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  3. The 11 best restaurants to dine outdoors in Denver
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The 11 best restaurants to dine outdoors in Denver

A photo of Red logo
by Linnea Covington
Updated May 28, 2024

Eating alfresco in Denver is practically a pastime, and its best outdoor dining setups are designed to take advantage of the city’s many sunny days.

For some of Denver’s best people-watching, head to a sprawling patio at a standout Mexican spot. A family-friendly cider house is adored for its playground and massive lawn. Food trucks sling globally inspired street food on a rooftop with mountain views.

Denver’s scenic side is on full display at these charming open-air spots. Read on for a guide to 11 restaurants that ace outdoor dining in the city.

A photo of Corrida restaurant
4.8
4.8 (923)
$50 and over
Northwest Spain
Boulder
About the restaurant

One of the prettiest Flatiron Mountain views can be found on the outdoor patio at Corrida, restaurateur Bryan Dayton’s Spanish-influenced chophouse. Take a seat outside on warmer days (ideally during sunset) while digging into excellent Mediterranean-accented dishes. Beef is also a Corrida specialty—the restaurant sources Japanese Wagyu and American beef from places practicing regenerative ranching. Level up your alfresco feast with a drink from the roving gin and tonic cart.


Top review
Alyona
Dined on Dec 4, 2024
Great experience with outside globe! Delicious food and cozy atmosphere.
A photo of Briar Common Brewery restaurant
4.8
4.8 (627)
$30 and under
Contemporary American
Jefferson Park
About the restaurant

Head to this Jefferson Park brewpub for a craft beer, burger, and a killer view from the rooftop patio, and you’ll see why it’s been a local favorite since 2013. The beer list is prolific, with rotating options like It’s Dangerous to Gose Malone, a watermelon gose. On warmer days, there’s partial covering to keep the sun from bearing down on diners. Go downstairs for a more casual outdoor biergarten experience—it gets bonus points for being dog friendly.


Top review
OpenTable Diner
Dined on Nov 28, 2024
Great food and service as always! They were pretty busy and made some minor mistakes but made sure we left happy! Thanks again, see you again soon!
A photo of the plimoth restaurant
4.9
4.9 (2402)
$50 and over
American
Central
About the restaurant

the plimoth was one of the first restaurants in Denver to go all-in on farm-to-table dining when it opened in 2014. Chef-owner Peter Ryan works with local farms to source the best produce for dishes like spinach salad with Calabrian chile almonds and cracklin’ chicken with hot-honey mushrooms. Sit along the street on the restaurant’s rustic-chic brick-laden patio under soft lights when the weather permits. But outside tables are limited—and popular—so secure a spot by reserving well in advance.


Top review
Jody
Dined 4 days ago
Lovely farm-to-table restaurant with neighborhood feel and amazing food. We went for our anniversary and it did not disappoint. We shared the Hasselback sweet potato starter, I had the gnocchi (vegetarian) main course and my husband had the grilled venison rack. He finished up with the creme brûlée. Wish there were more vegetarian options for main course. Service was great (without being overly attentive) and we look forward to going back!!
A photo of Happy Camper Pizza restaurant
4.6
4.6 (361)
$30 and under
Pizzeria
The Strip
About the restaurant

The airy lot at Happy Camper is decked with twinkle lights, picnic tables, and faux grass. The lively beer, cocktail, and comfort food spot comes from Chicago, where the two original locations are going strong. Given its Windy City roots, it’s no surprise pizza is a big deal here. And the alfresco fun doesn’t stop once the summer ends: A full canopy and outdoor heaters give diners full access to patio seats, even when it’s snowing.


Top review
Kelly
Dined 2 days ago
Took a large party of 14 there for a team dinner during a work conference, and it couldn't have been a better experience. The food was delicious, the service was exceptional (absolutely amazing waitress, and a very attentive manager). The vibe was perfect and everyone left extremely happy. I imagine this will be our annual spot for our big convention.
A photo of Ace Eat Serve restaurant
4.6
4.6 (921)
$30 and under
Asian
Uptown
About the restaurant

Play a couple of rounds of ping pong before digging into ramen and spicy tiger wings at this high-energy Uptown restaurant. Ace Eat Serve lives in what used to be a mechanic’s garage and is loved for a large open space ideal for year-round outdoor dining on a partially covered and heated patio. Ping pong tables pack the place, but even if you don’t play, the creative pan-Asian plates and an eclectic sake and craft cocktail menu are reason enough to spend an evening here.


