Italian Beef in Downtown Denver Larimer Square

Rabbit cappelletti at Restaurant Olivia.

Joni Schrantz

Where to Go for Italian Food in and Around Denver

From deli fare to prix fixe feasts, these restaurants deliver

by Updated May 6, 2022, 8:48am MDT

View as Map

Rabbit cappelletti at Restaurant Olivia.

| Joni Schrantz

It wasn't so long ago that Americans equated Italian food with red sauce — understandably, since the majority of the country's immigrants to the U.S. came from the south, merging their traditions with those of their new homeland to create the meat- and tomato-laden dishes that defined the category stateside for nearly a century. But times have changed, and we now understand that Italy's regional cuisines differ as greatly as those on our own shores; what's more, just as they do here or anywhere, they evolve.

Listed geographically from north to south, these 18 restaurants reflect that diversity in all its dynamism. (Craving pizza specifically? Click here for our list of top parlors.)

Read More

Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.

1738 Pearl St
Boulder, CO 80302

Prestige does not equal pomp at what's arguably Colorado's most esteemed restaurant: The hospitality is as genuine as the multi-course menus and much-celebrated wine list are astonishing. Prepare to be pampered over course after course of innovative Friulian-inspired cuisine — and do consider splurging on a splash of vintage amaro at meal's end.

Even beets become art at Frasca.

Frasca Hospitality Group

• Open in Google Maps
• Book with OpenTable
• Foursquare

3601 Arapahoe Ave
Boulder, CO 80303

Though initially known primarily as a wood-fired pizzeria, chef Kelly Whitaker's flagship Boulder venture has evolved over the years, reflecting his passion for (among other things) the heirloom and heritage grains he sells at Dry Storage next door — showcased here in items like uni chitarra with black garlic and Sonoran wheat berry risotto. Other signatures include the seasonal whole fish and campfire semifreddo, not to mention an extremely smart beverage program that encourages diners to try something new.

Crudo is a seasonal staple at Basta.

Ruth Tobias

• Open in Google Maps
• Book with OpenTable
• Foursquare

4601 N Harlan St
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033

Though it's only been open since 2015, Grammy's looks for all the world like an old-school joint with its tomato-red walls; blackboard menu; and a pastry case filled with cannoli, sfogliatelle, rainbow cookies and so on. It tastes like one too: From garlic knots and Sicilian-style pizza to lasagna, chicken parm, and subs piled with cold cuts, the menu's a true-blue red-sauce extravaganza.

Grammy's meatball sub.

Ruth Tobias

• Open in Google Maps

3264 Larimer St
Denver, CO 80205

The chef-partners of this fast-casual pasta counter, Alex Figura and Spencer White, both have fine-dining backgrounds, and it shows: Imaginative and beautifully executed seasonal dishes like black butter–marinated artichoke hearts in olive sauce with oranges and croutons or mortadella-stuffed agnolotti with pearl onions, poppy seeds, dill, and gouda wouldn't be out of place on the menu of some white-tablecloth restaurant at twice the price. Throw in an order of the much-loved cacio e pepe and a carafe of Verdicchio or Schiava just for fun.

Seasonal pastas with focaccia at Dio Mio.

Ruth Tobias

• Open in Google Maps

3357 N Downing St
Denver, CO 80205

Call him the East Coast King: Just as he brought Denverites a taste of New York via Rosenberg's Bagels & Delicatessen and Famous Original J's Pizza, so Joshua Pollack offers them a slice of New Jersey in the form of this Italian-American sub shop and market. Hot sandwiches come loaded with the likes of sausage, peppers, and onions or porchetta, provolone, broccoli rabe, and herb aioli; cold ones include the roman fiesta with salami, pepperoni, ham, mozzarella, roasted red peppers and dressed mixed greens as well as the horseradish roast beef with muenster. And that's not all: The display cases are chock-full of antipasti and salads, cheeses and olives, and offbeat Italian wines.

A selection of Lou's sandwiches.

