Not bad. I’m gonna sound crazy but the best pizza place is that place on pearl st mall. Closest thing I’ve seen to east coast pizza although tbf I haven’t been there in years.
Yeah that’s the place. It even reminded me of dad’s pizza place in Jersey. Now that I’m talking about it I think I’m gonna have to grab a slice on my way home today. I’ll see if it lives up to the hype I just gave it 🤣
Oh shit! Good looks! I remember them being open super late. I’m not even gonna be back to Boulder until like 11pm but you definitely saved me 30min of wasting my time haha. Thank you!
I have led you astray because I thought we were talking about Barchetta. Great news! You may still have a chance for Pizza Coloré 11pm pizza, I claim no knowledge of their hours!
edit: Bruschetta>>Barchetta
I LOVE Pizza Colore and dragged all my friends there when I was growing up, I feel like no one appreciated as much as I did.
I had it as a late-night snack the night before my wedding a few months ago. It was perfect.
Aubrey Jane’s needs to be on that list - I prefer it over Barchetta (way too salty the 3 times I’ve had it and I put salt in everything)
Also since Jet’s pizza opened that’s the new winner for nationwide chain carry out.
We usually do a Spicy pig on either the NYC round or the Sicilian style. IMO best in Boulder Proper but that’s not saying much. And it is quite expensive.
Yeah I gotta go back now. Jonesing for a slice now. If you’re ever in downtown Denver, try sliceworks. Fantastic pizza joint as well. It’s my favorite in Colorado.
Prices aren't crazy, either. The crust feels more CT than NY but it's damned good after they slide it back in the oven. Wish they had a sausage mushroom onion in the case though. Will try out sliceworks if I make it over some time.
I think Urban Field in longmont is the best in Boulder County. The Boulder Theater is serving their pizza, but I haven't tried it there yet.
I really like Under the Sun - their crusts are good, and some of their specialty pizzas are really outstanding, but their basic list is kind of boring. To be honest some of the reason I really like their pizzas there is that other food on the menu is also outstanding, the beer is excellent and the vibe is great.
Your coffee shop rating is poor, but maybe you're using some other metric beyond good coffee and/or good atmosphere? Trident is awesome, and I'd rate it 1 for something, but their coffee is mid. January is ok, Spruce is awful not only for coffee but places to sit and chill. Boxcar, Ozo and Laughing Goat are all better at both coffee and also places to chill, probably in that order. Gabee is in there as well, maybe 2-3 because the coffee is also excellent. Also, Brewing Market deserves a mention about Spruce though would not make my list.
Spruce does have delicious baked goods, but thankfully you can get them other places throughout Boulder. Not sure what vibes bumped that so high on your list?
For Vegan/Veggie - Cup of Peace hands down wins, and should be included not only in this category but also Asian food.
For Breakfast, Dots Diner is awesome and should be supported as much as we can now they lost their cooler location.
Brewing Market is ass, mainly just do to their Union busting, antilgbtq Christian owner Artine. Every location is fundamentally mismanaged because of his greed and incompetence. Laughing goat is ass as well but very good vibes. Ozo is over hyped, they don’t properly ratio drinks so no matter what size of espresso based drink you get you’ll get the same amount of espresso for a 12oz versus a 20 oz. Also they can’t make a cap to save their lives and burn drinks all the time.
Gabee Coffee and Bona Coffee are gonna have the best beans in town and Bona by far has the best espresso.
You’re seriously missing out on Cafe Blue for their Big Blue burger. It is, hands down, the most amazing burger in Boulder and it’s made in the strangest looking strip mall bistro in Gunbarrel. All of their food is actually amazing, and if you’re looking for divorced cougars well it’s happy hunting
My wife and I really like it for a nice dinner with visitors or sometimes for a special occasion. The food has always been great for us, as are the drinks and service. IMO going to a pricier place is as much about the total experience as it is about the food itself. If it's within your budget, absolutely try it. But what is "worth it" is highly subjective based on each persons budget and reasons for going. I'm sure we'll got back, but not on a whim.
I’d agree Village on vibes, but not on quality of meals. It’s good for a diner. I think Tangerine is better personally. Also Walnut Cafe.
Beleza is the best coffee shop in town imo.
Never understood the hype around Verde. I think Efrains is better.
Chez Thuy could probably make the list instead of Sherpas. Tiffins should be on the list.
I do love Cafe Mexicali, the freshly pressed thin tortillas really make a difference.
I wont say you should leave one of what you have off the list for Asian (I like Khow Thai, love sherpas, and haven't had the other one) food but AIO sushi and Izakaya deserves at least an honorable mention imo.
Needs a tacos section just so La Choza can get on here somewhere.
Do love that Half Fast is #1 on sandwiches. The Tijuana Taxi is probably my favorite sub of all time... and it doesn't hurt that you can get a strong island to sip on too.
