Denver's Best Italian Restaurants

Escape to Italy

Image by russelljsmith

While Mexican and Southwestern dishes are historically our city's standard, in recent years the Italian community has made its presence felt more strongly than ever before. Now it's possible to get a taste of the Mediterranean in everything from epic multi-course meals to hearty plates that give the impression of home cooking. These are some of the city's best Italian restaurants, from the most in-demand establishments to little neighborhood joints where everyone knows your name after just a few visits.

1. Venice Ristorante & Winebar

Widely recognized as the finest Italian restaurant in our city, Venice Ristorante & Winebar brings truly fantastic and authentic Italian dining to LoDo. The neighborhood's historic buildings, including the one Venice Ristorante occupies, lend an antiquarian atmosphere, invoking the feel of the ancient Italian city for which the restaurant is named. Stunningly prepared dishes, from the gnocchi with pesto to the veal with porcini mushrooms and truffle oil, can stand on their own or be paired with luxurious imported Italian wines. The location, service and cuisine come with a hefty price tag, so save Venice for when you need a special night out.

2. Frasca Food & Wine

Dominated by the cuisine of the Friuli area in northeastern Italy, Frasca takes Boulder's fine dining up a notch. You really need to get a reservation before making the journey to Boulder, Frasca is very popular with wealthier Boulderites. From delicious fresh fish (seriously difficult to obtain in our landlocked state) to succulent short rib, the restaurant has achieved a standard what has garnered it local and national renown. Knowledgeable waiters and a top-notch sommelier round out the superb experience, where everything from the first entrance through the last bite of house-made chocolate is just one step removed from divine.

3. Luca d'Italia

Cap Hill is more known for its bars and gritty music scene than it is for fine dining, but Luca d'Italia is on the other end of the spectrum, an upscale Italian restaurant where you would least expect it. If you're overwhelmed by choices, try the rabbit three ways or the roasted duck breast. Prices at Luca d'Italia definitely reflect its atmosphere, not what many of the neighborhood's residents can afford, so you will see a lot of older couples from gentrified areas of the city.

4. Café Jordano

It's rare that a strip mall restaurant makes it on the basis of its culinary merits, but Lakewood's Café Jordano defies expectations. Cream-based pasta dishes, such as the fettuccine alfredo or the pasta with chicken, prosciutto and roasted red peppers, are clearly the house specialty, although you can also opt for calzones, pizzas and meat-based meals. The tiny restaurant's bustling atmosphere and hot, filling dishes make the trip west well worth the time, despite the improbable location.

5. Gaetano's

As has always been the case at Gaetano's, it's not so much the food that brings in diners; it's the history. Used as a Mafia establishment by the Smaldone family during the mid-1900s, Gaetano's has features like a bulletproof front door and big black leather booths that nestle into the shadows. The food of the Highlands restaurant is hearty and largely traditional, although there are some Southwestern-inspired dishes that create an interesting combination of old Italian and Denver's own regional flavors.