From the Hip Photo

• Open in Google Maps

2639 W 32nd Ave
Denver, CO 80211

Though it's as warm as any classic mom-and-pop trattoria, dashing husband-and-wife duo Cindhura Reddy and Elliot Strathmann take a seriously idiosyncratic approach to Italian cuisine, weaving in both Colorado and Indian influences to striking effect: Take, for instance, the signature elk tartare with toasted masala aioli and ajwain seed crisps. Then take everything else, because it all shines, from the frutti di mare del giorno to seasonal pastas such as duck confit–stuffed agnolotti in chestnut cream with kale and cranberry relish, ideally paired with wines from one of Denver's most thought-provoking cellars — and followed by homemade amaro.

Spuntino's aglio e olio with Indian spice–preserved garlic and a 63-degree egg.

Ruth Tobias

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Sign up for the newsletter Eater Denver

Sign up for our newsletter.

2227 W 32nd Ave
Denver, CO 80211

The menu is deceptively simple, the flavors complex and layered at this high-energy LoHi favorite. Go classic with garlic bread, bucatini all'amatriciana, and a bottle of Chianti or follow the seasons in the form of sacchetti with chicken confit, peas, favas, and green garlic or pizza with mortadella, ricotta di bufala, and spring onions paired with a jazzy cocktail like the Hold the Piada: burrata-infused gin with vermouth bianco and parsley.

Bar Dough's cacio e pepe.

Kayla Jones

• Open in Google Maps
• Book with OpenTable
• Foursquare

10195 E 29th Dr #110
Denver, CO 80238

At nearly five years old, chef Elise Wiggins' Central Park destination boasts its share of sensational signature dishes, including the bagna cauda, the pasticcio, the rabbit gnocchi, and the wood-fired rib eye. But check its Instagram feed before making the trip, since it's a treasure trove of daily specials to consider: pan-seared black cod over basil bucatini with sundried tomatoes and asparagus one day, fettuccine in braised venison ragù with smoked ricotta the next.

A seasonal dish of boar cacciatore over polenta at Cattivella.

Ruth Tobias

• Open in Google Maps

2601 Larimer St
Denver, CO 80205

Super-sexy from the sinuous chandelier to the sleek bar to the oversized booths, Milanese-born chef Andrea Frizzi's RiNo date-night haunt turns out equally seductive eats. Enhance the mood with the beef-tallow candle and bread service whenever available, then seal the deal over gorgeous pastas like Swiss chard–and–ricotta cannelloni with sous vide celery root and smoked mozzarella or pan-seared duck breast set atop risotto flavored with red wine, black garlic, and basil-whipped goat cheese.

Paprika bucatini with lamb sausage, broccolini, and anchovy-lamb butter at Il Posto.

Ruth Tobias

• Open in Google Maps
• Book with OpenTable
• Foursquare

1889 16th St
Denver, CO 80202

While a crackerjack front-of-house team maintains this Frasca sibling's reputation for above-and-beyond service, rising star chef Cody Cheetham is making sure the food lives up to the wine-splashed experience. Against an ultra-chic backdrop at the edge of Union Station's railway platform, he celebrates the seasons through dishes that might involve boar and truffles or sweetbreads and celery root in the colder months, Dungeness crab and fennel or scallops with nettles and green garlic in warmer weather (though the lobster tagliatelle and roast chicken for two are forever); he also turns out a handsome array of cicchetti, to use the Venetian term for small plates, to pair with aperitivi at happy hour.

Tavernetta's signature beef carpaccio.

Frasca Hospitality Group

• Open in Google Maps

1520 Blake St
Denver, CO 80202

Vintage accents and candles on every table lend this LoDo hot spot half its considerable charm; the food does the rest. Like the wallpaper gracing one side of the dining room (take a close look), almost every dish takes an unexpected and delightful turn, be it bolognese made with elk and rosemary mascarpone, radishes poached in 'nduja butter and served with a garnish of pickled beech mushrooms and grilled sourdough, or cannoli filled with Earl Grey–infused ricotta — and the cocktails follow suit: Take, for example, the Friend of the Devil with mezcal, pisco, Ruby Port, Cynar, and mint grenadine.

A seasonal pizza at Jovanina's Broken Italian featuring pattypan squash, hazelnut romesco, Calabrian chilis, and aged balsamic.

