Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Denver area by diners

Fine dining in the United States isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; these days, it's all about cutting-edge culinary experiences.

Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller and his three-Michelin-starred restaurant, French Laundry, unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.

Between the rise of chefs' tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.

With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Denver area using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.

Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of June 25, 2025.

Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!

1 / 29

#29. Famille

- Rating: 4.3/5 (239 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 8875 Westminster Blvd. Westminster, Colorado
- Categories: New American, Breakfast & Brunch, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 29

#28. Panzano

- Rating: 4.3/5 (1279 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 909 17th St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, Bars, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 29

#27. Cafe Terracotta

- Rating: 4.3/5 (693 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5649 South Curtice St. Littleton, Colorado
- Categories: American, Salad, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 29

#26. Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar

- Rating: 4.3/5 (1235 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1539 17th St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Seafood, New American, Live/Raw Food
- Read more on Yelp

5 / 29

#25. Odyssey Italian Restaurant

- Rating: 4.3/5 (1471 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 603 East 6th Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Sicilian, Seafood, Pasta Shops
- Read more on Yelp

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6 / 29

#24. Rioja

- Rating: 4.3/5 (2830 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1431 Larimer St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: New American, Spanish, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 29

#23. Ototo

- Rating: 4.3/5 (286 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1501 South Pearl St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Japanese, Tapas/Small Plates
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 29

#22. Ambli Global Cuisine - DTC

- Rating: 4.3/5 (236 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6799 East Belleview Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Tapas/Small Plates, Cocktail Bars, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 29

#21. Spuntino

- Rating: 4.3/5 (524 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2639 West 32nd Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

10 / 29

#20. Williams & Graham

- Rating: 4.3/5 (1083 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3160 Tejon St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: American, Speakeasies
- Read more on Yelp

11 / 29

#19. Water Grill

- Rating: 4.4/5 (356 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1691 Market St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

12 / 29

#18. Root Down

- Rating: 4.4/5 (4102 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1600 West 33rd Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: New American, Vegan, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp

13 / 29

#17. The Wolf's Tailor

- Rating: 4.4/5 (299 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 4058 Tejon St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp

14 / 29

#16. DiFranco's

- Rating: 4.4/5 (629 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 955 North Lincoln St. Unit D Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Delis, Italian, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp

15 / 29

#15. The Plimoth

- Rating: 4.4/5 (392 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2335 East 28th Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, French, New American
- Read more on Yelp

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16 / 29

#14. Steakhouse 10

- Rating: 4.4/5 (559 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3517 South Elati St. Englewood, Colorado
- Categories: Steakhouses, Diners, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

17 / 29

#13. Angelo's Taverna

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1867 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 620 East 6th Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, Seafood, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

18 / 29

#12. Tavernetta

- Rating: 4.5/5 (841 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1889 16th St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

19 / 29

#11. Safta

- Rating: 4.5/5 (986 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3330 Brighton Blvd. Ste 201 Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

20 / 29

#10. Uchi Denver

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1045 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2500 Lawrence St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Japanese, Seafood, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp

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21 / 29

#9. Work & Class

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1840 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2500 Larimer St. Ste 101 Denver, Colorado
- Categories: New American, Latin American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

22 / 29

#8. Guard and Grace Modern Steakhouse

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1960 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1801 California St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood, New American
- Read more on Yelp

23 / 29

#7. Beckon

- Rating: 4.5/5 (158 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 2843 Larimer St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: New American, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

24 / 29

#6. Somebody People

- Rating: 4.5/5 (340 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1165 South Broadway Ste 104 Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp

25 / 29

#5. Annette

- Rating: 4.5/5 (478 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2501 Dallas St. Aurora, Colorado
- Categories: Wine Bars, New American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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26 / 29

#4. Nocturne

- Rating: 4.6/5 (403 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1330 27th St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Jazz & Blues, New American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

27 / 29

#3. Jack's on Pearl

- Rating: 4.6/5 (177 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1475 South Pearl St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Bars, Steakhouses, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

28 / 29

#2. Dan Da

- Rating: 4.7/5 (160 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 9945 East Colfax Ave. Aurora, Colorado
- Categories: Vietnamese
- Read more on Yelp

29 / 29

#1. Bettola Bistro

- Rating: 4.7/5 (379 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 10253 East Iliff Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 319 metros.