Overall Restaurant
American Restaurant
Catering
Appetizers / Tapas
Blackbelly Market & Restaurant
1606 Conestoga St. #11, Boulder
The national food world absolutely loves Blackbelly! The Boulder eatery (which recently opened a shop in Denver) earned a Michelin Guide Green Star for sustainability, and head butcher Kelly Kawachi also received Michelin kudos. Blackbelly owner Hosea Rosenberg is up for James Beard Award Best Chef: Mountain honors.
The reason the restaurant and market have thrived long enough to get national notice is the devotion of Boulder County diners. This year, our Best of Boulder voters gave Blackbelly wins in the Overall Restaurant, American Restaurant, Catering and Appetizers/Tapas categories.
The renovated Boulder Blackbelly market offers stellar breakfast burritos, fresh meats, sandwiches, local food products, house-baked breads, wines and coffee drinks.
When Blackbelly caters anything from a birthday party to large corporate events, the menu can include
Rosenberg’s cross-town eatery.
Blackbelly Restaurant doesn’t stick to the usual appetizers. The current roster of starters includes steak tartare, crispy pig ears, mussels with grilled bread, and house-made chicken liver mousse.
Overall Restaurant
Silver: Jax Fish House
Bronze: The Roost
Write-in: Just BE Kitchen
American Restaurant
Silver: Mountain Sun Pub & Breweries
Bronze: Dark Horse
Write-in: High Country
Catering
Silver: A Spice of Life Catering
Bronze: McDevitt Taco Supply
Write-in: Just BE Kitchen
Appetizers / Tapas
Silver: McDevitt Taco Supply
Bronze: Gemini
Write-in: Cozobi Fonda Fina
Asian Fusion
Hapa Sushi
1048 Pearl St. Suite 105, Boulder
“Hapa” is a Hawaiian term expressing the fusion of Asian and American cultures. This Pearl Street Mall institution celebrates those flavors with an expansive menu of starters, sashimi, sushi and entrees. Hapa Sushi boasts Boulder’s largest lineup of rolls including the Multiple Orgasm Roll, with tempura-fried cream cheese, California mix and smoked salmon broiled with Japanese aioli and sweet soy. Hapa’s cool kids’ menu includes teriyaki tofu, chicken yakisoba and the sushi combo with California, cucumber and avocado rolls.
One tip: Don’t skip the chicken katsu.
Silver: Busaba
Bronze: Japango
Bagel
Moe’s Broadway Bagel
Multiple Locations
We know the category is “Best Bagel,” but when it comes to this perennial winner, there’s more to the story. Yes, Moe’s offers the New Yorker — lox, cream cheese, tomato, onion and capers. Instead of an onion bagel, you can have it as a toasted sub, tortilla wrap or on a gluten-free bagel. Moe’s also dishes burritos like The Roy full of steak, egg, potatoes, jalapenos and salsa verde. The newest Moe’s attraction is gluten-free latke sandwiches using crispy potato pancakes. We also like the fact that Moe’s bakes dozens of loaves of soft braided challah loaves every week.
Silver: WoodGrain Bagel and Deli
Bronze: Big Daddy Bagels
Bakery
Moxie Bread Co.
4593 N. Broadway, Boulder
641 Main St., Louisville
442 High St., Lyons
There is a good reason that Moxie Bread Co. is held in such high regard by our readers as well as the James Beard Foundation. It starts with flour house-milled weekly from locally grown heirloom grains. The slow-fermented dough is baked into stellar loaves such as Olive Ciabatta, Fougasse, Mission Sourdough and Seeded Farmhaus. At the Moxie Feed + Seed location in North Boulder, baked goodies include roasted tomato and garlic croissants, cinnamon sugar cruffins, and pineapple brulee danish.
