Highest-rated restaurants in Boulder by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.
Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Boulder, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.
#30. Barchetta
- Rating: 4.5/5 (124 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1644 Walnut St. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Pizza, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Village Coffee Shop
- Rating: 4.5/5 (423 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1605 Folsom St. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Ado's Kitchen & Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (181 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1143 13th St. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Italian, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Izakaya Amu
- Rating: 4.5/5 (255 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1221 Spruce St. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#26. The Parkway Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (344 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4700 Pearl St. Ste 4 Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Pupusas Lover 2
- Rating: 4.5/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 2525 Arapahoe Ave. Unit E1B Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Salvadoran
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Boychik - Boulder
- Rating: 4.5/5 (36 reviews)
- Address: 1401 Pearl St. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Middle Eastern
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Zodiac Subs
- Rating: 4.5/5 (39 reviews)
- Address: 2359 Arapahoe Ave. Ste A Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Los Dos Bros Mexican Food Truck
- Rating: 4.5/5 (30 reviews)
- Address: 5501 Arapahoe Ave. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Rincon Argentino
- Rating: 4.5/5 (789 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2525 Arapahoe Ave. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Argentine, Empanadas, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Mt Everest Cuisine
- Rating: 4.5/5 (107 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4800 Baseline Road Ste A 107 Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Indian, Himalayan/Nepalese
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Cilantro
- Rating: 4.5/5 (77 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2850 Iris Ave. H Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Thrive
- Rating: 4.5/5 (234 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1509 Arapahoe Ave. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Gluten-Free, Vegan, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Bento-ria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (157 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1310 College Ave. Ste 240 Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Poke
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Little Tibet
- Rating: 4.5/5 (123 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4479 Bdwy Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Indian
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Formosa
- Rating: 4.5/5 (107 reviews)
- Address: 4920 Pearl St. Unit C Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Taiwanese, Dim Sum, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Le Frigo
- Rating: 4.5/5 (83 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5360 Arapahoe Ave. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Delis, Cheese Shops, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Tacos Del Norte
- Rating: 4.5/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Freddie's Hot Dogs
- Rating: 4.5/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1100 Pearl St. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Hot Dogs, Food Stands
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Postino Boulder
- Rating: 4.5/5 (106 reviews)
- Address: 1468 Pearl St. Ste 110 Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Wine Bars, Breakfast & Brunch, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Sherpa Kitchen
- Rating: 4.5/5 (94 reviews)
- Address: 5290 Arapahoe Ave. Ste B Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Indian, Himalayan/Nepalese
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Lucky's Bakehouse Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 3980 Broadway Ste 107 Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Munson's Farm Stand
- Rating: 4.5/5 (23 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 7455 Valmont Road Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Fruits & Veggies, Food Stands
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Ruthies Boardwalk Social
- Rating: 4.5/5 (63 reviews)
- Address: 1397 Pearl St. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Desserts, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#6. savannah bee company
- Rating: 5.0/5 (41 reviews)
- Address: 1222 Pearl St. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Cosmetics & Beauty Supply, Live/Raw Food
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Holy Crepe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (39 reviews)
- Address: 1650 Broadway Ste A Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Creperies
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Pasta Press
- Rating: 5.0/5 (32 reviews)
- Address: 1911 11th St. Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Tierra y Fuego Taqueria
- Rating: 5.0/5 (53 reviews)
- Address: 4550 Bdwy Unit C-3A Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Nopalito's
- Rating: 5.0/5 (116 reviews)
- Address: 1805 29th St. Ste 1138 Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Saucy Cluckers
- Rating: 5.0/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 1911 Broadway Boulder, Colorado
- Categories: Restaurants
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.