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Steak tartare with crostini — Classic steak tartare from Bistro Vendôme.

15 Takeout and Delivery Options in Denver to Rescue You on Lazy No-Cooking Nights

As the city works to combat the coronavirus, chefs continue to do what they do best

by Eater Staff Updated Jan 4, 2021, 1:38pm MST

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Classic steak tartare from Bistro Vendôme.

| Marc Piscotty

by Eater Staff Updated Jan 4, 2021, 1:38pm MST

Since March, the dining scene in Denver (as everywhere) has been rocked and rolled by the ever-changing restrictions on businesses wrought by the pandemic. Yet local restaurateurs continue to pivot with extraordinary courage and ingenuity. Thanks to takeout and delivery service in particular, they’re keeping their livelihoods intact as best they can while offering frazzled home cooks a breather. The following 15 venues are great examples, though this map will be updated regularly to recognize as many deserving spots as possible.

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Spuntino

While running Namkeen at Zeppelin Station, chef Cindhura Reddy developed as much of a following for her South Indian food as for the modern Italian cuisine she and partner Elliot Strathmann serve at Spuntino. Now her fans can have their cake and eat it too — in the form of arancini and samosas, pappardelle in goat Bolognese, and Methi chicken curry.

Takeout and delivery 5 p.m. to 8:30–9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday

2639 W 32nd Ave, Denver, CO 80211

Visit Website

Indian-style lamb shank over rice in takeout container — Spuntino’s masala-braised lamb shank over saffron rice serves two.

Also featured in:

Work & Class

Though nothing’s back to normal, Dana Rodriguez’s cooking can make life feel that way for a while. Beloved signature dishes like roast lamb by the pound; the Massive Attack salad with tempura broccoli, asparagus, and avocado in preserved-lemon vinaigrette; and butterscotch pudding still anchor the menu, supplemented as always by seasonal options — stout-braised short rib and fall vegetable hash with cashews, for instance.

Takeout and delivery 5 p.m.–9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday

2500 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205

Visit Website

Rotisserie chicken — Work & Class’s staple rotisserie chicken.

Also featured in:

Coffee at The Point

Not only does this Five Points coffee shop keep far longer business hours than most places these days, it also makes them count with an extensive, affordable, and highly appealing selection of salads, sandwiches, quinoa bowls, and pastries. Favorites include the Fire Station No. 3 — roast beef, fontina, and hot peppers on ciabatta — and the Louie, a smoked salmon–cheddar melt on an English muffin. Better still, it has a liquor license, meaning that latte’s available with a shot of maple bourbon.

Takeout 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m.–5 p.m. Sunday

710 E 26th Ave, Denver, CO 80205

Visit Website

Focaccia sandwich with turkey, cheese, and avocado — Coffee at the Point’s Welton sandwich features smoked turkey, pepperjack cheese, avocado, and chipotle aioli on focaccia.

Also featured in:

Mercantile Dining and Provision

With a brand-new team that includes chef Alex Astranti and Master Sommelier Jim Bube, Alex Seidel’s Union Station destination is back in action. The streamlined but regularly changing menu centers on take-and-bake items such as cinnamon rolls and short rib–mozzarella rigatoni for four, along with provisions like jarred rillettes and pickle samplers.

Takeout 4 p.m.–8 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday

1701 Wynkoop St #155, Denver, CO 80202

Visit Website

Jars of rillettes and other spreads with pita — The market at Mercantile is still whipping up provisions such as rillettes and jams.

Also featured in:

Bistro Vendôme

Thank goodness for old favorites. Jennifer Jasinski and Beth Gruitch’s Larimer Square sanctuary is still serving up the bistro classics it was built on day in and day out: Think French onion soup, steak frites, and crème brûlée for dinner, croques monsieurs and crêpes Florentine for weekend brunch.

Takeout and delivery 4 p.m.–8 p.m. daily plus 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Saturday through Sunday

Open in Google Maps

1420 Larimer St #1705, Denver, CO 80202

Visit Website

roast chicken with sides — True-blue French bistro fare has been Vendôme’s forte for going on 20 years.

