver area that is concentrated around 17th and 19th Avenues combines a youthful urban environment with a sprinkling of some of the best eating and drinking establishments. There seems to be something for everyone from burgers at places like Park & Co. (from the team at behind Parkburger) and Mile High Hamburger Mary's, Italian food at Il Posto and Coperta, contemporary American at Beast + Bottle, and vegan eats at Watercourse.
Some of the following spots have stood the test of time and trends, while others grace the scene with novelty and a fresh approach. Here's where to eat and drink in Uptown.
Note: The map is organized in alphabetical order and does not include all the establishments that call the Uptown area home. If we missed your favorite, send us a note via the tiplineor leave a comment here telling us why we should include it.
Chef Justin Brunson expanded this modern sandwich shop after finding success with his original LoHi outpost. Don’t miss popular items like the white truffle egg salad or braised beef brisket. There are also daily specials, as well as delivery service within a one-mile radius.
This offshoot of Park Burger offers diners the familiar lineup of burgers, as well as salads, sandwiches, and appetizers like gorgonzola-stuffed dates or crispy Brussels sprouts. There are several different mule cocktails, and more than 20 rotating craft beers on tap.
Part ping-pong hall and part restaurant, Ace skews Asian in its cuisine with dishes like the tiger wings and kimchi fritters. Booze highlights include house-made sodas and an extensive sake collection.
Steuben’s has made a name for itself with a menu of American regional classics like fried chicken, meatloaf, and a lobster roll that was featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” From brunch to dinner to happy hour, the spot also boasts a strong cocktail program. A second location is thriving in Arvada.
This cozy and homey restaurant, owned and operated by sibling duo Paul and Aileen Reilly, emphasizes a farm-to-fork philosophy and utilizes in-house butchery. The flexible wine list—with pours available by the glass, carafe, or bottle—allows diners to easily try something new.
WaterCourse is a vegan restaurant that opened more than a decade and a half ago. Many of the dishes are gluten free or with a gluten-free option. Breakfast is served all day in addition to lunch and dinner.
Humboldt is a neighborhood “farm, fish, wine” concept. The modern American cooking ranges from oysters to crispy broccoli and steak to daily seafood specials. Lunch and dinner are served.
This sweet marketplace and cafe serves fresh baked goods, pressed juices, sandwiches, salads, and more. Menus are available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with curbside to-go as an option. A second location in Cherry Creek is now open.
This spot is a brewpub that has the capacity to produce 5,000 barrels a year. Beers like Colorado Kind Ale and FYIPA are poured alongside a from-scratch menu of salads, sandwiches, burgers, and house specialties like a spicy pollo asado burrito. Cash only.
If you are in pursuit of one of Denver's most delicious and inexpensive breakfast burritos, look no further than Bocaza. Quick, easy and good, this Mexican food spot is good for any time of day.
Dos Santos took over the former D Bar space, and the Uptown neighborhood is glad to have it. The taqueria serves Mexican cuisine with an edge for lunch, dinner and brunch. Want more? The team is currently working on a pizza place, located just around the corner.
Pull up to Gumbo's for a shrimp or fried oyster po' boy and Nola-born Abita ale. This small and unassuming spot serves Cajun food and boasts prime patio real estate.
Marczyk Fine Foods will provide you with some of the highest quality groceries in town, as well as excellent sandwiches, deli items, and grab-and-go options. It is a perfect stop for an Uptown picnic or a sandwich and soup on the go.
This fun bustling bar is the new project from the owner of DiFranco's. The drink menu has something for every taste and the small plate shines with dishes like the burrata and the meatball sliders.
Coperta is a large format Italian restaurant from the talented team behind Beast + Bottle. Lunch and dinner are served and the pollo alla diavola is a must.
This full service restaurant has a fantastic dessert program but also plenty of drinks and savory dishes served for lunch and dinner daily. Morning pastries are also available to go in the cafe space.
This new addition to the area is an eclectic gay-friendly sports bar. There are many burger and beer options (and other eats and drinks!) plus 21 brand new high-definition TVs showing sports at all times.
An ice cream shop in the front and ultra secret speakeasy in the back (check out the door bell on the freezer door), this spot is a must for drinks or a sweet treat.
Chef Justin Brunson expanded this modern sandwich shop after finding success with his original LoHi outpost. Don’t miss popular items like the white truffle egg salad or braised beef brisket. There are also daily specials, as well as delivery service within a one-mile radius.
This offshoot of Park Burger offers diners the familiar lineup of burgers, as well as salads, sandwiches, and appetizers like gorgonzola-stuffed dates or crispy Brussels sprouts. There are several different mule cocktails, and more than 20 rotating craft beers on tap.
Part ping-pong hall and part restaurant, Ace skews Asian in its cuisine with dishes like the tiger wings and kimchi fritters. Booze highlights include house-made sodas and an extensive sake collection.
