'Where should I eat in Fort Collins?' Here are our food reporter's top 15 recommendations
When I tell people I cover arts, entertainment, breweries and restaurants for the Coloradoan, they almost always light up at the mention of food.
"I bet you get to eat at a lot of good restaurants," they typically say. "Which one's your favorite?"
I hate that question. It's not that it isn't a great question — it's one I'd probably ask me, too.
The problem is two-pronged. On one hand, food preferences are so subjective. How can I be sure that my taste in fast-casual Tex-Mex is the same as yours? I can't. Secondly, there are just so many restaurants in Fort Collins. There are my favorite quick takeout spots, fancy sit-down options and go-to greasy breakfast joints. How can I possibly choose just one?
The USA TODAY Network asked me to do just that as part of our national roundup of the USA TODAY Restaurants of the Year 2024 list. I chose one of my favorites — Beijing Noodle.
But I couldn't stop there. Instead, I rounded up the top 15 restaurants I typically recommend to out-of-towners, new friends and now, you. Dig in.
Babalu's Cuban Cafe, 140 W. Oak St.
Tucked away in an indoor Old Town mall, Babalu's Cuban Cafe falls solidly in hidden-gem territory, dishing up tasty breakfast burritos, Cuban fare and fresh pastries out of its tiny kitchen and bakery. Babalu's was the longtime dream of baker Rosa Jimenez. Rosa and her husband, Frank, have created a cozy haven for the hungry masses. While their Cubano is a lunchtime classic, I recommend one of Babalu's fresh-baked pastelitos — or Cuban turnovers — for breakfast. They're often stuffed with Nutella, coconut or guava, and cream cheese fillings and are best washed down with a hot cup of Cuban coffee.
Beijing Noodle, 1005 W. Stuart St.
It's no wonder this Fort Collins favorite made USA TODAY's Best Restaurants of the Year list. Beijing Noodle stands out as a go-to spot for traditional Chinese fare in the Choice City. Run by husband-and-wife duo Tianxi "Dennis" Zhang and Yirong Sun, the west Fort Collins eatery serves up dishes Zhang and Sun grew up on in China. If you're planning a visit, be sure to try one of Beijing Noodle's specialty noodle dishes. My go-to is the oil spill noodles — a fan-favorite dry noodle dish consisting of wide wheat noodles, fresh garlic, Sichuan peppercorns and chilis cooked in hot oil. If you're looking for a little variety, also grab an order of rou jia mo, or handheld Chinese hamburgers, to go.
Cafe de Bangkok, 1232 W. Elizabeth St.
If Beijing Noodle drew you in with its unassuming atmosphere and authentic food, consider Cafe de Bangkok its Thai equivalent. The cozy eatery prides itself on its authentic Thai offerings and has amassed a cult following that extends far past its Campus West neighborhood. Start out with its roasted duck buns, then move on to its Kao Soi, a fan-favorite rice noodle dish that's a delicacy in Northern Thailand. Alternatively, warm up with its hot and sour Tom Kha soup or, really, any of its curries.
Cafe Mexicali, 2925 S. College Ave.
Many moons ago, when I was a wee, carless Colorado State University freshman, very few things could pull me off campus. But Cafe Mexicali always managed to do the trick, and it still does — regularly drawing me to its flagship restaurant in Midtown Fort Collins. The fast-casual Tex-Mex spot has a lot of options, and I encourage testing out the menu to see what exactly is your speed. For me, nothing can quite beat Cafe Mex's sweet pork, which I either get in a quesole — think a rolled-up quesadilla — or mixed with a chopped up tortilla and smothered with house-favorite creamy habanero sauce in their deceptively healthy sounding ensalada Mexicali.
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The Colorado Room, 642 S. College Ave.
If relaxed college town vibes drew you to Fort Collins, might I direct you to The Colorado Room? The home-grown eatery serves up inventive sammies, poutine, and pub classics like wings and fries in an entirely unsnobby atmosphere just northeast of the Colorado State University campus. If it's your first time, try one of its combos so you can mix and match a sammy or two — my heart is torn between the bahn mi and rhine pork varieties — with a side of poutine. If you're part of the evening crowd, come for the food and stay for some house cocktails, which are best enjoyed on its sprawling back patio.
