Five Boulder restaurants worth trying

A week's worth of restaurants in Boulder

I spent more than week in Boulder, Colorado in September 2024, giving me plenty of time to sample some of Boulder's best restaurants to try. Although it isn't a big city, we found there was plenty of delicious options for a bite to eat. Here's a roundup of some of the standouts from a week in the Rockies.

Rosetta Hall

• After an early morning flight to Denver, we were ready to eat. Our first stop was a hipster food hall with a number of diverse options including Chinese, Mediterranean, Japanese and Italian.

• The moment I walked in, I was impressed with their trendy aesthetic and the smells of delicious food.

• There's also a coffee shop at the front and a rooftop bar with panoramic views of downtown Boulder.

• I tried Shanghai Moon and really enjoyed my meal. I ordered the beef and broccoli (pictured above), as well as a spicy cucumber salad that was really tasty. For someone who is used to eating top-tier Asian food in Southern California, this hit the mark.

• My partner had Mediterranean and ordered the lamb shawarma. He ate it so fast so there's no photo, but it was also tasty.

• Overall, it's a great place to grab a quick and casual bite. It's also good if you are with people with differing food preferences, I feel like there's something to make everyone happy here.

River and Woods

• We stopped by here for dinner on our first night and loved everything we ordered. They serve "Colorado Comfort Cuisine"as they call it, and it definitely made for a satisfying meal. I 100% recommend the Montreal duck wings. The sauce is salty, with a unique umami flavor. The wings have the perfect amount of crunch. My mouth waters a little thinking about them right now.

• The restaurant is styled like a cabin with a rustic interior and large backyard and it's dog-friendly! We were able to bring our pup along, and sat in the front patio which is lit with cute string lights.

• Although the vibes are more formal than Rosetta Hall, the dress code is still casual. People sitting near us were wearing sandals and hiking gear, although that is pretty par for the course for all of Boulder.

• I ordered the river trout, which was light and garlicky. My partner had the short-rib, which was also really good. You can tell by the taste that the produce they use is really fresh, which is an added plus.

• Overall, it's a good spot for a nicer sit-down dinner, with cozy vibes and food to match.

Bohemian Biergarten

• The vibe is very much that of an authentic European gastropub. The inside has a series of long dining tables built out of 150-year-old reclaimed lumber as well as a well-stocked bar. Outside there's a cute patio with string lights.

• The food menu has a lot of European hits like beef goulash, schnitzel, pretzels and potato pancakes. We also ordered the crispy duck, pictured in the far right. Everything we had was solid, but not the best we've ever had.

• However, the beer menu is extensive, as you could probably guess. My beer drinking partner was excited about all the options available.

• Overall, a fun spot to stop by if you're looking for a taste of Europe in the Rockies, but you could also just do drinks and appetizers here and still get the experience.

Brassiere Ten Ten

• We stopped here for my partner's birthday dinner and overall, had a very nice experience. The restaurant is modeled after eateries in France, and has a more sophisticated, upscale vibe that isn't super common at other Boulder restaurants.

• At the same time, it's not too stuffy. I saw multiple people wearing sandals or other casual wear during dinner.

• We ordered the manchego cheese to start, (pictured on the right), and enjoyed the berry jam that came with it. For entrees, we had salmon and NY strip steak. Both were really good, especially the steak, because it came with a bourbon gravy that tasted like caramel.

• For dessert, our waiter was kind enough to give us a free profiteroles on top of the lemon doughnuts we ordered. Both were lovely, and funnily enough we each preferred a different dish than we originally thought we would. I am not a big doughnut person, but I liked the lemon zing these ones had.

• Overall, I'd recommend it for a fancier occasion, since it has a more formal and elevated vibe than most of Boulder's restaurants.

  
  

Sherpa's Adventure Restaurant and Bar

• Last but not least, Sherpa's Adventure Restaurant and Bar is a solid spot if you're looking for some spice.

• We walked by the restaurant when we were headed to my partner's birthday dinner, and I loved how cute the outdoor patio was. Plus, it was full of people on a Wednesday night, so I figured they must know what they're doing.

• We ordered the momo platter for an appetizer, which are similar to dumplings.

• My partner ordered the Sherpa stew, a hearty dish with lots of veggies and balls of dough.

• I had the jal fregi, which was a mild, but flavorful curry with chicken and veggies.

• Overall, I would definitely recommend this spot for a casual and delicious meal. Plus, the restaurant has a really cool backstory, their staff is full of Sherpas (people from the Mt. Everest region) including their chef: Jangbu Sherpa, who has summited Everest ten times without supplemental oxygen. They also offer trekking and expedition opportunities in their Traveler's Library & Lounge.