The 11 best wine restaurants in Denver 2024
Wine lovers: here are the best restaurants to visit in Denver.
Explore our guide to the best wine lists in the Colorado capital.
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Phone: +1 (303) 393-1040
Address: 3030 East 6th Avenue, Denver
After a day of shopping at Hermès, Louis Vuitton, and Saint Laurent in Cherry Creek, one has certainly worked up an appetite and definitely a thirst. There’s no better place to satisfy those desires than around the corner, at Barolo Grill. This bastion to Piedmontese cuisine does not disappoint. Don’t let the luxe neighbourhood dissuade you – you’re as likely to see guests in shorts and a rock-n-roll t-shirt as you are in suits and a Patek Philippe watch. Their commitment to their craft is easily recognised in their annual all-staff pilgrimage to Piedmont every year. The goal is simple: they...
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Phone: +1 (720) 605-1889
Address: 1889 16th Street Mall, Denver
Tavernetta may arguably be one of the most exceptional restaurants in the country. And it’s not only because of the incredible quality of their cuisine and their ethereal, seasonal handmade pastas. There are a few secret staples for those in the know. Their ‘caccio e pepe’ is arguably their best pasta (and best kept secret – it’s always available on request even though you won’t see it on the dining menu). Similarly, their ‘spaghetti all'amatriciana’ (though only available during happy hour) is better than any I’ve had, including in Rome’s best pasta restaurant. And speaking of happy hour, yo...
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Phone: +1 (720) 738-1803
Address: 1803 16th Street Mall, Denver
Sunday Vinyl is the wine bar you may not have known you needed. But once you walk through the doors, it’s abundantly clear that this cosy, comfortable space is exactly what the (wine) doctor ordered. It’s impossible not to notice the incredible sound system – a centrepiece at the back of the restaurant – or the walls of vinyl records all awaiting their spot on the turntables. Named after owner and Master Sommelier Bobby Stuckey’s tradition of spending Sundays drinking wine and listening to old-school vinyl records with his wife, you’ll feel like you might have stumbled into their living room o...
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Phone: +1 (303) 820-2282
Address: 1431 Larimer Street, Denver
Alas, there are precious few places where one can enjoy a selection of sherries by the glass and a Spanish meal that’s more than tapas. Enter Rioja, a mainstay of the Denver dining scene. Best described as upscale casual, Rioja tows the line beautifully between special occasion/date night bastion and “hey it’s Tuesday night, let’s go out and have a great meal” neighbourhood spot. The cuisine, as the name implies, is inspired by northern Spain and exquisitely executed. The wine list is a thoughtfully-curated selection of global wines with a lean to the reds of Rioja. Big wine lists are easy;...
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Phone: +1 (303) 524-9193
Address: 2930 Umatilla Street Unit #500, Denver
There might arguably be no better restaurant view in Denver. Perched at the top of one of the taller buildings in Denver’s LoHi (Lower Highland) neighbourhood, El Five boasts a panoramic view of downtown. This semi-casual, semi-tapas, semi-eastern-Mediterranean, semi-North-African restaurant definitely does not disappoint. The cuisine is inspired, thoughtful, and bursting with flavour. This 100% employee-owned company ensures a menu that is equally appealing to vegetarians and carnivores alike. Yet most impressive is their small but thoughtfully-curated wine list. Large wine lists are relati...
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Phone: +1 (720) 408-2444
Address: 3330 Brighton Boulevard #201, Denver
Helmed by James Beard’s “Best Chef: South” of 2015, Alon Shaya, Safta (which means “grandma” in Hebrew) is an homage to the comfort food of Israel… Exactly what you’d expect your grandmother to make. Rooted in the cuisine of Shaya’s birthplace, every dish bursts with flavours of Israel and the Middle East. It’s rare for me to be excited about chicken but theirs, lathered with a tangy but not spicy harissa, is a staple and quite possibly one of the best I’ve ever had. Other can’t-miss dishes include any of their hummus preparations, served with generous loaves of steaming pita fresh from their...
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Phone: +1 (720) 325-2195
Address: 1801 Blake Street, Denver
Bruto prides itself on its commitment to brutalism – a movement that eschews aesthetics in favour of ethics. Set in a semi-industrial urban space in Denver’s Dairy Block, this Michelin-Starred restaurant is full of curiosities and discoveries. Much of their cuisine touches charcoal fire (which they describe as a product of brutalism). In a similar fashion, their wine list both in content and organisation is a bit of a departure from the normal; their wine selections, unsurprisingly, lean towards organic, natural, and biodynamic. In fact, the list is organised according to the biodynamic cale...
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Phone: +1 (720) 778-2977
Address: 4337 Tennyson Street #300, Denver
Hey Kiddo and its attached spaces – Rooftop and OK Yeah – respectively offer a variety of experimental and downright cheeky experiences. Their ethos is simple: many places are good but aren’t fun, and others are fun but not good. Their solution? An irreverent and playful trio of experiences in Denver’s trendy Berkeley neighbourhood. While they might not take themselves too seriously, they are certainly committed to serious food and drink. Their wine list focuses on up-and-coming producers and is colourfully divided (really, each section is in different colours) into sparkling, white, skin-co...
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Phone: +1 (303) 749-0020
Address: 2843 Larimer Street, Denver
Beckon could very well have been named ‘bastion,’ as it is most certainly that – a bastion of world-class culinary and beverage artistry. I don’t think anybody was surprised when they were awarded a Michelin Star (one of Denver’s first) for their tasting menu experience. While arguably a special occasion place, I’d encourage you to make dining at Beckon the occasion (rather than waiting for some annual celebration). In addition to their chef’s counter seating, they also have a covered patio with heaters, fire pits and furs that evokes a modern version of Lord of the Rings. But for true win...
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Phone: +1 (303) 329-6628
Address: 98 Steele Street, Denver
Amazingly, chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s first and second namesake restaurants were not in Denver but, rather, Aspen and Vail respectively. If the third time’s a charm then this can be no truer than Denver’s Matsuhisa in the ultra-luxe Cherry Creek shopping area. The cuisine is a sublime mix of chef Matsuhisa’s classic Japanese upbringing with influences from his time in South America, most notably Peru and Argentina. Most devotees will tell you that this is the best sushi in Denver, and they’re not wrong. But the dinner menu has so much more to offer than that so be sure to explore the whole selecti...
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Phone: +1 (303) 593-0951
Address: 3701 North Williams Street, Denver
The moment one walks into Brasserie Brixton, two things become abundantly obvious: 1) This is the right place for some of the best brasserie cuisine outside of Paris (including a strong candidate for Denver’s best burger). 2) The wine selection, as evidenced by their wall of empties, is going to be nothing short of incredible. Truly, any wine lover will recognise every single label adoring the windowsills and shelves of the restaurant. Some of the best of the best have clearly been opened and consumed here. The thoughtful and beautifully-curated selection in print on their menu is a perf...
