Where to Take Out-of-Towners in LoDo

Here’s your cheat sheet to LoDo’s best hotels, restaurants, bars, shops—plus a little bit of culture and history for good measure

Eat

BRUTØ, which holds both a Michelin star and a Michelin Green Star, has just 18 seats facing an open kitchen with a wood-burning oven as the centerpiece. BRUTØ offers its tasting menu—rooted in South American influences and local ingredients—Tuesday through Sunday, 5 to 8:30 p.m. Be sure to book well in advance.

Rioja has been one of Larimer Square’s anchors since 2004. If you arrive early, order a cocktail and a snack at the copper-topped bar. Once you’re seated, dig into the Mediterranean menu: We recommend the legendary Colorado lamb burger or the artichoke tortelloni in white truffle broth.

Tavernetta, from the same team behind Boulder’s renowned Frasca, has a menu centered on handmade pasta and rustic Italian dishes. Start with the focaccia, order the rigatoni with lamb ragu, and be sure to check out the all-Italian wine list (Champagne excepted).

ChoLon has been serving modern Asian fusion cuisine on Blake Street since 2010. Order the French onion soup dumplings, and give them a minute to cool. While you’re waiting, tuck into the dreamy Kaya toast and Thai Brussels sprouts.

Drink

The Cruise Room opened the day after Prohibition ended in December 1933—and looks nearly the same as it did then almost a century later. The bar—with its wine-bottle-shaped layout, soft red neon lighting, and carved panels that celebrate toasts from around the world—was inspired by a lounge on the RMS Queen Mary. Order a classic cocktail like a martini or Sazerac, and let your guests take a trip back in time.

Seven Grand stocks hundreds of whiskeys. Tell the bartender what you usually drink, and they’ll steer you toward something new: a rye, a Japanese whisky, or a bourbon you wouldn’t have found on your own. The room is dark, clubby, and perfect for an unhurried nightcap.

Cooper Lounge, situated on Union Station’s mezzanine, overlooks the Great Hall and is an, ahem, elevated spot for a cocktail and a snack. Order an old-fashioned and a charcuterie board—and don't forget to reserve a table ahead of time on weekends.

Shop

Free Market offers shoppers rotating, chic local makers selling jewelry, home goods, and flowers inside Dairy Block. BRUTØ happens to be inside Free Market, so you can browse the wares before your dinner reservation.

Larimer Square has myriad shopping options—all in one city block. Cotopaxi sells outdoor gear that nods at the adventurous Colorado lifestyle; John Fluevog has shoes your guest probably can’t find back home; and Chebet Mutai carries jewelry, bags, and home goods rooted in African artistry. Garage Sale Vintage ups the shopping ante with an in-store bar, which, depending on how much time you spend there, could be good, or bad, for your pocketbook.

Tattered Cover Book Store, the legendary independent Mile High City purveyor of all things literary, has a small outpost in Union Station. Despite its size, the shelves of local reads, Western history, new releases, and periodicals make it easy to find something you—or your guest—can take home.

The Vintage Label on 17th Street, just east of Union Station, sells vintage designer pieces, and the custom hat bar lets your out-of-towner create one from scratch—right down to the band and feathers.

Culture & History

Union Station opened in 1914, and the Great Hall boasts dramatic 65-foot ceilings and massive arched windows that look out onto Wynkoop Street. Pro move: The windows at Terminal Bar are the station’s original ticket counters; you can order a beverage and a snack there and take in "Denver’s living room."

Larimer Square was Denver’s first designated historic district and was saved from demolition in the 1960s by none other than the late Dana Crawford, an architectural conservation developer and preservationist. Visit for lunch or stop by around sunset, when the overhead lights come on. The blue hour, just after the sun goes down, is the best time for photos.

The National Ballpark Museum is, as luck would have it, just a block from Coors Field on Blake Street. Smithsonian Books recognized the collection as one of the best private baseball collections in the world, and it includes a section of Fenway Park’s Green Monster and a piece of the original Yankee Stadium’s facade. (Note: The museum is closed on Sundays.)

MCA Denver is located at the intersection of 15th and Delgany streets, and the first thing you’ll notice about the museum is the David Adjaye–designed building that has housed the museum since 2007. There’s no permanent collection, so check what’s showing at MCA before you go. The rooftop cafe has great views, and admission is free for visitors under the age of 18.

Stay

The Crawford Hotel in Union Station is an ideal home base for LoDo. Choose from compact Pullman rooms, suites, or lofts with beamed ceilings. Bonus: The A Line from Denver International Airport drops you right at Union Station, so there’s no need for your guest to rent a car.

The Maven Hotel at Dairy Block doubles as something of an art gallery, with more than 700 works displayed throughout the property. Dogs are welcome, and, if you’re lucky, yours might even land a spot in the Maven Pets Gallery.

The Oxford Hotel opened in 1891 to house train travelers and is Denver’s oldest operating hotel. Just a few steps from Union Station, the hotel's rooms mix Victorian and art deco details, and there’s a spa on site. Bonus: The Cruise Room is just off the lobby, which makes it great for a nightcap.

The Rally Hotel, across the street from Coors Field, has some rooms that look straight into the ballpark; other rooms on higher floors look out over the Mile High City's skyline. The Skybridge rooftop has a plunge pool, a hot tub, and views of the Rockies—and is tailor-made for taking in sunsets. Like the Maven, the Rally welcomes dogs.