Our Top Five Favorite Food Spots in Colorado
Where We Loved to Eat on Our First Trip to CO
Hi, travelers!
In July of 2026, we went to Colorado for the first time. When planning a trip, we both love planning cool excursions and learning lots of history, but food is always a main topic of conversation because we both love cool restaurant experiences! This trip to Colorado was no different, with many fantastic spots for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even a little sweet treat. These are our five favorite spots we ate at on our first trip to Colorado.
1. Atomic Cowboy
When researching for this trip, Atomic Cowboy was on a ton of lists for great breakfast spots and it did not disappoint! Located in the heart of Golden, Atomic Cowboy specializes in over-the-top biscuit sandwiches and comfort food. To start, we ordered the seasonal lemon blueberry “Giant Biscuit Cinnamon Roll” for all of us to share. We were greeted with a massive roll smothered in a lemon icing and blueberry puree sauce. It was so delicious and very filling, we would definitely recommend sharing this amongst 3-4 people. For our mains, Ryan ordered “The Lola,” a biscuit sandwich with buttermilk fried chicken, bacon, house-made honey butter, and maple syrup. This sandwich was huge! Sitting in a pool of maple syrup, this sweet and savory combination made for the perfect start of the day. Lillian ordered “The Tomahawk,” a biscuit sandwich layered with a sausage patty, scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, and a house-made strawberry-rhubarb jam. The egg and sausage provided a classic breakfast combo, but the jam on this sandwich was on another level. We both really enjoyed this spot. There are multiple locations in the Denver area, so make sure this is on your list!
2. The Golden Diner
On our last day, we went back into Golden, looking for some filling breakfast before heading to the airport. Impromptu, we chose the Golden Diner, a restaurant that’s been serving the Golden community for 15 years. Their menu was full of classic breakfast and lunch staples, along with some fun and interesting picks like donut holes as a starter and even chai French toast! Both of us got the B.A.M.J.O., a bacon, avocado, and Monterrey jack egg dish that can be served as an omelet or scrambler. We both really enjoyed our meal, and the servers were friendly and accommodating. We loved this spot especially because it wasn’t a tourist attraction or packed with people; it just felt like your cozy neighborhood diner and allowed us to feel like Golden locals for a morning.
3. The Post
Located on the grounds of the infamous Stanley Hotel is The Post, a modern American eatery. For a little history, this restaurant was built in the old carriage house of the Stanley Hotel! The Post is known for brewing their own beer as well as brining and frying their chicken in-house. Ryan ordered the Chicken Tender meal and these tenders were perfect. The breading was so crispy, very well seasoned, and the chicken was fried to perfection. The flavor of the chicken itself was so good; you can tell the chicken was in the brine for a while because the flavors shone through and the chicken was not dry at all! I want to shout out the ranch here: as a Midwesterner, ranch is a staple and The Post’s was very good. Ryan also tried a sour beer called “You Do You.” This beer was made with mango and guava puree and was so refreshing and tasty. Lillian ordered the Spicy Orange Chicken Rice Bowl and it was delicious! The sauce had a kick, but was not unbearably hot, and the chicken was tender. The addition of roasted vegetables, such as carrots, broccoli, and leeks, really brightened the dish. We both want to shout out the wonderful service, as our amazing server was attentive, kind, and genuinely wanted to get to know us and our travel plans.
4. The Golden Mill
This might be our number one favorite spot on this list! The Golden Mill was our dinner pick at the end of our first day, and it was super cool. It’s a food hall style space with many spots to walk up and order food, such as chicken, sushi, or even ice cream, and bring it to your table. The star of the show here is the long rows of self-serve taps of beers, ciders, and seltzers on their lower and upper floors. When you first enter, you check in and receive a Golden Mill card that they connect to your personal card within seconds. Then, when you want to pour yourself a drink, you place the Golden Mill card on the scanners above the taps and pour. It will calculate how many ounces you’re pouring, and charge you by ounce directly to your personal card. It’s simple, fast, and allows you to try lots of samples of drinks without breaking the bank. We were still so full from our lunch earlier that day at Casa Bonita (you can read the full review here(link)) that we just grabbed some drinks, sat upstairs in the outdoor area, and enjoyed the sunset. It was a great way to spend an evening, and a truly unique way to dine in Golden!
5. Sweet Cow
At the end of our second day, we wanted a little sweet treat, and were in the mood for ice cream. Sweet Cow in Boulder was the perfect spot for it, with their extensive list of handcrafted ice creams. They have many classic flavors, like Chocolate Peanut Butter that Lillian got in a cup, and plenty of interesting, unique ones as well, like the cone Ryan got of Buffalo Chip, a brown sugar ice cream with chocolate and butterscotch chips inspired by the CU Bolder’s colors of black and gold. Sitting outside and having ice cream in the cool, nighttime mountain air was the perfect way to end our day, and the ice cream was oh-so-delicious!
We really loved where we ate in Colorado, and we hope that if you stop by any of these spots, you love them too! Are there any restaurants in Colorado you love? We hope to go back someday and explore more cities in the Centennial State. Want to read more about our Colorado travels? Check out our posts under the “West” tab under “U.S. Travel.”
Happy travels,