BBQ
LULU’S BBQ
701 Main St., Louisville, 720-583-1789
Longmont Winner: Georgia Boy’s BBQ Company Lyons Winner: Smokin’ Dave’s BBQ & Taphouse Honorable Mention: KT’s BBQ (Broomfield); The Rib House (Longmont)
There’s nothing quite like authentic Texas Hill Country style BBQ, especially when it’s cooked low and slow. Ideally over wood chips and coal blocks of mesquite and hickory. Beef brisket and ribs cooked so painstakingly that they fall apart at the lightest touch. Tangy and rich vinegar or mustard sauces plop onto the little meatstack you’ve assembled and when it touches your tongue, it’s like dipping into an alpine hot spring on a chilly evening or rubbing aloe on badly sunburned quadriceps. Deliciously tasty, Lulu’s BBQ is right for any occasion, with their down home sides like fried okra and a backyard picnic atmosphere that will remind you of old times, right in the heart of downtown Louisville.
Indian
TAJ MAHAL III
1075 E. South Boulder Road, Suite 145, Louisville, 303-926-0999
Runner Up, East County: Tibet’s Restaurant & Bar (Louisville) Longmont Winner: Flavor of India Restaurant & Bar Honorable Mention: Everest Restaurant (Longmont); Azitra (Broomfield)
Sometimes we all need an escape, but it’s easier said than done. Instead of dropping a couple of grand on a luxurious trip to India, maybe take a Tuesday evening and head to Taj Mahal III in Louisville and let their fine Indian cuisine delight your senses and give your imagination the fuel it needs to transport your metaphysical self to the white marbled mausoleum on the bank of the Yamuna River. Start your journey with some vegetable samosas or perhaps chicken pakora. Then dive into the smoky taste of a tandoori dish, hot out of the oven and paired with mint-cilantro and tamarind chutneys. It’s hard to choose from the list of curries, masalas, kormas, saags, vindaloos, bhuna dishes and biryanis. Most entrees have a vegetarian option as well. Perhaps before you start your mental journey back home you’ll take in a creamy dish of kheer sprinkled with almonds and pistachio. At the end you’ll feel relaxed, full, cultured… and you won’t have dropped a couple of grand.
Ice Cream
SWEET COW ICE CREAM
637 Front St., Louisville, 303-666-4269 Lafayette Winner: Eats & Sweets Longmont Winner: Cold Stone Creamery Honorable Mention: Glacier Homemade Ice Cream & Gelato (Longmont); Scrumptious (Longmont)
Ice cream is made from milk. Milk comes from cows. This ice cream comes from sweet cows and colorful cows, and smiling cows. Although Sweet Cow Ice Cream has expanded into Denver and Boulder, the Louisville shop is the original, with original flare. Featuring 22 daily flavors, with nine year-round staples and two unique sorbets for nondairy folks, it’s difficult to choose which one to fill your waffle cone with. But don’t worry, the servers are fun, nice and accommodating so you can taste them all before purchasing just the right one.
Niwot Restaurant
COLTERRA
210 Franklin St., Longmont (Niwot), 303-652-0777 Runner Up: Niwot Tavern Honorable Mention: Treppeda’s; The Garden Gate Cafe; Ajuua Mexican Restaurant
Colterra springs from the passion its famed chef, Bradford Heap, has for using locally produced foods at the peak of their freshness and flavor. Trained in both classic French and Northern Italian styles, Chef Heap has developed a large and loyal following of foodies who seek out the simple, clean flavors of his always imaginative dishes. Colterra has a fantastic stone patio under massive 100-year-old trees that give the restaurant an ambiance to match its food. Our readers have chosen wisely with this pick, to be sure.
Asian Fusion
BUSABA
133 S. McCaslin Blvd., Louisville, 303-665-0330 Lafayette Winner: Pho Cafe Longmont Winner: East Moon Asian Bistro Honorable Mention: Bao Asian Fusion and Sushi Bar (Louisville); Urban Thai (Longmont)
Busaba has been satisfying Boulder County residents with exquisitely prepared Southeastern Asian cuisine since 2010. In fact, we don’t need to tell you that — this is Busaba’s second consecutive year as reigning champ in the Best of East County Asian fusion category, so you’re well aware of the colorful delights Busaba has to offer, from chicken satay to tom yum to pad Thai to masaman curry. Wanna turn up the heat on that curry? Well, order it Thai hot and prepare to sweat like a bottle of Coke at an August barbecue in Atlanta. We warned you.
Food Truck
COMIDA
Neighborhoods and office parks all along the Front Range Lafayette Winner: El Mercado De Lafayette Honorable Mention: Burger Radio; Verde; RollinGreens
Tina is a very outgoing girl. She’s an independent, free-spirit born to delight Coloradans with Mexican cuisine. Great to hang out with for an afternoon, she is a must have at any party and an awesome wing-woman on a date or at the obligatory co-worker luncheon. Everyone’s favorite bright pink food truck, Tina is the home-on-wheels of Comida, and it’s about time you made your friendship official with a “like” on Facebook so that you’ll always know where to find her. Whether she’s serving up smoked pork tacos drizzled with habanero salsa or shrimp and jalapeno grits, Tina’s got something cooking that’ll make your lips smack with anticipation. Tina’s food is so good that she bore two brickand-mortar Comida restaurants of her very own.