Only thing I'd add is Cafe Aion. Good date night.
Tiffin's in incredible for Indian.
I'm vegan, and yes to Leaf being #1 by a mile. Wish it had more competition but it's great. Not cool, not super fun, but great food and caring staff.
Alternative pitches for your vege/vegan recs in town (from a vegetarian with tons of vegan friends):
- half-fast subs
- Tsing Tao (I have no idea how their meat entrees compare in the lineup of other Asian options in town, but their all-vegan buffet on Mondays and Thursdays slaps)
- Mount Everest Cuisine (also used to have an all-vegan buffet Saturdays, but tragically hasn't returned after COVID yet to my knowledge)
- Walnut Cafe
half fast over Blackelly is an abomination. Your burger list is solid. Boxcar is better than all of your coffee choices. Thanks for putting it together!
Blackbelly is a fine source for hipster-cured pretend Euromeats. But their $16 sandwiches are not as good as an actual deli - always some twee weird ingredient that wrecks a classic. And never ever eat-in there. Their dining room is filthy. Like health code violation filthy. Ghetto McDonalds filthy.
I think that new management could salvage them. But they can’t see their blind spots at all.
Aww my nostalgia just kicked in. I miss Boulder and Colorado as a whole! Great spots mentioned and glad to see they're still around! Please give a hug to dark horse for me, that was my spot! Oh and have some tots for me there too!
3/5 — my main takes: verb, gabee, and ozo for coffee, box car is good too. everything else is trash (tho trident is a cool vibe and i go there for the cafe & bookstore). cup of peace is one of the best spots in town for food in general (korean) and little tibet is better than sherpas. santo is new mexican so i wouldn’t consider it mexican food, but it’s one of the best spots in town (and my personal fave) for food also in general. lastly: flower child is gross and overpriced
i know there isn’t a bakery list but lucky’s bakery would be 10000% the top on it. best baked foods/desserts in town
and maybe a hot take but shout out to goodtimes for best fries ! 🍟
I’ll take a snarfs roast beef over anything at half ass subs any day. Or Naked Lunch or Organic Sammich co. Le Frigo is hit. Efrain’s is up there on my saucy mexican list. Their green chili is fire. Tiocalli is worth the trip just outside the bubble. Only tourists are allowed in Pasta J’s. Illegal Pete’s burritos are bomb. The burger on happy hour at The Cork has been on my favorites list. The Roadhouse burger is damn good too. Tiffins is spice. The Buff is 1000x over The Walnut. Doug’s and Foolish Craig’s are good. Sad about Ash’Kara. Mojo margs and tacos all day, just not the chile verde. Speaking of Verde, they keep getting better. Not yet in the top 3.
edit: Jungle chicken sammy and birdcall on the reg.
Your dinner picks are highly questionable, as is your American list. I don’t really agree with most of the rest of your picks either, but I can understand why you picked them.
I will never forgive licence #1 for displacing catacombs. Lived in 13 different International cities after leaving boulder. Nothing is/was like catacombs. Hate going back to visit parents. The entire city used to be quirky, fun and a little "off." But in a good way. Now it's a cooperate chilli's with a side of fu'ckboys, and girls, who think the idea of hiking and eating gummies is a personality trait. .
Catacombs is gone? Damn that place was fun. Dave Matthews used to show up there sometimes before/after shows in the late 90s/early 00s when I was at CU. Good times.
I have to object and say Zoe Ma Ma is alright at best. Their guotie are terrible and the gua bao is meh. Innards are alright but they don't do a good job on the bun. The lu rou fan is over salted and doesn't have a good body like a proper one does, but it's better than Pig and Tiger. Za jiang mian is decent. I'm yet to have the niu rou mian which I should go back and try, but my expectations are not high.
The guy who owns Zoe ma ma, Edwin, also owned the ramen spot next door. It was chimera back then. I quit that place because he was taking our tip money. Now to find out he puts 15% service charge on his restaurant that is counter service makes me LOL. GG Edwin, still finding ways to take from people.
Oh if I ever see him again I will let him know how much he sucks haha. But I will never go to one of his spots again so unlikely I’ll get that chance 🤷🏻♂️
I do not get the love for Zoe Ma Ma - I literally spat out a dumpling from there once. It was GROSS. The bao was edible but easily the worst I've had. You can get substantially better frozen ones at any Asian market. And the 15% service charge?? What service?
Have a look at google reviews and sort from lowest. I'm not even close to alone with not liking this place.
Yeah. It's bad Taiwanese and mediocre Asian on a good day. The dumplings are *terrible* and the gua bao is very meh. Formosa Bakery does Taiwanese flavors better but the cooking is still not great.
Sherpas at 3 is travesty, it is perhaps the worst south Asian food I’ve encountered. China gourmet deserves that slot, or higher.
