From sushi and ramen to tacos and tapas

The River North Art District, more commonly called RiNo, isn’t very big — about a mile-long stretch carved out of Five Points northeast of Ballpark. But it’s made an outsized impact on Denver’s social scene over the past several years: Lined with converted warehouses and covered from sidewalk to rooftop with some of the city’s best street art, it has massive indoor-outdoor entertainment venues with multiple bars and food options, like Improper City and Number Thirty Eight, and breweries galore (including Our Mutual Friend and Ratio) to, of course, first-class restaurants.

Eat well, do good at this recently relocated RiNo original, which is much more than just a weekday breakfast and lunch counter serving a menu that, at any given time, cuts across a broad swath of Latin America: breaded and fried tilapia with green plantains and coleslaw, for instance, or chicharrón-stuffed pupusas, or chiles en nogada alongside an agua fresca. It’s also a nonprofit training kitchen for immigrant women aspiring to open their own culinary businesses, featuring produce from fellow Focus Points Family Resource Center operation Huerta Urbana 2Gen Farm Incubator Garden.

Along with Temaki Den and Smōk, as well as excellent bakery Reunion, the Source Hotel and Market Hall is home to the dazzling Israeli destination that is Safta. With Eastern Mediterranean and North African influences, chef-owner Alon Shaya’s menu is built around such signatures as wood-fired pita and hummus with lamb ragù; various salatim, or salads and spreads; crispy eggplant layered with herbed goat cheese and tomato; and pomegranate-braised lamb shank. But any given visit will also yield seasonal delights like pumpkin stuffed with lentils, caramelized onions, basmati rice, and feta fondue or sumac-roasted rhubarb babka a la mode. Cocktails spiced with the likes of urfa pepper, baharat, and orange blossom only enhance the mood, as do wines from, say, Greece, Lebanon, and Armenia.

An oasis at the industrial center of the Source’s market hall, this sushi bar specializes in meticulously composed hand rolls and aburi (flame-seared) nigiri featuring everything from blue crab and scallop to eggplant and uni, which are supplemented by snacks like kabocha tempura and a not-to-be-missed yuzu–black pepper sorbet for dessert; to pair with it all, the beverage list includes a sizable sake selection and cocktails such as the Juushi Ushi with Wagyu fat-washed Japanese whiskey as well as smartly curated wines and beers.

This joint comes by its name honestly: There isn’t much on Austin, Texas born chef Bill Espiricueta’s menu that doesn’t see the inside of a smoker. While brisket, pulled pork, wings, and sausage go without saying, salmon, turkey, and portobello mushrooms make for a fun change of pace — as do smoked jalapeño poppers, creamed corn with smoked chiles and queso fresco, and, of course, smoked Manhattans to wash it all down.

Opening with a boom in 2015, Tommy Lee’s modern Chinese hot spot hasn’t stopped rocking since, serving up clever eats and drinks in a setting that’s as see-and-be-seen as ever. The menu supplements signatures like the chilled tofu in bang bang sauce and the Beijing duck roll with seasonal and daily specials such as seared scallops with country ham and water spinach in Cantonese-style black pepper sauce or fermented and grilled cabbage topped with a poached egg and caviar; the bar, meanwhile, turns out cocktails laced with the likes of Sichuan peppercorns, yuzu, and makrut lime leaf while offering one of the city’s most progressive wine and cider selections.

Here’s a mini-vacation in the midst of RiNo: Barely wider than a hallway that leads to a backyard with picnic tables, this little getaway evokes countless raw bars and crab shacks from Cape Cod to Gulfport to Monterey. Its seasonal menu, meanwhile, borrows from them all: In addition to raw or grilled oysters from both coasts, it serves up New England–style clam chowder, Louisiana Bay rock shrimp, and Lake Superior smelt fries with equal confidence — not to mention killer key lime pie. And while craft beer is obviously the star of the bar program, the lighthearted selection of wines and cocktails pulls its own weight.

Fresh pasta is the pride and joy of Spencer White and Alex Figura’s acclaimed fast-casual kitchen, featured in preparations both classic (spaghetti and meatballs, cacio e pepe) and creative — think garganelli with smoked pork-shoulder ragu, pickled plums, and horseradish-potato crumble or casarecce in cashew curry and lime yogurt. But there’s more to the story: black butter–marinated artichoke hearts with oranges in olive sauce, say, or ciabatta with lamb butter and cherry-cornichon relish. The beverage list is likewise small but smart: a TRVE grisette and Lebanese Cinsault here, a rye Manhattan laced with watermelon there.

While it’s named for the New York neighborhood whose artistic energy informs the decor of the airy, high-ceilinged space, this New American hot spot takes its culinary cues from all over the world. Picture lamb meatballs spiced with Yemeni hawayej alongside whipped feta and salsa verde; sourdough dumplings in five-spice broth with sunchoke chips; and braised short ribs with fregola sarda, honey labneh, and salsa negra, plus a slew of dishes highlighting locally grown vegetables and enticing pizzas. But there is one way to take a bite out of the Big Apple here: by ordering what may be the best cheesecake in town.

Resembling a slice of tropical rainforest in the old Populist space, this spinoff of pan-Latin LoHi smash Señor Bear is now a hit in its own right (with a second location in Wash Park). The menu here is primarily modern Mexican, centered on flamboyant tacos and breezy snacks like citrus-cured tuna–charred watermelon ceviche and Brussels sprout-quinoa salad with avocado and dried cantaloupe in creamy tomatillo dressing; the bar, meanwhile, entertains with daily-changing congelados (frozen cocktails) and spiked aguas frescas.