Top review
Amanda
Dined on Nov 30, 2024
The food was amazing, the drinks were fantastic, and the service was great! We were also pleasantly surprised that they were doing a holiday pop up, so we got to sit in a festive area while enjoying our dinner!
A photo of Acreage by Stem Ciders restaurant
4.3
4.3 (1548)
$31 to $50
American
Lafayette
About the restaurant

This orchard-side cider house restaurant is about 30 minutes from Denver and has one of the dreamiest mountain views around. Snag a reservation on the outdoor deck for the full foothills effect, or grab a seat in the dog-friendly cider garden. The menu changes with the seasons, but you might find tasty cider-friendly food like Asiago lobster dip, or a Colorado lamb burger with goat cheese. Plus, there’s a playground and large kid-friendly lawn, which make it great for the whole family.


Top review
Mark
Dined 4 days ago
Fun winter menu. Excellent service from Mar and her team. Yay!
A photo of Linger restaurant
4.6
4.6 (7643)
$31 to $50
Global, International
Highlands
About the restaurant

Sweeping downtown views are the draw at this LoHi eatery, best experienced at sunset. Linger is all about global street food, and the outdoor menu is a more compact version of what’s served inside—a lot of it gets dished out from a food truck perched on the rooftop. Get a warm-weather drink like a frozen rosé or a rum-forward frozen Painkiller and snack on Korean fried chicken bao, salmon poke tostadas, and king trumpet skewers.


Top review
Tracey
Dined 2 days ago
Fantastic food! We ordered a number of dishes and had them family style so everyone could try everything which was great…no dish disappointed. We also appreciated that the music was at a level where it added ambience but didn’t hinder conversation by being too loud. Service was prompt and attentive, and the dishes came out as they were ready instead of all at once so that we always had a hot dish ready to try. This will definitely be the place I bring out-of-towners to when they visit, as well as our family’s go to.
A photo of Tamayo Restaurant restaurant
4.4
4.4 (4384)
$31 to $50
Contemporary Mexican
Downtown / LoDo
About the restaurant

A recently expanded outdoor space at this downtown Mexican destination means you can now choose whether you want to sip your margaritas on the lower level patio or take the party to the roomy, flower-filled roof deck and look out over the Rocky Mountains. There’s no wrong answer, as long as you have smoked crab guacamole and chicken tinga enchiladas to feast on. No matter where you end up parking, it’s easy to see why this Richard Sandoval restaurant has been going strong since 2001.


Top review
Sejin
Dined today
The restaurant had excellent service and delicious food. Highly recommend walking around Larimer St before grabbing the mojito and ceviche.
A photo of Mizu Izakaya and Sushi restaurant
4.7
4.7 (751)
$31 to $50
Japanese
Highlands
About the restaurant

Mizu Izakaya is popular for a roomy outdoor seating area that can be curtained off when the Denver sun shines a little too brightly. In the warmer months, the windows open onto the patio, making part of the interiors feel breezy, too. Come winter, portable heaters keep things toasty. While sushi is the house specialty, the bustling izakaya also serves sizzling skewers, uni carbonara, and more. Wash it down with a drink from the large sake and cocktail menu.


Top review
OpenTable Diner
Dined on Nov 21, 2024
The food was amazing. Service was great. Also the drinks were unique. Will definitely be back.
A photo of West 29th restaurant
4.7
4.7 (1807)
$50 and over
American
Wheat Ridge
About the restaurant

This gem of a bistro is home to a quaint patio that feels like it could be plucked from a Parisian street with string lights and wrought-iron furniture. Large blue umbrellas shield you from the heat in the summer, and when the temps drop, there are bowls of steaming bison chili. West 29th’s warm and unpretentious backdrop is a great match for fuss-free French American food like ratatouille lasagna and pan-seared Colorado striped bass.


Top review
Joan
Dined 1 day ago
West 29th has been consistently good, food, service, atmosphere in the many years I've eaten there. Highly recommend.
A photo of Bar Dough restaurant
4.5
4.5 (1330)
$31 to $50
Italian
Highlands
About the restaurant

If this stretch of Highlands feels like an endless patio, it’s because Culinary Creative—the hospitality group behind Bar Dough—has other standout outdoor spots (Fox and The Hen, Highland Tap & Burger) on the block. When the Italian cravings hit, book a seat under an outdoor umbrella for chef Russell Stippich’s green garlic cream and roasted maitake pizza and duck fat potatoes. The restaurant’s outdoor space also shines in the winter for its patio heaters, fire pits, and festive lights.


Top review
mike
Dined 4 days ago
First time having their brunch. Extremely pleased with food choices and tastes. Friend said May have been most flavorful Benedict ever. On the list for a return brunch
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