During the five years I lived in Denver, I got to know the city through food.

I started on South Pearl Street, where I slept on my sister’s couch and fell in love with the shops and restaurants beneath her quaint elevator-less apartment. But I’ve also lived on South Broadway, where I moved from bar to bar from the Irish Rover to the Canopy until COVID shut everything down, and in Englewood, where I discovered AJ’s Pit Bar-B-Q on a bike ride.

More recently, I have been a resident of West Highland and Sloan’s Lake, exploring the hidden corners of Tennyson Street, 32nd Avenue and Federal Boulevard.

Of course, it was easy to adjust to a new city when I had my sister and brother to turn to, but I didn’t really feel at home until I started to feel like a regular at some of my favorite restaurants.

Now I’m starting a new chapter in Austin, Texas. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being the food guide for the city and can’t thank you all enough for your readership.

Before I wrote about these restaurants, I was a regular who, in my own way, fell in love with the ambience and tempting menus. And when I visit again, I will be the same.

Here are the eight restaurants I will miss the most.

Barbecue area at Post Oak

One of my first assignments for the Denver Post was to write a list of the best barbecue spots in the city—which was no problem since I’m from Kansas City. I tried all seven spots featured in the story and found Post Oak Barbecue to be the best.

I’ll never forget the friendly faces and the memories I made there. Every time I walked in, I was greeted by employees who were as excited to talk about the barbecue as I was to eat it. (Plus, my story hangs on the wall as a source of personal pride.) I can still say with certainty that I’ve never had a dry piece of meat here, and I’ll forever be looking for sides that can hold a candle to their jalapeno bacon mac and cheese and fried okra varieties.

4000 Tennyson St.; Denver; postoakdenver.com

Angelo’s Taverna

Angelo’s was one of the first restaurants my sister took me to, and when she moved back to Kansas City this summer, it was the last restaurant we ate at together. The rustic Italian restaurant has become a staple in my family during our time in Colorado. We’ve celebrated birthdays, engagements, and new family members over arancini and toasted ravioli, bowls of spicy penne pasta, lobster gnocchi, and a dozen oysters. Angelo’s will always have a place in my heart.

620 E. 6th Ave., Denver; angelostaverna.com

Temaki Den

As someone who grew up in a landlocked state, I never had high expectations for sushi—and in Denver, I was prepared for more of it. But Temaki Den’s fresh fish, delivered daily from a market in Japan, changed that. The elegant, Michelin-recommended restaurant from the team behind Sushi Den opened in 2020 at The Source hotel. Even if you’ve never had a temaki (hand roll) or flame-fried nigiri, the team will walk you through your order while you watch them work tirelessly behind the sushi bar.

3350 Brighton Blvd., Denver; temakiden.com

La Calle Taqueria Y Carnitas

A bright orange shack with just a waving banner of taco pictures as a sign, La Calle Taqueria y Carnitas offers some of my favorite street tacos in Denver. This was another recommendation from my sister, who lived nearby, and it became my own go-to spot, especially when I was craving a quality bite that didn’t burn a hole in my pocket. La Calle’s tacos are just $3.39 no matter which of the 17 meats you choose. I’m personally a fan of the al pastor, which is slow-roasted on a rotating vertical spit, and the tender cochinita pibil, which I top with freshly sliced ​​onions, cilantro, and a selection of house-made salsas.

1565 W. Alameda Ave., Denver; lacalletaqueriaycarnitas.com

Blackbelly Market Denver

Before it was Blackbelly, this corner shop on Tennyson Street was home to Il Porcellino Salumi, where I stopped by almost every week for the bacon sandwich with bacon strips, apple butter, jalapeno aioli, tomatoes, pecora fondue and lettuce on country toast. Thankfully, Blackbelly, founded in Boulder, kept this sweet, salty, spicy and savory sandwich on the menu after it took over Il Porcellino, which closed last January. Since then, I’ve also found a new favorite, the Cubano, which comes with some of the most flavorful ham and roast pork I’ve ever tasted, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard aioli on a crispy Telera bun.

4324 W. 41st Ave., Denver; blackbelly.com

Car driver

My farewell dinner with my colleagues was at Cart-Driver, one of my favorite pizza places in town. I’m a fan of the Neapolitan style, so the black, soft crust fresh from the wood-fired oven at Cart-Driver ticks all my boxes. When a restaurant has oysters on the menu, I always get a table. And when I tried the combination of buttery littleneck clams with pancetta and roasted garlic on a pizza, I threw my days of simple cheesecakes out the window.

2500 Larimer St., Denver; cart-driver.com

Wendell’s

First thing in the morning, I like things simple. That’s why I fell in love with the vibe of the new diner at Wendell’s. I haven’t been there enough times to make it onto the restaurant’s sign, which has all the regulars on it, but I’ve eaten enough of Wendell’s buttermilk pancakes to earn an honorable mention. The flapjacks, made with brandy, lemon zest and vanilla, are bigger than your head, so one is enough to fill you up. For a savory bite, I’m craving the classic Eggs Benedict, which comes with a thick slice of ham. And on weekends, I’ll add a generous helping of a mimosa or boozy latte to the mix.

3838 Tennyson St., Denver; wendellsbreakfast.com

Bastien’s Restaurant

I might be able to find a substitute for my favorite tacos and barbecue in Texas, but I guarantee I’ll be stuck in my quest for a sugar-crusted steak. Bastien’s has been a Denver staple since 1958. Travelers from East Colfax will immediately pause at its neon “Home of the Sugar Steak” sign. The signature New York steak is lightly dusted with sugar and placed on the grill, where the sugar caramelizes for a delicate crunch. The retro steakhouse, with red leather seats, carpeted floors and three levels of mood lighting, makes you feel like a member of the Rat Pack. Waiters shake martinis tableside. Each steak dish comes with a complimentary house salad, side of vegetables and potato—your choice. Nobody does it like Bastien’s anymore (at no extra charge).

3503 E. Colfax Ave., Denver; bastiensrestaurant.com

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