61. Delectable Egg
City: Denver, CO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (303) 572-8146
Address: 1642 Market St.
Description: Traditional breakfast choices including omelets, eggs Benedict, waffles, french toast, and pancakes lure customers to this local spot. The original Delectable Egg is housed in an old warehouse in Lower Downtown, which makes it look a little like a greasy-diner-gone-chic (although the food isn’t unusually greasy). Other locations are spiffed up to match the good, standard breakfast dishes. Breakfast and lunch are served daily. Additional area locations are at 1625 Court Place, Denver (303-892-5720); 200 Quebec St., Denver (720-859-9933); and 1005 W. 120th Ave., Westminster (303-451-7227).
62. Dozens
City: Denver, CO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (303) 572-0066
Address: 236 W. 13th Ave.
Description: Want a breakfast that will stay with you, but don’t want to ingest too much grease? Dozens is the place. With two locations, it serves a traditional American breakfast of wonderful omelets, griddle combinations, waffles, and pancakes. Homemade baked goods are available, too. Dozens bustles weekdays with the business crowd and on weekends with the more relaxed coffee-drinking, paper-reading crowd. It serves breakfast and lunch daily. A second location is in Aurora at 2180 S. Havana St. (303-337-6627).
63. Ellyngton’s
City: Denver, CO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (303) 297-3111
Description: Best known for its lavish champagne brunch (with Dom Perignon, if you’ve got the bucks for it), the classy and urbane Ellyngton’s also serves a tasteful breakfast and lunch, but no dinner. Sunday brunch is an extravagant buffet with impressive displays of food.
64. Hot Cakes Diner
City: Denver, CO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (303) 832-4351
Address: 1400 E. 18th Ave.
Description: If you’re in the mood for pancakes (or any other home-cooked breakfast), head to Hot Cakes, a favorite of Uptown residents as well as employees from the surrounding hospitals. The cakes are so big that one is enough, and they come in a mind-boggling range of flavors. The lunch menu and environment are just as appealing as the flapjacks. The walls are filled with original works of art, and the waitstaff is young, friendly, and appealingly funky. Open daily for breakfast and lunch.
65. Le Peep Restaurant
City: Denver, CO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (303) 244-0360
Description: Le Peep is a local chain with a dozen different properties throughout Colorado’s Front Range, but it’s best known as a Metro Denver breakfast legend. There’s a small selection of sandwiches, but Le Peep is all about breakfast. Omelets, pancakes, french toast—you get the picture. There’s nothing gourmet here, but it’s tasty. Coffee drinkers will like the self-serve pot left on the table. Breakfast and lunch daily. Additional Denver locations are at 1699 S. Colorado Blvd. (303-759-3388); 2456 S. Parker Rd. (303-369-5404); and 1875 York St. (303-399-7320).
66. Pete’s Kitchen
City: Denver, CO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (303) 321-3139
Address: 1962 E. Colfax Ave.
Description: One of the few places serving 24 hours a day, Pete’s Kitchen is a longtime Denver tradition. The ambience is classic diner, the food tends toward Greek, and breakfast is available anytime. The lines tend to get long after the bars close and on weekend mornings. Great people-watching and reliable food day or night mark this colorful local joint.
67. Sam’s No. 3
City: Denver, CO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (303) 534-1927
Description: Although it also serves lunch and dinner, Sam’s No. 3 is renowned for its breakfasts. Specialty omelets, breakfast burritos, skillet plates, a variety of egg dishes, and an espresso bar keep customers happy 7 days a week. They also serve Greek specialties for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Regular customers keep coming back for the Colorado green chile. A second location is at 2580 S. Havana (303-751-0347).
68. Snooze
City: Denver, CO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (303) 297-0700
Address: 700 Colorado Blvd.
Insider Pick:
Description: Everything at this popular downtown daytime eatery is made from scratch using fresh, quality ingredients. The menu is creative and varied enough to warrant repeat visits. Favorites are the sweet potato pancakes, huevos rancheros, ham Benedict III, and french toast. Expect a line on weekends and during peak morning hours. Enjoy watching the local scene while you wait.
69. Freshcraft
City: Denver, CO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (303) 758-9608
Address: 1530 Blake St.
Description: Along with a full menu of contemporary American cuisine, Freshcraft offers a wide selection of craft beers that pair well with the menu. Offering comfort food with a few fun twists, most items at Freshcraft are made from scratch using fresh ingredients. The late-night hours make this a popular place for after-hours dining in LoDo. Vegan and gluten-free options are part of the menu.
70. Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery
City: Denver, CO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (303) 534-7616
Description: A huge brewpub with outdoor seating on the 16th Street Mall, the Rock Bottom is related to the Walnut Brewery in Boulder. It’s popular from lunchtime well into the evening, and the extensive menu includes salads, pastas, barbecued meats, and sandwiches. It’s an all-around favorite with locals, whether the action is on the patio or around the impressive bar. Open daily. Other locations are in Westminster and Englewood, with details on the website.
71. Wynkoop Brewing Company
City: Denver, CO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (303) 297-2700
Description: Housed in the historic J. S. Brown Mercantile Building, the Wynkoop led the way in the resurgence of Lower Downtown. Before John Hickenlooper became mayor and eventually governor, he opened Denver’s first brewpub in 1988. It still sizzles, serving a variety of handcrafted ales and pub fare, such as potpies with quinoa crust, at reasonable prices for lunch and dinner. The main dining area is noisy and crowded. Upstairs is a classic pool hall that hops with the 20 to 30 set. Lunch and dinner are served daily.
72. ink! Coffee
City: Denver, CO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (303) 534-1235
Insider Pick:
Description: Cool, trendy, and urbane, this local chain has quickly become one of Denver’s more popular caffeine stations. Their coffee beans are hand-roasted at 6,600 feet, allowing them to roast longer at lower temperatures for a smoother finish. Come here for gourmet sandwiches, fresh salads, pastries, and an exceptional cup of coffee. For information on their many area locations, please visit their website.
73. Paris on the Platte CafE & Bar
City: Denver, CO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (303) 455-2451
Address: 1553 Platte St.
Description: Popular with neighborhood artists, Paris on the Platte is Denver’s oldest coffeehouse, operating under several different names since 1972 and within a few buildings of the current site. The coffeehouse is now connected to a used bookstore and serves more than just coffee. Choose from sandwiches, pizzas, salads, soups, pastries, and bagels. They also have a full bar. It’s open daily, until the wee hours on Friday and Saturday.
74. Rooster & Moon Coffee Pub
City: Denver, CO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (303) 993-2622
Address: 955 Bannock St.
Insider Pick:
Description: Good atmosphere, comfy surroundings, and great food from breakfast through dinner make Rooster & Moon much more than your standard coffeehouse. Abundant power outlets, free wireless Internet, and a solid cool factor make it a great neighborhood java joint. And in the evening, a full bar helps the transition into a neighborhood pub and gathering place. For a special treat, try Grandma Patsy’s Banana Puddin’.
75. St. Mark’s Coffeehouse
City: Denver, CO
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (303) 322-8384
Address: 2019 E. 17th Ave.
Insider Pick:
Description: The bohemian alternative to the much more crowded Market at Larimer Square, St. Mark’s serves coffee, cappuccino, and baked goods daily from sunrise until midnight. Patrons sit outside for people-watching or inside on folding chairs and former church pews.