Silver: Lucky’s Bakehouse
Bronze: Spruce Confections
Barbecue
Georgia Boys BBQ
250 3rd Ave., Longmont
If the Best of Boulder had a Hall of Fame, Georgia Boys would be inducted into the first class in this category. Locals love all the smoked treasures — the ribs, chicken thighs, hot links, pulled pork and brisket drenched in Sweet Heat BBQ, Ghost BBQ and Honey Chipotle sauces. Top sides? It’s hard to choose between BBQ beans, cilantro lime slaw, sweet potato casserole and garlic broccoli. Georgia Boys menu options include loaded baked potatoes or mac-n-cheese, and a Western BBQ Burger topped with pulled pork, cheddar, onion rings and BBQ sauce. The star finale is Georgia Boys’ Banana Pudding with layers of pudding, bananas, vanilla wafers and whipped cream by the quart. You can thank us later.
Silver: KT’s BBQ
Bronze: Lulu’s BBQ
Breakfast / Brunch
Lucile’s Creole Cafe
2124 14th St., Boulder
518 Kimbark St., Longmont
554 Briggs St., Erie
We love the smell of beignets in the morning. We sigh over platters of red beans with hollandaise, biscuits and crawfish etouffee. Best of Boulder voters have craved the New Orleans-inspired fare at Lucile’s Creole Cafe since the first location opened in 1980 in a tiny house near Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall. The same brunch goodness is now dished at six metro locations starring Creole shrimp smothering those creamy grits that made Coach Prime smile and give a thumbs-up.
Silver: Walnut Cafe and Southside Walnut Cafe
Bronze: The Buff Restaurant
Burger
Mountain Sun Pubs & Breweries
1535 Pearl St., Boulder
627 S. Broadway Suite E, Boulder
600 Longs Peak Ave., Longmont
With dozens of Boulder eateries advertising burgers on their menus, how does Mountain Sun keep bringing home the gold in this category?
They simply haven’t cut any corners. Burgers start right with a 1/3-pound patty of freshly ground Colorado beef or bison. They are dished on fresh artisan buns with a something-for-everyone range of cheeses, toppings and condiments. Mountain Sun’s burger roster includes the change-of-pace Date Night Burger with bacon, roasted poblanos, goat cheese and date purée. We love the crisp house-fried potato chips that come with burgers but fries hand-cut from fresh spuds daily are hard to refuse, especially with one of Mountain Sun’s celebrated beers.
Silver: Dark Horse
Bronze: Wild Pasture Burger Co.
Write-in: High Country
Burrito
Illegal Pete’s
1447 Pearl St., Boulder
1124 13th St., Boulder
657 S. Broadway, Boulder
There’s been a lot of burrito love shared at Illegal Pete’s since the first shop debuted on the Hill in 1995. Big warm tortillas hug diners’ choice of grilled chicken, steak, barbacoa, Mexican Coke carnitas or Coors Beer-battered fish. Choose from two types of rice, two bean variations, plus sour cream, cheese, guacamole, queso and pork or vegan green chile. The five salsas include the House Hot which has a definite chile burn. Illegal Pete’s recently introduced Taco Night, a plant-based meat that can be added to burritos, bowls, salads, nachos, tacos and quesadillas.
Silver: Efrain’s of Boulder
Mexican Restaurant
Bronze: Santiago’s Mexican Restaurant
Write-in: Loco Hermanos
Business Lunch
Brasserie Ten Ten
1011 Walnut St., Boulder
The re-birthed Brasserie Ten Ten has become a go-to weekday lunch destination in Downtown Boulder. The service reflects the time crunch many diners are in, with prompt delivery of French bistro classics including steak tartare, crispy frites with aioli, French onion soup, Nicoise salad and steamed mussels. Our new favorite is the Brasserie Burger, a juicy brisket and chuck patty with bacon jam, sharp cheddar, remoulade, lettuce, tomato and red onion.
Silver: Rosetta Hall
Bronze: Japango
Write-in: Eat Well Cafe
Chinese
Zoe Ma Ma
919 Pearl St., Boulder
Boulder’s beloved Zoe Ma Ma may be the nation’s most affordable James Beard Award-nominated, Michelin-recommended eatery. Chef Edwin Zoe’s noodle obsession shines in every serving of Za Jiang Mian with ground pork and bean sauce. His remarkable ramen sets a tangle of fresh noodles in a broth of simmered roasted duck bones, chicken feet and pork feet. Since moving his Asian street food shop to a new, roomier location, Zoe has added craveable new dishes like choy sum — wok-fried greens with garlic, and Taiwanese baked bao middled with spicy beef.
