Best Brunch In Denver: The Definitive Guide
Those who live in Denver know the food scene is always evolving, especially the brunch scene, from microbreweries to international flavors to Southern comfort. But, finding the best brunch in Denver can sometimes be a bit difficult to find. With hundreds of restaurants in and near the Mile High City offering brunch menus, figuring out which one to pick is as easy as reading on!
Whether you are in the mood for a high-end meal or a more relaxed atmosphere filled with live music and bottomless cocktails, you will find exactly what you are looking for. Many of the best brunch spots do not stand on ceremony and treat you like family when you walk through their doors. Bring your friends, family, and appetite for a fantastic brunch in Denver.
Before heading to the restaurant, drop any excess baggage at a Denver luggage storage locker so you can relax and enjoy a few hours dining on delicious food and spending time with great friends. Be sure to check out one of these top brunch spots in Denver.
Senor Bear
Address: 3301 Tejon St, Denver, CO 80211
This is another great, moderately priced restaurant. Serving a terrific weekend bottomless brunch with a relaxing, charming ambiance, the place will have you feeling at ease. Playful cocktails and a bold, contemporary Latin American cuisine draw you in and make you want to stay for a few hours hanging out with friends.
Order the Dude Can’t Jump, one of their signature cocktails made with vodka infused with cacao nib, chiles, coffee, and stout foam, or a cachaca-spiked daiquiri to help you relax and yet, wake you up. The seasonal brunch menu has some of the best Latin fusion dishes in Denver such as the black-eyed pea and cabbage stew with cheese dumplings.
The chicken fried steak served with chimichurri grits is a mind-blowing twist on this classic dish. Order the BLT that is served on plantain toast and smeared with ají panca aioli. If you are looking for something extra flavorful, the avocado toast on brioche served with pistachio salsa and savory custard will hit the spot.
Snooze, an A.M. Eatery
Address: 2260 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205
The extensive menu at Snooze really has a little something for everyone! The brunch menu is filled with amazing choices such as French toast, seasonal frittatas, eggs Benedict, or pretty much eggs made any way including scrambled eggs, fried eggs, and poached eggs. You will definitely want to try the delicious breakfast pot pie with sausage gravy.
Snooze is best known for its pancakes and the flavor du jour that comes with them including chocolate-mint, butterscotch-graham cracker, or blueberry-lime-ginger. For a culinary experience like no other, order the pineapple upside-down hotcakes; your taste buds will thank you.
Finish your brunch by relaxing over a spiked coffee or spiced hot chocolate; you will thoroughly enjoy any of the drinks you choose, from their Bloody Marys to their bacon-infused bourbon. You can definitely kick back and chill out while catching up with friends or family. Bring your appetite and head over to Snooze for a weekend brunch.
Denver Biscuit Company
Address: 3237 East Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80206
The lowly biscuit is elevated at this moderately priced restaurant. Fluffy, flaky biscuits are the foundation of the Denver Biscuit Company’s menu and you will not find a better made biscuit in the city. Grab your friends and spend a lazy weekend morning or early afternoon enjoying a delicious brunch where the biscuit is the star of each sandwich.
The Dahlia is one of the Denver Biscuit Company’s most famous sandwiches and is made with a large, flaky biscuit topped with a thick sausage patty, fried egg, maple syrup, and apple butter. The Franklin is another crowd favorite and is made with a buttermilk biscuit topped with buttermilk fried chicken, cheddar, sausage, bacon, and mushroom gravy.
Expect to have a long wait on the weekends, plan about an hour wait before you are seated as the line will stretch around the corner. But this is definitely worth the wait! Be sure to order the Breakfast Sangria as soon as you are seated so you can sip this fruity drink while perusing the menu.
Citizen Rail
Address: 1899 16th Street Mall, Denver, CO 80202
Located inside the Kimpton Hotel, Citizen Rail is a sleek, moderately priced restaurant with lots of natural light, comfortable seating, and delicious dishes. The décor definitely makes you feel like you have stepped inside a luxurious train car. It is one of the best brunch spots in Denver to kick back and relax on the weekends.
Visit during brunch happy hour where you can get great two-for-one deals on daiquiris, Blood Marys, and select cocktails. Bottomless mimosas make brunch that much sweeter or build your own mimosas with three carafes of your choice of fresh juice and a bottle of Cava. You and your guests can create delicious and unique drinks.
