Restaurant Reviews
An oldie but a goodie
For folks that have been in Colorado awhile, Beau Jo’s Pizza is a familiar quantity where nostalgia is as much a part of the experience as its signature pizza. Many fondly recall chowing down on Beau Jo’s “mountain” pies at its Idaho Springs location on the way back ...
Mediterranean simplicity
Sometimes all you want to eat is something cheap, quick and simple. Boulder’s Mediterranean Market fits this description to a T with the added bonus of dishing out unpretentious ethnic cuisine. Trappings here are basic and functional, and true to this establishment’s...
Pizza in the backcountry
Spun off from its namesake Nederland predecessor, Boulder’s recently opened Backcountry Pizza and Taphouse ably occupies the gap between chain restaurants and artisan pizzerias. It retains much of the unpretentious charm of its mountain parent, which is an ...
A classic diner standby still delivers
One does not live by New American locavore farm-to-table fare alone. Sometimes all one needs is a simple diner experience more suited to an unpretentious ’70s movie protagonist like Jack Nicholson’s character in Five Easy Pieces or Dirty Harry than some lightweight ...
Basta’s brunch among the best
Once known as Pizzeria Basta, the Boulder eatery now simply known as Basta still serves savory wood oven pies. But this name change more accurately reflects a menu offering much more than just pizza, which is a smart move. Because while I’ve always felt the pies here...
Experience it
I cringe when the third course arrives at Gold Hill Inn. I cringe because I realize there’s no way to describe this unique experience without feeling gross and unqualified...
A fresh take
The new Organic Sandwich Company on Pearl Street is very Boulder. It checks all the boxes on the Boulder restaurant checklist: organic ingredients, gluten-free and vegan options, posh Pearl Street location, modern and clean design, and a slightly higher than normal ...
Classy doesn’t have to be pricey
You know a restaurant is truly farm-to-table when the menu has to be printed daily. Don’t worry. The paper gets recycled. Chef Eric Skokan and his wife Jill deliver ingredients directly after a harvest from their 130-acre farm to sister restaurants Black Cat and ...
The water’s fine
One thing every diner needs in their toolkit is good, simple Asian food. Not simple in the sense that it’s of poor quality, but simple in the sense that it isn’t decorated to death, to the point of terminal tackiness. Just something approachably tasteful, and tasty...
Bar and grill bites that satisfy
Coming off the holiday season, a full-course dinner may seem excessive after weeks of seasonal indulgence. Something lighter is the order of the day, and if it can be enjoyed in an unfussy environment without spending too much, so much the better. The reasonably ...
A hut with potential
With ith a name like Elephant Hut, it’s initially unclear what’s served up at this Boulder restaurant, housed in 30th Street’s Steelyards development. Those with dark imaginations may envision it as akin to Pizza Hut, except with a certain massive land mammal ...
Snap judgment
At first glance, Casa Alvarez might as well be decorated exclusively in red flags. It occupies the back corner location of a 30th Street strip mall and has an interior that looks like every Mexican restaurant in every town, with light pastel coloring and tile, overly...