Silver: China Gourmet
Bronze: Flower Pepper
Chocolatier
Piece, Love & Chocolate
805 Pearl St., Boulder
It is almost impossible to visit this downtown shop without ending up with chocolate in your mouth. Dozens of glistening truffle varieties — dark, milk and white chocolate are filled with sweet goodness. Dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan passion fruit truffles speak to everyone. The cacao cacophony continues with cups of thick, European-style sipping hot chocolate with a chocolate cookie or pastry. The shop also offers deep-dive classes in crafting chocolate souffle, ganache, molten cake and truffles, as well as French macarons and eclairs.
Silver: Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
Bronze: Chocolove
East County Restaurant
Teocalli Cocina
103 N. Public Road, Lafayette
460 Main St., Longmont
Diners’ concept of what is — and isn’t — “Mexican food” almost always expands after they eat at Teocalli Cocina. This upscale showcase for regional Mexican fare hits the taste buds starting with ten wildly varying salsas. First courses include Instagram-ready mango habanero shrimp ceviche. Main dishes include rich mole poblano enchiladas, griddled Tijuana-style birria tacos and deeply satisfying roasted pork shank. Hot tip: The garlic fried rice is to die for.
Silver: The Post Chicken & Beer
Bronze: Efrain’s of Boulder Mexican Restaurant
Write-in: Cimmini’s
Fine Dining
Flagstaff House Restaurant
1138 Flagstaff Road, Boulder
The Flagstaff House Restaurant has every essential element required for a memorable fine dining experience.
Location: The eatery is set on a mountainside with a terrace overlooking Boulder.
Service: A decades-long tradition of professional attention to detail from the front door to the sommelier.
Wine: A perennial Wine Spectator award-winner with more than 20 wines by the glass and more than 6,000 bottles available from the cellar.
Cuisine: Diners sigh over starters like caviar service, steak tartare and oysters. Main event stars include halibut with spruce risotto and ramps, Colorado lamb with king trumpet mushrooms and venison with asparagus.
Silver: Frasca Food & Wine
Bronze: Stella’s Cucina
Write-in: 316 Steakhouse
Food Delivery
Cosmo’s Pizza
3117 28th St., Boulder
659 30th St., Boulder
520 W. South Boulder Road, Lafayette
Food delivery has gotten uber- sophisticated in Boulder, with home diners choosing from virtually every cuisine. Naturally, pizza remains the top delivery fare, and Cosmo’s has been a go-to pie source since 2001. Besides all the yummy thin-crust options, Cosmo’s also brings home calzones, chicken-topped salads, breadsticks with marinara, creamy tiramisu and liters of root beer. Note: Add a side of nacho cheese as a dip upgrade.
Silver: Snarf’s Sandwiches
Bronze: Abo’s Pizza
Food Hall
Avanti F&B
1401 Pearl St., Boulder
The rooftop terrace at Avanti F&B has become a Boulder bucket list destination with its unique view overseeing downtown and the Flatirons. The lunch and dinner crowds have been drawn by Avanti’s full cast of food stalls including Boychik (Middle Eastern), Mangia Panino (Italian), New Yorkese (pizza), Peko Peko (ramen), Rooted Craft Kitchen (American), and Quiero Arepas (Venezuelan).
Silver: Rosetta Hall
Bronze: Parkway Food Hall
Food on the Hill
The Sink
1165 13th St., Boulder
Did The Sink play a role in securing the Sundance Film Festival for Boulder? If you watch the documentary, The Sink: The Rest[aurant] is History, a former janitor, Sundance godfather Robert Redford, is featured prominently. Generations of CU students and visitors still come to gawk at the colorful wall caricatures over a traditional Sink Burger and a beer or multiple variations on a baked mac-and-cheese theme.