Mexican
EFRAIN’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT & CANTINA
451 S. Pratt Parkway, Longmont, 720-494-0777 101 E. Cleveland St., Lafayette, 303-666-7544 Runner Up, East County: Santiago’s Mexican Restaurant (Longmont, Lafayette) Louisville Winner: Casa Alegre Honorable Mention: 3 Margaritas (Longmont, Superior); Comida (Longmont)
Efrain’s has a reputation. Anytime anyone says they haven’t been there, all their friends will stop and say, “You haven’t been there? It’s so good!” And that’s because it is. That’s why our readers keep voting it the best Mexican food in East County. If you haven’t yet experienced their green chili or tamales or burritos or enchiladas, then clear your schedule and head on over as soon as possible. Efrain’s is a good as it gets. This place has that extra bit of love that makes it special, and the margs are fantastic as well.
Japanese
SUSHI HANA
2065 Main St., Longmont, 303-485-1055 Runner Up, East County: East Moon Asian Bistro (Longmont) Louisville Winner: Bao Asian Fusion & Sushi Bar Honorable Mention: Sakura Japanese Cuisine (Longmont); Tokyo Joe’s (Longmont, Louisville)
Boulder County is home to some fantastic Japanese restaurants, and so it’s a real testament to the quality of Sushi Hana that they took home best in East County. Sushi Hana serves fresh and unique fare that delights folks of any culinary sensibility. It’s equally great for quick meals or nights out. You’ll love their sushi, sashimi and udon noodle bowl choices. They accommodate a ton of food preferences, and you’ll leave feeling satisfied — satisfied not only in the wonderful fare of Sushi Hana, but also in the knowledge that great Japanese food is just a step away in Boulder County. Be sure and sit at the bar if you can. These chefs put on quite a display of sushi perfectionism.
Chinese
SPICE CHINA
269 McCaslin Blvd., Louisville, 720-890-0999 Lafayette Winner: Colorado Wok Longmont Winner: East Moon Asian Bistro Honorable Mention: Ting’s Place (Lafayette); Double Happy (Louisville)
If you’re looking for a dining experience that offers something special for all the senses, then Spice China in Louisville is the place for you. The space features contemporary Western design, yet it incorporates Chinese art — including a 90-foot mural by artist Anna Peng — into the experience. Add in great sushi as well as dishes with a Shanghai influence and with house specials and you can’t go wrong. The bar and drink selection is another reason our readers love this place.
Business Lunch
THE ROOST
526 Main St., Longmont, 303-827-3380 Runner Up, East County: Samples World Bistro (Longmont) Lafayette Winner: 95a Bistro & Sushi Louisville Winner: Parma Trattoria-Mozzarella Bar Honorable Mention: Waterloo (Louisville)
First of all, let’s get this out of the way: The Roost is a great place for a business lunch.
With its downtown Longmont location and a crazy wonderful menu that takes you from polenta to a spicy Thai salad to a short rib sandwich and all points of flavor in between, The Roost is a great way to impress a client or reward an employee. But more importantly, this restaurant represents the dream of its owners and that comes through loud and clear. It’s a place where creatives can shine and 10 percent of profits go to charity. In short, The Roost is good for business because it is anything but business as usual.
Sandwich
SNARF’S 645 Ken Pratt Blvd., Longmont, 303-774-1441 2130 Mountain View Ave., Longmont, 303- 702-1111
Lafayette Winner: Eats & Sweets Louisville Winner: Jersey Mike’s Subs Honorable Mention: Moxie Bread Co. (Louisville); Your Butcher, Frank (Longmont)
Nothing puts a damper on your lunch break like a sub-par sandwich. Expecting magnificence, you bite into soggy bread, barely supporting limp vegetables and strange meats, but never at Snarf’s. Locally known as a reliable place to get a timely sub, cheese steak or a variety of specialty sandwiches, the sandwich joint uses the freshest ingredients, meats and cheeses. They always manage to produce sandwiches quickly and accurately, made even more delicious by their homemade bread. The sizeable portions don’t end at subs, though, with salads and soups available as well. Friendly faces and reliable ingredients make this restaurant the best place to spend your savored 30 minutes.
Restaurant Dessert
THE HUCKLEBERRY
700 Main St., Louisville, 303-666-8020
Runner Up, East County: Parma Trattoria-Mozzarella Bar (Louisville) Lafayette Winner: The Post Brewing Co. Longmont Winner: Samples World Bistro Honorable Mention: The Melting Pot (Louisville)
Huckleberries, if you’ve never had one, are quite tasty. They are related to the blueberry and taste much the same, especially the blue and purple varieties. The huckleberry is perfect for baking into pies and pastries, which is why Louisville restaurant The Huckleberry made the delicious berries its name sake and painted the exterior of their building a lovely shade of lavender. While you can certainly get a huckleberry pie at The Huckleberry, the fun doesn’t stop there. Call before you head over to The Huck to see what they have prepared that day, but rest assured there will be a delectable range of cakes, pies, cookies, pastries and breads to choose from, including vegan and gluten-free options.