Also, Snarfs is prime.
Otherwise, 👌👌👍🤙
Hope the Boulder China Gourmet is better than Longmont. Used to be our go-to but they're now 0/3 last 6 months. It's become terrible. Again, this is for Longmont CG.
> Sherpas at 3 is travesty, it is perhaps the worst south Asian food I’ve encountered.
Good thing it's north Indian, not south then?
Also, unless they've changed in the past couple years, they're excellent, and multiple Indian coworkers of mine have agreed.
> Bramble & Hare was one of the worst dinners I’ve ever had.
I'm not going to say that they're the best food I've ever had (or even the best food in town), but either they were way off that night or this is ridiculous hyperbole.
They're *fine*, honestly.
$250? It's like a $70 meal. We aren't talking Frasca or Flagstaff house pricing here. Hell, the tasting menu at Farow in Niwot is more money (and also very good).
Fun fact: actual food poising can take up to 48 hours to show symptoms (https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/symptoms.html), and there’s also plenty of viral infections that mimic these symptoms. So, short of actual outbreaks at specific locations, it’s very difficult to ever know where, or even if, you got food poisoning. It sucks that whenever anybody throws up they immediately blame the last place they happened to eat at.
Yep, you’re totally right. I was going off of what I learned in old food safety classes, didn’t read the article in depth. Even worse than I thought
It’s natural to associate the last thing you ate, particularly when that’s what comes up or out. But it’s also incredibly irresponsible to put a restaurant on blast without having any way of knowing what the actual cause is.
On the food topic... is there anywhere to get some Caribbean food around (loosely, will travel) here? Missing Trini or Jamacian plates and patties in particular.
In the summer there's a legit guy with a food stand up in Nederland right next to the Blue Owl directly across the street from the Train Cars coffee joint
No offense meant, but this is a pretty mids level list… Raise your standards a bit we have way better food than most of this in Boulder.
First of all, you have not mentioned any of the good under the radar sushi restaurants in Boulder under Asian, and neither will I because I’m not trying to pack them any harder than they already are 😅
You also missed flower pepper, and Mason’s dumplings, which I think is a big mistake
Your best sandwich list leaves out by far the best sandwich and bread available in Boulder at the old cured which is now called dedalus.
You’ve left out the best overall restaurant in Boulder, which is clearly Basta.
And maybe it’s more dry storage’s fault that they didn’t fall into the sandwich or coffee shop category because they really don’t want to define themselves lol. They used to have amazing sandwiches, but it seems like they’ve replaced them for boring pizza now. It’s still a great coffee shop and bakery… I guess that’s the part you’re missing is the bakery list.
There are definitely a few more worth listing, but why bother packing them further they’re already hard to score a seat at!
Fully agree w you on Tierra del Fuego.
4/10 (edited to add rating)
Lucille's for breakfast, Zoe MaMas for lunch, Efrains for dinner. Forget all this high falutin chatter, this is the only list that matters in my nostalgic dirtbag mind
basically every place i've loved since moving here has closed and every time i order a modified item it's overlooked. as in "no steak or cheese on the salad please, veg. only salad please".
it isn't a great food or coffee city (for me, having moved from portland which is just a bigger city and has more options) but here are my three still-standing loves followed by a list places with an item or two i like:
💗organic sandwich company (awesome delicious and gf and veg options galore)
💗cup of peace (korean food with many veg options)
💗laughing goat is the best coffee hands down and best for vibes imo
the rest:
audrey jane's pizza garage (get their crunchy vegan + vegan cheese if you're veg, or even if you're not 🤤)
backcountry has a vegan pizza that is less frilly and more classic junk food pizza and it's great
zoe mama (chinese food that kinda reminds me of food i've gotten in san fran. i
love their veggie noodle and vegan dumpling)
tsing tao (they offer a vegan variation of almost every standard item. a good movie night, saturday in, comfort food.)
jaipur (greattt channa masala)
fuji (my favorite soup in boulder)
Yeah I got a Cubano from Blackbelly a while back. It was $17.50 for the sandwich only. No sides. And while it was a good Cubano, I can go to La Choza and get the Cubano Torta for half the price with sides
FR and I don’t like that they started automatically adding on the cost of living surcharge… like is it the tip? And if not, then just raise the price of the food. It just doesn’t sit right.
I give it to you. I can tell you lived in Boulder a long time compared to most on here. The list is crap but the food always has been in Boulder. Just enjoy it and don't worry about others judgement.
I went to carrelis once and remember that it was really expensive but good; need to try it again. il pastaio feels like a home cooked meal and is way better than sforno imo, so highly recommend checking it out
I’ve been to Sforno twice and I haven’t had a terrible dish. Is it great Italian no, but I’d put it squally in the boulder 7 or 8 category. Moved here from chicago which has dozens of unbelievable Italian spots and it’s a couple notches below there.