We can imagine film festival attendees flocking to the 100-year-old eatery on The Hill for The Sink’s vanilla ice cream milkshake with blueberry compote and lemon curd and topped with whipped cream and blueberry sauce.
Silver: Illegal Pete’s
Bronze: Cafe Aion
Write-in: Nana’s Dim Sum
Food Truck
McDevitt Taco Supply
4800 Baseline Road, Suite C 110, Boulder
Sanitas Brewing, 3550 Frontier Ave. Suite A, Boulder
McDevitt caters to those who never thought Taco Tuesday was enough time to celebrate the tastiest handheld food on the planet. Whether at its Boulder locations, at an event or private party, what’s better than soft corn tortillas wrapped around everything from green chilies and chicken to braised pork belly?
McDevitt’s catering menu also features chicken wings, nachos, Mexican street corn, and chile mac and cheese.
Silver: Los Dos Bros
Bronze: Fleishman’s Bagel and Delicatessen
Write-in: Georgia Boys BBQ
Gluten-Free Menu
Flower Child
2580 Arapahoe Ave. #110, Boulder
Flower Child goes the extra meter to welcome everyone in a family regardless of their dietary choices. For those who love gluten-free fare, Flower Child’s lineup ranges from green chile queso and a turkey avocado cobb salad to a forbidden rice bowl and macaroni with cheddar and parmesan cheeses. Happily, the GF lineup also features yummy chocolate chip cashew cookies, chocolate pudding and double chocolate almond brownies.
Silver: Just BE Kitchen
Bronze: Teocalli Cocina
Write-in: High Country
Ice Cream
Sweet Cow
2628 Broadway, Boulder
669 S. Broadway, Boulder
637 Front St., Louisville
In the endless age of anxiety in which we dwell, ice cream can calm the ceaseless mind chatter and remind us of better days, if only for a few moments. Best of Boulder readers shout out Sweet Cow year after year for the local accent in many of the 24 flavors scooped daily. Boulder-roasted OZO espresso infuses coffee ice cream with dark chocolate chips. Colorado honey sweetens an intense vanilla ice cream. Colorado’s Big Gigantic created a flavor melding Dutch chocolate, cookies and cream, and chocolate chip cookie dough. Personally, we crave the sandwich-inspired Fluffernutter — peanut butter and marshmallow cream ice cream — with a ladle of gooey hot fudge.
Silver: Gelato Boy
Bronze: Glacier Homemade Ice Cream and Gelato
Indian / Nepali
Sherpa’s Adventure Restaurant and Bar
825 Walnut St., Boulder
One of Boulder’s best summer pleasures is nibbling momo dumplings and sipping lagers on the pretty, shaded patio at Sherpa’s. This downtown favorite is the place where many locals were introduced to Nepali and Tibetan dishes. Menu favorites since Pemba Sherpa opened his Himalayan eatery in 2002 include creamy chicken korma with naan, Tibetan thukpa noodles and platters of meat and vegetable momo with chutney for dipping.
Silver: Tiffin’s India Cafe
Bronze: Kathmandu Restaurant II
Write-in: Nepal House
Italian
Il Pastaio Ristorante
3075 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder
Il Pastaio Ristorante has been a well-known secret to locals since Giuseppe and Marta Oreamuno opened the tiny spot in 2000. Regulars get the lunch special: lasagna and other entrees with a side dish, plus a salad bar visit and a roll. For dinner, the fresh pasta factory rolls out spaghetti, fettuccine and pappardelle to pair with classic sauces ranging from alfredo and arrabiata to bolognese and matriciana. Top it with a meatball or Italian sausage links — and don’t forget to take the cannoli.