Ruth Tobias

• Open in Google Maps

1453 Larimer St
Denver, CO 80202

Fifteen years ago, Frank Bonanno opened this now cozy, now lively subterranean space on Larimer Square to give many Denverites their first taste of fresh burrata and ricotta, salumi and carpaccio, and still other Italian specialties like panzanella and carbonara. Those items remain staples today, supplemented by real-deal mozzarella en carrozza, pizza with braised short rib and pepperoncini, lamb meatballs over polenta, and more. Pair them with a wine flight that transports you to the Boot by featuring, say, lesser-known Italian whites or Super Tuscans.

A spread at Osteria Marco.

Bonanno Concepts

• Open in Google Maps
• Book with OpenTable
• Foursquare

400 E 20th Ave
Denver, CO 80205

Coperta has the quaint, lived-in vibe of a trattoria on the piazza of some Italian hill town, and the food lives up to the feel. Start with the spuzzulia, essentially an ever-changing antipasto platter, before digging into seasonal pastas like mushroom-leek ravioli with rabbit conserva. Most are helpfully offered by the half-portion to allow room for entrees such as rosemary sausage–stuffed quail over polenta or the fish stew called acqua pazza, not to mention cannoli. And be sure to ask for recommendations from the wine list, a trove of treasures from Campania, Calabria, Puglia, and other southern regions.

Coperta's calamari fritti.

Ruth Tobias

• Open in Google Maps
• Book with OpenTable
• Foursquare

1135 Bannock St
Denver, CO 80204

The original Lo Stella has been a fixture in the Ligurian town of Portofino since 1850; eighth-generation restaurateur Alessandro Polo opened this satellite in the Golden Triangle in 2013 to introduce Denverites to the region's coastal cuisine. Here's hoping that he someday puts his focaccia del Recco or pansoti in salsa di noci (walnut sauce) back on the menu, but in the meantime, anything featuring seafood is the way to go, from fritto misto with sea bass and calamari to the tagliatelle with shrimp, zucchini, and saffron that Mick Jagger sampled during a visit on tour.

Spaghetti con bottarga e limone at Lo Stella.

Ruth Tobias

• Open in Google Maps
• Book with OpenTable
• Foursquare

711 Grant St
Denver, CO 80203

Osteria Marco's more upscale Cap Hill sibling serves up a few of Frank Bonanno's greatest hits — including housemade burrata and salumi — along with seasonal creations such as mafaldine with Manila clams, guanciale, and charred rapini; porcini-crusted sturgeon in prosciutto brodo with Sea Island red peas and kale; and Meyer lemon panna cotta with rhubarb granita. The wines on the Italian-centric list also make their way into cocktails like the Red Oaxacan with mezcal, Barbera, and habanero.

A seasonal mushroom pasta at Luca.

Bonanno Concepts

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

3030 E 6th Ave
Denver, CO 80206

The glow of this fine-dining destination in Cherry Creek has only been burnished over its decades in business: While the remarkable Italian wine cellar has long enjoyed national recognition, each new menu from chef Darrel Truett seems to outdo the last in thoughtfulness and intricacy. Think English pea flan with fried baby artichokes, Castelmagno fonduta, and black-garlic aioli; saffron risotto with crispy pancetta, truffles, and banana chips; or warm carrot-pistachio cake with sage gelato.

A seasonal risotto at Barolo Grill.

Ruth Tobias

• Open in Google Maps
• Book with OpenTable
• Foursquare

241 Columbine St
Denver, CO 80206

For its famous chicken parm pizza alone, this swanky Italian steakhouse in Cherry Creek — a sibling of New York's Quality Meats — warrants a shoutout here. But there's so much more to dig into, including the fabulous sausage-and-pepper toast, luscious porterhouse agnolotti, and festive birthday-cake cannoli; weekend brunch, meanwhile, features such treats as breakfast risotto topped with a fried egg and polenta pancakes as well as bottomless Bellinis.

Quality Italian's baked lasagna with filet meatballs.

Adam Larkey

• Open in Google Maps
• Book with OpenTable
• Foursquare

290 S Downing St
Denver, CO 80209

Expect the unexpected from the restlessly creative team at this Wash Park gem, where ravioli might borrow its ingredients from French onion soup, garganelli might take inspiration from pork green chile, and tiramisù might be mashed up with apple crisp, even as the bar turns out White Negronis laced with pear and pistachio or pours Franciacorta in place of Prosecco.

Olivia's mafaldine with tomato-braised meatballs.

