5 Awesome Places to Get Your Eat & Drink on in Boulder, CO

I’ve been visiting Boulder on the regular for over 20 years, and I never tire of this place. Not only is Boulder surrounded by dramatic flatirons and chilled-out mountain towns, but the city itself is just my kind of place.  It’s weird, it’s earthy, it’s inviting – all things that make me smile. 

But one thing that always draws me back is the incredible food scene. This city takes its food very seriously, and because my sister is a local, she always makes sure that we visit at least a few of the best restaurants in Boulder every time I visit! I’ve done a lot of eating in this city, but here’s a little list of some of my go-to Boulder restaurants.

boulder colorado

My Guide to the Best Restaurants in Boulder:

Organic Sandwich Company

Boulder is chock full of sandwich shops but I could not have been more thrilled that my sister and I stumbled into this one. The Organic Sandwich Company served up one of the best sandwiches I’ve had in a long time. 

Organic Sandwich Company Boulder Colorado

Because I’m a vegetarian, I ordered the Spicy Veggie, a glorious concoction of avocado, caramelized onion, and aged white cheddar, all slathered with a spicy relish and sandwiched between a soft pretzel loaf. Yup, a pretzel loaf. 

This sandwich was even better than it looked. My sister got the turkey and brie with honey mustard and apple slices, which looked pretty fantastic too. They also serve up a ton of soups and salads. It’s a great place for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike.

Pizzeria Alberico

Residents of Boulder love a good happy hour. And clearly, that’s fine by me. There are tons of options out there but Pizzeria Alberico is a great aperitivo spot if you’re in the mood for Italian. Their Italian food is always top-notch, and their vino bianco is chilled to perfection. 

Their aperitivo runs from 4-6pm every day and you can order drinks like their Aperol Spritz and Negroni for $8 or their Frosé for $9. And if you’re feeling peckish, you can order arancino ($2), Antica salad ($6) or Italian meatballs ($10).

Of course, the regular menu also boasts hand-tossed pizzas under their Pizze Rosse and Pizze Bianche sections, as well as other Italian apps and dishes.

Lucile’s

Lucile’s is an institution in Boulder. It’s arguably one of the best restaurants in Boulder. The New Orleans-style café is located in an adorable Victorian house in the heart of downtown and has been around for over 30 years. Yes, it’s a bit touristy and it gets packed on the weekends. But there’s a good reason for this.

Lucile's Boulder Colorado
An order of beignets is pretty much required.

Obviously, you can’t go here without ordering the beignets (delicious fried dough sprinkled with powdered sugar). But you’ll be tempted by everything else on their Southern-inspired menu, too, which also features everything from praline waffles to shrimp and grits with spicy andouille sausage.

I went for the Eggs Jennifer, basically a delicious spin on eggs benedict:  English muffins and poached eggs topped with avocado, spinach and tomato and drenched in a tangy hollandaise sauce.  Did I mention you can choose to have either potatoes, grits or both on the side? I went with both. 

Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse

Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse is one of the most iconic restaurants in Boulder. This place is an architectural marvel and it’s as much worth visiting for the craftsmanship as it is for the food and tea.

Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse offers all day dining, as well as afternoon tea. No matter what time you visit, you can expect delicious globally inspired dishes – from Indian dosas to Mexican chilaquiles to Middle Eastern sabich.

Mustard’s Last Stand

Mustard's Last Stand Boulder Colorado
Pure happiness.

Mustard’s Last Stand is a Chicago-style hot dog stand and it has been in Boulder forever. Their dogs are made with real Vienna beef and they offer pretty much every topping under the sun, from sauerkraut to relish to peppers. They also have a huge selection of sandwiches. 

What I love about this place is that they also have an extensive vegetarian and vegan menu. So I was able to indulge in a veggie hot dog. It’s always a fun place to pop into if you’re looking for a quick bite.

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Best Restaurants in Boulder Colorado - Travel Lush

Which eatery would you add to this ‘Best Restaurants in Boulder’ list?