The inclusion of outside chains generally defeats the purpose of local maps, but this one has proven an exception, filling a niche in the neighborhood with grace and style. For all its popularity, Barcelona doesn’t merely play to the mainstream: The accessibly priced wine list encourages casual drinkers to discover lesser-known regions, varieties, and styles, while the menu supplements classic tapas like pan con tomate and gambas al ajillo with uncommon twists: swordfish a la plancha with salsa puttanesca, for instance, or piquillo-pepper hummus and pita.

In the charming little patio-flanked cottage that used to house Call, this sibling of Beckon (see below) is making a splash with a remarkable Champagne selection, chic cocktails, and a compact but luxurious menu of mostly small plates like oysters with uni, caviar, and crème fraîche; truffled panisse; and venison tartare with shiitakes and sun-dried tomato. Splurging on an after-dinner glass of Madeira or Tokaji just feels right here.

Launching as a 17-seat chef’s counter in an old bungalow, this fine-dining destination run by major talents Duncan Holmes and Allison Anderson now has a sumptuously decorated patio to show for the pandemic era. What hasn’t changed is the intimate experience it offers, built around prix fixe tasting menus that change with the seasons, highlighting local ingredients along with wide-ranging influences. Of course, the (optional) beverage pairings are equally thoughtful, while the service is positively balletic.

While the team at this tiny smoke shack does a bang-up job of the basics — brisket, chicken, sausage, and so on — they also clearly have a blast coming up with constant specials, so be sure to check their Instagram feed in advance of a visit: Here’s to lamb riblets, pulled duck, green beans with pork belly, cauliflower “burnt ends,” and so much more.

Coming to this supper club is a little like stepping back into an era when everybody dressed up to paint the town. Its Art Deco–inspired interior design sets a swanky stage for not only live jazz but also excellent cocktails, both classic and original, and a fine wine list with an appropriate emphasis on bubbles; though the kitchen turns out a small selection of a la carte plates, most come here to make a night of it over a seasonal three-course menu featuring such elaborate dishes as spiced lamb belly in black-garlic vinaigrette with orange threads, cauliflower, chanterelles, currants, and parsley salad.

An early favorite in the still-emerging RiNo district when it opened in 2015, Jeff Osaka’s underground ramen shop is of course best known for its namesake, mostly traditional noodle bowls. But for many regulars, half the fun of a meal here lies in seasonal specials like green chile–chorizo ramen as well as in signature snacks, from karaage and okonomiyaki fries to Spam musubi and mochi doughnuts. (Speaking of fun, Osaka also owns kaiten-zushi Sushi-Rama around the corner.)

With what’s still one of the handsomest dining rooms in town, Milan-born chef-owner Andrea Frizzi’s date-night pick would be worth a visit even if the food weren’t good. The bonus is that it is. The kitchen hews closely to Italian tradition while taking a few modern liberties, yielding results like octopus carpaccio with corn and peaches in Dijon citronette or Swiss chard–celery root cannelloni with ricotta and smoked mozzarella. The bar, for its part, is well-stocked with not only an all-Italian wine selection but an array of aperitivi and digestivi to kick off and cap off the evening.

In an artsy, loftlike setting, this daytime kitchen serves up equally crafty, eclectic eats. Toast might be topped with ricotta, pear butter, and thyme-oat crumble or herb hummus, sautéed mushrooms, and pistachio za’atar; sandwiches might show Japanese or Middle Eastern influences; and while fresh-baked pastries, coffee cake, and the like are always on offer, Sunday-only doughnuts change weekly — think flavors like raspberry-rose or saffron-honey with orange-blossom custard.

Tiny but mighty, Cart-Driver turns an old shipping container into a party place whose guests gather over not just the oysters, wood-fired pizzas, Italian wines, and batched cocktails it built its name on but also terrific snacks like chicken-liver mousse and tinned seafood with fresh-baked bread and other fixings, plus spritzes and specials like pumpkin-spice panna cotta.

There’s no place quite like this beloved neighborhood anchor, where Mexican, Midwestern, and Deep Southern influences mingle on a menu overseen by the inimitable Dana Rodriguez. Housed in a renovated shipping container, the dining room begins to fill up the moment the doors open with crowds digging into coriander-roasted lamb, carnitas in habanero barbecue sauce, Cajun-style deep-fried trout, and other centerpiece meats, supplemented by everything from blue-corn empanadas to smoked-gouda mac-and-cheese. The drink list is equally down to earth, centered on mix-and-match highballs, quirky boilermakers, and well-priced wines by the glass or bottle.

There’s really no place quite like Work & Class’s sibling across the street in the Ramble Hotel either: Here, pan-Latin cuisine meets dim sum–style cart service in a colorful space inspired by the street art of Mexico City. For the complete experience, follow up surefire small plates like arroz frito con camarones, patatas bravas, and poblano-pepita pesto–topped arepas de queso with a family-style entree — perhaps green chile–braised beef brisket accompanied by slaw and steamed buns — plus an order of tarta de Santiago for dessert. Along the way, knock back a rum-spiked Chicha Morada or La Rosa G&T from the bar.

Don’t believe the hype — because it’s an understatement. Upholding the Japanese tradition of scrupulous technique while allowing their imaginations to run wild, the team at this chic and intimate outpost of Tyson Cole’s famed Austin flagship rarely fails to wow, whether they’re preparing the simplest order of sashimi or plating some elaborate seasonal creation: maybe softshell crab tempura in yellow curry, maybe Wagyu tataki with pine-nut gremolata and burnt-onion vinegar. Sit at the bar to soak up the atmosphere in style.