Joni Schrantz

• Open in Google Maps

Link copied to the clipboard.

1. Frasca Food and Wine

Even beets become art at Frasca.

Frasca Hospitality Group

Prestige does not equal pomp at what's arguably Colorado's most esteemed restaurant: The hospitality is as genuine as the multi-course menus and much-celebrated wine list are astonishing. Prepare to be pampered over course after course of innovative Friulian-inspired cuisine — and do consider splurging on a splash of vintage amaro at meal's end.

1738 Pearl St
Boulder, CO 80302

• Open in Google Maps
• OpenTable
• Foursquare

2. Basta

Crudo is a seasonal staple at Basta.

Ruth Tobias

Though initially known primarily as a wood-fired pizzeria, chef Kelly Whitaker's flagship Boulder venture has evolved over the years, reflecting his passion for (among other things) the heirloom and heritage grains he sells at Dry Storage next door — showcased here in items like uni chitarra with black garlic and Sonoran wheat berry risotto. Other signatures include the seasonal whole fish and campfire semifreddo, not to mention an extremely smart beverage program that encourages diners to try something new.

3601 Arapahoe Ave
Boulder, CO 80303

• Open in Google Maps
• OpenTable
• Foursquare

3. Grammy's Goodies

Grammy's meatball sub.

Ruth Tobias

Though it's only been open since 2015, Grammy's looks for all the world like an old-school joint with its tomato-red walls; blackboard menu; and a pastry case filled with cannoli, sfogliatelle, rainbow cookies and so on. It tastes like one too: From garlic knots and Sicilian-style pizza to lasagna, chicken parm, and subs piled with cold cuts, the menu's a true-blue red-sauce extravaganza.

4601 N Harlan St
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033

• Open in Google Maps

4. Dio Mio

Seasonal pastas with focaccia at Dio Mio.

Ruth Tobias

The chef-partners of this fast-casual pasta counter, Alex Figura and Spencer White, both have fine-dining backgrounds, and it shows: Imaginative and beautifully executed seasonal dishes like black butter–marinated artichoke hearts in olive sauce with oranges and croutons or mortadella-stuffed agnolotti with pearl onions, poppy seeds, dill, and gouda wouldn't be out of place on the menu of some white-tablecloth restaurant at twice the price. Throw in an order of the much-loved cacio e pepe and a carafe of Verdicchio or Schiava just for fun.

3264 Larimer St
Denver, CO 80205

• Open in Google Maps

5. Lou's Italian Specialties

A selection of Lou's sandwiches.

From the Hip Photo

Call him the East Coast King: Just as he brought Denverites a taste of New York via Rosenberg's Bagels & Delicatessen and Famous Original J's Pizza, so Joshua Pollack offers them a slice of New Jersey in the form of this Italian-American sub shop and market. Hot sandwiches come loaded with the likes of sausage, peppers, and onions or porchetta, provolone, broccoli rabe, and herb aioli; cold ones include the roman fiesta with salami, pepperoni, ham, mozzarella, roasted red peppers and dressed mixed greens as well as the horseradish roast beef with muenster. And that's not all: The display cases are chock-full of antipasti and salads, cheeses and olives, and offbeat Italian wines.

3357 N Downing St
Denver, CO 80205

• Open in Google Maps

6. Spuntino

Spuntino's aglio e olio with Indian spice–preserved garlic and a 63-degree egg.

Ruth Tobias

Though it's as warm as any classic mom-and-pop trattoria, dashing husband-and-wife duo Cindhura Reddy and Elliot Strathmann take a seriously idiosyncratic approach to Italian cuisine, weaving in both Colorado and Indian influences to striking effect: Take, for instance, the signature elk tartare with toasted masala aioli and ajwain seed crisps. Then take everything else, because it all shines, from the frutti di mare del giorno to seasonal pastas such as duck confit–stuffed agnolotti in chestnut cream with kale and cranberry relish, ideally paired with wines from one of Denver's most thought-provoking cellars — and followed by homemade amaro.

2639 W 32nd Ave
Denver, CO 80211

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

7. Bar Dough

Bar Dough's cacio e pepe.

