Your Guide to Denver—From Your Fun Local Friend
If you’re looking for the tastiest food stops and must-do activities while visiting Denver, look no further. Here is local insight on what to experience during your stay in Denver.
The Best Breakfast Spots
- The French Press
- Fox & Hen
- The Urban Egg
Coffee Shops You Need to Try
- Convivio Café
- Moonflower Coffee
- Huckleberry Roasters
- Moore Bread
What To Do In Denver
- See the Populus Hotel
- Visit Red Rocks
- Check Out Thrift Shops
- Experience Meow Wolf
- Casa Bonita
- Visit the Rocky Mountains
- Book A Food Tour
- Look Into Local Events
Dinner In Denver
- Acova
- Root Down
Transportation
- Take the Light Rail
- Taxi/ Uber/ Lyft
- Car Rentals
Areas To Stay At In Denver
- RiNo
- LoDo
- LoHi
- Edgewater
- Lakewood
Best Breakfast Spots
The French Press
Fox & Hen
If you’re looking for a cute-pink brunch spot to bring your friends to, Fox & Hen is just your place. The atmosphere is a fun, trendy, energetic blend mixed with Fox & Hen decor. I loved how they offered a diverse brunch menu, from Tacos Con Juevos to PB and J stuffed French Toast. They also have a tasty lineup of Bloody Marys, mimosas, beer, and of course, coffee
The Urban Egg
In the case that you’re looking for a more traditional-style breakfast or brunch, The Urban Egg is your spot. They have exquisite options of the breakfast items you love, like Eggs Benedict, omelets, pancakes (which are my personal favorite), and so many others. This restaurant is located downtown, so if you’re looking to start your day in a walkable area, head to the Urban Egg.
Best Coffee Shops in Denver
Convivio Café
Convivio Café is not only delicious but also offers a unique take on the Denver coffee scene. It’s a Guatemalan inspired, immigrant, and women-owned coffee shop. It has an inviting atmosphere with loads of plants and a community feel. They also offer homemake most of their syrups and have gluten-free and other dietary restrictive options. My go-to order is always an iced vanilla latte and Empanadas—seriously, you have to try them.
Moonflower Coffee
Another phenomenal coffee shop is Moonflower Coffee. They have delicious lattes, matcha, and offer Ube lattes, which I haven’t seen at other Denver coffee locations. In the summer, they open up the garage door portion and have outdoor tables to sit at. This is one of my favorite spots to be productive at and have a yummy coffee
Huckleberry Roasters
Huckleberry Roasters is located on Tennyson, which is a great area to walk around, thrift, and explore—without feeling overwhelmed because it’s a rather small shop hub. Huckleberry is a great starting point for quality coffee while exploring a unique part of Denver. It’s right across the street from Second Love (one of my favorite thrift spots), lovely lunch locations like Hops & Pie, which has delicious gluten-free pizza, and adorable small-scale shops.
Moore Bread
Moore Bread is an honorable mention because while they do have a fabulous coffee selection like a Carrot Cake Latte and other unique beverage flavors, their main appeal is the selection of gluten-free and allergen accommodating breakfast items. I’ve tried their doughnuts and their breakfast sandwiches, and the texture, flavor, and overall experience of eating them were heavenly. So good that you’ll salivate at the thought of having another—I haven’t experienced gluten-free pastries in Denver that were as good
What To Do
See the Populus Hotel
You can simply go to enjoy the cuisine, stay at Populus, or visit for one of their themed cocktail nights. The design of Populus alone isn’t something you’ll see again, but if you also aim to travel sustainably, there is no better place to hang your hat than in one of their cozy nature-inspired rooms.
Visit Red Rocks
Every season, Red Rocks has a phenomenal music lineup; they’ve hosted incredible artists like Jimi Hendrix and even The Beatles. What most people don’t know is that Red Rocks holds other events outside of live music. Some of my personal favorite events are Film on The Rocks (where they play movies on a projector) and Yoga on The Rocks (an early morning yoga class).
🧘🏽♀️ Red Rocks Tour
Visit the Thrift Shops
Experience Meow Wolf
Wanting to leave the city without actually having to leave it? You need to step into the sci-fi art interactive art world at Meow Wolf. This is something special for locals and tourists alike, as you can choose to fully immerse yourself in the story of Meow Wolf and try to get clues to solve the puzzle, or simply just enjoy the unique artscape around you that challenges the boundaries of imagination
Casa Bonita
Visit the Rocky Mountains
Can you really say you visited Colorado if you didn’t get to see the Rocky Mountains? A visit to the Rocky Mountains in the summertime means seeing beautiful Columbines growing atop the mountain, Big Horned Sheep, and maybe even Elk and other wild life if you’re lucky. You’ll even get to enjoy a nice picnic with the beautiful landscape of the Rocky Mountain range.
Denver Union Station
Book A Food Tour
There are food tour options that allow you to experience cuisines in various districts of Denver, and along with this, I was sure to include a food tour that highlights Denver’s gluten-free cuisines for my fellow Celiac friends.
Look Into Local Events
Dinner in Denver
Acova
Acova is the place to take your family or friends for delicious cuisines and decadent desserts. This spot homes your favorite traditional American meals such as Sandwiches, Burgers, and Salads, but—with an unexpected twist. Nearly everything on the Acova menu is gluten-free or can be made gluten free, they also have vegetarian options.
The best part about the entirety of the Acova experience is that you aren’t compromising on anything, not the flavor of the accommodating cuisines, not the service, and definitely not the ambiance—it has such a charming vintage and contemporary flare.
Root Down
Another incredible gluten-free and vegetarian menu can be found at Root Down. This restaurant has a unique culmination of Thai, Columbian, American, and various other cuisines. An additional element that truly makes Root Down so special is their mission on sustainability. Root Down highlights ingredients sourced from local farmers and protiens that are sustainably raised.
Transportation
Light Rail
My friends and I frequently use the Light Rail to get around because it’s inexpensive and can get you to most places downtown without the burden of navigating roads and traffic. For instance, when I travel to the airport from where I live (which is a bit outside of Denver), I only pay around $12. Do keep in mind that traveling by the Light Rail will take longer than by car.
Taxing/ Uber/ Lyft
Car Rentals
I’ve never been old enough to rent a car until a month ago! However, upon my research, I did find that car rentals through Expedia will be your most budget-friendly bet, for around $10 a day. If you’re planning to explore the Rocky Mountains or nearby hikes, you need to rent a car or book an excursion with transport; otherwise, you’ll spend loads, and truthfully, I’m not certain that an Uber or Lyft will take you out that far.
Areas To Stay In
Thank you so much for reading my blog post “Your Guide to Denver–From Your Fun Local Friend”. Let me know in the comments if you’ve ever tried any of these locations out or if you’re planning to!
As always, happy traveling and talk to you soon!
Love,
Trin Travels 🍊
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