Boulder, Colorado, serves as the county seat of Boulder County and is approximately 30 miles northwest of Denver. Visitors to Boulder can find a variety of dining options in the city's downtown area. Restaurants in downtown Boulder have received high-ratings and awards for their cuisine, which include Italian, international and American fare.
Frasca Food and Wine is on Pearl Street between 17th and 18th Streets in downtown Boulder. The restaurant held "Zagat" ratings of "extraordinary to perfection" for its food and service and "very good to excellent" for its decor as of October 2010.
The restaurant specializes in Italian cuisine from the Friuli region. The dinner menu changes seasonally to incorporate fresh, in-season local ingredients. Many of the items used in the dishes are purchased directly from area farmers. Past entrees include potato gnocchi with broccoli and pork shoulder cannelloni. The wine list is a past recipient of the Wine Spectator magazine "Award of Excellence" and contains more than 200 selections.
Frasca Food and Wine serves dinner Monday through Saturday and closes every Sunday. Reservations are required. The restaurant books in advance by one or two months, so make arrangements ahead of time when planning a night out during a vacation or for a special event. In nice weather, ask for a table on the outdoor patio. The restaurant has a private parking lot, and street parking is also available around the establishment in the event the lot is full.
John's Restaurant is on Pearl Street in downtown Boulder between 24th and 25th Streets. Situated inside of a small home, the restaurant opened in June 1975. The restaurant held "Zagat" ratings of "very good to excellent" for its food and service and "good to very good" for its decor as of October 2010. The restaurant has also won awards for "Most Romantic Restaurant in Boulder" from Citysearch and was named one of the "Top 150 Restaurants in Denver" from "Rocky Mountain News."
The menu at John's Restaurant features American cuisine. The restaurant has won Citysearch awards for having the "Best Steak" in Boulder with dishes like its Colorado filet mignon, which comes with fingerling potatoes and green beans in a blue cheese sauce. Featuring more than 175 selections, the wine list has won the Wine Spectator "Award of Excellence."
John's Restaurant serves dinner Tuesday through Saturday and closes Sundays and Mondays. Reservations are highly recommended due to the restaurant's small size. Business casual attire is the norm. The restaurant has a private parking lot.
The Kitchen is on Pearl Street between 11th and 12th Streets in downtown Boulder. The restaurant is known for its communal dining, featuring several 12-foot long tables where diners sit with other guests. Private tables are also available for those hoping for a more intimate dining experience. The restaurant held "Zagat" dining guide ratings of "very good to excellent" for its food, decor and service as of October 2010.
The restaurant offers a nightly, prix fixe, family-style dinner with a varying selection of entrees meant for sharing at a reduced price. A la carte entrees on the standard menu include international fare like char-grilled Scottish salmon with Kalamata olive tapenade, pan-roasted pork loin with polenta and marinated hangar steak with French-style pomme frites fries. The bar specializes in micro-brewed beers with more than 40 selections available. The wine list features more than 100 bottled reds and whites.
The Kitchen is open for brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, for lunch Monday through Friday and for dinner nightly. Reservations are only taken for parties of five or more. The restaurant does not have space to accommodate parties of more than 12. Business casual is the attire. A public, pay lot is available for parking at Spruce and 11th streets.