Kayla Jones

The menu is deceptively simple, the flavors complex and layered at this high-energy LoHi favorite. Go classic with garlic bread, bucatini all'amatriciana, and a bottle of Chianti or follow the seasons in the form of sacchetti with chicken confit, peas, favas, and green garlic or pizza with mortadella, ricotta di bufala, and spring onions paired with a jazzy cocktail like the Hold the Piada: burrata-infused gin with vermouth bianco and parsley.

2227 W 32nd Ave
Denver, CO 80211

• Open in Google Maps
• OpenTable
• Foursquare

8. Cattivella

A seasonal dish of boar cacciatore over polenta at Cattivella.

Ruth Tobias

At nearly five years old, chef Elise Wiggins' Central Park destination boasts its share of sensational signature dishes, including the bagna cauda, the pasticcio, the rabbit gnocchi, and the wood-fired rib eye. But check its Instagram feed before making the trip, since it's a treasure trove of daily specials to consider: pan-seared black cod over basil bucatini with sundried tomatoes and asparagus one day, fettuccine in braised venison ragù with smoked ricotta the next.

10195 E 29th Dr #110
Denver, CO 80238

• Open in Google Maps

9. Il Posto

Paprika bucatini with lamb sausage, broccolini, and anchovy-lamb butter at Il Posto.

Ruth Tobias

Super-sexy from the sinuous chandelier to the sleek bar to the oversized booths, Milanese-born chef Andrea Frizzi's RiNo date-night haunt turns out equally seductive eats. Enhance the mood with the beef-tallow candle and bread service whenever available, then seal the deal over gorgeous pastas like Swiss chard–and–ricotta cannelloni with sous vide celery root and smoked mozzarella or pan-seared duck breast set atop risotto flavored with red wine, black garlic, and basil-whipped goat cheese.

2601 Larimer St
Denver, CO 80205

• Open in Google Maps
• OpenTable
• Foursquare

10. Tavernetta

Tavernetta's signature beef carpaccio.

Frasca Hospitality Group

While a crackerjack front-of-house team maintains this Frasca sibling's reputation for above-and-beyond service, rising star chef Cody Cheetham is making sure the food lives up to the wine-splashed experience. Against an ultra-chic backdrop at the edge of Union Station's railway platform, he celebrates the seasons through dishes that might involve boar and truffles or sweetbreads and celery root in the colder months, Dungeness crab and fennel or scallops with nettles and green garlic in warmer weather (though the lobster tagliatelle and roast chicken for two are forever); he also turns out a handsome array of cicchetti, to use the Venetian term for small plates, to pair with aperitivi at happy hour.

1889 16th St
Denver, CO 80202

• Open in Google Maps

11. Jovanina's Broken Italian

A seasonal pizza at Jovanina's Broken Italian featuring pattypan squash, hazelnut romesco, Calabrian chilis, and aged balsamic.

Ruth Tobias

Vintage accents and candles on every table lend this LoDo hot spot half its considerable charm; the food does the rest. Like the wallpaper gracing one side of the dining room (take a close look), almost every dish takes an unexpected and delightful turn, be it bolognese made with elk and rosemary mascarpone, radishes poached in 'nduja butter and served with a garnish of pickled beech mushrooms and grilled sourdough, or cannoli filled with Earl Grey–infused ricotta — and the cocktails follow suit: Take, for example, the Friend of the Devil with mezcal, pisco, Ruby Port, Cynar, and mint grenadine.

1520 Blake St
Denver, CO 80202

• Open in Google Maps

12. Osteria Marco

A spread at Osteria Marco.

Bonanno Concepts

Fifteen years ago, Frank Bonanno opened this now cozy, now lively subterranean space on Larimer Square to give many Denverites their first taste of fresh burrata and ricotta, salumi and carpaccio, and still other Italian specialties like panzanella and carbonara. Those items remain staples today, supplemented by real-deal mozzarella en carrozza, pizza with braised short rib and pepperoncini, lamb meatballs over polenta, and more. Pair them with a wine flight that transports you to the Boot by featuring, say, lesser-known Italian whites or Super Tuscans.

1453 Larimer St
Denver, CO 80202

• Open in Google Maps
• OpenTable
• Foursquare

13. Coperta

Coperta's calamari fritti.