Also featured in:

16 Cozy, Warm Spaces to Dine Outdoors in Denver This Winter

Onefold

This Uptown daytime haunt mixes Asian and Latin influences to offer everything from breakfast fried rice featuring Chinese sausage and a duck-fat fried egg to barbacoa tacos on handmade corn tortillas with consommé for dipping — plus boozy Vietnamese iced coffee to wash it down.

Takeout and delivery 7–8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily

1139, 1420 E 18th Ave, Denver, CO 80218

Visit Website

Savory rice porridge with egg — Onefold’s duck and egg congee.

Also featured in:

Middleman

It’s fairly easy to stock a home bar. It’s not so easy to replicate the ultimate bar food. Good thing no one has to — all they have to do is check out the menu at Misfit Snackbar, located inside Middleman on East Colfax; call 201-679-7079 to place an order; and come home with the works — maybe the chips and dip du jour and cherry-glazed pork ribs with spaetzle one night, butternut-squash tamales and shepherd’s pie–inspired croquettes the next. Chef Bo Porytko has also launched a side project, Dill & Dough, to sell take-and-bake pierogi and pelmeni.

Takeout 4 p.m.–10 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Sunday

3401 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80206

Visit Website

Double cheeseburger with onions and pickles — Misfit’s burger stands with the city’s best.

Also featured in:

Anise, Modern Vietnamese Eatery

In addition to staples like goi ga and pho, the menu at this sweet Cap Hill spot includes some offbeat twists on Vietnamese cuisine: beef spring rolls are a house specialty, for instance, while bánh mì bites are reminiscent of bruschetta.

Takeout and delivery 11 a.m.–10 p.m. daily

Open in Google Maps

865 N Lincoln St, Denver, CO 80203

Visit Website

Vietnamese appetizers in takeout containers — Anise’s bánh mì bites, squid bánh can, and fried meatballs.

Fortune Wok to Table

While this Cherry Creek gem has more than earned a cult following for its exquisite handmade dumplings, regulars know to mix up their meals with vibrant Shanghai-style noodle bowls and soups, fried rice plates, and seasonal dishes like seafood hot-and-sour soup.

Takeout 11:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Monday, 11:30 a.m. to 8:30–9 p.m. Tuesday–Sunday

Open in Google Maps

2817 E 3rd Ave unit e, Denver, CO 80206

Visit Website

Fried dumplings with sauce — Dumplings, fried or steamed, are Fortune’s primary claim to fame.

Also featured in:

La Calle Taqueria y Carnitas

Though its menu is broader than the name suggests — including stews like menudo and birria, tortas, and more — La Calle rightly prides itself on its tacos. Some of Denver’s best, they come topped with everything from lamb and goat to beef cheeks and pork stomach to, of course, carnitas — which are also available to go by the pound, along with several other meat cuts.

Takeout and delivery 9 a.m. to 9–10 p.m. daily

Open in Google Maps

1565 W Alameda Ave, Denver, CO 80223

Visit Website

Plate of four tacos with lime

Also featured in:

Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar - Glendale

What’s on the to-go menu at the Glendale branch of Jax these days? A better question is, what isn’t? While meeting all its neighbors’ seafood needs with raw bar samplers, entrees such as blackened catfish with collard greens and hushpuppies, and cioppino kits for two, it’s also become home to not one, not two, but three different ghost-kitchen concepts. The Tender Project answers the clamor for fried chicken; The Cheesesteak Project, of course, specializes in its namesake; and The Lasagna Project doubles as a fundraiser for the food-insecure.

Takeout and delivery 3:30–9 p.m. daily

Open in Google Maps

650 S Colorado Blvd, Glendale, CO 80246

Visit Website

Box of chicken tenders with waffle fries and sauces — Jax’s chicken tenders come with fries and a choice of two dipping sauces as well as an optional side of furikake rice and kimchi.