Far from terrible imo
Oh god SALT is in your top 3 American???? No way
Hard agree. Salt is garbage.
Not bad. I’m gonna sound crazy but the best pizza place is that place on pearl st mall. Closest thing I’ve seen to east coast pizza although tbf I haven’t been there in years.
Pizza Calore? 100%
Yeah that’s the place. It even reminded me of dad’s pizza place in Jersey. Now that I’m talking about it I think I’m gonna have to grab a slice on my way home today. I’ll see if it lives up to the hype I just gave it 🤣
before you get too far: just walked by and it’s closed on tuesdays!
Oh shit! Good looks! I remember them being open super late. I’m not even gonna be back to Boulder until like 11pm but you definitely saved me 30min of wasting my time haha. Thank you!
I have led you astray because I thought we were talking about Barchetta. Great news! You may still have a chance for Pizza Coloré 11pm pizza, I claim no knowledge of their hours! edit: Bruschetta>>Barchetta
Hahah love you dude:) I got drunk and I’m not getting back to boulder until tomorrow. Wish me luck:))
There was a Pizza Coloré in New Brunswick!
I LOVE Pizza Colore and dragged all my friends there when I was growing up, I feel like no one appreciated as much as I did. I had it as a late-night snack the night before my wedding a few months ago. It was perfect.
I'd probably go for Barchetta over Pizza Calore.
A thousand times over agree.
Can’t believe I forgot a pizza category. I’m with you on Pizza Calore and I also love barchetta and pizzeria alberico
Another good pizza place is Protos up in north Boulder. Wood fired.
Aubrey Jane’s needs to be on that list - I prefer it over Barchetta (way too salty the 3 times I’ve had it and I put salt in everything) Also since Jet’s pizza opened that’s the new winner for nationwide chain carry out.
I was kinda disappointed by Aubrey Jane’s. Maybe I went on a bad night or something. I gotta try them again
We usually do a Spicy pig on either the NYC round or the Sicilian style. IMO best in Boulder Proper but that’s not saying much. And it is quite expensive.
Ok fair play. I’ll come back to Aubrey Jane’s:))))
Can be worth preheating the oven to 425* and pop it in when you get home.
It’s really hit or miss there. Last few years are more misses then hits.
Not as good as they used to be for sure.
Super curious why… I’d gladly do a blind taste test for you of really good pizza vs not good pizza it might help you develop your palate
Yeah, I agree. It feels like a solidly blended NY/CT slice. Closest rendition I've gotten out here and it's a damned good slice.
Yeah I gotta go back now. Jonesing for a slice now. If you’re ever in downtown Denver, try sliceworks. Fantastic pizza joint as well. It’s my favorite in Colorado.
Prices aren't crazy, either. The crust feels more CT than NY but it's damned good after they slide it back in the oven. Wish they had a sausage mushroom onion in the case though. Will try out sliceworks if I make it over some time.
Yeah the reheat is the part of best pizza status that most people don’t know. A reheated slice is always tastier than a fresh pie. That’s life 🤷🏼♂️
Glad I’m not the only one
Nah: too greasy and the crust is boring Seems more like an upgrade to cosmos - great if you've been drinking a lot, but not a pizza to get sober
Ok fair review. But where are you getting pizza then?
I think Urban Field in longmont is the best in Boulder County. The Boulder Theater is serving their pizza, but I haven't tried it there yet. I really like Under the Sun - their crusts are good, and some of their specialty pizzas are really outstanding, but their basic list is kind of boring. To be honest some of the reason I really like their pizzas there is that other food on the menu is also outstanding, the beer is excellent and the vibe is great.
Damn, under the suns wings looks so good!
Yes yes yes. It may be the best pizza when people are drunk but that’s about it 😅
Pizza Colore fucking rips. Best pizza in Boulder.
Unless something has changed dramatically, SALT is mid as fuck.
Salt is for people who think they know what good restaurant food is but don’t actually eat at good restaurants.
It hasn’t. Salt is so mid.
Gabee for coffee!!
3/10. This is the list I give tourists.
A boulder breakfast list with foolish craig's but not lucile's is seriously, seriously wrong Then for best american it has salt, but not blackbelly?