Fiona's Delicatessen, Bakery, & Catering, 1001 E. Harmony Road
Looking for a classic lunch spot? Let me turn you on to Fiona's — part deli, part bakery, part catering business and all-around Fort Collins favorite. The Harmony Road deli dishes up classic lunch options like big salads, a range of soups and a huge menu of sandwiches served up on its housemade bread. If you have a sweet tooth, round things out with fresh-baked pastries, daily cupcakes, or cake or pie by the slice. Not quite sure what to order? Start out with a Fiona's Reuben — a tried and true choice that made it to the Coloradoan's Final 4 round of last year's March Madness sandwich bracket.
Our criteria for USA TODAY's Restaurants of the Year for 2024: How the list of best restaurants was decided
Gelato & aMore, 1720 W. Mulberry St.
Don't let its sign fool you. Step foot inside Gelato & aMore and the gelato shop you thought you were patronizing suddenly takes on the feel of an Italian deli. Sure, there is a rainbow of frosty gelato flavors, but there are also coolers filled with containers of fresh grab-and-go pasta, cannoli cake, heat-and-serve eggplant parmesan and balls of fresh mozzarella. You can buy freshly sliced prosciutto by the ounce or order one of the many Italian classics on their menu — from their Sicilian square pizzas and build-your-own-pasta combos to hot Italian entrees and cold hoagie sandwiches. I'm a fan of their Sicilian formaggio pizza but have also been known to crave a hot rustic sandwich — their corned beef Reuben among them.
Krazy Karl's Pizza, 1124 W. Elizabeth St. and 2620 S. Timberline Road
From its beginning in a campus-area strip mall, Krazy Karl's Pizza has grown into a bustling pizzeria that feels like Fort Collins pizza personified. The business opened its flagship West Elizabeth Street pizza shop in 2010 and, after winning over the hungry Campus West crowd, spread its pies east with a second location in Rigden Farm about six years later. So, what makes Fort Collins crazy for Krazy Karl's? An argument could be made for its array of inventive specialty pies, from its Greek-inspired Krazy gyro to its sweet and peanuty Thai specialty pie. Personally, I think it's the signature cream cheese-dolloped pizzas that set Krazy Karl's apart. The unlikely addition started as a customer request and has since become a cornerstone of the menu — cream cheese is included on seven of its specialty pies. One of those just so happens to be my favorite, the Krazy Hawaiian. Not a fan of pineapple on pizza? Try the North of the Border instead.
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Las 4 Americas, 1669 S. College Ave.
If you ever see me stopped at a traffic light eating a tortilla, I'm likely on my way home from Las 4 Americas and just couldn't wait to bust into the bag of fresh tortillas on my passenger seat. The Midtown tortilleria and panaderia is a go-to stop for local Mexican fare, with bakery display cases bursting with colorful conchas, racks of just-bagged corn and flour tortillas, and shelves of housemade tortilla chips. Just off its bakery and grocery area, you'll find Las 4 America's taquería, where you can also order lunch or dinner — think classic burritos, tacos and tortas, hearty plates of chicken mole, flautas and enchiladas.
Music City Hot Chicken, 111 W. Prospect Road
Treat your taste buds — or singe them off, it's up to you — at Fort Collins' original hot chicken spot. Known for Nashville-style fried chicken with spice levels ranging from its tame Southern option to its punishing "flammable solid," Music City Hot Chicken planted its flagship location in Fort Collins back in 2016 and has built a loyal following in the years since. Its hot chicken sandwich is a fan favorite that rocketed to the final round of our March Madness sandwich bracket last year. Try it, or a tender plate, to see what the fuss is about. If you want to flirt with some heat, I recommend starting with the restaurant's green chile blend before working your way up to its hot or "Nashville hot" spice levels. Don't count out its weekend brunch either. It boasts tasty chicken and waffles plates and biscuit and waffle breakfast sandwiches worth sinking your teeth into.