Silver: Carelli’s
Bronze: Pasta Jay’s
Japanese
Japango
1136 Pearl St., Boulder
Sushi and sashimi fanatics can immerse themselves in the much wider world of Japanese flavors at Japango. The extensive roster of dishes ranges from starters like teriyaki-grilled yellowtail collar and lobster potstickers to finishers from chocolate devil’s food cake with miso caramel to green tea crème brulee. Comfort comes in the form of chewy udon noodles in spicy broth with seafood and vegetables. Or sushi rice topped with unagi — sweet barbecued fresh water eel. Pickier kids love the teriyaki chicken, salmon or beef with wok-tossed veggies and white rice.
Silver: Hapa Sushi
Bronze: AOI Sushi
Write-in: Sumo Sushi
Kid-friendly
Mountain Sun Pubs & Breweries
1535 Pearl St., Boulder
627 S. Broadway Suite E, Boulder
600 Longs Peak Ave., Longmont
Once again, Boulder’s cadre of tech savvy 7-year-olds have stuffed the digital ballot box in this category. We’re not sure how the youngsters do it. Maybe their parents have pushed Mountain Sun over the top? They like the menu and coloring sheets and the fact that they get to decompress with a burger. Mountain Sun does make one urgent request to parents: Kids can’t run around the eatery among waiters carrying trays loaded with beer and plates.
Silver: Lucky Pie Pizza and Taphouse
Bronze: Walnut Cafe and Southside Walnut Cafe
Write-in: High Country
Late Night
Dark Horse
2922 Baseline Road, Boulder
Remember that beery night at the Dark Horse when you met friends you still have years later? There have been thousands of those nights since the Dark Horse opened 50 years ago. Generations of Boulderites and CU students are making nostalgic visits to the dining icon as its future is up in the air. In about two years, the building is set to be demolished by developers. There is talk of saving the movie-set artifacts on the ceiling and walls and reopening the Dark Horse in a new building serving those famous burgers and wings to a future class of locals.
Silver: Cosmo’s Pizza
Bronze: Illegal Pete’s
Lyons Restaurant
Moxie Mercantile
442 High St., Lyons
Each of the three Moxie Bread Co. locations has its own personality tucked into an old building. Moxie Mercantile clearly has a Lyons vibe, with live music performances. Locals and visitors headed to Rocky Mountain National Park discover Moxie’s award-winning artisan breads, pastries, beverages and sandwiches. You can’t miss the electric blue “spaceship” espresso machine.
Silver: Marigold
Bronze: Oskar Blues Grill & Brew
Write-in: MainStage Brewing
Mediterranean
Falafel King
1314 Pearl St., Boulder
So much has changed in Boulder since Falafel King first started dishing affordable Mediterranean food on the then-new Pearl Street Mall. Falafel King remains the place to satisfy our collective cravings for stuffed dolmas, creamy baba ganoush and gyros on a Greek salad with feta cheese. Our favorite change of pace is dipping hot French fries in hummus. We finish up with sweet pistachio baklava while watching the ebb and flow of the Mall people parade.
Silver: Kalita Grill
Bronze: Ali Baba Grill
Mexican
Efrain’s of Boulder Mexican Restaurant
2480 Canyon Blvd., Boulder
When we suggest Efrain’s as a dining destination, friends and family almost always smile. They may be thinking of Efrain’s famous green chile, a satisfying bowl of roasted peppers and tender pork. The menu boasts classic sizzling fajitas, burritos, enchiladas, Mexican ribs and a constellation of thirst-quenching margaritas.
Silver: Teocalli Cocina
Bronze: T/aco
Write-in: Cozobi Fonda Fina
Nederland Restaurant
Crosscut Pizzeria and Taphouse
4 E. 1st St., Nederland
Crosscut has become much more than a simple pizzeria to locals and mountain visitors alike. It is Nederland’s community center and gathering spot with a creekside deck for warm season dining. Best of Boulder voters appreciate the kitchen’s devotion to crust. Slow-fermentation of Colorado-milled flour produces a tender-chewy base that gets charred nicely in a wood-fired oven. We dream of Crosscut’s Denver Cannoli Pizza which is not sweet but rather topped with hot Italian sausage, provolone, grana padano and roasted green chilies. Marinara is a must for dipping.