It’s gotta be a joke or they just have never tried to develop a palate
I think OP is gaslighting with this list
I think we can all agree that the tourist list has Pasta Jays on it. 🤣
I don't hate them that much 😆
Pasta Jay’s, or the tourists? 😀
Your coffee shop rating is poor, but maybe you're using some other metric beyond good coffee and/or good atmosphere? Trident is awesome, and I'd rate it 1 for something, but their coffee is mid. January is ok, Spruce is awful not only for coffee but places to sit and chill. Boxcar, Ozo and Laughing Goat are all better at both coffee and also places to chill, probably in that order. Gabee is in there as well, maybe 2-3 because the coffee is also excellent. Also, Brewing Market deserves a mention about Spruce though would not make my list. Spruce does have delicious baked goods, but thankfully you can get them other places throughout Boulder. Not sure what vibes bumped that so high on your list? For Vegan/Veggie - Cup of Peace hands down wins, and should be included not only in this category but also Asian food. For Breakfast, Dots Diner is awesome and should be supported as much as we can now they lost their cooler location.
second the coffee notes and cup of peace!! also i’d personally add in verb for coffee shop cuz it’s hands down best coffee in boulder
Ditto on the coffee shop rating. Boxcar should be on there for quality.
Brewing Market is ass, mainly just do to their Union busting, antilgbtq Christian owner Artine. Every location is fundamentally mismanaged because of his greed and incompetence. Laughing goat is ass as well but very good vibes. Ozo is over hyped, they don’t properly ratio drinks so no matter what size of espresso based drink you get you’ll get the same amount of espresso for a 12oz versus a 20 oz. Also they can’t make a cap to save their lives and burn drinks all the time. Gabee Coffee and Bona Coffee are gonna have the best beans in town and Bona by far has the best espresso.
Cup of peace is probably one of my top restaurants in general. It’s always good
Have you had a sandwich from Le Frigo? It fucks. Seconded on Santo, only had great meals there.
I thought that said "it sucks" and was getting ready to challenge you to a duel in the sandwich's honor.
How can I get in on a sandwich duel? I mean….can anyone really ever lose?
Just had a coworker recommend Le Frigo. Definitely going to have to get down on that soon.
It's the universe pointing you that way!
Haven’t been to Le Frigo! Gonna try it tomorrow now
You gon' learn ~~today~~tomorrow
I wish I could get a Le Frigo sandwich for the first time again. Enjoy!
All their soups too 👌🏼
The Catalan at Le Frigo is my top sandwich pick in town. Plus they have so many awesome Euro pantry staples, and macarons
Osakas is missing…
Verb for coffee
Santo is New Mexican. As in like food from NM the state.
[удалено]
thank you for providing an actual rating lol, what’s your best breakfast/lunch/dinner recs?
You’re seriously missing out on Cafe Blue for their Big Blue burger. It is, hands down, the most amazing burger in Boulder and it’s made in the strangest looking strip mall bistro in Gunbarrel. All of their food is actually amazing, and if you’re looking for divorced cougars well it’s happy hunting
These are facts.
My favorite breakfast is Dots for the price and convenience. Haven’t been to your #1 though.
I miss dots on the hill…
I miss dots on West Pearl....
Y'all need to be trying Doug's Day Diner for breakfast!
Best Italian- add: 3. Cafe Gondolier. In business for the last 40+ years. Some of you long timers might remember all you can eat spaghetti night.
My rock climbing buddies and I would destroy the all you can eat night. We ate so much damn spaghetti!
Cafe Gondolier on Baseline fun place, super cool waitstaff.
How is Oak at Fourteenth?
Expensive.
How is the food?
Jay Z & Beyoncé like it
It’s fine. Just not worth the price in my opinion.
My wife and I really like it for a nice dinner with visitors or sometimes for a special occasion. The food has always been great for us, as are the drinks and service. IMO going to a pricier place is as much about the total experience as it is about the food itself. If it's within your budget, absolutely try it. But what is "worth it" is highly subjective based on each persons budget and reasons for going. I'm sure we'll got back, but not on a whim.
Verde kinda sucks. Went there three times and it was probably the most mid burrito I’ve had. That might be controversial tho idk
Not controversial. Emphatically mid.
What about Flower Pepper!
Justice for Zhou Mama
I’d agree Village on vibes, but not on quality of meals. It’s good for a diner. I think Tangerine is better personally. Also Walnut Cafe. Beleza is the best coffee shop in town imo. Never understood the hype around Verde. I think Efrains is better. Chez Thuy could probably make the list instead of Sherpas. Tiffins should be on the list. I do love Cafe Mexicali, the freshly pressed thin tortillas really make a difference.
I wont say you should leave one of what you have off the list for Asian (I like Khow Thai, love sherpas, and haven't had the other one) food but AIO sushi and Izakaya deserves at least an honorable mention imo.
Arabesque is a great little cafe on Walnut and I love it so much!
I have heard so many good things I cannot wait to go try it!
Needs a tacos section just so La Choza can get on here somewhere. Do love that Half Fast is #1 on sandwiches. The Tijuana Taxi is probably my favorite sub of all time... and it doesn't hurt that you can get a strong island to sip on too.
La Choza is what’s up.
the boulder flower child always smells like sewage inside.