How many have you been to? Check out USA TODAY's 2024 Restaurants of the Year
The Pickle Barrel Bar and Deli, 122 W. Laurel St.
After a brief closure in 2021, Pickle Barrel Bar and Deli returned to West Laurel Street early last year — with new owners reopening the iconic campus-area sandwich shop and picking up where its 34-year history left off. Their first order of business? Don't mess with a good thing. Besides paring down the Pickle Barrel's once expansive menu, the restaurant's new ownership group decided to keep a rotation of its tried-and-true sandwiches, including fan favorites like the "Funky Punky" and the "Toonces." My vote — and that of hundreds of Coloradoan readers — goes to the Toonces. The hot sandwich, which is loaded with grilled turkey, dill havarti cheese, avocado, tomatoes and ranch, made it all the way to the Final 4 in our March Madness sandwich bracket last year.
The Regional, 130 S. Mason St.
I am but a simple gal. I love being herded, like cattle, through a counter service line at a fast-casual restaurant. I love a good box of takeout pad Thai, and if you read the above section about Las 4 Americas, you know I'm not above eating a bag of tortillas alone in my car. Even so, there is nothing quite like getting dressed up, sitting in a dimly lit restaurant and feeling a little fancy. When I want to do that, I typically head to The Regional — a cozy American eatery on the edge of Old Town that serves up elevated classics with a killer happy hour to boot. With largely seasonal entrees, my order typically depends on the time of year. But I'm always partial to a plate of their raw oysters, an order of garlic ghee fries and their pom pom press cocktail to start.
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Silver Grill Cafe, 218 Walnut St.
After 90 years of perfecting breakfast, it's no wonder Silver Grill Cafe is a must-stop for me when out-of-towners come to visit. The long-lived Old Town restaurant is a Fort Collins staple, serving up its famous giant cinnamon rolls, heaping breakfast plates and hearty lunches in its network of charming Walnut Street dining rooms — complete with creaky original wood floors and brick walls. In early 2021, as restaurants across the country shuttered over the economic effects of COVID-19, Silver Grill got a shoutout on Esquire's list of 100 restaurants America couldn't afford to lose. Billed as home to the best breakfast in America by the list's main author and Esquire food & drinks editor, Jeff Gordinier, Silver Grill stood among revered seaside lobster roll shacks, Southern barbecue joints and New York pizza shops. For what it's worth, Gordinier wrote that, despite all the love its massive cinnamon rolls get, Silver Grill's hashbrowns deserve just as much hype. I say split the difference and get both its country fried steak and eggs — with hashbrowns, of course — and a half order of cinnamon roll French toast.
Simmer, 2519 S. Shields St.
Simmer perfectly walks the line between fancy and approachable, serving up elevated dishes without the sticker shock. After opening in its west Fort Collins shopping center in 2018, Simmer has seemed to branch off its original tapas focus and also dishes up plenty of hearty burgers, sandwiches and entrees, with a nice variety that swings from Jamaican jerk chicken to fish and chips. It still sticks to its roots, though, with a menu of small plates that you can make a meal of in themselves. My favorites are their devils on horseback and hot cauliflower wings.
Waltzing Kangaroo, 1109 W. Elizabeth St.
The Fort Collins foothills are not the most likely backdrop for an Australian restaurant, but Waltzing Kangaroo has worked its way to "fixture" status among Campus West's squat strip malls and college bars since its 2016 debut. Its specialty is 5-inch Australian meat and veggie pies, which can be bought hot or frozen — my personal favorite is the steak and gravy pie. You can also order classic sausage rolls, mashed potatoes or mushy peas on the side. Still hungry? Grab an almost-too-pretty-to-eat apple turnover from its gleaming bakery display case. While Waltzing Kangaroo has indoor seating, its casual counter service and grab-and-go pies make it a great spot for some out-of-the-ordinary takeout.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Fort Collins restaurants near me: Our food reporter's top 15 picks
