Simple Cravings: Favorite Restaurants in Boulder, Colorado

We honestly don’t eat out THAT much – Maybe twice a month? Sometimes more? All we really know at this moment is that we miss the crap out of our infrequent outings. We worry about the ability for restaurants to make it through this mess. I can’t bring myself to say the word anymore.

My brother in law owns a restaurant in Orange County, California and is wondering if his place will make it through. This breaks my heart for him as he’s had it for over 30 years. That’s a damn long-time for a restaurant to be in business. It’s such an institution, I am hopeful his community will pull him out of the abyss.

Sean and I put together some of our favorite eateries in Boulder, Colorado – we cannot wait to get back out there and support our local ‘friends’. We’ll most likely move forward slowly, but we WILL be back out there to help keep these folks in business. Local restaurants are the heart of our communities.

Here’s our list with images pulled from instagram. What restaurants do you all miss in your hometown? Anyone else craving anything??

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Cured specializes in European-style sandwiches, fresh salads, house-made pastas and pates – all fantastic for a picnic, concert or tailgate. They also prepare some beautiful charcuterie boards. YUM. My mouth waters just thinking about this place!

Blackbelly is one of our go-to’s when we want a nice date-night out. We like to sit at the bar which has a direct line of sight to the kitchen. The food, atmosphere, wine and cocktails are always delish. They also sell take-home fresh meats, cheeses, soups, and a ramen kit (we’re trying it this weekend).

Sean held out on me on this one for a LONG time. We finally went last summer and I fell in love with this place. Yummy Chinese with a street food flare. There is a new location in Union Station in downtown Denver, which I have not tried yet. We also appreciate their commitment to sustainability per their website:

SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE: NO TIPPING! 15% is included to provide full-time living wage, renewable program, recycling program, more organics products, and more cage-free products. 

Pizzeria Locale Boulder is the brain-child of Bobby Stuckey and Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson – James Beard awarded restauranteurs who own some of the top rated restaurants in the Boulder/Denver area. They felt the best pizza in the world originated in Naples, Italy. So, in order to replicate the best pizza in the world, they sent their culinary director to Naples for half a year, to learn the art of making dough and traditional topping combinations from local pizzaiol. This full service restaurant also has an incredible wine list with some wonderful wines on tap.

This concept is so good, Chipotle came sniffing around and built a partnership with the founders. There are a handful of “fast casual” Pizzeria Locales throughout Denver, featuring classic 4-ingredient dough, a simplified menu, and custom-designed oven that cooks pizzas within minutes.

One of our favorite things to do on Sunday’s is to take a long hike and then get our Mexican food fix here at T/aco. T/aco is located in a quaint, rustic spot in downtown Boulder. The ‘street’ tacos and margaritas are a great post-hike/Sunday funday – enough said!

Jax has been a staple in the Denver/Boulder area for over 25 years. We love to come here and chow down on some fresh seafood – their oysters are the jewel on the menu. They partnered with Rappahannock River Oysters (RRO) in Virginia to develop their own proprietary oyster – Emersum Oyster. (As in ’em are some good oysters.’) The atmosphere in the Boulder location is always bustling with good vibes.

Rosetta Hall is a new concept to the Boulder area, but not new to cities like New York City or even Denver. The owners hand-picked up and coming chefs who run eight stalls with food from China to West Africa. There are two bars serving up some delicious drinks and, by night, the whole thing becomes a club. There is also a rooftop patio we are dying to try. From the looks of it, the views of the local flatirons is pretty sweet.

It’s a fun place to experience more ethnically diverse food options under one roof. The people watching is pretty great too.

Brasserie Ten Ten is a French inspired bistro in downtown Boulder. It is one of my favorite places for brunch. I’d say the bakery selection of fresh patisserie rivals what you experience in France. The patio is a great place to hang on a beautiful day. Hang in there BTT – we are coming soon!

We can’t wait to support our favorites and express gratitude for bringing us so much joy over the years.

…i choose this….

Pam