Ruth Tobias

Coperta has the quaint, lived-in vibe of a trattoria on the piazza of some Italian hill town, and the food lives up to the feel. Start with the spuzzulia, essentially an ever-changing antipasto platter, before digging into seasonal pastas like mushroom-leek ravioli with rabbit conserva. Most are helpfully offered by the half-portion to allow room for entrees such as rosemary sausage–stuffed quail over polenta or the fish stew called acqua pazza, not to mention cannoli. And be sure to ask for recommendations from the wine list, a trove of treasures from Campania, Calabria, Puglia, and other southern regions.

400 E 20th Ave
Denver, CO 80205

• Open in Google Maps
• OpenTable
• Foursquare

14. Lo Stella Ristorante

Spaghetti con bottarga e limone at Lo Stella.

Ruth Tobias

The original Lo Stella has been a fixture in the Ligurian town of Portofino since 1850; eighth-generation restaurateur Alessandro Polo opened this satellite in the Golden Triangle in 2013 to introduce Denverites to the region's coastal cuisine. Here's hoping that he someday puts his focaccia del Recco or pansoti in salsa di noci (walnut sauce) back on the menu, but in the meantime, anything featuring seafood is the way to go, from fritto misto with sea bass and calamari to the tagliatelle with shrimp, zucchini, and saffron that Mick Jagger sampled during a visit on tour.

1135 Bannock St
Denver, CO 80204

• Open in Google Maps
• OpenTable
• Foursquare

15. Luca

A seasonal mushroom pasta at Luca.

Bonanno Concepts

Osteria Marco's more upscale Cap Hill sibling serves up a few of Frank Bonanno's greatest hits — including housemade burrata and salumi — along with seasonal creations such as mafaldine with Manila clams, guanciale, and charred rapini; porcini-crusted sturgeon in prosciutto brodo with Sea Island red peas and kale; and Meyer lemon panna cotta with rhubarb granita. The wines on the Italian-centric list also make their way into cocktails like the Red Oaxacan with mezcal, Barbera, and habanero.

711 Grant St
Denver, CO 80203

• Open in Google Maps
• Foursquare

Related Maps

• Denver's Essential Breweries Right Now, Summer 2022
• Denver's 14 Essential Thai Restaurants Right Now
• The 38 Essential Restaurants in Denver

16. Barolo Grill

A seasonal risotto at Barolo Grill.

Ruth Tobias

The glow of this fine-dining destination in Cherry Creek has only been burnished over its decades in business: While the remarkable Italian wine cellar has long enjoyed national recognition, each new menu from chef Darrel Truett seems to outdo the last in thoughtfulness and intricacy. Think English pea flan with fried baby artichokes, Castelmagno fonduta, and black-garlic aioli; saffron risotto with crispy pancetta, truffles, and banana chips; or warm carrot-pistachio cake with sage gelato.

3030 E 6th Ave
Denver, CO 80206

• Open in Google Maps
• OpenTable
• Foursquare

17. Quality Italian

Quality Italian's baked lasagna with filet meatballs.

Adam Larkey

For its famous chicken parm pizza alone, this swanky Italian steakhouse in Cherry Creek — a sibling of New York's Quality Meats — warrants a shoutout here. But there's so much more to dig into, including the fabulous sausage-and-pepper toast, luscious porterhouse agnolotti, and festive birthday-cake cannoli; weekend brunch, meanwhile, features such treats as breakfast risotto topped with a fried egg and polenta pancakes as well as bottomless Bellinis.

241 Columbine St
Denver, CO 80206

• Open in Google Maps
• OpenTable
• Foursquare

18. Restaurant Olivia

Olivia's mafaldine with tomato-braised meatballs.

Joni Schrantz

Expect the unexpected from the restlessly creative team at this Wash Park gem, where ravioli might borrow its ingredients from French onion soup, garganelli might take inspiration from pork green chile, and tiramisù might be mashed up with apple crisp, even as the bar turns out White Negronis laced with pear and pistachio or pours Franciacorta in place of Prosecco.

290 S Downing St
Denver, CO 80209

• Open in Google Maps

Related Maps

• A Complete Guide to Dining in LoHi
• 12 New Brunches to Try in Denver Right Now
• The Hottest Restaurants in Denver Right Now, March 2022

hookerbeirl1987.blogspot.com

Source: https://denver.eater.com/maps/best-italian-restaurants-denver-boulder-colorado

Share this post