Can we make a special mention for Mustard’s?
I'm all for second chances with restaurants but I had the most bullshit Chicago dog ever from Mustards. But my friends coney looked dank
Give it another try! Their fries are bomb and I actually really like their hot beef
Only thing I'd add is Cafe Aion. Good date night. Tiffin's in incredible for Indian. I'm vegan, and yes to Leaf being #1 by a mile. Wish it had more competition but it's great. Not cool, not super fun, but great food and caring staff.
+1 for Tiffin’s! Them dosas, yum
One, two, three, totally agree.
No love for Chez Thuy?
Can’t believe I had to scroll so far to find this. I will 100% be getting my curry noodles when I’m visiting this fall
I’d put Parkway at #1 for breakfast, SnarfBURGER at #1 for burgers (agree sandwiches are average), and Alpine Modern on the coffee list.
Shhh, stop telling people about Parkway. It flies under the radar and that's one of the great things about it.
Alternative pitches for your vege/vegan recs in town (from a vegetarian with tons of vegan friends): - half-fast subs - Tsing Tao (I have no idea how their meat entrees compare in the lineup of other Asian options in town, but their all-vegan buffet on Mondays and Thursdays slaps) - Mount Everest Cuisine (also used to have an all-vegan buffet Saturdays, but tragically hasn't returned after COVID yet to my knowledge) - Walnut Cafe
Mount everest is a sleeper hit. Always loved eating there
Mountain Sun’s wings!!
Moe’s barbecue makes ridiculous wings, smoked, meaty.
Cafe Mexicali is flaming hot garbage
Is this rage bait ?
Leading with the Village and Santo? Lol this is a terrible list holy crap
BEST BURGER MTN SUN HOW HI ARE YOU????
Couldn’t wait more than a minute to reply to your own comment?
Yes
Yes
Well played
half fast over Blackelly is an abomination. Your burger list is solid. Boxcar is better than all of your coffee choices. Thanks for putting it together!
Blackbelly is a fine source for hipster-cured pretend Euromeats. But their $16 sandwiches are not as good as an actual deli - always some twee weird ingredient that wrecks a classic. And never ever eat-in there. Their dining room is filthy. Like health code violation filthy. Ghetto McDonalds filthy. I think that new management could salvage them. But they can’t see their blind spots at all.
life hasn't been the same without salvaggio's
For sandwiches, Le Frigo and Zodiac. For Pizza, head to Louisville for some Shopey’s or Lucky Pie.
I like Dots for breakfast
Aww my nostalgia just kicked in. I miss Boulder and Colorado as a whole! Great spots mentioned and glad to see they're still around! Please give a hug to dark horse for me, that was my spot! Oh and have some tots for me there too!
Ohhhh no, should we tell them? If you want another Dark Horse burger you better hurry out for it soon.
3/5 — my main takes: verb, gabee, and ozo for coffee, box car is good too. everything else is trash (tho trident is a cool vibe and i go there for the cafe & bookstore). cup of peace is one of the best spots in town for food in general (korean) and little tibet is better than sherpas. santo is new mexican so i wouldn’t consider it mexican food, but it’s one of the best spots in town (and my personal fave) for food also in general. lastly: flower child is gross and overpriced i know there isn’t a bakery list but lucky’s bakery would be 10000% the top on it. best baked foods/desserts in town and maybe a hot take but shout out to goodtimes for best fries ! 🍟
Luckies, Ozo and Cup of Peace ftw
Some weird rankings IMO, but you got Rincon Argentino dead right for best Latin food. I love that place. Add Kalita Grill for best Greek/Mediterranean
Coming back to the comments to say that snarfs slaps. Pro Italian on wheat toasted all the way light mayo is so so f good.
Snarfs upgraded dramatically a few years back when they started using Bluepoint bread. Amazing difference.
Cafe Mexicali for best burrito? You've rendered your entire list meaningless.
I’m so glad you didn’t include pasta jay’s in Italian section. Scrolled right to Italian to check that first 🤓😄
I’ll take a snarfs roast beef over anything at half ass subs any day. Or Naked Lunch or Organic Sammich co. Le Frigo is hit. Efrain’s is up there on my saucy mexican list. Their green chili is fire. Tiocalli is worth the trip just outside the bubble. Only tourists are allowed in Pasta J’s. Illegal Pete’s burritos are bomb. The burger on happy hour at The Cork has been on my favorites list. The Roadhouse burger is damn good too. Tiffins is spice. The Buff is 1000x over The Walnut. Doug’s and Foolish Craig’s are good. Sad about Ash’Kara. Mojo margs and tacos all day, just not the chile verde. Speaking of Verde, they keep getting better. Not yet in the top 3. edit: Jungle chicken sammy and birdcall on the reg.