Silver: Kathmandu Restaurant
Bronze: Backcountry Pizza
New Restaurant
Cozobi Fonda Fina
909 Walnut St. Suite 100, Boulder
We could fill a page with the kudos chef Johnny Curiel has earned since opening Denver’s Alma Fonda Fina and its sister eatery in Boulder, Cozobi Fonda Fina. Curiel’s fine dining shrine to authentic regional Mexican fare is the most exciting new restaurant to open in Boulder in many years. Named after Cozobi, the Zapotec god of corn, the menu is centered around corn fresh-ground and nixtamalized (i.e. transformed) into tortillas, flatbreads and other tasty vehicles for wood-roasted entrees. An added plus: The entire menu is naturally gluten-free.
Silver: High Country
Bronze: Mother’s Greek Food
Organic Restaurant
Flower Child
2580 Arapahoe Ave., Suite 110, Boulder
With dozens of locations across the nation, the Flower Child chain has the buying power to source a consistent supply of organic greens, vegetables and fruits. The Boulder Flower Child spotlights fresh organic produce in its customizable main dishes, bowls, salads and wraps.
Silver: Leaf Vegetarian
Bronze: Just BE Kitchen
Pancake / Waffle
Snooze: An A.M. Eatery
1617 Pearl St., Boulder
Snooze has captured this category with its artisan focus on scratch-made pancakes in almost every variation. Longtime classics include cinnamon roll, strawberry shortcake and pineapple upside-down pancakes that can be ordered as a flight. High-protein, vegan and gluten-free versions are also available. First class bacon, maple syrup and beverages make it a meal. Change-of-pace platters range from shrimp and grits to eggs benedict. For dessert at breakfast, nothing beats Snooze’s chocolate chip stack.
Silver: Walnut Cafe and
Southside Walnut Cafe
Bronze: The Buff Restaurant
Personal Chef
The Colorado Cache
Boulder
At 23, Chef Colton Wagner became one of Boulder’s youngest executive chefs ever at The Kitchen. Born into a Durango ranching family, he furthered his culinary education in New York City, Peru, Spain and France. Wagner brings all that experience to catered events from wedding dinners to private gatherings. He specializes in showcasing ingredients from local farmers, butchers, cheese makers, beekeepers and other food artisans.
Silver: Harvest to Home
Bronze: Angie’s Secret Garden
Write-in: Chef Maria Cooper
Pho
Chez Thuy
2655 28th St., Boulder
When original owner Thuy Lee started dishing pho at her 28th Street restaurant, few of us knew what pho was. Even fewer knew how to pronounce the Vietnamese soup. (It’s “phuh.”) More than a quarter century later, Chez Thuy still simmers giant pots of rich five-spiced broth. Giant white bowls are jammed with tender noodles, scallions and meat ranging from rare steak to meatballs. The joy is in customizing each slurp with bean sprouts, Thai basil, jalapeño slices, lime wedges and condiments.
Silver: Boulder Pho
Bronze: Pho Cafe
Pizza Slice
Cosmo’s Pizza
Multiple Locations
Pizza slices are a different buzz than ordering a whole pie. Whole pies usually are about sharing and compromising on toppings. Slices are deep-dish personal. You can top each slice differently. They emerge from the oven scorching hot with crispy edges, ready for parmesan and chile flakes. Cosmo’s has dished our collective favorite slices for many years, always winning this category. Some eat their slice point first. Others fold it first. If you see anyone eating a slice crust edge first, just exclaim “Bless your heart!” and walk away. They don’t get the point.
Silver: Audrey Jane’s Pizza Garage
Bronze: Abo’s Pizza
Write-in: Antonio’s Real New York Pizza
Pizza Restaurant
Cosmo’s Pizza
Multiple Locations
You never know who you will bump into at Cosmo’s Pizza. Pizza is the great common denominator and a craving that crosses all the cultural, language, faith, age and gender borders. Sure, you’ll see plenty of college students devouring a BBQ chicken pizza late at night. But the cross-section of humanity that troops into this locally born pizza joint is heartwarming. It helps that Cosmo’s has mastered an excellent crust and manages to offer every possible topping from pepperoni to pineapple. Plus: Killer spicy ranch!