African Grill and Bar

Palates can travel where bodies can’t. This Lakewood gem offers a taste of comfort food from across the African continent, with an emphasis on robustly flavorful stews based on vegetables, greens, and legumes (okra and black-eyed peas, for instance); enriched by the meats such as goat and oxtail, and accompanied by jollof rice or staple starches like fufu.

Takeout 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Monday through Saturday

Open in Google Maps

955 S Kipling Pkwy, Lakewood, CO 80226

Visit Website

Okra and lamb stew with kenkey — Comfort food, African Grill and Bar–style.

Pizzeria Lui

Pizza may be many people’s default for takeout, but this celebrated Lakewood parlor always makes it seem more unique. Wood-fired at 900 degrees, its pies come topped with everything from ham, bacon, jalapeños, and roasted pineapple puree to chorizo, cotija, corn, and tomatillo salsa.

Takeout 3 p.m.–9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday

Open in Google Maps

5380 W Mississippi Ave, Lakewood, CO 80226

Visit Website

Pepperoni pizza with gorgonzola — Pizzeria Lui offers about eight different red pies and five white ones.

Also featured in:

21 Places for Primo Pizza in Denver

Turtle Boat - Colorado Poki Salads

Sustainable seafood, innovative vegan alternatives, local produce, and an unusual array of add-ins, toppings, and sides have earned this Rosedale poke hut legions of loyal devotees. So have its efforts to support the community under lockdown: Follow it on Instagram for updates on its soup donations, weekly specials incorporating foods from other local businesses, and more.

Takeout 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Wednesday through Monday

Open in Google Maps

2231 S Broadway, Denver, CO 80210

Visit Website

poke salad on greens — Turtle Boat’s customizable poke bowls can incorporate everything from Colorado striped bass and cuttlefish to wasabi guacamole and vegan masago.

Also featured in:

18 Healthy Denver Restaurants to Energize You in 2021

House of Kabob

Though the namesake skewers are indeed a highlight at this University Hills stalwart, the menu branches out across the Eastern Mediterranean to include Greek spanakopita, Persian stews like ghorme sabzi with beef, wings in Lebanese-style garlic sauce, and more. It’s all ideally paired with the rich salted-yogurt drink called doogh.

Takeout and delivery 11 a.m.–12 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily

Open in Google Maps

2246 S Colorado Blvd, Denver, CO 80222

Visit Website

Also featured in:

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Spuntino

2639 W 32nd Ave, Denver, CO 80211

While running Namkeen at Zeppelin Station, chef Cindhura Reddy developed as much of a following for her South Indian food as for the modern Italian cuisine she and partner Elliot Strathmann serve at Spuntino. Now her fans can have their cake and eat it too — in the form of arancini and samosas, pappardelle in goat Bolognese, and Methi chicken curry.

Takeout and delivery 5 p.m. to 8:30–9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday

2639 W 32nd Ave, Denver, CO 80211

Visit Website

Indian-style lamb shank over rice in takeout container — Spuntino’s masala-braised lamb shank over saffron rice serves two.

Work & Class

2500 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205

Though nothing’s back to normal, Dana Rodriguez’s cooking can make life feel that way for a while. Beloved signature dishes like roast lamb by the pound; the Massive Attack salad with tempura broccoli, asparagus, and avocado in preserved-lemon vinaigrette; and butterscotch pudding still anchor the menu, supplemented as always by seasonal options — stout-braised short rib and fall vegetable hash with cashews, for instance.

Takeout and delivery 5 p.m.–9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday

2500 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205

Visit Website

Rotisserie chicken — Work & Class’s staple rotisserie chicken.

Coffee at The Point

710 E 26th Ave, Denver, CO 80205

Not only does this Five Points coffee shop keep far longer business hours than most places these days, it also makes them count with an extensive, affordable, and highly appealing selection of salads, sandwiches, quinoa bowls, and pastries. Favorites include the Fire Station No. 3 — roast beef, fontina, and hot peppers on ciabatta — and the Louie, a smoked salmon–cheddar melt on an English muffin. Better still, it has a liquor license, meaning that latte’s available with a shot of maple bourbon.

