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Why is Denver known for its burgers?
- There are so many fantastic burger places in Denver that it makes you wonder whether they eat anything else.
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How has the burger scene in Denver evolved?
- The wealth of good burger bars has created some friendly competition that has, to everyone’s delight, raised the bar in quality, as the famous Denver Burger Battle can attest.
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What kinds of burger bars can be found in Denver?
- The burger bars range from counter-serve places such as Larkburger, who pride themselves on the simplicity of their burgers and on returning to their roots, to incredibly innovative places where world-class chefs try their hand at reinventing burgers, such as Park Burger.
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1. Highland Tap and Burger
With wall-to-wall flat-screen TVs, a serious lineup of local microbrews on tap, pub grub raised to a gourmet level, and a fun patio for those rare warm days, Highland Tap and Burger is extremely popular and can get very lively and rowdy on a game night. Everything on the menu is outstanding: common chicken wings are not common at all, they are first smoked in whiskey barrel chips and come with the pub’s signature sauce and house-made blue cheese dressing. The mac & cheese is made with three kinds of cheese and the fries are fried in duck fat.
But the best surprise is their burgers. They start with a 1/3 pound of all-natural, hand-picked local Angus beef. Their top seller is the Tap Burger with Eli's root beer-pulled pork, American and cheddar cheeses, "Mamas Pilsner" onion rings, and their signature sauce. Or you can get the burger that won the Denver Burger Battle – a beef patty with sautéed mushrooms, Emmental cheese, white truffle aioli, and optional shaved foie gras. This is a burger for kings.
2219 W 32nd Ave, Denver, CO 80211, Phone: 720-287-4493
2. Nickel
Located in the lobby and the main floor of the popular Hotel Teatro, Nickel is a nicely decorated, comfortable, and spacious American bistro-style restaurant with a mix of rustic touches, interesting local textiles, and a gleaming open kitchen where Chef Chris Thompson prepares locally sourced meals with a strong focus on Colorado flavors – even the rotisserie wood is cut nearby.
Dishes are surprisingly simple, allowing the ingredients to burst with flavors, the presentation is fantastic, and the desserts are inventive. Nickel is a popular brunch place with a large menu that includes bottomless mimosas and White Russians. Charcuterie is the main focus, and their Nickel Brunch Burger consists of a double beef patty soaked in sausage gravy, topped with egg yolk and Gouda cheese, and served with shoestring potatoes.
1100 14th St, Denver, CO 80202, Phone: 720-889-2128
3. Ophelia's Electric Soapbox
Ophelia's Electric Soapbox is an enormous, multilevel restaurant, bar, dance hall, and live music venue in the Ballpark neighborhood. The décor is “boudoir-style” as a tribute to the building’s past – it occupies the ground floor of a former bordello, peep-show parlor, and flophouse, providing the Ophelia with the nickname “gastrobordello.” Colors are over the top and lively, much décor is adult-themed, but the atmosphere is hopping, the live music bands are excellent, and the food is right there with the entertainment.
They modestly describe it as “flatbread pizzas, small plates, and burgers,” but everything they serve is innovative, bursting with flavors, and quirky. Their Spanish Bacon Burger is served on an house-baked milk bun and loaded with olive tapenade, sunny side egg, arugula, and romesco aioli. You can also find a Colorado yak burger, Scandinavian duck meatballs, and Belgian mussels.
1215 20th St, Denver, CO 80202, Phone: 303-993-8023
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