Silver: Audrey Jane’s Pizza Garage
Bronze: Urban Field Pizza & Market
Place to Eat Outdoors
Acreage by Stem Ciders
1380 Horizon Ave. Unit A, Lafayette
Until you visit Acreage by Stem Ciders, you are not aware of how rare its view is. The two-acre restaurant and cidery sits atop a rise in Lafayette facing west which provides spectacular sunsets. A multitude of selfies have been posed in front of the Front Range panorama. Views are great, but Best of Boulder voters annually honor Acreage because it also has the best patio backyard ever with fire pits, picnic tables, Adirondack chairs and room for kids to roam. The award-winning ciders produced onsite pair well with a menu that includes fried green tomatoes, bratwurst, Thai salmon burgers, bison stroganoff and cider doughnuts.
Silver: Chautauqua Dining Hall
Bronze: Avanti F&B
Write-in: Parkway Food Hall
Place to Go on a First Date
Boulder Dushanbe TeaHouse
1770 13th St., Boulder
The Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse is the perfect place for a first date because couples are surrounded by calming ornately carved colorful Tajik artwork to gaze at and avoid saying something cringey and awkward. The international menu is kind because it offers dishes for every dietary persuasion. The 27-year-old teahouse boasts a remarkable rose-packed garden ideal for a tête-à-tête tea with saag paneer or Persian spiced chicken.
Silver: Rayback Collective
Bronze: Jax Fish House
Restaurant Dessert
Flagstaff House Restaurant
1138 Flagstaff Road, Boulder
Like a good symphony or a rock opera, a great meal should come to a roaring crescendo. Dining always ends with a bang at the Flagstaff House Restaurant. The Flagstaff’s meal-enders recently included coconut butter mochi, milk chocolate mille-feuille (with tahini, cinnamon and toasted meringue), and a raspberry tart with vanilla mousse. Coffee service is a stirring finale served with a tray of various sugars and sweets like mint “lentils,” chocolate chips, candied limes plus a ramekin of whipped cream.
Silver: The Huckleberry
Bronze: Stella’s Cucina
Restaurant Service
Flagstaff House Restaurant
1138 Flagstaff Road, Boulder
The location and view were stellar, the wine cellar was full, the kitchen produced fine dining fare, but late Flagstaff House founder Don Monette always insisted that it was genuine hospitality that would bring diners back. Excellent, professional service has been a hallmark of the dining experience ever since. The staff have made generations of diners feel special celebrating birthdays, proposals, anniversaries and job promotions.
Silver: Frasca Food & Wine
Bronze: Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery
Write-In: Urban Field Pizza & Market
Sandwich
Snarf’s Sandwiches
Multiple Locations
Lots of Boulder sandwich joints have come and gone since Jimmy Seidel launched his place in a former A&W shack on Pearl Street. Snarf’s owns this Best of Boulder category because of the carefully layered sandwiches on toasted loaves like the best-selling, fully loaded Italian. Personalization is easy with diverse seasonings, spreads and toppings including crunchy tart giardiniera. Try the customer-devised not-on-the-menu sandwiches like The Farmer layered with turkey, egg salad, bacon, Swiss cheese and thousand island dressing.
Silver: Organic Sandwich Co.
Bronze: Moxie Bread Co.
Write-in: High Country
Seafood
Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar
928 Pearl St., Boulder
Dave Query is one of Boulder’s most celebrated restaurateurs, but three decades ago, the chef spawned Jax on Pearl Street simply because he is obsessed with fish and seafood. Today’s Jax menu (at multiple locations) includes it all: crawfish gumbo, blue crab cacio e pepe pasta, grilled salmon, fried catfish as well as oysters, snow crab, king crab and more from the raw bar. Jax culinary director Sheila Lucero is nationally recognized for her efforts to support sustainable seafood globally.