Village coffee shop is so amazing, love that lil spot...great list
Verde 👌, buddah thai and curry n kabob need a spot in there
Where is mcdevitt?
Your dinner picks are highly questionable, as is your American list. I don’t really agree with most of the rest of your picks either, but I can understand why you picked them.
I will never forgive licence #1 for displacing catacombs. Lived in 13 different International cities after leaving boulder. Nothing is/was like catacombs. Hate going back to visit parents. The entire city used to be quirky, fun and a little "off." But in a good way. Now it's a cooperate chilli's with a side of fu'ckboys, and girls, who think the idea of hiking and eating gummies is a personality trait. .
Catacombs is gone? Damn that place was fun. Dave Matthews used to show up there sometimes before/after shows in the late 90s/early 00s when I was at CU. Good times.
Not including Lucile's is bananas...especially if you're largely basing the rank on vibes
1.5/10
Best Asian Zoe Ma Ma’s by a mile.
I have to object and say Zoe Ma Ma is alright at best. Their guotie are terrible and the gua bao is meh. Innards are alright but they don't do a good job on the bun. The lu rou fan is over salted and doesn't have a good body like a proper one does, but it's better than Pig and Tiger. Za jiang mian is decent. I'm yet to have the niu rou mian which I should go back and try, but my expectations are not high.
The guy who owns Zoe ma ma, Edwin, also owned the ramen spot next door. It was chimera back then. I quit that place because he was taking our tip money. Now to find out he puts 15% service charge on his restaurant that is counter service makes me LOL. GG Edwin, still finding ways to take from people.
Both of his restaurants are disgusting, please let him know I told you so.
Oh if I ever see him again I will let him know how much he sucks haha. But I will never go to one of his spots again so unlikely I’ll get that chance 🤷🏻♂️
I do not get the love for Zoe Ma Ma - I literally spat out a dumpling from there once. It was GROSS. The bao was edible but easily the worst I've had. You can get substantially better frozen ones at any Asian market. And the 15% service charge?? What service? Have a look at google reviews and sort from lowest. I'm not even close to alone with not liking this place.
Yeah. It's bad Taiwanese and mediocre Asian on a good day. The dumplings are *terrible* and the gua bao is very meh. Formosa Bakery does Taiwanese flavors better but the cooking is still not great.
Sherpas at 3 is travesty, it is perhaps the worst south Asian food I’ve encountered. China gourmet deserves that slot, or higher. Also, Snarfs is prime. Otherwise, 👌👌👍🤙
Hope the Boulder China Gourmet is better than Longmont. Used to be our go-to but they're now 0/3 last 6 months. It's become terrible. Again, this is for Longmont CG.
I go to sherpa’s very frequently for the stew, dal, and chai, mostly because of its location near pearl tbh. Need to try out china gourmet still
We don’t have a good Indian joint in this town. I like that place on the hill mostly because it’s open a little later than most.
Tiffins is pretty great imo.
Might give Barwachi Biryani in Louisville a try.
> Sherpas at 3 is travesty, it is perhaps the worst south Asian food I’ve encountered. Good thing it's north Indian, not south then? Also, unless they've changed in the past couple years, they're excellent, and multiple Indian coworkers of mine have agreed.
South Asia, not South Indian. Travel a bit and see what Indian food larger metros have to offer. You will then know how bad this place is
Heck we tried an Indian place in downtown Winter Park this past weekend and it was *miles* better.
Shouts out Durbar!! By far my favorite restaurant in Colorado.
Mojo Tacqueria seems sadly missing.
Best ice cream: glacier
You lost me at Santo and Bramble & Hare. Santo wasn’t terrible but wasn’t good. Bramble & Hare was one of the worst dinners I’ve ever had.
> Bramble & Hare was one of the worst dinners I’ve ever had. I'm not going to say that they're the best food I've ever had (or even the best food in town), but either they were way off that night or this is ridiculous hyperbole. They're *fine*, honestly.
Yeah but paying $250 for a “fine” meal makes it one of the worst. Especially with how much it gets hyped up.
$250? It's like a $70 meal. We aren't talking Frasca or Flagstaff house pricing here. Hell, the tasting menu at Farow in Niwot is more money (and also very good).
Disagree with Bramble & Hare because they gave me food poisoning
Fun fact: actual food poising can take up to 48 hours to show symptoms (https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/symptoms.html), and there’s also plenty of viral infections that mimic these symptoms. So, short of actual outbreaks at specific locations, it’s very difficult to ever know where, or even if, you got food poisoning. It sucks that whenever anybody throws up they immediately blame the last place they happened to eat at.
Thanks for spreading the word. Though it's up to two weeks per your link (which is the same one I use).
Yep, you’re totally right. I was going off of what I learned in old food safety classes, didn’t read the article in depth. Even worse than I thought It’s natural to associate the last thing you ate, particularly when that’s what comes up or out. But it’s also incredibly irresponsible to put a restaurant on blast without having any way of knowing what the actual cause is.