Justine Lopez is a California native who always seems to take the unconventional route in life. She also suffers from a serious case of wanderlust. In 2013, she set out on a yearlong round-the-world journey and never looked back. Since then she's lived the expat life in Jakarta, Phnom Penh, Beijing, and Ho Chi Minh City. She's now living and working as a freelance writer in Dubai, where she's always working on her blog Dubai Dreaming. As she meanders her way around the world she's always seeking out great vegetarian food, pretty beaches, and amazing new travel destinations.

25 Comments

  1. The meal from Shine sounds delicious – I’ll take fresh biscuits over English muffins any day! I always get excited when restaurants have veggie versions, as well! I haven’t had a good veggie hot dog in such a long time, and the one you had looks so tasty.

    1. It was such a good meal! Yes, I thought the fresh biscuits were pure brilliance 🙂 Oh my gosh, that veggie dog was really good. I hadn’t had one in over a year and that one totally blew my mind!

    1. Funny that you mention rain. I honestly didn’t know that it rains a lot in Boulder. I visited in July and it rained every day. I couldn’t help but compare it to Southeast Asia’s monsoon season, it seemed to storm for about an hour every afternoon while I was there. It was also fairly humid. My sister said that was really normal. But I agree, you have to go back when it’s not raining 😉

  3. I’m with you on the eggs benedict – if it’s on a brunch menu, I have a hard time NOT ordering it! Here in Raleigh, lots of places swap the English muffin for biscuits because, you know, the South. Haha, and I’d be interested in knowing what a veggie hot dog tastes like. I love a place that serves dogs with fun toppings!

    1. When my boyfriend read this post he was like, “Wow, you ate a lot of eggs benedict while you were in Boulder.” Clearly, I have hard time not ordering it if it’s on the menu 😉 How have I never seen eggs benedict served with biscuits before? It’s pure genius! Haha, try one! I’m sure you’d think veggie hot dogs taste a little rubbery, because they kinda do. But for some reason I’m obsessed with all fake meats!

  4. Everybody and their brother tells me that I would be so happy in Boulder and should check it out. With this food, I have to say I would definitely be well fed. That cocktail from The Riverside sounds like an amazing treat after a long day out galavanting around Boulder. I will definitely be saving this and hopefully I’ll be out there in the near future!

    1. Boulder is so amazing Amanda, especially if you’re a fan of nature and the outdoors. There is just such an amazing sense of community there that I absolutely love. I could totally see myself living there. You should check it out! If you do go make sure to order that cocktail. So good 🙂

    1. We might have crossed paths(ish)! I’ve only been to Denver once to catch a Rockies game and I fell in love with that city. My impression is that Denver is much more hip and Boulder is much more earthy. I hope you enjoyed Colorado 🙂

  8. EHRRRMAGHERRRD I LOVE BOULDER! Clearly I need to visit again because I went to none of these places! It was so long ago actually that I can barely remember what exactly I DID do.

    1. Haha, me too! I’m so jealous of the life my sister has there. I’d REALLY love to live there one day. Leah, you HAVE to go back and just eat. You can also go river tubing in the summer! I couldn’t convince my dad and sister to do it though!!

    1. Living in Boulder would be SO EXCITING Rashaad! There is just such a great sense of community there. And everyone is super athletic so you’d probably fit right in 🙂

    1. Hi Velyz! Yay, an Indonesian travel blogger. I wish I would have found your blog while I was still living there. Oh my gosh, that sandwich was so good. I’m a huge fan of sandwiches and I was never really able to find a great deli in Jakarta. Not surprising, but it did cause me to go sandwich crazy when I was back home in the States this summer 🙂

  12. Wow, that sandwich at Organic Sandwiches looked amazing. I’m no vegetarian, but that thing made me hungry.

    I have been through Boulder before but did not know it was such a restaurant hub. Thank you for an insightful write-up, I’ll be sure to grab a bite if I am ever in Boulder again.

    1. Oh my god, the food scene in Boulder is absolutely amazing. And I still dream about that sandwich!! I highly recommend doing a lot of eating next time you’re in town!

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