Takeout 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m.–5 p.m. Sunday

710 E 26th Ave, Denver, CO 80205

Visit Website

Focaccia sandwich with turkey, cheese, and avocado — Coffee at the Point’s Welton sandwich features smoked turkey, pepperjack cheese, avocado, and chipotle aioli on focaccia.

Mercantile Dining and Provision

1701 Wynkoop St #155, Denver, CO 80202

With a brand-new team that includes chef Alex Astranti and Master Sommelier Jim Bube, Alex Seidel’s Union Station destination is back in action. The streamlined but regularly changing menu centers on take-and-bake items such as cinnamon rolls and short rib–mozzarella rigatoni for four, along with provisions like jarred rillettes and pickle samplers.

Takeout 4 p.m.–8 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday

1701 Wynkoop St #155, Denver, CO 80202

Visit Website

Jars of rillettes and other spreads with pita — The market at Mercantile is still whipping up provisions such as rillettes and jams.

Bistro Vendôme

1420 Larimer St #1705, Denver, CO 80202

Thank goodness for old favorites. Jennifer Jasinski and Beth Gruitch’s Larimer Square sanctuary is still serving up the bistro classics it was built on day in and day out: Think French onion soup, steak frites, and crème brûlée for dinner, croques monsieurs and crêpes Florentine for weekend brunch.

Takeout and delivery 4 p.m.–8 p.m. daily plus 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Saturday through Sunday

Open in Google Maps

1420 Larimer St #1705, Denver, CO 80202

Visit Website

roast chicken with sides — True-blue French bistro fare has been Vendôme’s forte for going on 20 years.

Onefold

1139, 1420 E 18th Ave, Denver, CO 80218

This Uptown daytime haunt mixes Asian and Latin influences to offer everything from breakfast fried rice featuring Chinese sausage and a duck-fat fried egg to barbacoa tacos on handmade corn tortillas with consommé for dipping — plus boozy Vietnamese iced coffee to wash it down.

Takeout and delivery 7–8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily

1139, 1420 E 18th Ave, Denver, CO 80218

Visit Website

Savory rice porridge with egg — Onefold’s duck and egg congee.

Middleman

3401 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80206

It’s fairly easy to stock a home bar. It’s not so easy to replicate the ultimate bar food. Good thing no one has to — all they have to do is check out the menu at Misfit Snackbar, located inside Middleman on East Colfax; call 201-679-7079 to place an order; and come home with the works — maybe the chips and dip du jour and cherry-glazed pork ribs with spaetzle one night, butternut-squash tamales and shepherd’s pie–inspired croquettes the next. Chef Bo Porytko has also launched a side project, Dill & Dough, to sell take-and-bake pierogi and pelmeni.

Takeout 4 p.m.–10 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Sunday

3401 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80206

Visit Website

Double cheeseburger with onions and pickles — Misfit’s burger stands with the city’s best.

Anise, Modern Vietnamese Eatery

865 N Lincoln St, Denver, CO 80203

In addition to staples like goi ga and pho, the menu at this sweet Cap Hill spot includes some offbeat twists on Vietnamese cuisine: beef spring rolls are a house specialty, for instance, while bánh mì bites are reminiscent of bruschetta.

Takeout and delivery 11 a.m.–10 p.m. daily

Open in Google Maps

865 N Lincoln St, Denver, CO 80203

Visit Website

Vietnamese appetizers in takeout containers — Anise’s bánh mì bites, squid bánh can, and fried meatballs.

Fortune Wok to Table

2817 E 3rd Ave unit e, Denver, CO 80206

While this Cherry Creek gem has more than earned a cult following for its exquisite handmade dumplings, regulars know to mix up their meals with vibrant Shanghai-style noodle bowls and soups, fried rice plates, and seasonal dishes like seafood hot-and-sour soup.

Takeout 11:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Monday, 11:30 a.m. to 8:30–9 p.m. Tuesday–Sunday

Open in Google Maps

2817 E 3rd Ave unit e, Denver, CO 80206

Visit Website

Fried dumplings with sauce — Dumplings, fried or steamed, are Fortune’s primary claim to fame.