Melt-in-your-mouth buttermilk biscuits are paired beautifully with smoked prosciutto, poached eggs, and thick sausage gravy. The fish and chips are iconic, the bacon cheeseburgers are thick and juicy, and the salads are fresh and crisp. The warm coffee cake is dripping with butter and sticky sweetness. The orange walnut roll or pumpkin bread are great choices, too, when you have a sweet tooth.
Onefold
Address: 1139, 1420 East 18th Ave, Denver, CO 80218
Step into Onefold and you will feel like you have entered your grandmother’s old farmhouse kitchen. The warmth, heavenly smells, and quaint décor of this small café will wrap you up and make you feel right at home. With only six tables and then a long counter overlooking the open kitchen. Grab a seat at the counter and watch the cooks work their magic.
Best known for their huge breakfast tacos, each one has to be rolled and pinned with a skewer. These amazing tacos are filled with duck fat hash browns, fluffy scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, chorizo and topped with mozzarella. Fresh salsa accompanies these monster tacos. The breakfast burrito is so enormous you can easily share it.
The berry crepes are filled with fresh, seasonal berries and sweet cream. But the duck confit congee complete with a poached egg on top and seasoned with chopped scallions and salted ginger. Classic brunch cocktails are available on the weekends. Finish your meal with a cup of flavorful coffee, either iced or hot.
El Five
Address: 2930 Umatilla, Fifth Floor, Denver, CO 80211
After a late night, this rather eclectic pan-Mediterranean lounge is one of the best places to visit for a weekend brunch. Their flamboyant cocktails are legendary and the wine list is internationally extensive. Make reservations early so you have a table during brunch, otherwise, you will be waiting for an hour or more. Come for the cocktails and stay for the tapas.
Expect to go on a culinary journey at this higher-end restaurant including an extensive meze and tapas selection. The Meds of Spread platter is a great way to start your meal. It has a variety of dips including charred carrot-peanut hummus, muhammara, creamed feta and red peppers, and served with fresh pita.
The matzo ball soup with homemade dumplings and the carne paella are two of their signature dishes that you will want to sample. Order a side of honey-glazed eggplant fries to accompany your main entrée. Sip a Pineapple Mint Collins or a glass of wine while you enjoy your dining experience at El Five
Rosenberg’s Bagels & Delicatessen
Address: 725 East 26th Ave, Denver, CO
Seeing Denver on a budget? When looking for a great brunch spot that will not break the bank, this is the place to go. Located in the Five Points neighborhood, Rosenberg’s Deli feels like you have stepped back in time with its vinyl banquettes and framed mirrors. You will really appreciate the great food being offered, from house-cured meats to smoked fish and of course their iconic bagels.
While you won’t find the more typical brunch foods such as French toast and buttermilk pancakes, you will find challah and babka, salad, rugelach and hamantaschen. Savor bagels of all different types and flavors and big tubs of cream cheese, but don’t expect to get your bagel toasted here, Rosenberg’s bagels are fresh and untoasted.
Their fish selection does change daily; the real prize is when you see cold-smoked trout available. You will want to order the trout with a spread of caviar cream cheese. The sandwiches are fantastic and each one has something special to send your taste buds into a tailspin such as the Wings of Pastrami, a pastrami-filled omelet with three different types of cheeses melted on top.
Rioja
Address: 1431 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80202
Make your reservations early for brunch at Rioja, this upscale restaurant is a popular weekend haunt. You will not find a run-of-the-mill Sunday brunch buffet here but a five-star dining experience that will leave your senses singing. While there are simpler menu options such as bananas foster French toast and basic breakfast sandwich, you will want to order something a bit more exotic.
The artichoke tortellini with white truffle sauce is one of their signature dishes as is the cardamom-scented pork belly laid over a garbanzo puree. Order a glass of Portuguese or Spanish wine to pair beautifully with your brunch. Expect to spend a small fortune when dining at Rioja, but it is an experience you will not soon forget.
Breakfast Restaurants and a Bloody Mary Bar
Whether you are in the mood for the best fried chicken, breakfast burritos, or simple blueberry pancakes, remember the Denver brunch scene is hopping! Choose from several amazing brunch places where you can find breakfast specialties, good ole' comfort food, and even a martini bar serving your favorite breakfast.
Grab your friends and find a great brunch spot with seating on their outdoor patio during the warm months and enjoy a lazy Sunday morning in downtown Denver. There is definitely something for every budget and every taste.