Silver: Sushi Zanmai
Bronze: Spruce Farm & Fish
Write In: Gemini
Sushi
Sushi Zanmai
1221 Spruce St., Boulder
There’s nothing like going home to Sushi Zanmai. For many of us, Boulder’s oldest operating sushi bar got us jazzed about flying fish roe and raw quail egg, as well as maguro, hamachi, ebi, unagi and sweet tamagoyaki. This downtown Boulder icon was always a little different. When saxophone-playing Masao Maki opened it in 1986, sushi met rock and roll and turned into a form of eatertainment. With its welcoming hot towels, intimate tea rooms and extensive sake menu, homecoming is lovely and tasty.
Silver: Japango
Bronze: Hapa Sushi Grill
Write-in: Tasuki
Taco
T/aco
1175 Walnut St., Boulder
Honestly, we used to be pretty ignorant and bland when it came to tacos. T/aco smiles at our old tastes with its classico taco: ground beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato and crema in a hard taco shell. The downtown taqueria, born in 2012, serves genuine griddled Mexican street treats in warm, fresh corn tortillas with an array of smoky, eye-opening salsas. From barbacoa and carnitas to shrimp and nopales, each T/aco mouthful is a unique flavor trip. It’s good training for Taco Tuesday or the upcoming Boulder Taco Festival.
Silver: Teocalli Cocina
Bronze: McDevitt Taco Supply
Take Out
Busaba
Multiple locations
When locals get that Tuesday-after-work, I’m-not-cooking-tonight feeling, they traditionally turn to Busaba at one of five Boulder County locations. Some need comfort with steaming chicken pad Thai noodles. We like to calm down with a bowl of beef Panang curry ordered blistering Thai hot. The folks at Busaba always pack the food professionally for its travels. That makes it hard to break in on the way home to sneak a crab rangoon.
Silver: Snarf’s
Bronze: Aloy Thai
Thai
Busaba
Multiple locations
Busaba has been a perennial winner in various Best of Boulder categories since the first location opened in Louisville. Since then, the word has spread about Busaba’s big flavor Thai specialties as new shops opened in Boulder, Erie and Longmont. Favorites include tom kha hot and sour coconut soup, drunken noodles, basil fried rice and fiery pineapple coconut red curry — especially good with shrimp.
Silver: Aloy Thai
Bronze: Chez Thuy
Veggie Burger
Mountain Sun Pubs & Breweries
Multiple Locations
Mountain Sun won the burger category and also wins over plant-based fans with two variations on the veggie burger theme. They order either a vegan black bean patty or Impossible Burger patty on vegan gluten-free ciabatta rolls with house-fried potato chips. Besides veggies and greens, meatless burger additions include avocado, jalapeños, roasted poblanos or Hatch chilies and vegan green chile.
Silver: Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant
Bronze: The Sink
Vegetarian Friendly
Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant
1710 Pearl St., Boulder
Boulder boasts a wealth of plant-forward restaurants, but Boulder Weekly readers give their votes to Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant year after year. The reason is in the name: Leaf has always taken meat-free eating seriously, serving signature international dishes that happen to be vegetarian or vegan and often gluten-free, too. Menu highlights include yaki onigiri, gnocchi verde, enchiladas blancas and lapsang souchong BBQ.
Silver: Flower Child
Bronze: Ras Kassa’s Ethiopian Restaurant
Write-in: High Country
Wings
Dark Horse
2922 Baseline Road, Boulder
At a half century old, The Dark Horse deserves a historical marker on its prime site between Baseline Road, 30th Street and U.S. 36. This is the place where thousands of CU students, residents and visitors developed a serious jones for chicken wings. The Dark Horse plump Colorado Redbird wings come Buffalo-style with celery and bleu cheese dressing. Wing sauces include extra hot, BBQ, teriyaki and Carolina-style. (If you’re not up for wings, the Dark Horse also serves Rocky Mountain Oysters — deep-fried calf testicles to you newcomers.)
Silver: West End Tavern
Bronze: Mountain Sun Pubs & Breweries
Write-in: High Country
发表回复