5 unique and unusual dining experiences in Colorado
DENVER (KDVR) — Denver is a top city for foodies, but the rest of the state also has plenty of unique dining experiences that are like no other.
Many restaurants across Colorado have received national recognition and awards.
Denver foodie: Some local restaurants that won awards, made headlines in 2023
Last year, 15 Colorado businesses won Good Food Awards and several received Michelin stars and awards.
Some places offer dinner and a show; a whole experience if you will. Here are some unique dining experiences foodies can find across the state.
Dine in a whisky barrel in Steamboat Springs
Steamboat Ski Resort offers a dining experience inside of an old whisky barrel.
“The barrels are custom cedar and set up to seat four people for a four-course menu paired with a one-of-a-kind tasting experience with a flight of Stranahan’s whiskey,” a spokesperson for Steamboat told FOX31.
While eating at Stranahan’s Barrel Dining, guests are treated to a stunning view of the mountain and ski resort.
Reservations cost $100 per person, with a two-person minimum and a $50 reservation fee.
Study: These Colorado cities have some of the best-rated pizzerias in the US
Drinks, dinner and dancing under Union Station
In the lower level of Denver’s Union Station, you can find a jazz-themed dining experience with cocktails, French wines, a three-course menu and live jazz music.
La Caverne Supper Club just opened in February.
If you choose to go, be prepared to do some dancing or at least be surrounded by people dancing. Reservations are required and can be made on the website.
Eat and drink to death at a former mortuary
Olinger Mortuaries was at one point responsible for half of Denver’s funerals. In 1917, it housed the body of Buffalo Bill Cody for six months before he was ultimately buried in on Lookout Mountain. Now, it’s a death-themed restaurant.
Did you know these notable people are buried in Colorado?
According to Atlas Obscura, the big neon sign on top of the building that once read “Olinger Mortuaries” was “barely even altered, with the capital ‘O’ simply being turned out and the word ‘mortuaries’ being slightly altered.” So now, the current sign says “Linger Eatuaries.”
The building’s history is apparent, with old air conditioning units repurposed as hanging lamps, a glass-topped conveyor belt used as a table, a church pew as the host’s stand and garage doors for hearses that now make an excellent summer breezeway.
Linger Eatuary embraces its history in its serving, too. According to Atlas Obscura, water is served from formaldehyde bottles.
The rooftop dining area features an old 1975 GMC RV, according to the restaurant’s website, which has been repurposed as a bar, food truck and kitchen. To top it off, the view overlooks the Lower Highlands neighborhood.
US Air Force plane turned restaurant
You do not need a boarding pass to eat on a plane at The Airplane Restaurant in Colorado Springs.
The restaurant is inside a fully intact Boeing KC-97 tanker that was built in 1953. According to the restaurant’s website, it is one of the largest piston aircraft ever built by Boeing. There is only one American-built piston aircraft that is bigger.
Where can you publicly drink alcohol in Denver?
The plane refueled aircraft throughout the world, according to the website, until 2002 when it was converted into a restaurant.
When it was returning from one of the many refueling missions to Europe, the crew thought they were going to have to ditch the plane in the Atlantic when they were struggling to find the Azores islands in Portugal.
“Luckily for the crew, the plane, and The Airplane Restaurant, the Azores were rediscovered, and the plane didn’t end up on the bottom of the ocean,” the restaurant’s website says.
Inside, the plane seats 42 dining passengers. There are hundreds of photos, memorabilia and rare artifacts inside the plane.
Eat in an old air traffic control tower
The Stapleton International Airport opened as Denver Municipal Airport in 1929 and was a major travel hub in Colorado before it was replaced by the Denver International Airport in 1995.
All that is left of Denver’s first airport is the air traffic control tower and its three-story building at the base, which today has been converted into a restaurant and brewery called FlyteCo Tower.
The Central Park neighborhood was developed in the area and the tower sat vacant until 2017 when it was converted into a restaurant, according to its website.
FlyteCo Tower opened in August 2022 and has since expanded, adding a coffee and bagel shop. Today, there are three levels, three full bars and a large outdoor patio with a mini golf course, axe throwing, bowling and more.
Honorable mention: Comfort food and a petting zoo
After 45 years of business, White Fence Farm closed its doors for good in 2018.
Colorado was almost named a made-up word
After a comforting meal at White Fence Farm in Lakewood, visitors could take a stroll through the petting zoo and feed the animals.
There was always some kind of entertainment there, and the award-winning landscapes made for a beautiful place to take a stroll after dinner. There was a treehouse playground for the kids, photo opportunities, games, a dessert and candy shop, flower gardens and a year-round Christmas shop.
The property has since been converted into a multifamily community, and the main white farmhouse is now the clubhouse of the complex.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
