The 11 most beautiful Denver restaurants to visit right now

Owner Fiona Arnold’s design chops are on full display at this Roaring Twenties-inspired cocktail lounge. There’s a rotating art collection and a wraparound bar with a hand-painted mural depicting elephants and camels—a tribute to the art found in turn-of-the-century European salons. Green banquettes and marble tabletops round out the library-like space, ideal for sipping eclectic cocktails like a Beijing mule, made with jasmine-infused vodka, and snacks including caviar with olive-oil crisps.

Tel Aviv’s Bauhaus buildings inspired the bright interiors at this modern Israeli gem. Which explains the geometric pink and green wallpaper, and other Middle Eastern touches, like lanterns with macramé coverings and vibrant rugs on display. On the menu, expect wood-fired hits like roasted carrots with herbed labneh, fluffy made-to-order pitas, and perfectly charred baba ganoush.

This downtown bar has design cred for its striking pearl-themed chandelier, made from over 1,000 iridescent glass orbs. Antiques, throw pillows, and plants complete the granny-chic atmosphere. Call Me Pearl’s super central location makes it a go-to for a solid weeknight happy hour. But if you’re looking for a more leisurely evening, settle into an armchair and order a couple of martinis, ahi poke wontons, and oysters on the half shell served on a plate of big faux—you guessed it—pearls.

The Union Station backdrop definitely informed the Beaux-Arts vibe at this mural-lined, split-level beauty. But a Spanish and Portuguese menu by award-winning chef Jen Jasinski means there are also Iberian design accents, including fiery red banquettes and lots of wrought iron. Get a goblet-sized gin and tonic, a plate of jamón, and tinned fish, and you’ll be shuttled straight to a cafe in Bilbao—especially if you grab a spot on the patio, adorned with a bubbling fountain, potted plants, and lanterns.

A majestic copper still towers above the blue velvet booths, live plants, and floor-to-ceiling windows at The Family Jones Spirit House—a visual reminder that all the liquor in the cocktails here, including olive oil-washed gin and jalapeño-infused vodka, is distilled onsite. Despite its soaring ceilings, there aren’t too many seats, making it a sought-after spot. TL;DR: Book well in advance for an evening at this stylish distillery and tasting room.

This handsome Italian American steakhouse by Quality Branded is the younger sibling to a New York City restaurant, but it’s far from a copy-and-paste job. The sultry Denver edition stands out for custom art installations, light fixtures made from butchery tools, and framed photographs of Italian icons such as Sophia Loren. Theatrical food, like lobster rigatoni flambéed tableside and larger-than-life cannoli-cream sundaes, amps up the old-school Italian mood.

Brothers Yasu and Toshi Kizaki gave Denver a Japanese oasis when they opened this small-plates paradise, known for Kobe beef sliders and lobster spring rolls, in 2013. A bamboo garden and summer patio (bonus points for the retractable glass ceiling) contribute to the izakaya’s obvious wow factor. But it’s the more subtle design accents, like lanterns covered in antique kimono fabrics and sliding doors with hand-painted poetry, that take this sexy two-story space to the next level.

It doesn’t get fancier than afternoon tea service at Denver’s oldest and most elegant hotel, which unfolds in a stained-glass atrium, surrounded by gilded arches and marble columns—there’s even live music by a harpist or pianist. It’s the ultimate setting for celebrating just about anything over finger sandwiches, delicate pastries, and fresh scones with Devonshire cream, plus silver teapots filled with everything from masala chai to organic Earl Grey.

One of Cherry Creek’s swankiest French restaurants is an opulent riff on the Parisian bistro, decorated with smoked-mirror columns, purple lacquer tables, and chandeliers. Snag a blue velvet banquette and dig into sophisticated classics like Wagyu beef tartare, foie gras with housemade compote, and mussels in white wine. In the summer months, check out the patio with woven rattan chairs and tables, which you can get to from a set of French doors in the dining room.

This sprawling family-run urban winery screams “industrial chic,” thanks to its past life as a manufacturing warehouse. Chandeliers hang from 30-foot timber ceilings, wine barrels double as tables, and there’s exposed brick everywhere. Get a glass or bottle—it’s all made in house—plus wine-friendly food like artichoke bruschetta, French onion short rib sliders, and charcuterie boards. When the weather is nice, sprawl out on the lively light-strung patio.

New York-based Quality Branded is behind this low-lit Mediterranean lair inside the Clayton Hotel. There’s no wrong place to sit, but the two half-moon shaped bars make particularly pretty perches. Zebra-print wallpaper and a trendy gold, pink, and green color palette give Cretans its see-and-be-seen edge. Go with a group to maximize on shareable snacks like flambéed pistachios, Moroccan fried chicken bites, and “dip towers” featuring beet muhammara and whipped goat cheese.