Steuben’s has made a name for itself with a menu of American regional classics like fried chicken, meatloaf, and a lobster roll that was featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” From brunch to dinner to happy hour, the spot also boasts a strong cocktail program. A second location is thriving in Arvada.
This cozy and homey restaurant, owned and operated by sibling duo Paul and Aileen Reilly, emphasizes a farm-to-fork philosophy and utilizes in-house butchery. The flexible wine list—with pours available by the glass, carafe, or bottle—allows diners to easily try something new.
WaterCourse is a vegan restaurant that opened more than a decade and a half ago. Many of the dishes are gluten free or with a gluten-free option. Breakfast is served all day in addition to lunch and dinner.
Humboldt is a neighborhood “farm, fish, wine” concept. The modern American cooking ranges from oysters to crispy broccoli and steak to daily seafood specials. Lunch and dinner are served.
This sweet marketplace and cafe serves fresh baked goods, pressed juices, sandwiches, salads, and more. Menus are available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with curbside to-go as an option. A second location in Cherry Creek is now open.
This spot is a brewpub that has the capacity to produce 5,000 barrels a year. Beers like Colorado Kind Ale and FYIPA are poured alongside a from-scratch menu of salads, sandwiches, burgers, and house specialties like a spicy pollo asado burrito. Cash only.
If you are in pursuit of one of Denver's most delicious and inexpensive breakfast burritos, look no further than Bocaza. Quick, easy and good, this Mexican food spot is good for any time of day.
Dos Santos took over the former D Bar space, and the Uptown neighborhood is glad to have it. The taqueria serves Mexican cuisine with an edge for lunch, dinner and brunch. Want more? The team is currently working on a pizza place, located just around the corner.
Pull up to Gumbo's for a shrimp or fried oyster po' boy and Nola-born Abita ale. This small and unassuming spot serves Cajun food and boasts prime patio real estate.
Marczyk Fine Foods will provide you with some of the highest quality groceries in town, as well as excellent sandwiches, deli items, and grab-and-go options. It is a perfect stop for an Uptown picnic or a sandwich and soup on the go.
This fun bustling bar is the new project from the owner of DiFranco's. The drink menu has something for every taste and the small plate shines with dishes like the burrata and the meatball sliders.
Coperta is a large format Italian restaurant from the talented team behind Beast + Bottle. Lunch and dinner are served and the pollo alla diavola is a must.
This full service restaurant has a fantastic dessert program but also plenty of drinks and savory dishes served for lunch and dinner daily. Morning pastries are also available to go in the cafe space.
This new addition to the area is an eclectic gay-friendly sports bar. There are many burger and beer options (and other eats and drinks!) plus 21 brand new high-definition TVs showing sports at all times.
An ice cream shop in the front and ultra secret speakeasy in the back (check out the door bell on the freezer door), this spot is a must for drinks or a sweet treat.
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59778573/a5_HH_oysters_Eric_Donzella.45.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62329567/Am_Elm_lucybeaugard_139__1_.6.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65356008/Urban_Village_Lamb_Chops_Pic.7.jpeg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51316461/COPERTA_7614e.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62545949/MSD2.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62545950/park_co.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65289498/shutterstock_123196228.0.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62545953/acescene.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62545954/steubens.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58130285/lucybeaugard_13.33.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59784373/Barcelona_003.6.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62545955/beast_8308e.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59651907/JTP_5802.1525707134.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57951571/24059009_1453589158029463_1723494912476994612_n.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62545956/watercourseuptown.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58358309/Wonder_AliV_92.6.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62545957/HUMBOLDT_2832e.0.0.0.jpeg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62545958/OLIVEFINCH_4259e.0.0.0.jpeg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61038641/Matsuhisa_Plates_Denver_AshtonRayHansenPhotography.6.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61705187/Onefold_tacos_large_2.19.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62545959/vinestreetpub.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62545960/o.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62545961/BREADNBUTTER_0295e.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62545962/1510611_440008779503693_3367599055137377143_n.0.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62545963/11407311_10153386159946052_606459845289756666_n.0.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62545964/1932225_10153954340390094_1880611903_n.0.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65702124/Safta_pies_1_credit_Robby_Travis.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62255939/45023223_1072548286239359_3773444372322844672_o.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62545965/13895074_845094222288411_8630217268917520793_n.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62545966/COPERTA_7569e.0.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59342595/A5___A5_Steak_Eric_Donzella_.65.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59307137/Olivia_Rabbit_Cappelletti_Joni_Schrantz.6.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62545967/DBAR_5420.0.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62545968/FullSizeRender__18_.0.0.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62545969/13876126_1210197809033054_7193055901997515623_n.0.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/55912783/Champagne_Mojito_Photo_Credit_Shawn_Campbell.29.jpg)