FOMO spots I feature on my food tour and our one offs in Denver
- barrysklassen
- Aug 23, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 24, 2025
Biker Jim’s
UPDATE: Biker Jim's Store on Larimer has relocated to the former Lou's Hot Chicken stall inside the Milk Market food hall at 18th and Wazee, where you can still enjoy his famous dog.
Biker Jim's is one of my top picks on our Food Tour. Although we visit less frequently now, Biker Jim is a friend, making it a cherished stop for me. I’m always thrilled when it’s included in our tour for the day. Biker Jim (Jim Pettinger) has a passion for crafting sausages from sustainably raised exotic animals. We enjoy his elk, cheddar, and jalapeño sausage topped with cream cheese and Coca-Cola caramelized onions (his signature topping)! This sausage was named the best hot dog in the United States by the daytime television show "The Talk" on CBS in the summer of 2023. It edged out Martha Stewart’s favorite, Rawley’s, in Fairfield, Connecticut. Not only is it Martha Stewart’s favorite, but also my father-in-law’s, so I've dined there about 30 times! The Elk dog at Biker Jim's claimed the title of the best hot dog in the USA! In addition to elk, they occasionally offer other exotic sausages, including ostrich, boar, rattlesnake, and jackalope, among others.
Anthony Borden asserted that his dogs put Denver on the culinary map!
Elk, Cheddar, Jalapeño dog w classic topping:
Wonderyard
La Diabla Pazole y Mezcal
I have to kick things off with my friend Jose Avila’s latest venture, La Diabla! This spot is incredible and the coolest place on my blog. There isn't a formal sign, just a paper one under the marquee promoting Tacos, Pozole, and Mezcal, written in sharpie on a tattered sign beneath the quirky green and red marquee. It frequently changes as the Colorado winds wreak havoc on it every few weeks.
Last year, chef Avila was named a semifinalist for the best chef title by James Beard, recognizing the best chef in the Rocky Mountain region. I searched all over Denver for him, only to find out he was doing pop-ups throughout the city and cooking his Barbacoa in pits in the ground.
This restaurant opened just over a year ago, and it’s truly something special!
His standout dish is probably the bone marrow birria taco, though he prepared dinner for me one Thursday night in July, and the pork cheek tacos he made were phenomenal. If you’re feeling adventurous, he also offers a Cricket taco, though I’m not quite ready for that yet, lol.
He has fantastic specials every night from Monday through Thursday, with my favorite being Wednesday night when you can get a margarita and two al Pastor tacos for just $8!
Snooze
Love Snooze! Enjoy Happy Hour all day M-F with $5 Mimosas and Bloody Marys—it's fantastic!
Dirks Bentley Whiskey Row
1up
1UP is my favorite place to hang out when I need to kill an hour or two downtown. They even offer boozy "Slush Puppies," and although I haven't tried one yet, they have really cheap drinks. It's a fun spot to spend an hour, even if it's not cocktail time!
Run for the Roses
If someone asked me about my favorite bar in Denver, it would be difficult not to mention Run for the Roses in the Dairy Block. It's located in the basement beneath the Michelin-starred Bruto. If you visit, jokingly tell them I sent you—you'll either be shown the door or get the best seat in the house!
Urban Farmer
Brown Butter Pecan Old Fashioned
New York Strip flight with add on Wagyu
Cruise Room
Cooper Lounge
Mercantile
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