Italian
PARMA TRATTORIA-MOZZARELLA BAR
1132-1 W. Dillon Road, Louisville, 303-284-2741 Runner Up, East County: Zucca Italian Ristorante (Louisville) Longmont Winner: Pinocchio’s Italian Eatery Honorable Mention: Via Toscana (Louisville); Blue Parrot (Louisville)
From its freestanding fireplace to its cozy yet open feel, Parma Trattoria-Mozzarella Bar offers a contemporary Italian dining experience in tune with the values of the Emilia-Romagna’s region. This restaurant’s philosophy of using organic, locally grown ingredients whenever possible is right in line with the desires of Boulder County’s food-sophisticated crowd. Whether its salmone in salsa verde, lasagna Bolognese, risotti, ravioli, a signature pizza or an evening at the mozzarella bar, there is something special waiting for you at Parma. It’s clear our readers know their Italian food.
Restaurant Ambiance
COLTERRA
210 Franklin St., Longmont (Niwot), 303-652-0777 Lafayette Winner: The Post Brewing Co. Louisville Winner: Zucca Italian Ristorante Longmont Winner: Samples World Bistro Honorable Mention: Parma Trattoria-Mozzarella Bar (Louisville)
Ahundred years ago, the ankle-high trees sprouting up along Franklin Street in downtown Niwot could never have imagined their future. They could never have predicted that one day they would be massive, six-story-tall, hundred-year-old trees looking down on the flagstone patio of Colterra, one of the state’s finest restaurants, watching patrons as they browse the extensive wine list at the tables next to the gardens. Inside, the historic old home that outdates the trees has been renovated into a contemporary white-tablecloth setting that has kept its multi-room coziness with earth tones and obvious attention to every detail. Our readers know what they like, and they like Colterra.
Donuts
LAMAR’S DONUTS
133 S. McCaslin Blvd., Louisville, 720-890-3875 Longmont Winner: Winchell’s Donut House Honorable Mention: Daylight Donuts (Longmont)
Donuts, go nuts! Donuts are great because they can be dense and cake-like, or puffy like a pastry. They can be the firm mattress of sweet dreams, or the fluffy pillow of Slumbertown. Plus, eating a bunch of donuts is likely to put you into a sleepy daze of joy. Now, the doughnuts at LaMar’s Donuts in Louisville are about as intoxicating a pastry as they come, with dozens of donut varieties, muffins, donut holes and other baked goods. Stop in, eat a bunch and hop aboard the train to Pleasuretown.
Pizza
LUCKY PIE PIZZA & TAPHOUSE
637 Front St., Louisville, 303-666-5743
Lafayette Winner: Proto’s Pizzeria Napoletana Longmont Winner: Rosalee’s Pizzeria Honorable Mention: Abo’s Pizza (Louisville, Longmont, Erie, Niwot); Old Chicago (Longmont, Superior)
What can you say? Even the dough at Lucky Pie Pizza & Taphouse is organic and made fresh daily. They use locally sourced, organic ingredients as often as possible and their handcrafted artisanal pizza is quite simply the best around according to our readers. Just close your eyes and think prosciutto, truffle ricotta, smoked mozzarella, fig, red pepper pesto and arugula. Now open your eyes because you’re probably already on your way to Lucky Pie, and we wouldn’t want you to run over a cat or something before you get to dive into one of Lucky Pie’s amazing pizz
Sushi
SUSHI HANA
2065 Main St, Longmont, 303-485-1055
Lafayette Winner: 95a Bistro & Sushi Louisville Winner: Bao Asian Fusion & Sushi Bar Honorable Mention: Sakura Japanese Cuisine (Longmont); East Moon Asian Bistro (Longmont)
Back in 1983, rock band Styx did the world a favor by bringing cultures together with their hit “Mr. Roboto.” They taught us all that “thank you very much” in Japanese is “domo arigato.” You’ll need that knowledge when heading to our voter favorite Sushi Hana. With a blend of flavors and textures and colors, every plate at Sushi Hana is beautiful and delicious. The extensive menu features so many appetizing options you’ll want to order one of everything. After your meal, with a full belly, you’ll be arigato-ing everyone in the restaurant.
Gluten-Free Menu
MORNING GLORY CAFE 1377 Forest Park Circle, Lafayette, 303- 604-6351 Longmont Winner: Sun Rose Cafe Honorable Mention: Pinocchio’s Incredible Italian (Longmont); Martino’s Pizzeria (Lafayette)
Being gluten-free in Boulder County has luckily become a more manageable task than it used to be. Chefs have figured out how to make delicious dishes from every category sans gluten. Our readers say Morning Glory Cafe is the best for gluten-free meals. Stop in any time of day to experience such delights as pancakes, burgers or mac and cheese — all glutenfree! It’s an impressive selection, but more importantly, it’s a yummy selection. On top of an extensive menu, Morning Glory Cafe uses seasonal ingredients, local produce and Colorado meats. You’ll be satisfied with every glorious gluten-free bite.