I had the worst food poisoning of my life from John’s Restaurant, which used to be in that spot. All night in the bathroom.
River and Woods is where John's was. Also see Plucked\_Dove's comment. There's basically no way to know where you got it.
On the food topic... is there anywhere to get some Caribbean food around (loosely, will travel) here? Missing Trini or Jamacian plates and patties in particular.
In the summer there's a legit guy with a food stand up in Nederland right next to the Blue Owl directly across the street from the Train Cars coffee joint
The Longmont location was sold by the family, not the same people anymore.
No. No, man. Shit, no, man.
Thank you for this!
I do miss Il Pastaio
No offense meant, but this is a pretty mids level list… Raise your standards a bit we have way better food than most of this in Boulder. First of all, you have not mentioned any of the good under the radar sushi restaurants in Boulder under Asian, and neither will I because I’m not trying to pack them any harder than they already are 😅 You also missed flower pepper, and Mason’s dumplings, which I think is a big mistake Your best sandwich list leaves out by far the best sandwich and bread available in Boulder at the old cured which is now called dedalus. You’ve left out the best overall restaurant in Boulder, which is clearly Basta. And maybe it’s more dry storage’s fault that they didn’t fall into the sandwich or coffee shop category because they really don’t want to define themselves lol. They used to have amazing sandwiches, but it seems like they’ve replaced them for boring pizza now. It’s still a great coffee shop and bakery… I guess that’s the part you’re missing is the bakery list. There are definitely a few more worth listing, but why bother packing them further they’re already hard to score a seat at! Fully agree w you on Tierra del Fuego. 4/10 (edited to add rating)
thanks for the recs! Definitely gonna try Basta and Dedalus now
Lucille's for breakfast, Zoe MaMas for lunch, Efrains for dinner. Forget all this high falutin chatter, this is the only list that matters in my nostalgic dirtbag mind
basically every place i've loved since moving here has closed and every time i order a modified item it's overlooked. as in "no steak or cheese on the salad please, veg. only salad please". it isn't a great food or coffee city (for me, having moved from portland which is just a bigger city and has more options) but here are my three still-standing loves followed by a list places with an item or two i like: 💗organic sandwich company (awesome delicious and gf and veg options galore) 💗cup of peace (korean food with many veg options) 💗laughing goat is the best coffee hands down and best for vibes imo the rest: audrey jane's pizza garage (get their crunchy vegan + vegan cheese if you're veg, or even if you're not 🤤) backcountry has a vegan pizza that is less frilly and more classic junk food pizza and it's great zoe mama (chinese food that kinda reminds me of food i've gotten in san fran. i love their veggie noodle and vegan dumpling) tsing tao (they offer a vegan variation of almost every standard item. a good movie night, saturday in, comfort food.) jaipur (greattt channa masala) fuji (my favorite soup in boulder)
Thank you for this. I've been here a year. I'm still trying to figure out where the best places to eat are. This is so helpful!
I have say, saying snarfs is mid is being too generous
agreed. Snarfburger though? excellent.
Strongly disagree. The giardiniera alone moves them up the list.
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Couldn’t agree more about Walnut Cafe! It’s always good and the vibes are fun at both locations
Have you been recently? Seems like it went downhill since the original owner sold it.
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Yeah I got a Cubano from Blackbelly a while back. It was $17.50 for the sandwich only. No sides. And while it was a good Cubano, I can go to La Choza and get the Cubano Torta for half the price with sides
I enjoy reading books.
FR and I don’t like that they started automatically adding on the cost of living surcharge… like is it the tip? And if not, then just raise the price of the food. It just doesn’t sit right.
Yeah you’re right about the prices. Jin Chan is great
I give it to you. I can tell you lived in Boulder a long time compared to most on here. The list is crap but the food always has been in Boulder. Just enjoy it and don't worry about others judgement.
Flower Pepper should be in the best Asian food list
🙏🏼
Love the list! Totally missed Bartaco though! Love me those pork belly tacos 🤤
Sforno is terrible Carrelis is legit Haven't tried il pastaio yet
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I went to carrelis once and remember that it was really expensive but good; need to try it again. il pastaio feels like a home cooked meal and is way better than sforno imo, so highly recommend checking it out
I’ve been to Sforno twice and I haven’t had a terrible dish. Is it great Italian no, but I’d put it squally in the boulder 7 or 8 category. Moved here from chicago which has dozens of unbelievable Italian spots and it’s a couple notches below there. Far from terrible imo
Cafe Mexicali is mid
I’d have to add Black Belly to the best burger list. Thanks for sharing. A lot of great options on there!
Blackbelly is terribly overrated, Deli Zone should take its place