La Calle Taqueria y Carnitas

1565 W Alameda Ave, Denver, CO 80223

Though its menu is broader than the name suggests — including stews like menudo and birria, tortas, and more — La Calle rightly prides itself on its tacos. Some of Denver’s best, they come topped with everything from lamb and goat to beef cheeks and pork stomach to, of course, carnitas — which are also available to go by the pound, along with several other meat cuts.

Takeout and delivery 9 a.m. to 9–10 p.m. daily

Open in Google Maps

1565 W Alameda Ave, Denver, CO 80223

Visit Website

Plate of four tacos with lime

Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar - Glendale

650 S Colorado Blvd, Glendale, CO 80246

What’s on the to-go menu at the Glendale branch of Jax these days? A better question is, what isn’t? While meeting all its neighbors’ seafood needs with raw bar samplers, entrees such as blackened catfish with collard greens and hushpuppies, and cioppino kits for two, it’s also become home to not one, not two, but three different ghost-kitchen concepts. The Tender Project answers the clamor for fried chicken; The Cheesesteak Project, of course, specializes in its namesake; and The Lasagna Project doubles as a fundraiser for the food-insecure.

Takeout and delivery 3:30–9 p.m. daily

Open in Google Maps

650 S Colorado Blvd, Glendale, CO 80246

Visit Website

Box of chicken tenders with waffle fries and sauces — Jax’s chicken tenders come with fries and a choice of two dipping sauces as well as an optional side of furikake rice and kimchi.

African Grill and Bar

955 S Kipling Pkwy, Lakewood, CO 80226

Palates can travel where bodies can’t. This Lakewood gem offers a taste of comfort food from across the African continent, with an emphasis on robustly flavorful stews based on vegetables, greens, and legumes (okra and black-eyed peas, for instance); enriched by the meats such as goat and oxtail, and accompanied by jollof rice or staple starches like fufu.

Takeout 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Monday through Saturday

Open in Google Maps

955 S Kipling Pkwy, Lakewood, CO 80226

Visit Website

Okra and lamb stew with kenkey — Comfort food, African Grill and Bar–style.

Pizzeria Lui

5380 W Mississippi Ave, Lakewood, CO 80226

Pizza may be many people’s default for takeout, but this celebrated Lakewood parlor always makes it seem more unique. Wood-fired at 900 degrees, its pies come topped with everything from ham, bacon, jalapeños, and roasted pineapple puree to chorizo, cotija, corn, and tomatillo salsa.

Takeout 3 p.m.–9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday

Open in Google Maps

5380 W Mississippi Ave, Lakewood, CO 80226

Visit Website

Pepperoni pizza with gorgonzola — Pizzeria Lui offers about eight different red pies and five white ones.

Turtle Boat - Colorado Poki Salads

2231 S Broadway, Denver, CO 80210

Sustainable seafood, innovative vegan alternatives, local produce, and an unusual array of add-ins, toppings, and sides have earned this Rosedale poke hut legions of loyal devotees. So have its efforts to support the community under lockdown: Follow it on Instagram for updates on its soup donations, weekly specials incorporating foods from other local businesses, and more.

Takeout 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Wednesday through Monday

Open in Google Maps

2231 S Broadway, Denver, CO 80210

Visit Website

poke salad on greens — Turtle Boat’s customizable poke bowls can incorporate everything from Colorado striped bass and cuttlefish to wasabi guacamole and vegan masago.

House of Kabob

2246 S Colorado Blvd, Denver, CO 80222

Though the namesake skewers are indeed a highlight at this University Hills stalwart, the menu branches out across the Eastern Mediterranean to include Greek spanakopita, Persian stews like ghorme sabzi with beef, wings in Lebanese-style garlic sauce, and more. It’s all ideally paired with the rich salted-yogurt drink called doogh.

Takeout and delivery 11 a.m.–12 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily

Open in Google Maps

2246 S Colorado Blvd, Denver, CO 80222

Visit Website

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